Review - Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

Developer: Capcom

Publisher: Capcom

Available On: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC

Reviewed Console: PlayStation 5

THE DEAD IS RISING!

It’s been a magical September for remasters, with the cult classic Lollipop Chainsaw as the appetizer before Dead Rising acted as the dessert. Unlike the former game, however, we’re going to get a little something, something extra because it comes with upgraded visuals, quality-of-life features, and a fresh voice cast. Yes, it’s basically a remake but I guess Capcom wanted to be different, referring to it as a Deluxe Remaster. With these changes, it’s fair to be concerned over if there’s censorship. Quite frankly, it’s as horny as it was back in 2006. I mean, ten minutes into my session and I’ve already seen two shots of ass. A lot of the perversion is intact but is the fun?

Dead Rising has this rabid fan base that has been shouting for a revival. Sadly, with the shuttering of the studio in charge of development, that seemed like a pipe dream. Then a PlayStation Showcase took place, blindsiding everyone. A franchise that has sold 16 million copies to date has risen and I smell another mil or three.

HE COVERS WARS!

As Frank West, journalist extraordinaire, you head to Willamette Mall, only to learn there’s a third party also onsite and investigating what the hell could’ve caused this Zombie outbreak. What follows is a tale that amalgamates suspense, horror, and humour. It’ll mix these three genres together to hopefully create a captivating romp - I reckon that Capcom has nailed that desire. It channels the best elements from each, finishing with a campy script that's brutal but silly. It presents an intriguing bite-sized mystery helmed by a colourful, albeit tiny cast. There’s just no denying the charm - It’s ridiculous, sort of stupid, and remains a gem.

As far as writing goes, the biggest worry is usually if localization gets renovated. Well, while it definitely does, those alterations are minimal. From what I’ve gathered, it removes meaningless details that don’t add anything. For example, when Frank is accused of being Viet Cong. It’s such a minuscule omission that with or without it, the context of what’s said remains the same. Otherwise, the profanity runs wild, even having the outdated insult of skank. The moment of implied penetration with a foreign object is also here. Oh, and Frank continues to be misogynistic. Bluntly, Dead Rising flawlessly meshes the creepy, the harsh truth of this crisis, and the comedic flair to create a robust narrative.

What has me chuffed about the literary aspect is how authentic it is. There’s no question that if I saw the undead walking about, rotting and shit, I’d flip, too. The anxiety festering deep inside my tum tum would cause me to spiral. Any hopefulness that I felt would evaporate as despair swallowed me whole. I’d feel defeated and shut down. I believe that’s what sets Dead Rising apart from others within this realm. It perfectly encapsulates the reality of the situation, having NPCs react exactly as expected. The bosses, known as Psychopaths, are similar, only they’ve succumbed to the madness. They’ve snapped and any sign of their humanity has been wiped. Their derangement is visceral and disturbing, yet also understandable.

FOLLOW ME! FOLLOW ME!

The gameplay loop for Dead Rising is a simple one - I’m roaming Willamette Mall, rescuing survivors. When you think about it, the concept is a derivative of the fetch quest. I’ve got to journey to every corner of the map in search of someone. After convincing them to join, I’ll lead them towards the safe room. As a twist, a couple have stipulations for recruitment - for instance, they might be hungry. By feeding them a pie or an apple, I evidently prove myself to be a trustworthy fella. I liked how it shook up the formula, giving me a smidge of variety. I never felt it devolved into repetition due to that. Do be careful as there is a chance a mutiny can happen if you’ve not checking in. Folks will leave, so be wary, be vigilant, and keep an eye on Ronald.

The piss poor AI in the 2006 original had my knickers in a knot. As NPCs follow behind, I would frequently watch as they got caught against walls. Honestly, I’ve seen these guys perish in all manner of idiotic ways. Fortunately, the Deluxe Remaster brings revamped AI. With it, they can now dodge and weave with some competence. Sadly, the improvements apply to my enemies. Man, let me tell ya, my ass was chewed up more than I care to admit. It’ll usually occur at night when their viciousness has been bolstered. I died a fair bit during it and previously, that would frustrate me to no end, especially if a silly mistake caused me to lose progress. I had to manually save which I often forgot to. Thanks to the auto-save, I’m not punished for getting invested and not remembering to use the bathroom.

DON’T BE BREAKING ON ME!

The most controversial facet of Dead Rising is the durability. It’s divisive, to say the least, with one camp condemning it and the other saying it isn’t horrible. I’m of the latter mind which explains why I’m having a blast. I’m forced to experiment with the various types of weaponry. Yes, I hear the groans. I’m aware that no matter what I claim, y’all have decided. If that’s you, cool, but if you’re open to it, there’s no shortage of handguns, katanas, battle axes, and other toys to acquire. What’s more, a bar underneath the object communicates when it’ll break. It’s a strategic tinge that has me considering my moves. I won’t be taken by surprise by the sudden shattering if I’m paying attention. It wants consideration, thus introducing engagement.

I’ve said it already but I’ll say it again, the Dead Rising experience is pure ecstasy. It strives to be the drug that throws you into addiction and it’s bang on. It’s delightful running through Willamette Mall and into the many stores to discover what lays inside. It could be a shotgun, camera lens, or it may be a Lego head I can outfit these sentient corpses with, taking photos as they wobble like a drunk. Upon looking deeper, magazines with nifty perks await. See, if that pesky durability does sound like a hurdle, then don't fret as it can be extended - from 3x, 9x, or even 27x. It’s awesome to see players being rewarded for being curious. We’re incentivized to explore to see what we find.

ONLY 72 HOURS?!

For the uninitiated, Frank has 3 days to solve what brought this carnage on. It’s this constraint that has critics split. It’s said to be overwhelming, but I’ve got to disagree. In fact, it’s punctual. Because missions are time-based, I could guarantee when they would take place. It’s always during a certain window. The Side-quests, or Scoops, work under that same idea. So long as I finish the objective during that period, I’m gucci - any later and I’ve failed. Strangely, I never felt rushed. I was too busy concentrating on how to optimally tackle it all within the limit. When you think about it, there’s a puzzle element to it I found quite satisfying. Sure, it’s largely based on trial and error but thanks to how delightful the combat feels, I didn’t mind it.

ACT…ROGUE!?

Dead Rising isn’t your grandpa’s Action-Adventure. This game, believe it or not, is a Roguelite. Meeting my demise resets the clock, sending me back to the very beginning. I won’t be empty-handed, though, as I’m armed with the level I had before the grim reaper scythed me. Yup, we’ve got RPG goodies. Doing side-quests, bringing survivors to the hide-out, and just general slaughtering of the flesh-eating buggers is enough to earn me EXP or what’s funnily known as PP points in Willamette. During my Pax West preview, I noted how PP seemed to be given in troves. Upticks were ludicrously common to come by but, turns out, the game balances itself, slowing down when I’m in my mid-twenties - not sure if I should congratulate it for emulating life.

Listen, Dead Rising being a Roguelite is precisely why there’s replay value. Actually, I reckon that’s true only for this Deluxe Remaster. See, there have been tweaks made to the Challenges that are baked into the game. With these, I can unlock nifty trinkets like outfits or the Mega Buster. Since we’ve mentioned it, the way to do so is massacring 53,594 zombies in total. In 2006, we had to do that in one go which was insane. Even if I went to the most populated part of the Mall, it still took many hours to do. Well, Capcom addressed that grief. The number now accumulates between runs. As I’m trying to rescue every survivor, the tally is silently building in the background. With how fun the Mega Buster looks, I’m keen to unlock it myself.

WOULD YOU LOOK AT THAT!?

Switching to the RE engine was a fantastic choice. The character models look beyond gorgeous, from Jesse to Carlito, and, of course, Adam the Clown. He is probably my favourite facelift. The emoting of his eyes is…it’s chef’s kiss, is what it is. I know there has been complaining about Frank and his look but I like it. No, I adore it. It took me nanoseconds to get used to the new him. I have the skin that reverts him to his 7th-generation self and it’s, well, it’s ugly. Whenever I jumped into the PS3 version, the difference I saw is obscene. I’m thoroughly impressed by the passion poured into revitalizing Dead Rising. The lighting’s immaculate and the moustached man who yells at me at the start finally has eyelids - if you know, you know.

There are rough patches, like after I’ve broken glass, the pieces suddenly disappear. From an immersion standpoint, it’s iffy, but in the grand scheme, I got over it quickly. The thing is that the good outweighs those blunders. The facial animations, for instance, are vastly improved, with the emoting benefitting in leaps and bounds. The storytelling is heightened as I found myself empathizing better. It adds weight to the situation when we can visibly see the impact that it’s having. My favourite part, and I mentioned this in my Pax West article, are the undead flopping like when you continue to bash their bodies after putting them down.

DID I HEAR THAT RIGHT!?

I don’t believe the soundtrack has been swapped from the 2006 classic. It maintains the wonderful boss themes and the Mall track that lives rent-free in my brain. What has seen an upheaval is the voice-acting. Up until release, the worry was that it would be dreadful. The thought did lurk in the back of my mind but after my session, it became unfounded. The actors did superbly. The delivery and cadence of the lines were close to the original - it almost matched 1:1. Of course, I did notice discrepancies here and there but nothing egregious. I can’t say the same for the survivors as some felt meh. Thankfully, that’s just a minor flub in what I think is an otherwise amazing performance.

AND THE RISING VERDICT IS…

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is a beyond-incredible enhancement. The issues are pretty negligible. I’m not convinced that the changes made to the script are harmful. The exclusion of the erotica category when taking photos is such a bottom-of-the-barrel matter, as well. I can’t be disappointed when the quality elsewhere is sublime. Hell, the controls being reworked so I’m not violently shaking the joystick to shake the undead off is a relief. Personally, I believe Capcom has done this long-dormant series justice. There’s a renewed excitement that I hope translates to Dead Rising 2 and all of its expansions getting the treatment. At the end of the day, yes, the fun here is undeniable.

DEAD RISING DELUXE REMASTER IS HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

A code was provided by the publisher for the purpose of this review.