Review: Dead Rising (2006, Capcom. X-Box 360)

The first of the next-gen games to really catch our eye, Dead Rising had a lot to live up to. Not just another survival horror, and that is not said lightly, what with the resident evils of the genre (Rule Of Rose, anyone?) it is also one that tackles head on the classic of the genre's movie legacy, Romero's Dawn Of The Dead (1978).

It's the ultimate fictional scenario, zombie lovers placing themselves in the role of the besieged survivor. We ask ourselves how would we stay alive. No saves, no cheats, not even a screen to tell you 'YOU ARE DEAD.' But what we do have in the candy-land of the imagination is a mall full of stores and a licence to steal. And this, above all else, is what makes Dead Rising such an enjoyable and rewarding game.

The level of detail is GTA standard, almost reaching RPG heights in its fascination with distractions. It's very easy to while away hours just fucking about - mixing smoothies, taking photos, trying to coordinate a pair of shades with a nice evening dress; it's all amusing. It's hard to describe how much fun it is to impale a zombie with an excavating drill, watching it rotate and fall apart until all that remains is a meaty torso, spinning lonely. More importantly, the details - even killing sprees - actually perform a function. One of the most enjoyable aspects is your fetishistic quest to level up Frank's abilities. The game's motto is very much harder, better, faster, stronger and the special attacks will serve you well and make you laugh.

The plot line is delivered in the form of episodic 'Cases' which you must be in a certain place at a certain time to activate. Same goes for the 'Scoops', side missions ranging from rescuing survivors to fighting psychopaths - boss characters dug deep into various spots around the mall. The in-game clock spans 72 hours - roughly six hours game-play in which to learn the truth behind the outbreak.

This aspect of the game has received some unfair criticism. With only one save game slot, you must forge ahead if you want to see the story through, often missing out on the many 'Scoops' and hidden treats. The ugly beauty of the setup is that it's really only as rigid as you want it to be. You won't ace the game 100% on your first run, so the device works in that it encourages replay. On top of this there are other game modes to explore and enjoy on completion, adding even further longevity.

Dead Rising is survival horror in perhaps the truest sense of the genre yet. A lone zombie is easily avoided, thousands swarming en masse is a different taste. It's sheer power in numbers that gives the game a unique sense of fear and desperation. You come to cherish the safety of the security room (the game's main hub) and venturing out into the mall corridors and stairwells can be daunting. It's not always easy to get from A to B, ironically for the setting it isn't always a leisurely gaming experience, especially at night when the lights power out and you find yourself dodging the hungry undead in darkness. The time structure and it's realistic restrictions are a real innovation. It serves the atmosphere well and this shot of realism makes a nice sour counterpoint to the games violent sense of humour.

All the B-movie references are here, but it's a well written script with some nice lines of dialogue and composed cut scenes. The graphics are superb and character animation is slick and faces have real personality. With literally hundreds of Zs on screen and no slow down, the bloody carnage never becomes dull. The sound design deserves accolades too, each crushed head and severed limb sounds crisp and varied. The tone perfect muzak and adverts piped through the mall tannoys are just brilliant.

There are few gripes, but the ones that stick can really frustrate. The CCP AI is shockingly bad. Many times survivors will make a beeline straight for a crowd of zombies, attacking them uselessly or getting themselves eaten. Frank's special moves can be difficult to execute under pressure, particularly sanity wearing during boss battles. Still, control issues are a problem with pretty much every 3D beat 'em up on the market (a wider issue that plagues further development of the scrolling beat 'em up), so we can't hate on this aspect too much. Once you're comfortable with the controls you find ways to get around the quibbles.

All in, Dead Rising is pretty much bulletproof. There are no cheap afterthoughts, no rushed features. Capcom have produced another polished affair and entrenched themselves in the seventh phase of console gaming with a truly original title. That Rising provides such promise as a franchise in a generation still so young makes it special. Hype justified.
Verdict: 9/10