Get Red On You

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The first Dead Rising was a good game, but it was hindered by a number of significant things, including poor gunplay and one of the worst save systems of its generation. With Dead Rising 2, Capcom aims to fix what they initially got wrong and deliver much, much more of what they got right.

In Dead Rising 2, you don't play as a photojournalist (who's covered wars, you know). In this sequel, you play as a man named Chuck Greene, a former Motocross champion. Poor Chuck's a widower, a single dad who will do absolutely anything for his daughter, Katey. Unfortunately for Chuck, Frank West's heroic exploits at the Willamette Parkview Mall haven't completely contained the zombie outbreaks. And, just as luck would have it, our friend Mr. Greene finds himself in the middle of a whole new outbreak. However, he's not in a sleepy mountain town. He's in the middle of Vegas-inspired Fortune City.

Dead Rising 2 follows the same formula that made its predecessor successful. You are in a confined, open-world environment that is filled to the brim with zombies. You've got to manage your time while keeping yourself safe from the shambling corpses. There's going to be a lot to do; Case Files and timed events are back, but there seems to be a more personal aspect to this story.

When I get my hands on Dead Rising 2, I'm almost immediately told that Dead Rising's deservedly maligned save system has been fixed. You'll still have to look for safe areas (i.e. bathrooms, safe rooms, etc.), but these areas are more plentiful and easy to find than they are in the first game.

Dead Rising 2 has a special character trick up its sleeve. Frank West, being a photographer, could photograph zombies to speed up the leveling process. Chuck's a mechanic of sorts, so creation is his specialty. Specifically, weapon creation is his specialty. By now, you should have seen the trailer where he affixes two chainsaws to the handlebars of his bike and plows into a large congregation of the walking dead. The screen blacks out, but you can imagine the gallons of blood being spilled, as well as the torrential downpour of limbs. That part of the trailer wasn't just for laughs; it's a real part of the game. If he's got the materials (including the schematic-like Combo Cards) and he's near a workstation, Chuck can create awesome, zombie-slaying tools of destruction.

What really has me excited about Dead Rising 2 is the drop in/drop out co-op. Forget the fact that logic is jettisoned in this mode (both players are Chuck). Though only the host will be able to progress his/her Campaign Mode, the other player can still build his/her character. The only thing I see missing is Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now."

Zombie slayers, to arms! Dead Rising 2 is expected to launch this September for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC.

STAT BOX
Product
Dead Rising 2
Company
Capcom
Date
06/24/2010