Dead Rising 2

Dead Rising 2 combines everything you could want from a zombie game with everything I hate about gaming. From Capcom, Dead Rising 2 is the sequel to the 2006 title Dead Rising. I didn't play the first Dead Rising myself, but from what I read on Wikipedia, it was generally well reviewed well and well received. Dead Rising 2 was released in 2010, an action-adventure survivor type game, like its predecessor. The assume the role of Chuck Greene, ex-motocross champion, and present Terror Is Reality contestant, participating in the reality show in order to purchase Zombrex, the live-saving drug that prevents bitten persons from turning and becoming zombies. Sabotage at the event leads to a city-wide outbreak, forcing a handful of survivors into a fortified bunker, deep underground. When Chuck discovers he has been framed for the outbreak, he must set out to clear his name, and save as many people as possible.

I really am conflicted about this one. Dead Rising 2 has very appealing game play. The possible weapons seem endless, and weapons can be combined to make many more combo weapons, from the practical (baseball bat with nails) to the ludicrous (Indian mask with car battery). "Laser Swords", the Paddle Saw and Freedom Bear make zombie killing insanely entertaining. The endless supply of the slow shambling zombies allows you to fight them however you want for as long as you want. What really detracts from this is the time factor. Yes, Dead Rising 2 operates on a time system, with military extraction in three days of game time. Coupled with this are the "cases" that Chuck receives, which are also timed and must be completed within a certain set period after they become available. What is the consequence of failing to complete a case? Nothing, at least not immediately. However, if you have failed any cases when the military arrives, something unpleasant happens. In fact, all the ending to the game, except for one, really suck. I played this game at the same time as two of my associates who were a little bit less committed to the story (one didn't get Katey any Zombrex), which warned me to complete every case. As a result, you will have little chance to enjoy the game due to the stress of rushing to complete all the cases.

Another major detraction from the game is that the main form of case is an escort mission, which I can't stand. You are constantly forced to escort weak NPCs from place to place, fighting off zombies to protect them. Many of these "survivors" are injured and walk slowly; many need to be carried or helped along, preventing you from using your weapons. Sometimes you're under fire from ex-border patrol members with sniper rifles, who like to kill any living people they see. Combine this with a save system that requires you to find specific locations (bathrooms) to save, and you've got yourself a sucky mission. There are counter points to the general awfulness of missions; these are the psychopaths that you fight every so often. I recommend that you get to level ten by playing the game some and then restarting the story mode, this makes everything easier as you are allowed to keep your stats and level if you restart.

You are allowed to put on clothing that you find throughout the malls and stores of Fortune city. This varies greatly and model out well. The downloadable clothing for Chuck is well worth the 160 MS Points ($2), as they provide many benefits, such as enhanced weapon attacks, bonus damage and ammo and stealth and strength boosts.

The story of Dead Rising 2 is affected by your actions, though there are really only five endings and only two tell you what's really going on. I'm sure you can look it up on another site; I'm trying not to spoil it. Anyway, you have to do work to uncover the truth. Of course if you don't care about that, you can just kill zombies the whole time (one achievement is to kill 72,000).

I really got the impression that a bit more review and beta testing could have improved this game, and maybe a bit less conviction to adhering to the first DRs game style.

So, to the review:

Rating

Gameplay: 2.5/4.0

Major detractions from this category are the Escort missions, save style and the repetition of everything you do. The entertainment of infinite zombie killing barely makes up for problems. There are several items that are clearly designed to be acquired after multiple playthroughs, like the hummer that cost 2 million dollars (I ended the game with only 300K). Still, the weapons are awesome.

Storyline: 2.0/3.0

The endings generally suck, all but one isn't good and story progression is a difficult and lengthy process with no margin for error. That said, if you complete the many story mode, it is good, with a few predictable surprises and a few not so much. Some of the context is lost if you didn't play the first game.

Graphic: 1.5/2.0

The real detraction here is the dialog animation, or lack thereof. Instances of graphics failure are apparent when Chuck drinks/eats through masks and the like, but as there was no liquid shown and the food seems to magically disappear, this really wasn't important. The modeling is good, the texture mapping is fine and the blood is everywhere.

Bonus Points:

Bonus Point: 1.0/1.0

Combo weapons really bring home the awesomeness that this game found in zombie killing. The Blitzkrieg ( an electric wheel chair and automatic weapon), Fountain Lizard (lizard mask and fountain firework), and Boom Stick (shotgun and pitchfork) are just a few of the many possible combos that make DR2 combat so much fun.

Final Rating: 7.0/10.0

By Hegemon

Date: July, 18th 2011