Yep, another zombie game has hit a store near you. We’ve been there from the start. World of Meh writers have told you about Dead Rising 2: Case Zero when it was announced, we delivered all the details from Gamescon, told everyone about the High Stakes edition, and even the launch trailer! Now, we’re giving you a review of the game, too! Aren’t we sweet?
I’m going to avoid any spoilers, but let me say this: Dead Rising 2 rocks! It takes place after the zombie outbreak. The zombies have been captured and are used as toys in the Terror is Reality game show. A masked man releases the zombies, and Chuck Greene has 72 hours to find a way out of the city for himself and his daughter, Katey.
Along the way, you will complete various cases and side missions, save survivors, defeat psychopaths and find or purchase Zombrex to give Katey every morning.
I’m not really a non-FPS kinda girl, so I don’t really know what a long campaign is, but I can tell you this: at no point was I bored. There are constantly side missions to complete, combo cards to acquire, zombies to kill and achievements to obtain.
Controls are probably the most important part of a game. For me, I felt using the mouse and keyboard was a little difficult as there were way too many buttons to keep in mind. Rarely did you combine two buttons to perform a task. For example, if you wanted to perform a jump kick, instead of pressing the jump and kick buttons simultaneously, or one after another, the mouse/keyboard setup had a designated button. For me, with a horde of zombies to always be on the lookout for, this control setup was impractical. The one good thing about the mouse/keyboard setup, for those of you who can remember all the button combinations, is that there are actually movement options available on the keyboard that were not available via controller, such as a curb stomp. I think it’s safe to say I quickly switched to the controller!
The next thing I look for is options and customisation capabilities. Dead Rising 2 is filled with these – everything from changing the characters clothing and hair cut to combining weapons to personalising the sensitivity of the controller. I loved it!
The music, I find, suits the game very well. In a toddler store, they sing lullabyes, while there is sports announcements in the athletics departments. The overall sound of the game is well thought out, and it is very clear to make out what survivors are saying without having to read the subtitles. At no point did I feel as though the music was inappropriate for my placement in the game.
The overall look of Dead Rising 2 is fantastic for their goal. The goal was not realism, it seemed to want to have a Grand Theft Auto feel to it, and the developers successfully accomplished that. The graphics match the game type very well, and signs on slot machines, ATMs, buildings and other places are clear and legible.
Dead Rising 2 looks and sounds great. It is customizable. It has lots of achievements and missions. Now, how well does it play?
Well, this is where I have a slight problem with Dead Rising 2. The main concern I had was with the missions. Sometimes, even when I didn’t stop to kill zombies, and I just ran past them, racing towards my next mission, I felt like I was running out of time. I could no longer enjoy the free roam abilities because I was too concerned with successfully completing my goal. At one point in the game, I had a main mission, 5 side missions and four survivors I was trying to watch, keep up with, and bring back to the safe house. I felt like Dead Rising 2 was throwing way too much at me so soon!
Overall, I am in love with this game. It’s like a combination of Left 4 Dead and Grand Theft Auto. Definitely a game I would suggest to players!
