Not just this one, but the first one as well. Don't get me wrong, killing zombies is fun and all, but there really isn't any fear or challenge involved. Have a bat, swing it, kill 7 zombies. Rinse and repeat
 
Does anyone think this game would be more frightening if fast zombies (Dawn of the Dead 2004) were involved? Or even making the slow zombies a little more resilient. I get that this game isn't about horror or anything, but I wish the zombies were a little tougher to add a sense of panic to the game

The real challenge is trying to do as much as you can within the deadline. Plus some of the psycho bosses in the first were really tough, least. The actual zombies, though, well they're not meant to be. They're there for the fun factor of just slaughtering a load of dumb founded blood bags in as many ridiculous ways as possible.

It's only a precursor to the full game which i'm sure will be a lot more exciting, I wouldn't worry about it.

What makes it hard is the time management as @Abyssfull: said, zombies are just their to slow and hinder your progress 

  Findin the items took me like 3 tries. I still don't know where Bob's daughter is.
 
A lot of the hard part is kind of Zelda-ish where the guys will only give you the handlebars if you get them a broadsword, which is in the hunting shop, which is locked, and you're on a time limit, and you have to get em back to the safe house afterwards.

"   Findin the items took me like 3 tries. I still don't know where Bob's daughter is.  A lot of the hard part is kind of Zelda-ish where the guys will only give you the handlebars if you get them a broadsword, which is in the hunting shop, which is locked, and you're on a time limit, and you have to get em back to the safe house afterwards. "

" Not just this one, but the first one as well. Don't get me wrong, killing zombies is fun and all, but there really isn't any fear or challenge involved. Have a bat, swing it, kill 7 zombies. Rinse and repeat  Does anyone think this game would be more frightening if fast zombies (Dawn of the Dead 2004) were involved? Or even making the slow zombies a little more resilient. I get that this game isn't about horror or anything, but I wish the zombies were a little tougher to add a sense of panic to the game "

"   Findin the items took me like 3 tries. I still don't know where Bob's daughter is.  A lot of the hard part is kind of Zelda-ish where the guys will only give you the handlebars if you get them a broadsword, which is in the hunting shop, which is locked, and you're on a time limit, and you have to get em back to the safe house afterwards. "

I haven't really played case zero a whole bunch yet, but my first impression is that it's significantly easier than Dead Rising. The first couple survivors I got didn't even need to be helped. I just ran straight to the gas station and they were able to defend themselves, even when I ran them through a grip of zombies. I'm not sure I'm into all the changes they made.

Also for anyone having trouble with the time limit - just make yourself up some Quicksteps (that's Pie + Bacon + Blender) you can make two each time you leave the safe house - the only time it won't help you is when you have the Bike Cart, your speed is locked for that.

The first game let you just wait for the helicopter.  You could literally just sit there for hours.  That's what's great about the game, you create the challenge by going out there.
 
It's a parable for the life of an aristocrat.

" The real challenge is trying to do as much as you can within the deadline. Plus some of the psycho bosses in the first were really tough, least. The actual zombies, though, well they're not meant to be. They're there for the fun factor of just slaughtering a load of dumb founded blood bags in as many ridiculous ways as possible. "

" I haven't really played case zero a whole bunch yet, but my first impression is that it's significantly easier than Dead Rising. The first couple survivors I got didn't even need to be helped. I just ran straight to the gas station and they were able to defend themselves, even when I ran them through a grip of zombies. I'm not sure I'm into all the changes they made. "

It's possible they dumbed the zombie AI down because there is a cap at level 5. You don't have much health, you don't have that many weapons, and there is a long list of unlockable moves you don't have access to in this game. I wouldn't be surprised if they were a bit more difficult in Dead Rising 2.

I think if they included Dawn of the Dead stlye zombies it wouldn't be Dead Rising anymore.
 
I do find the game easy but having said that I've had a lot of experience with the original, when I first started playing the original I didn't think to always have food on me, memorise where good stuff was or anything like that.  The bosses can be downright impossible if you're not equipped properly though.
 
Now that stuff was second nature when I played this.

DR2:CZ did seem easier than the last one for many different reasons: 
  
Easy to make a nailbat (or really any combo weapon) every time you're near a bench, giving you easy access to a great weapon - you could pick up a torso or sword easily enough in DR, but you could still find yourself in a shitstorm with no good weapons.
AI was improved, making survivor escorting fairly easy. 
Area was more wide open and less zombie-filled for the most part.
Plenty of food supply areas.
Overall smaller map, making escorting runs less troublesome, and item finding / collecting pretty easy.  
More time to accomplish what you need and pretty easy to screw around for a while but still save everyone.
 
I'm guessing the difficulty will be bumped for the main game in all the areas except survivor AI.  If it's anything like the first, the place will become zombie central on the last day, making getting around MUCH more difficult.