Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster Review (PS5) – Refusing To Die

Dead Rising, on its original release way back in 2006, was both a benchmark title and a pain in the arse. For the former, it was the first next gen showcase of a game, all those zombies rendered on screen at once. Yet for the latter, it was high definition before its time and wasn’t geared for older, CRT TVs that a lot of us still had.

But it had greatness, and a certain “what if?” appeal. Like: “What if it was the same but refined, less awkward and more accessible to those with little patience?”. Well, eighteen years later, Capcom has had a crack at it. Fully jazzed up for the latest generation, it still is that 2006 offering as well.

Does it sound like I’m talking in oxymorons? Am I just blinded by nostalgia, or is Dead Rising still a classic? Let’s jump back into the clumpy boots of Frank West and find out if this still has some life in it.

The First Time They Rose

So, in retrospect, what made Dead Rising good the first time around? Well, back in those days Capcom hadn’t entirely ruined zombies for everyone. Resident Evil 4 was only two years prior, and fans wanted to see what they’d do next. Naturally, they went with more zombies. Yes, we were still pining for Dino Crisis then too.

But this wasn’t the Biohazard-ous continuation, but a new story. A fresh playground, and where else but an American shopping mall? Early comparisons to Dawn of the Dead were made, again considering that had a 2004 remake. There was even a lawsuit for years later over similarities, but fortunately, common sense prevailed.

Dead Rising was, ironically, something fresh. A connection of hub-like areas in which to go nuts, utilising (almost) anything as a weapon, and a story so over the top you couldn’t help but love it. However, it was frustrating, with control issues and a font that couldn’t be seen properly without anything but a HDTV. And don’t get me started on Otis and his sodding radio calls…

Old Zombies, New Tricks

For those who know their Dead Rising inside and out, I’ll cover what’s new to the remaster first. The story beats are the same, so this’ll save you recapping what you already know. So, what is new compared to the 2016 HD port?

For one, this isn’t another port. This is the game essentially rebuilt in the current RE Engine, Capcom’s proprietary engine as seen in current Resident Evil’s and such. So that means better graphics, more character detail and gore to boot. It’s all fully voiced too, radio calls and all.

There’s also a more modern control scheme, one that allows moving whilst aiming and Frank’s special moves to be pulled off easier. So for example, dodge-rolling is now a face button than clicking the left thumbstick in. Later moves like tackles and suplexes are mapped to R1 and a face button, which is less fiddly than before.

Navigation is easier, with a compass-style HUD rather than one singular, vague arrow. There’s more, but I’m going to interweave them into the review. These are the abridged ones for those who want to get stuck in again.

Turns Out, There’s No More Room In Hell

So, you’re new to Dead Rising. You’ve only associated Capcom and zombies via Resident Evil, what’s this new thing they’ve introduced? Fortunately, the nerd that is me is pretty clued up on it, so you’re in good hands.

On a tip that something might be up, photojournalist Frank West takes a helicopter ride to Willamette Colorado to see what’s up. A town under lockdown, it soon becomes clear that the rabid crowds are more than just overly keen Black Friday shoppers.

Dropped off, literally, atop the Parkview Mall, all hell breaks loose as zombies invade the shopping complex. With three days until he’s picked up, Frank has to survive. But that’s not all: not only does he have to unravel the mystery as to why the undead are back and quite bitey, he also takes it upon himself to rescue others too.

Oh, and work with the Department of Homeland Security against two terrorists with a grudge. No one said it was a simple scoop.

By Any Means

It would be easy enough to categorise Dead Rising as a survival horror, given that there’s inventory management, health pickups and a looming sense of inevitable zombie dread. However, I’d consider it more “surviving the horror”. Whilst Resident Evil and Silent Hill comparisons are easy to make, Dead Rising is a different kettle of fish.

Firstly, Frank is pretty free reign in his moments. Players can run, dodge, mantle and jump their way across the hub-like sections of the mall. On low levels, Frank handles like an over-filled shopping trolley, as you’d expect. But as time and experience go on, he soon becomes quite agile.

The other killer USP of Dead Rising is the weaponry system, in that… there isn’t one refining type. That is to say, if you can see it, and it has a little fist icon over it, you can use it to thwack the undead to undeath.

From completely useless things like CDs and teddy bears, right up to chainsaws and katanas, practically anything can be used. Half the fun is picking up something in a bind quite early on, when inventory space is limited, but come the later stages, players are closer to a Home Depot McGuyver.

Tactical Weaponised Journalist

Continuing on with the carnage, Dead Rising is more than just a gory brawler. I mean, it’s mostly that, but there’s some tactic to be had in there too. That comes in the form of levelling, and with that, more health upgrades and skills.

Frank starts off quite minimally: can only hold a few items, punches more useful at batting zombies away than battering them to death. But keep at it, through kills, photography and survivor rescue (more on that in a bit), and Frank will evolve. Like a violent Pokémon, if you will.

The beauty (and difficulty) of Dead Rising is that there’s no minimum level requirement for missions. So players set their own challenge by either steaming on ahead, or going off the beaten track. Personally, I found the fun in finding the balance, always racing against the clock but keen to give Frank a better arsenal. Like being able to suplex zombies or flying knee drop them from above. It’s the little things…

Time Crisis

Funnily enough, keeping Frank fit and healthy isn’t the only thing players need to worry about. It’s definitely a priority, sure, but so is being punctual. For you see, Dead Rising employs a time mechanic that can really test you if you’re not careful.

Case files are the player’s main concern, for if the initiating mission time is missed, so is the truth of the Willamette outbreak. Pretty important, I’d say. But equally important, in terms of fleshing out the game and Frank’s longevity, are the sidequests.

These, be they survivor or psychopath related, are also pretty strict at times. You might be on your way to the next case file, then Otis might give you a bell. Someone might be right near you, what do you do? Rescue them, take them back to the safehouse then high-tail it to the objective? Take them with you, and hope the objective doesn’t become a boss fight?

Maybe you start a little conga line going, and somehow keep them alive for the duration of a case file. Stranger things have happened…

Psycho Killer, Quest You Say?

It might seem odd to bang on about side missions, but in Dead Rising, they’re actually pretty crucial. For one, rescuing survivors nets quite a lot of experience. Seriously, players get a joining for and a rescue fee upon safehouse-securing them.

But not only that, it actually gives players a look at what the threat of the end of the world will do to some people. Albeit slightly exaggerated, yes, but still interesting to see how people manifest annihilation. Larry the picture (above, with his modified look) goes all Soylent Green, whereas another goes full incel and threatens arson. There are crazy gun nuts, crazy convicts, clowns that have channelled their inner Joker too hard… it’s a mixed bag.

It also creates some of the best and most challenging moments in the game. Often, these fights are chaotic, in part due to erratic psycho behaviour and largely to how the game controls. But the reward often outweighs the risk, as there are normally survivors tied to these missions. Or at the very least, some sweet new weapons that respawn every time you return to the area.

Basically, the gist is that whilst the story is worth seeking out, don’t be afraid to go off the beaten track and find out what Otis wants. He may call at the worst times, but there are some benefits to it.

Take Some Pictures, Get Yourself Some New Threads

Whilst a sinister cover up and some loonies are indeed enough to keep players going, it doesn’t mean strict adherence is expected. The beauty of Dead Rising, in that it’s set in a mall, is that players are free to faff about at whim. The Parkview map breaks down each store type for Frank to check out, should players feel inclined to see if the antique store keeps any old, sharp weaponry (hint: it does).

Another more creative way to gain experience points, or Prestige Points (PP) here, is to put Frank’s photography skills to the test. Dotted around the site are yellow PP stickers; some obvious, some clearly put there by jobbing parkour enthusiasts. Taking a snap of these grants a PP boost, and fortunately this time around there’s an album that shows what you’ve covered. Zombies, survivors and psychopaths can all be papped too, with most having a timed PP prompt over their heads when they do a certain action. For those completionists, it’s definitely an extra challenge.

The other fun aspect in here is the wealth of clothing options available to tart Frank up in. Purely cosmetic and often hilarious, pretty much any item of clothing can be equipped. Novelty glasses, too-tight kid’s clothing, dapper suits or swimwear, Frank doesn’t care. There’s also a wealth of unlockable costumes, either behind challenges or whichever version of the game players buy. Megaman’s suit comes together through various means, whilst Tron Bonne’s is part of one of several DLC costume packs. If you get the Licker outfit, be warned: the tongue is extremely distracting during cutscenes.

The Bee In The Ointment

You probably thought I was going to segue into a “DLC bad” bit here, as I normally do, but not this time. I mean, it’s still a sucky practice, even more so for an eighteen year old game, but that’s the gaming economy now. We deal with it. No, I was just going to reiterate that whilst this is a brand spanking new looking version of Dead Rising, it does still carry over some of the awkwardness from the original. Which, in some cases, is a double-edged sword.

Much of the ire of the original was aimed at survivor behaviour. Rather than putting self-preservation into practice, trailing survivors were prone to having a breather in the middle of a zombie swarm. This time, they are better but still occasionally suicidal. It would have been nice to have the Dead Rising 2 distance indicator, that meant survivors were close enough to follow you to the next area, but alas no, wishful thinking.

There’s been a few character changes, that aren’t a detriment to the game but you know someone’s already on a forum whinging about it. Most of these are for modern sensibility purposes, which is understandable, but some fear chance. It’s fair enough, like Cliff suffering PTSD from an unspecified war rather than Vietnam, or Larry no longer a doughy simpleton.

Graphically, whilst it does look great in the RE Engine, there are still some zombies that feel death removes them from the laws of physics. I’d often see some clipping through scenery, or floating above it. It wasn’t game-breaking, and normally a quick slap would level them out, but still odd to see at times. One just has to remember; this is a remaster through a newer engine, not a full remake like Resident Evil 2 was.

Oh, and Frank isn’t voiced by TJ Rotolo anymore. It’s jarring at first, but not a deal breaker.

Follow Me!

To conclude, Dead Rising is, to me, just as fun as it was back in 2006. Personally, I’d lost touch with the series about halfway through the third game. I then tried Dead Rising 4 and it didn’t click. So to see this one being announced, the one that started it, was what I needed. Now, I’m the right audience as I’m a sucker for a remaster/remake. Resident Evil 4 is still amazing, and you’d best believe I’m excited about the Suikoden remasters.

But to anyone cautious, the question is, “What’s in it for me?”. Well, in essence, it is literally the first Dead Rising but better. The improved visuals are a joy to look at, and the modern controls make it easier. Of course, there is a legacy control scheme for those who fear change. The tweaks to survivor AI are welcomed (can’t see why they wouldn’t be), as is the means of navigation. Weapons now having a degradation bar make planning better, but you can still be caught short at times.

Essentially, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster isn’t reinventing the game from scratch. It’s instead looked at a beloved classic, now nearly two decades on, and tweaked it a bit. The same janky charm is there, the time restraints are there, the thrill is still there. The additional modes are in there too, as are all the associated trophies/achievements. It’s just that now, with the power of modern consoles/PC’s, it’s more streamlined and accessible, and not hidden behind arduous loading times.

Dead Rising 4 might have almost buried the series, but Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is breathing life into something we thought had died long ago. You know, like a zombie.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is available from 19th September on PlayStation 5 (review platform), Xbox Series S|X and PC via Steam.

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom

Disclaimer: In order to complete this review, we were provided with a promotional copy of the game. For our full review policy, please go here.

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