One of the best ways to see if a game stands the test of time is to remaster it. Updating the visuals for contemporary eyes while keeping the core gameplay mostly the same reveals whether the title holds up. Capcom specializes in these type of revamps and it brings the original “Dead Rising” to a new generation of fans.
Released on the Xbox 360 in 2006, it was one of the first games that truly impressed me on the system. It throws players in the shoes of Frank West, a photojournalist who gets a lead on a big story in Willamette, Colorado. He hitches a ride on a helicopter and discovers that he’s in the middle of a zombie outbreak. He heads to a mall for safety and finds several survivors holed up inside.
A NOD TO A CLASSIC FILM
It’s a nod to George Romero’s “Dawn of the Dead” but the big difference between the film and “Dead Rising ” is that the video game has an anything-goes campiness to the horror. The action game gave players the freedom to ransack the mall and using nearly anything as a weapon. Benches became bludgeoning tools. Chainsaws were a godsend. On top of that, as Frank West leveled up by knocking off zombies, he gained more powerful moves to fend them off.
The major element holding the original “Dead Rising” back is the visuals. The Xbox 360 graphics were groundbreaking for the time, but they don’t hold up as well on modern consoles. “Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster” tries to fix that by using the RE Engine. It’s a major face-lift that improves the immersion and storytelling.
With “Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster,” Capcom updates the visuals and the game benefits from it with better immersion, emotion and storytelling. (Capcom)
THE BENEFIT OF BETTER VISUALS
The characters have their own look with facial expressions that convey more emotion. That’s immediately evident with the bulbous nose of Frank West and his stocky stature. The survivors themselves looks less like extras and more like distinct characters. Like the original, the zombies flood hallways and courtyards. That was a notable selling point in the past but it has become commonplace in contemporary games.
The “Deluxe Remaster’s” visuals pop and feel more in line with contemporary games. The only issue is that the preview version of “Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster” had a ridiculous amount of loading screens that broke the flow of the campaign.
Willamette Mall is full of zombies in “Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster.” (Capcom)
TIME LIMIT IS STILL THERE
Everything else was in line with the original, including the time limit. In “Dead Rising,” players have 72 hours to investigate the zombie outbreak. In addition, side missions, where Frank has to rescue survivors trapped by zombies, also have time limits as well. Survivors can only hold out for so long, and in some cases, players will have to make tough choices on whom to save.
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All of this creates pressure and constant tug-of-war that drives the gameplay. Players will feel the time limit push players through the campaign. At the same time though, they’ll want to explore the mall and see everything it has to offer, especially with the improved visuals. They also have to take into account how mazelike the shopping center is. Doors will be locked and some routes closed. Players will have to rescue survivors and come up with a way to get them to safety, and that’s a lot harder than it looks.
CONTROLS AND SOUND
“Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster” updates the controls, so they’ll feel more intuitive. The developers updated the user interface to make text more readable and Otis less annoying though the mall service worker does call players often. They can interrupt a call if something comes up and return to it and the characters take note of that. It’s a nice storytelling wrinkle that improves the realism of this remaster.
Lastly, the sound has improved with 3-D audio. When walking through the mall, players will hear gunshots or survivors nearby. The sound is set up so that players can figure out where they area. It’s another reason to grab a good set of cans to take advantage of the experience.
“Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster’ Is scheduled to launch on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S on Sept. 19 while a physical version is coming Nov. 8.
