Dont eat the rotten cheese burgers!
Dead Rising 2 review
Dead Rising 2 is a story about zombie gamblers.
Dead Rising 2 is a multi-platform game from Capcom that lets you kill zombies with seemingly endless types of weapons. Trust me when I say that you don't need to play the first Dead Rising to enjoy the second. But why would you even want to play this zombie fest? Well ill tell you why in my review.
Dead Rising takes place in fortune city, a few miles away from every-ones favorite glow in the dark city... Las Vegas. You play as motorcyclist Chuck Greene, who takes part in a zombie killing game show called Terror Is Reality so that he can afford an expensive medicine for his daughter Katey. Katey has been infected my a zombie and needs medication every twenty-four hours to keep the infection from taking her over. After the game show, zombie hordes infest the city turning almost everyone into a zombie. Chuck and Katey hurry to a safe haven vault that keeps them and the other survivors safe for the time being. But there is a problem. Chuck has been accused with spreading the zombie infection across the city. The military will rescue the survivors in three days and Chuck must prove his innocence while supplying enough medication for Katey before that time.
During those three days, Chuck has a lot on his shoulders including: finding clues around the city that will prove his innocence, find medicine for Katey every 24 in-game hours, and kill as many zombies as he damn well pleases. Each mission takes place at a certain time and place. If you cannot complete a main quest or fix Katey with medicine in time then you will get a game over. Fortune City is home to a handful of malls and casinos that can be fully explored. There are also many very disturbing side quests around fortune city. These side quests usually involve saving people from zombies or psychopaths. But some of these side quests are too gruesome to be believable even in a zombie apocalypse. The psychopath bosses are incredibly overpowered. One slice with a chainsaw should do it but oh no, they just have to make killing a psychopath the more retarded! The game is only overwhelmingly difficult durring missions.
Gameplay is probably one of the most stress relieving mechanics I've ever experienced. all around Fortune City, there are millions of zombies roaming freely. And Dead Rising gives you the tools to kill them however you want. Since the game is based in malls, that means hundreds of different weapons to choose from. Stores such as BBQs, kids toy stores, and sporting goods stores will supply you with anything you will need to have a good time. Because nothing feels more satisfying than getting a head shot with a ping pong ball launcher. For every quest or kill, you are given exp used for leveling up which can give you either more attack power or health. You can also heal yourself by consuming food or drinks. But if tou eat to much, drink too much alcohol, or eat rotten food Chuck will puke like a sick whale.
A cool feature the developers added to the combat system is the mixing of two weapons to create an even more super-weapon. For example: Canoe paddle + chain saw = double edged chainsaw spear. There are around 50 different weapon combinations, each with their own unique zombie killing style.
While exploring the mall you will get calls from your partners on upcoming quests. This would be nice but there is no voice acting, so you have to read dialogue that will disappear faster than you can say "I couldn't read it fast enough". The graphics are a little last-generation but its for the best at times. Around the malls you can try on different clothes that can make Chuck look like a hipster or a Jersey jack ass. Trying on a new pair of virtual slacks is fun if you like waiting a minute for chuck to stand still and notice that hes wearing sunglasses. During your waiting time, the zombies will probably already be chewing on your neck... but hey at least you'll look spiffy while being devoured.
There is 2 person co-op for this game but there is no split screen, which means xbox live. Not a real problem but I for one would of enjoyed killing the undead with my hobo buddy who cant afford xbox live. Probably my biggest problem with this game is the saving system. To save, you must scrounge around the entire map looking for a bathroom (aka saving point). I would of appreciated a pause menu save option so I didn't have to waste my zombie killing fun to take a virtual leek.
Conclusion: Dead Rising 2 is my #1 favorite zombie killing game. Better in a lot of ways then the Resident Evils and as addicting as Left 4 Dead. The hundreds of different carnage tools given to you make this game as fun as a pile of bubble wrap. Just to make sure you understand... this game is as bloody as Justin Biebers tampon. Don't judge this game completely on its story. Mainly judge it on its free-flowing combat.
8/10