Xbox Hardware & Games

Better off undead.

Video: 5
Sound: 5
Gameplay: 4

Some video-game developers handle certain types of genres better than others. This being said, no one else does zombies quite like Capcom. The company has had a long history of raising the dead with its Resident Evil series, and, at first glance, the newly released Dead Rising might seem like the latest zombie-blasting title in that popular franchise. In fact however, this Xbox 360 game is a standalone that might just be the start of a whole new series where you'll get to battle legions of menacing zombies.

The concept and setting of Dead Rising is also more than a little familiar. As one of only a handful of survivors, you're trapped in a shopping mall as hordes of the walking dead arrive. The box clearly says that this isn't based on George Romero's Dawn of the Dead, but, from the first moment of gameplay, anyone familiar with the original or the recent remake of the mall-rats film will certainly see the influences.

But, in fact, Dead Rising is almost a bit of a caricature of zombie-bashing games. Instead of the horror and tension that builds with each Resident Evil title, Dead Rising is about action and intensity. To fight off the nonstop zombies, who will come at you by the hundreds at time, you can use practically any object you pick up, sometimes with over-the-top and campy results. There aren't dark and winding corridors but rather wide-open spaces that you'd find in your local shopping expanse.

The basic story line, beyond killing the numerous zombies, is that, as a photojournalist, you've got 72 hours to head to the scene of the breaking story, get plenty of photos, and somehow survive the onslaught, all while helping a group of almost useless fellow humans make it through, as well. The game unfolds with you having a set amount of time to complete a series of objectives. This gives Dead Rising a bit of direction, something that is necessary considering how open-ended some parts of the mall-like setting can be. This also puts things at a frantic pace and, as a result, increases the overall tension. Merely shooting, slashing, and smashing zombies would be fun for a while, but, with a race against the clock, there is so much added pressure.

The downside is that the game has a save system that seemingly was designed by someone who is brain dead. You can only save at certain points, with only one save per game, so you essentially write over the last save point each time, even if you decide its time to hang up the gun for the day. Some of the missions can be especially trying, and failure at any point means you might be forced to begin again. That's not quite the kind of replayability that most gamers expect.

The graphics and sound more than make up for the shortcomings with the problematic game-save features. Dead Rising looks really good, but the zombies don't quite compare to Capcom's. The game supports 16-by-9 aspect ratios with 480p, 720p, and 1080i resolutions. The environments are well detailed, and the frame rate remains stable, even when hundreds of zombies have got you cornered. There is enough diversity within the fairly limited settings, and the developers have a done a good job of making these seem anything but generic.

The sound is also handled well. Most of the game revolves around direct confrontation, but, even with this, the in-game Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound offers enough ambient noises that you'll never know quite where to turn. The sound could immerse you into the game a bit more, but generally there is so much going on that it does evoke the sensation of chaos that you'd expect to find in a shopping mall with thousands of zombies...or maybe just annoyed holiday shoppers.

Thanks to the intense language, nonstop violence, blood, and gore, along with a bit of alcohol use and just a hint of nudity, this game received a most-deserved M rating. While the Resident Evil games were intense, they were still something that some teen gamers could play without too much worry. Dead Rising has the makings of a full-blown, heavy R-rated film. If you're into that sort of thing, the fun never stops.

Click here for more XBox/Xbox 360 Reviews
Click here for more PC Reviews
Click here for more PlayStation Reviews
Click here to return to HTGamer.com