I waited four years... for this?!?
Men, I've loved it.
Finally a game giving me the real sensation of a zombie apocalypse instead of feel me like a tax dodger chased by tons of super-speeded IRS agents (Left 4 Dead makes ring any bell?)
Today, after four years from the release of the original we have finally its direct sequel. Indeed I was longing to immerse once again in the splendid atmosphere of the brand, but some doubts born in me already first of the official release. Doubts matured cause the several postponing of the release date and from the previews showing a game too close to the original.
The result is now under everyone's eyes: a game that hardly deserve the number 2 after its name being more a 1.5 version of the original and showing several disappointing features.
The game start from the point where the original game ended. Frank West, the hero of the first game, managed to survive the apocalypse at the city of Willamette and warn the world about the imminent danger. Unfortunately some time later another outbreak happens in Las Vegas and thousand of lives gone lost. From that point zombies presence became a recognized possibility in all the world, morphing slowly in a real modern society trait. The hero of Dead Rising, Chuck Greene, lost all he had in the Las Vegas outbreak: his wife was killed and his lovely daughter got bitten from a walking dead, receiving practically a dead sentence. Fortunately there's a countermeasure: a medicine, called Zombrex, able to retard the transformation in zombie for 24 hours. So Chuck Greene, former motocross champion and stuntman, in order to gain the money to keep alive his little girl is forced to take part to a grotesque reality action show called "Terror is Reality". Basically is a sort of American Gladiator clone where humans competitors had to survive, and kill, the highest number possible of zombies. The real game start just after one of this challenge (overall Terror is Reality is still better than the Italian Big Brother, and the showman resembles an hilarious and super trendy afroamerican version of the former wrestler "The Rock"); Chuckie got his money prize and he's going to collect some zombrex where an alarm ring. Zombies are on the loose… again!
Together with his daughter and a handful of survivors, Chuck manage to bury himself in a apposite secure shelter, but another turn up incoming: a TG blame Chuck himself for the outbreak. From that point Chuck will have three days to try to discover the truth and clear his name.
Chuck will be free to move around the colourful Fortune City, built after the model of the unlucky Las Vegas, in a free roaming way. The action model recall slavishly the original game with time objective goals skipable, unless you don't want to lose your opportunity to uncover the truth. At the same time you could take care of the various survivors you find during your trip, often fighting with the game psychopaths (sort of game bosses), and don't forgetting to find the daily dose of zombrex for Katey (his daughter).
If how said so far ring you a bell… you are right. The game is practically the same of the original, released more than four years ago, with only minor differences to the old mechanics.
Though the pleasant plot and the high quality of the original game, to find again the same situations and mechanics of a four years old game can't leave satisfied a gamer already played the original game.
Technically, Dead Rising 2 make some step beyond its predecessor. The engine is now more detailed and coloured; locations are bigger and, above all, are really fuuull of zombies. This is the only point where you could forget the original game. If you was surprised about the number of zombies at the same time in a location of Dead Rising, well, know that the number of NPC present in DR2 is simply… gargantuan!
I'm not joking saying that likely DR2 is the game showing the highest number of polygonal models at the same time per single locations in absolute, on every gaming platform, including mass destruction games like the recent Dynasty Warriors.
Unfortunately this achievement is obtained making some compromise.
While we can surely overlook the lost of a frame or two (generally only in the bigger locations and only in most chaotic situations) and some occasional delay in some textures loading, we can't not notice that loading times are awfully long.
Like the mall of Dead Rising, Fortune city is divided in several thematic locations separate by doors and relatives loadings. Unfortunately the excessive (and unexplainable) amount of time for each loading and the frequents trip trough locations will give you the real sensation of wasting your life.
Even straining my poor brain I really can't remember to have lost so much time in loading issues on a videogame. Maybe you will think I'm overdoing… well, know that almost the 18-22% of the game time of this title will go away in loadings; simply too much even for the most patient of the gamers.
Another preposterous flaw is about the main character control. Nothing to say until you move Chuckie around the level, but when you decide to attack with one of the numerous melee weapons the game offer… you'd better to call a prayer to anyone god you worship.
Latency period between attack button pressure and following attack is simply abysmal!
Obviously this is really irritating either you are surrounded by fifty zombies either you're facing one of two living dead, since your attack planning can easily fails 'cause this delay, making you angry like a diabetic assisting a donuts fair. I'm not simply complaining about the delay: the real problem is that this issue mines the base self of the fighting model of the game. Melee weapons generally have two possible attacks: first obtainable with a quick pressing of the attack button, second need a longer pressure. The game is often unable to discriminate the length of the button pressure with the result that frequently your character will use the wrong attack in the wrong situation (with all the awful consequences a similar issue provides). Moreover (and here are really on preposterous heights of nonsense) the game often will simply ignore your attacks commands leaving Chuck defenceless against the enemies (!!!).
Ranged weapons fighting model, though inheriting some level of clumsiness from the prequel, works better than melee; at least each time you press the button you will see start a bullet; unfortunately Dead Rising 2 is mainly melee oriented, even more than the original game.
To this flaws we must add the déjà vu feeling a gamer already played Dead Rising will prove for the entire game. I'm not talking only for the game mechanics, shamefully imported from the prequel for almost a good 80%, but even for the side elements, including the main and secondary objectives, cutscenes, bosses, etc etc.
In some way, almost all elements of Dead Rising 2 taste like… already seen (and this is not good at all).
So far by my description could seem that Dead Rising 2 was a total waste: this is not true.
I can't ignored the issues told so far, but is due talk, now, about the merits of the title.
Overall the plot of the game is pretty good, thanks even to presence of a charismatic main character and a cast of secondary characters more defined and enjoyable than past game. Fortune City setting don't make regret the legendary mall of the original game. Obviously in a gambling city you could… gamble. This introduce one of the newness of this game, the possibility (and the need) of gain money that will be essential in some survivors hiring or spendable at the black market for obtain powerful weapons or the necessary zombrex for Katey. Gambling and other simple optional activities replace the photo shooting of Dead Rising. Differently from Frank West, Chuck is not a photographer, so you can forget taking pictures of female characters roundness.
Progression of main character work effectively (gaining exp points killing enemies and rescue survivors) and is pretty satisfying see Chuck became more and more reliable and powerful. like in the prequel the main character will gain also bare handed skills of suppression, but since they are less effective than those shown by Frank West soon they will be overshadowed by the enormous amount of weapons obtainable in every corner of the setting, especially by the custom weapons create by crafting. Weapon crafting is the better realized aspect of this game. Fortune City is full of maintenance rooms freely accessible each providing a work table where you could mix two normal weapons in order to obtain a new stuff. Customizable elements are marked with a pipe wrench, so you can try several combinations in order to obtain something new, avoiding to use not mixable stuffs. However the right way to use customized weapons is to obtain first the relative combo card. Beside explains you the right items to mix on the work table, combo cards enable the most powerful attack each weapons got. Combo cards can be found with Chuck's level ups, saving specific survivors, killing some bosses or scattered around the city.
Some mixing are simply untinkable, but often from two barely useless normal weapons you'll get wonderful destruction tools.
Likely remembering the critics about the rigid timelined game system of the prequel, programmers lighten it making it less strict. The game still require to obtain a specific goal in a given time space, but timelines are now really less unforgiving leaving even time to the player for enjoy some city's exploration. Full part of this new tendency is the presence, finally, of three distinct save slot, where the prequel only provided a single possibility of game saving. More simple than past even the boss fights, though some of them could result impossible to beat during first playtrough making necessary try them later after level up your Chuck. Overall, like the prequel, there's a lot to see in Dead Rising 2; so much that it will be difficult to discover all features in a single trip incrementing the replay value of the title. Adding that the game have a couple of situations really spectacular (BEWARE TO MINOR SPOILER): fighting two sexy swordwomen in a discoclub with techno music on background was one of the more exalting moment in my gamer's life.
Spare two words about online modes. the entire game can be faced in cooperative, entering or hosting (or being hosted by) another player in each moment you want. Overall, the co-op, though some limitations adds really value to the experience, though making the game more easy. There's even a competitive mode will see you as a competitor of Terror is Reality struggling with others human players to win the prove of the TV show. Though providing money usable in the campaign mode this online feature is surely unimportant.
Final Line
This game left me perplexed, and surely the final score I chose will bear me tons of negative feedbacks, but… well: we can't wait a game sequel for four years, enduring several release date postponing too only to find a final product so approximate.
The shameful suggesting again Dead Rising's mechanics and situations is really too much for those who played the first game until exhaustion. There's some newness but the game is surely derivative, and this is an undeniable truth. This flaws maybe will not tarnish the game experience of those haven't played the original game, but ruining the feast we have some technical issues absolutely unexplainable, ending with nonsense features like loading times amazingly long and control sensibility simply abysmal taking the title on the unplayability borders.
The game surely got some merits too, and if you haven't played the original Dead Rising likely you enjoy the experience, while old fans likely will be badly disappointed.
However, and I feel bad saying, Dead Rising 2 does not deserves a full price purchase.
Final Score: 6,5
P.S.
Just a little curiosity. Dead Rising 2 is officially sponsored by the most famous erotic magazine of the world. Real Playboy's covers will be scattered for all Fortune City. Maybe it's only a coincidence, but one of the secondary character, determined reporter Rebecca Chang, physically remind me to the splendid and unforgettable Japanese playmate Hiromi Oshima, sparkling example of Asian female beauty :)