Dead Rising

By Mathew Kumar Published 22 May, 2006

Get shares quick.

Catharsis. The simple purging of emotional tensions, if we're going to take the dictionary at face value, it's the kind of thing that drives us to watch scary movies or play scary video games to allow us to experience, say, fear, an emotion we wouldn't get to (nor want to) experience naturally, and purge that tension from our systems.

I, for example, am mortally afraid of zombies. I mean, of course I understand that they don't exist, probably never will exist and never have existed, but man they freak me out. That relentless passion for brains. The near indestructibility. And the swarming... Oh god, the swarming. There's rarely a night that I don't waste hours cursing my decision to live in a ground floor flat and my lack of suitable zombie bludgeons until I fall asleep, but yet, somehow, I love zombie films and video games. Love them to bloody, gory bits. It's just a natural form of catharsis.

But yet, somehow, that's not the only cathartic reason that Dead Rising is without a doubt my personal (drum roll, please) game of the show E3 2006. The other reason might be because after spending three days with crowds of near brain dead, corpse stinking E3 attendees, swarming around demo pods and grasping and moaning clumsily for swag, it was near orgasmically pleasurable to kill the hell out some zombies. Just to bloody murder 'em.

Dead Rising is astounding. It really has made me wonder why I've accepted guff like the Resident Evil series (bar 4) as zombie game with their ponderous requirements of puzzle solving and their paltry amount of zombies floating about. Opening with the only story section of a game that managed to be wholly captivating on the sensory overload of the E3 south hall show floor, it introduces main character, journalist Frank West, who quite clearly is a total lunatic, choosing to take a helicopter to a quarantined city in an attempt to get a scoop. As you fly over the town, in control of your camera and able to take shots of what you see, it soon becomes clear that the town is catastrophically over run with zombies. So what does Frank do? Drops himself off at the mall and decides to get a closer look.

'Dead Rising' Screenshot 1

YES.

Now Frank, though he may be an ugly moron, does at least have the strength required to take on at least a few zombies at a time. With three days (translating to about 3 hours in real time) to explore the town, killing zombies, saving people (or not!) and taking great pictures, you're entirely left to your own devices as to what you want to do. You could literally just stand Frank at the helipad for three days and when the helicopter came back you'd still win the game.

By providing a short story mode that can be played through repeatedly for different plot occurrences and outcomes, Dead Rising's structure is almost a complete rejection of gaming's now-traditional demands. If that doesn't already fill you with a weird kind of anticipation, then, well, get out now.

For example, one time I found myself in a section of the mall with a population of zombies significant enough that if I wasn't careful I'd end up in trouble. I simply ran into the nearest toy shop, grabbed an inventory full of teddy bear masks, ran back out and carefully placed one of them on each zombie, blinding them, before hastily snapping off a quick picture to get a 'comedy' bonus. Have you ever seen a room full of zombies wearing teddy bear masks bumping into each other? It's priceless. But probably not as priceless as whipping out a samurai sword and cleaving the majority of them into two blood geyzering chunks. Or simply picking up pot plants and piles of CDs (a skewed Shaun of the Dead reference, perhaps?) to chuck at them.

'Dead Rising' Screenshot 2

Why don't you... TAKE A SEAT?

The amount of things to do and fun to be had with zombies seems to be utterly limitless. It's a wonderful sandbox design, made even more wonderful by the amount of objects in the game that are fun to play with but serve absolutely no use, such as Frisbees (just bounce of zombie's heads stupidly) or toy lightsabers. For example, within a couple of minutes I'd decided to change the originally quite conservatively dressed Frank West into children's clothes that were far too small for him, white suede shoes and topped it all of with a Servbot mask. Wandering around becoming increasingly blood splattered from smashing zombie skulls with a fire axe, it was like my very own deranged psychopath simulator.

There are more top quality references for Capcom fans in the game over and above Tron Bonne's lovable Servbots from Megaman Legends, with my particular favourite going to a little eatery called 'Jill's Sandwiches' but it's not as if this game is relentlessly silly after it's atmospheric opening. The beauty, you see, is that it offers you the chance to play the game that way. Much like, say, Katamari Damacy, it allows you to just enjoy, and attempt to seek out the most pointless things for the sheer joy of them. It's entirely up to you if you want to play it straight.

'Dead Rising' Screenshot 3

Seriously, We're 'bowled' over with how good this title is [ You're Fired! -Ed.]

Which, of course, is perfectly possible, as this game can (particularly if you step outside) turn from being amusing into genuinely terrifying as you find yourself surrounded by hundreds, if not thousands of swarming zombies. While initially it's easy to be unimpressed with Dead Rising's generally unspectacular visuals (it looks nice, don't get us wrong, but not fantastic) once you see the swarms, oh god, the swarms, you'll change your tune.

Dead Rising is probably the first game on the 360 that's would make me go out and buy the console just to play it. It really is that good.

Dead Rising is due on Xbox 360 in September 2006 from Capcom.

Picture of Mathew.

About Mathew Kumar

Read more articles from Mathew by visiting the Mathew Kumar archive page.

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Comments (82) Latest comment 6 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • richardiox #1 6 years ago

    Definately looks like a lot of fun and like Matthew, this is one game I'm considering getting a 360 for.

  • BartonFink #2 6 years ago

    Oooo sounds like a lot of fun.

  • towser #3 6 years ago

    3 hours total game time?! that can't be right! Can it?

  • espadachin #4 6 years ago

    wow! always liked the sound of it, but this has sealed the deal

  • AaronTurner #5 6 years ago

    This should be done more often. Short games that change each time you play them.

    I siad they should have done this with The Thing, have a quick 2 hour game where different people were infected each time.

  • dartt! #6 6 years ago

    I think the idea is that you'd replay the game over and over to explore new areas and try and have different plot outcomes.

    You could choose to play one time as a hero, risking your neck to save everyone you see who is in trouble and the next time you play you could be a complete bastard, setting people up for gruesome deaths just so you can take pictures of them!

  • Xerx3s #7 6 years ago

    This game would be even better if it had coop. :(

  • jlaakso #8 6 years ago

    Sounds like a blast. Lots of points to Capcom for abandoning the story structure and thus the inevitable Resident Evil comparisons.

  • Tejstar #9 6 years ago

    This game really seems to have had a turn around. A while back it seemed everyone was panning it, but now (post-E3) it seems that Capcom really pulled all the stops to turn this into the game everyone wanted. I for one can't wait. Also loved the Romero ZOmbie flicks, this looks like I can actually play the film! :)

  • Razz #10 6 years ago

    I TOLD YOU ALL THAT IT WAS GOOD!!! HAHAHA!

    /does a little dance

  • Teeth #11 6 years ago

    Katamari is spelt wrong BTW.

    Yeah, got to get a 360 really, this being the top-most reason on my list ATM.

  • Dizzy #12 6 years ago

    This was apparently the surprise game of the show for many people (together withs Gears). I must say I love zombie movies and this game really looked pretty fun. I am glad that apparently it really *is* fun ;) Good read guys.. thanx.

  • djchump #13 6 years ago

    mmm... Dead Rising and Lost Planet... Capcom are selling the 360 to me :-)

  • TripSkyway #14 6 years ago

    Cool, sounds great. Wasn't too sure about where this game was going, but I'll be giving this a crack.

  • Teeth #15 6 years ago

    "three hours? Surely we're not getting it right, gotta be more than that. "

    Way Of The Samurai has a similar theme, where you play through the game many times but choose different ways to go through the story. Play time is roughly three hours. It works, believe me.

  • peterfll #16 6 years ago

    When is it due out?

    I wonder if they'll release a live demo? Was playing Lonley Planet quite a bit of the weekend...

    *loving Capcom*

  • I_Have_The_Power #17 6 years ago

    "I TOLD YOU ALL THAT IT WAS GOOD!!! HAHAHA!

    /does a little dance "


    /makes alittle love

    /and gets down tonight ;)

    Can't wait for this - its sounds great and look at all the zzooommmbbbiieesss!

  • Tomo #18 6 years ago

    This really does sound bloody fantastic! I'm gradually being swayed by the X360 with these second wave of games, plus I missed the Xbox1.

    I'm not so much concerned by the 3 hours (Resident Evil 1 and 2 weren't much longer!) but more about whether the sandbox design will live up to expectations. From what Matthew says, it sounds great, but will there be enough interesting things to do and will it be enough to play it over and over again?

  • OnlyMe #19 6 years ago

    I'm gonna buy this game as soon as it's released. When is that again?

    Oh, short game, different each time? Sounds great. Just like the forgotten Konami gem Shadow of Memories.

  • El_MUERkO #20 6 years ago

    "Dead Rising is probably the first game on the 360 that's would make me go out and buy the console just to play it. It really is that good."

    la la la la i cant here you la la la

  • Blerk #21 6 years ago

    Out 15th of September in Europe.

    Glad to see it's actually turning out alright after those very, very shaky first demos. But it still doesn't sound like it's my kinda thang.

  • Sud0g #22 6 years ago

    This will push me to actually purchase a 360. Roll on the 15th Sept.

  • Skooch #23 6 years ago

    "With three days (translating to about 3 hours in real time) to explore the town..."

    Can we get this checked please? I'm sure I read in OXM that the playing through time was about 12 hours in total. Does anyone know for sure? You can't even do that much in three hours....

  • Dizzy #24 6 years ago

    "With three days (translating to about 3 hours in real time) to explore the town..."

    I think one game lasts 3 hours max but you are supposed to replay a couple of times doing different things. A bit like 24 :)

  • jlaakso #25 6 years ago

    Very cool that people are rooting for this despite it having the looks of a last-gen game (crowds notwithstanding). At least, to my eye the screenshots aren't anything much to look at.

  • Bezzy #26 6 years ago

    The three hour game thing makes me really happy. Look how much fun bill murray had in GroundHog day!

    A focus on depth rather than length. I love it!
    Edited by 1 at 22/05/06 @ 10:16

  • UncleLou #27 6 years ago

    Sounds great.

    Nice concept with a game lasting 3 hours, but offering replayability. As long as there are no unskippable cutscenes you have to watch again and again.

    /glares at Way of the Samurai

  • Skooch #28 6 years ago

    Some clarification from IGN:

    "It should be noted that the game doesn't actually take 72 hours to finish. How long you can expect the game to last is, however, a murky issue. We've previously been told that if you stood in a closet for the whole time limit, it would take around three or so hours to count down. When asked, Capcom did not specify a time limit, though there will be no way to add any additional time to the clock. The game will always last 72 game hours, though time progression may be suspended during cut scenes"

    Seems like it is 3 hours afterall. Hmmm, interesting..... >:I

  • jlaakso #29 6 years ago

    I don't see what's the problem with the three hour gametime, provided that there is replayability. This isn't a linear adventure kind of game (apparently).

    A game of OutRun 2 lasts five minutes. Any beat 'em up lasts 0.5-2 minutes. Most shmups take 10-30 minutes. It's the same concept, just spread out wider.

  • manic_mouse #30 6 years ago

    A very interesting concept. Especially the whole 3 hours playtime, but loads of replayability thing. Would be perfect for going round to someone's house for an evening and having a blast.

    Really looking forward to this one. The PS3 is going to have a tough time convincing people to shell out when games like this will already be out on the 360 when it launches.

  • Universal_Hamster #31 6 years ago

    Well said jlaakso, its just some people seem to get a bit hysterical when anything under 8 hours is mentioned. Its the length of a (long) film, but the film is different every time you watch, ok folks?

  • symmetry #32 6 years ago

    It's kind of like an old arcade game where you have to start at the beginning every time, but here there are loads of different things to do every time.

  • Teeth #33 6 years ago

    "/glares at Way of the Samurai"

    No! You stay away from my baby!

    /comforts WOTS

    It's OK, the bad man didn't mean it

  • JonFE #34 6 years ago

    "Dead Rising is probably the first game on the 360 that's would make me go out and buy the console just to play it. It really is that good."

    Great...
    Another bloody preview (on a game I had no great expectations of, if I may add) that I, now, have to read, thanks to that conclusion...
    As if I did not already have way too much stuff to do this morning...
    Thanks a bunch, Matthew...





    /sarcasm off :)
    Edited by 1 at 22/05/06 @ 11:28

  • lefizz #35 6 years ago

    Fair play after res evil four, lost planet and this capcom arent so much having a renaissance as just turning into THE japansese developer full stop.

    The 360 lineup is just looking so much stronger than the PS3 to me.

    Seems like i made a decent investment.

  • morriss #36 6 years ago

    /wants too

  • asphaltcowboy #37 6 years ago

    Can't wait for this! Looks and sounds amazing! I may well by a 360 for this! With that cool 3 hour limit, sounds like there might be some frantic mad dashes back to the chopper pad?

  • octo #38 6 years ago

    From the videos I've seen it looks like we will also be treated to some resident Evil style shitty dialogue! Huzzah! To me it looks a little bit like state of emergency. Would that be right?

  • alpha-0ne #39 6 years ago

    people are getting the wrong end of the stick with the time limit....

    the leaderboards for a start;

    most kills in 3 hours
    most objects used to kill zombies in 3 hours
    etc etc

    while whole point of the game is to survive for 3 hours, how you do that is the fun in the game hide away, help other people, do a commando impression and just kick ass, build up the characters skills and unlock the special moves, hunt out all the hundreds of possible weapons that can be used etc etc

  • Nige #40 6 years ago

    like state of emergency, but good.

  • Netfreak #41 6 years ago

    3 hours ain't the shortest time for a game. Fighting games always had the shortest time of gameplay (15 mins or less).

  • Sud0g #42 6 years ago

    I'm sure Capcom will have a few more modes hidden away in the game.

  • coojam #43 6 years ago

    It might be presented as different visits to the same city...so a series of 3 hour jaunts. I wonder what happens if you miss the chopper tho...

  • nickthegun #44 6 years ago

    I saw a preview for this in GamesTM this month and the shots for the lead character were strangely inconsistant. Im thinking specifically of the one where he looks like Mel Gibson with a flat top.

    But, yeah, ive seen vids and bits and pieces of this game for a while and this preview just confirms its position on my 'want' list.

    My life isnt at the point anymore that I can spend 10 hours a day, 7 days a week hammering through a game.

    Having 3 hours to come up with as many creative ways as possible to kill zombies is absolutely inspired and would fit perfectly in my life. I know it probably wont feature it, but the live potential for this game is amazing. Imagine a whole wrecking crew tear arseing around a city.

  • glaeken #45 6 years ago

    The 3 hour figure makes perfect sense. It takes 3 hours to play it through but there is far more than 3 hours worth of content. Meaning you have to play multiple times to see and do everything.

    This sounds good to me. It sounds like there are so many things to do that virutally every game will be quite different.

  • AHiFi #46 6 years ago

    This one was always going on my 'To Buy' list. Maybe I should put it there before I become infected and start gnawing at the monitor. Then I'll have some kind of instinct - memory, of what I used to do. Gaming was an important part of my life...

    ;]

  • Zero_ #47 6 years ago

    I have been watching this game closely, because it has alot of Megaman Legends reference, which I love. This, and Gears of War may persuade me to get a 360.

  • thinktank #48 6 years ago

    yes, yes, their defecting..........come over to the dark side, bill is waiting.

  • AHiFi #49 6 years ago

    thinktank - After E3, the title of 'dark side' was shifted over to Sony methinks...

  • Triggerhappytel #50 6 years ago

    It sounds good, but my only concern from reading this preview is: will there actually be enough variety, or will the game simply be about fighting zombies and messing around with the gameworld?

    This is what (after the initial honeymoon period) put me off Mercenaries. That there was little other to do than shoot people and/or blow things up.

    Anyway, sounding like one of the more promising 360 titles this year.

    EDIT - what happens if you miss you chopper out after 3 hours?!
    Edited by 1 at 22/05/06 @ 13:27

  • thinktank #51 6 years ago

    @:AHiFi

    agreed, also up for consideration:

    pricey side

    thieving side

    "You must have blue Ray, You must!" side

    any more?

  • Teeth #52 6 years ago

    By the way, Mr. Kumar. Simplest way I can put it:

    Spot the odd one out.

    Yours; his; hers; it's.

  • penhalion #53 6 years ago

    @Triggerhappytel

    You said it all. I can so see this being a play through twice and then find that there isn't actually any gameplay in there just a sandbox foll of zombies.

    A game like this should have the sandbox 3 hour mode as an option not as the main game!

  • #54 6 years ago

    I could see a formalised 'story' mode in a game like this both frustrating and contrived.
    I thnk the proof of the pudding will be in the eating. I know a lot of people spent a lot of time simply messing about in the GTA games.

  • PlugMonkey #55 6 years ago

    while whole point of the game is to survive for 3 hours,

    Also, I remember reading somewhere that you cannot actually 'die' as such. If the zombies get you, you wake up again a bit later and all you lose is some time. The challenge is basically to achieve as much as possible in the 3 hours. The worse you play, the less time you'll have to do cool stuff.

    I think it sounds like a great concept. I've played loads of games that have multiple paths and multiple skill trees (Deus Ex, Fable, KOTOR, Oblivion etc) but they all tend to be 40+ hour epics. I never get round to going back and playing them through again a different way. Being able to play a complete game in 3 hours sounds fantastic. I can't wait. :)

  • asphaltcowboy #56 6 years ago

    Yeah, I think the hi-scores opportunities maybe enough to keep people coming back!

  • optimusprym8 #57 6 years ago

    *phones Microsoft*
    "New console please!"

  • djchump #58 6 years ago

    @Teeth

    I just read the article and every use of the word "it's" in it is as an abbreviation of "it is" - so your grammatical pedantry has backfired as you are incorrect - haha :-P

  • Baronen #59 6 years ago

    Hell yes. The reason I bought a 360 in the first place. Can't wait. Just hope there's as much "horror" value as comedy value in there as well. I want to be overrun by zombies, pushed into a corner, etc.

  • mash the x button #60 6 years ago

    Sounds crap, 3 hours of trashing zombies in as many ways as possible? Typical xbox fare then.

  • Pho-Zoon #61 6 years ago

    Huzzah! A game not measured in time-taken to complete, but in size, complexity and enjoyment!

    Also, it's good to see devs using the processing power not for visuals but for... well... swarms.

  • Teeth #62 6 years ago

    @ djchump

    "not as if this game is relentlessly silly after it's atmospheric opening"

    In addition, all Kumar's other articles are littered with apostrophe abuse.

  • kangarootoo #63 6 years ago

    @Teeth

    Man, you make me laugh. Cos' you really do mean it :)

  • effinwooly #64 6 years ago

    @ mash the button...................nice counter-arguement you retard !

    so and play on ur playstation !

  • Krun #65 6 years ago

    Love the sound of this.
    ground hog day style gameplay. with ZOOOMBIES!!!

  • Yossarian #66 6 years ago

    what the fuck, now I have to buy this? it looked bad!

  • albundy #67 6 years ago

    Wow, this game sounds pretty good. And way out of leftfield! Who said that the next generation is all about flashy graphics over new gameplay! ;) Every day, the 360 is looking ever more tastey, as my Xbox starts to look inadequate.

    Must say, I love the concept. 3 hours is a lot longer than most moives. People are always looking for interactive movies? Well here it is! B-movie zombie caper, with you as an investigative reporter. Write your own script. Run around and go on a search and rescue (chances of finding everyone on first go will no doubt be slim). Or, set out to kill every survivor, and initiate a cover-up. This could be mega.....

    SO LONG AS THEY DON'T CHARGE £50 FOR IT

  • oishiiniku #68 6 years ago

    I see a lot of people are having a pop at the visuals, but after having watched most of the e3 vids and trailers, I think it all looks pretty slick. The characters might be a little lo-fi but there's still a stylised and polished feel to them (main characters in particular) that is typical of Japanese games. Plus, the mall environment has a consistency that makes it look like a believable place - something that only comes about through good art direction and something that most developers rarely nail.

    Also, I think that there will be a lot more to the game than simply decking zombies in the mall. I imagine that the narrative will branch off in different directions depending on your actions. We still don't know for sure how much of the town will form the playable environment. For instance, one of the pre E3 trailers have a sequence with the player being chased by the military through drainage ditches.

    I'm really stoked on this game now. Can't wait for september (august in the US?) to roll around. Although, the lack of co-op would be a travesty. Sort it out Mr Capsule Computers, sir!
    Edited by 1 at 23/05/06 @ 08:28

  • mash the x button #69 6 years ago

    @ effinwooly - coherent counter-argument mate.
    Looks to me like Capcom know what xbox users want, death, destruction mayhem etc, then package it up all shiny and new as though it's something original, "oh look, I can kill a zombie with a giant pair of scissors/rubberband/can of beans".
    Three hours later, won't you feel cheated?

  • Teeth #70 6 years ago

    Nope. If you can't see the worth of this game then perhaps you need to take a break from gaming.

  • mash the x button #71 6 years ago

    "Nope. If you can't see the worth of this game then perhaps you need to take a break from gaming".

    I don't do much gaming as it is, this title being one obvious reason why. War war war fight fight fight shoot shoot shoot ffs!

    3 hours, ha ha ha

  • Teeth #72 6 years ago

    I have to question why you bother posting on Eurogamer then.

  • mash the x button #73 6 years ago

    I post because I like original, imaginative games. Okami looks interesting for example.
    Beyond Good and Evil, Shadow of Memories, Ico - all good games with a rich vein of imaginative gameplay.
    Edited by 1 at 23/05/06 @ 12:07

  • Teeth #74 6 years ago

    I agree with you on those counts, but enjoying good, wholesome games like that shouldn't preclude a three hour frenzy of zombie dismemberment.

    Read it again, dude: you play through in different ways to experience the game in different ways, each play-through lasting around three hours. There are maybe hundreds of zombies on the screen at some points. No zombie game has ever done this. How can you not want to play it?

  • mash the x button #75 6 years ago

    Easy, I don't have a Xbox. I like zombie games, RE4 was the best game of last year (stating which kind of counters my point of too much fighting and action), but this game seems a bit superficial, that's all.
    I agree totally that it is an acheivement to have thousands of zombies on screen, a pity they could not have followed Romero's blueprint for The Dawn of the Dead more closely, namely a bit more survival horror, rather than all out zombie trashing mayhem.
    What's the difficulty rating? Are there a number of difficulty modes?
    Edited by 1 at 23/05/06 @ 12:32

  • Teeth #76 6 years ago

    I don't know. If it were me I'd have some areas of the game more difficult than others so the player could set their own difficulty.

  • mash the x button #77 6 years ago

    Aha, got it! One plays for three hours and acheives the high score necessary to unlock the main game, genius!

  • Teeth #78 6 years ago

    /gives up :)

  • alpha-0ne #79 6 years ago

    all to clarify the game is not 3 hours the first play is...

    first play is survive for 3 hours, this then unlocks a new game mode, once you have beaten the new game mode, the unlimited time mode is opened up this then is basically survive as long as you can and all the leaderboards to go with it :-)

  • EuroTV #80 6 years ago

    I want. When out?

  • miiiguel #81 6 years ago

    odd... people allways crave for new ideas, when they do come out, sorry..., not come out, when they are announced!, some say it's dumb, and such.

    I think it's a nice idea. Well, a bit more than that, I must admit, I'm craving for this quite bad!
    Edited by 1 at 29/05/06 @ 18:01

  • Bates #82 6 years ago

    Hey look, it's State of Emergency 3!

  • bumgut #83 6 years ago

    HORDES!!