Zombie shooters continue to be a crowd favourite, and it’s easy to see why. The adrenaline rush of racing against time while mowing down the undead never gets old, especially if there’s a sense of real danger present. But moderation is always key, and oversaturation can be a joy killer, which is why Dead Rising was a fresh breath of air when it debuted on the Xbox 360 in 2006.
Positioned as a “system seller” of sorts, the Xbox-exclusive title showcased the console’s technical prowess and its ability to handle multiple hordes without a hitch. Not only did it allow players to experience a zombie apocalypse in a setting reminiscent of 2004’s Dawn of the Dead movie, where a group of survivors was trapped in a shopping mall, it combined multiple endings with photo-taking elements.
The game established itself as a trailblazer in the genre, with its innovative and novel gameplay winning over a cult following. In 2016, it received a 4K HD remaster on the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC, which added up to five save slots – up from the brutal single save slot in the original – and modernised visuals.
Eight years on, Capcom is back to bring it back to life with the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster. This second remaster promises more polished touches, from revamped graphics like improved character facial expressions, textures and glorious blood splatter powered by the RE Engine, to various quality-of-life improvements that include auto-save, refurbished controls, improved UI, and more.
Fans of the original will be delighted to know that the challenging gameplay and its (in)famous 72-hour mode will remain intact. As for newcomers, here’s a quick primer – the action-adventure title follows photojournalist Frank West after he becomes trapped in a zombie-infested shopping mall in Colorado. The player, stepping into his role, must survive by scavenging for items to fight the undead and hostile human enemies called psychopaths, while rescuing friendly survivors. The catch? The story needs to be completed before 72 hours.
Now, let the fun begin! While Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster boasts plenty of features, these are the new things that got us all excited to uncover the mystery behind the outbreak once again.
#1. PC Ultrawide Native Support!
Sure, the ultrawide aspect ratio (21:9) is pretty much standard with modern-day AAA releases on PC, but it’s also common to find black bars on the sides whenever a cutscene kicks in. This won’t be the case for Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, which keeps the same 21:9 aspect ratio throughout, from menu navigation to in-game and cutscene transitions.
Thank you Capcom, for delivering on what matters to gamers.
#2. New Save Functionality
Having a single save slot was the norm way back in the day, so it made sense for the original game to share the same mechanic, especially with its intention and effectiveness in creating tension and stress. However, the feature was also a double-edged sword – progress could only be saved by visiting the safe room or bathroom, resulting in frustration over restarting and doing the same things again after dying.
In Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, both returning and new players will have five save slots available on top of auto-save functionality. The bump is certainly welcome, proving useful for individuals who don’t always have time to get to a safe room or bathroom to save the game’s progress, and eliminating the need to retrace their steps leading up to a crucial point in the story, such as psychopath boss fights.
#3. Shoot While On The Go
Everything can be a weapon in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, but sometimes, some old-fashioned shooting is the way to go. Frank could already do so in the original, but he’ll be able to move, aim, and gun down enemies simultaneously here, lending a more dynamic touch to the static gameplay.
Although some may lament the loss of authenticity (the photojournalist isn’t a trained weapons expert who can do all of that at once, after all, despite his experience with war coverage), it’s a neat feature that reduces some of the artificial difficulty and time pressure, particularly for newcomers.
#4. Fully-voiced NPC and Survivor Interaction
Immersion is getting an upgrade in the upcoming adventure, and not just visually. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster introduces fully voiced dialogue for Frank and other non-playable characters, including mall janitor Otis, so players won’t feel disengaged when reading their dialogue. A total of nine languages will be supported, with the original English performer, T.J. Rotolo, replaced for this outing.
#5. Have Fun Dressing Frank Up As Your Favourite Capcom Characters
Part of the fun with the Dead Rising franchise is how it doesn’t take itself too seriously despite being set in a zombie apocalypse. The Digital Edition looks to amp up the fun factor by dressing Frank in the most ridiculous and outrageous outfits amid his zombie-bashing business, including 17 costumes that feature a host of characters from various Capcom games.
We had a taste of eight of them, including the three pre-order DLC bonus costumes for Frank West 2006 (Dead Rising), Willamette Parkview Mall Bee (Dead Rising), Chuck Greene (Dead Rising 2). The other five options are Leon S. Kennedy’s R.P.D. uniform from Resident Evil 2, Creepy Rabbit, Mega Man, Rikuo (Darkstalkers), and a Licker (Resident Evil 2). It should be noted that the Licker design isn’t quite a costume, but a full reskin of Frank, complete with walking/running sound effects.
Check them out at the 16:30 mark on our gameplay video below:
Although the hit and collision detection can be a little finicky at times, we’re pretty sure it’s something that can be easily addressed and improved upon leading up to its release in September.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster releases digitally on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC via Steam on 19 September 2024.
Yonk is a geek who is fortunate enough to have an equally geeky Star Wars fan for a wife, who owns a LEGO Millennium Falcon encased in a glass coffee table as their home’s centre-piece.
Kevin Low
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