Dead Rising 2 (PS3) Review

Z-Genocider 2: Genocide Harder.

 Dead Rising 2 is the sequel to the 2006 hit title, Dead Rising. Developed by Blue Castle Games (now Capcom Vancouver), it aims to expand and improve upon the original game by presenting a new character, a dynamic location, and more zombies to kill. I was originally going to cover the PS4 remaster of the game but after hearing some unresolved issues regarding the remaster, I thought it was safe to stick with the original release. So without further ado, let's take a look at the sequel to the hit classic, Dead Rising. By the way, I just want to clear out that I'm using images from the PS4 remaster since i couldn't find clear pics of the PS3 original release.

STORY- Five years after Frank West exposed the truth behind the Willamette incident, we now follow motocross champion, Chuck Greene, as he must survive a zombie outbreak in the Las Vegas-inspired city of Fortune City, Nevada. He is accompanied by his daughter, Katie, who needs a daily dose of Zombrex, a medication used to suppress the zombification process. All hell breaks loose when zombies starts to wreak havoc in Fortune City and Chuck is mistakenly framed as the perpetrator behind the incident. With only 72 hours till the military arrive to exterminate the threat, and possibly neutralize him, Chuck must uncover the truth behind the outbreak and clear his innocence. I found myself interested in the characters as well. Chuck is relate-able in which he must risk anything to protect Katie from any harm. I also found Dead Rising 2's story was pretty entertaining and kept me interested. 

I really liked the cast this time around.

GAMEPLAY- Dead Rising 2 plays exactly like its predecessor, but with some improvements and new features. You control Chuck Greene as he must uncover the truth behind the incident and clear his name all in three days before the military arrives. He also must scavenge the mall for Zombrex, the drug that halts the zombification process for Katie. Each in-game day will require you to give her a dose of Zombrex. The game also has RPG elements such as experience to level up and increase Chuck's attributes. Side-missions has you locating and escorting survivors to safety and battling psychopaths, both rewarding you with Prestige Points (PP), which is needed to level up. There is no photography feature in the game since well... Chuck hasn't covered wars, you know?Escorting survivors is easier this time around compared to the Dead Rising since the AI has been improved, survivors follow orders properly and defend themselves well. The psychopaths are more insane and weird as well, with some being over-the-top. 

The game brings some welcome changes and improvements.

 Furthermore, the shooting has been changed for the best now. In the original Dead Rising, you had to take a stationary position in order to shoot, this caused some frustration since zombies come from all sides to attack you, making you miss that good shot. In Dead Rising 2, you can finally shoot and move at the same time. It was a big help when trying to clear large hordes of enemies with the shotgun and encouraged me to use guns more often. A new feature is the weapons crafting mechanic. Since Fortune City mall is filled with various types weapons lying around, such as axes and katana swords, Chuck can visit nearby maintenance rooms and combine select weapons to make better, deadlier ones. Chuck can find combo cards that will reveal recipes to craft weapons. Additionally, using combo weapons net you more PP as usual, so you're basically encouraged to use the feature. 

PRESENTATION-  Dead Rising 2 has aged more smoothly compared to its predecessor. Character models and environments are detailed and are looking good. The game runs decently at 30 frames-per second, but tends to stutter here and there. It's understandable given that there are over 7,000 zombies on-screen as opposed to Dead Rising's 800. The voice performances are great with many neat performances such as Peter Flemming as hero Chuck Greene. My favorite aspect is the soundtrack, which is filled with some great, upbeat tracks. The ending theme "Kill the Sound" was among my favorites as well. 

Six years later and Dead Rising 2 still looks good.

OVERALL- Dead Rising 2 is a better game than its predecessor in every way. Blue Castle game did a final job handling the sequel. The story was engaging, the gameplay additions and refinements made it a lot of fun, and the presentation has aged well. By far my favorite in the Dead Rising series and one of my favorite zombie game of the last generation.