They're coming to get you, Barbara!
Released in August of 2006 as one of the first of several zombie games that would later come to the 360, Dead Rising is centered around one Frank West, a photographer built like a linebacker who catches a scoop regarding a series of riots in a small town. During the flyby opening, it is apparent that something is very wrong and, after landing in a nearly empty mall where survivors are holed up, he finds himself struggling to survive amidst a ravening hoard of the living dead. The game centers around Frank's investigation into the cause of the zombie infestation while saving survivors, taking down well-armed and brutal psychopaths, and busting as many zombie heads as he can.
The zombies of Dead Rising are dangerous like a land war in Russia: There are so many of them that they pose a constant threat to Frank on his excursions into the mall proper. While the psychopath sub-missions (and the occasional wandering psycho or three) represent a more acute threat, the zombies of the game are of the shambling, slow-moving, lunging variety that are somewhat durable, but stupid and easy to dispatch if the right tools are used--and there are many tools to use. One of Dead Rising's claims to fame is its wide variety of usable weapon-items (over 100): Chainsaws, hunting rifles, bowling balls, and even a Nerf-style mega buster are available as zombie-splattering weapons of destruction. You can cruise around in one of the vehicles in the parking lot to grind zombies to pate or lop off heads with a katana from the antiques shop, but the dead keep coming.
This is why the game has objectives. Your buddy in the security office is watching the cameras and will radio Frank whenever he sees something is up, be it a survivor that needs help or a suspicious individual that can help Frank further the main quest. After recieving the mission, Frank will be given a deadline to complete it by, and if he fails to make it there in time, the mission ends (often for the worse). If Frank fails to complete the main quest missions, the player can keep on fighting the good fight, but the player will have to reload if he or she ever wants to complete the game's story. The optional side quests grant Frank more XP and often unlock additional weapons or other useful items but don't usually hinder you in your quest if you fail to complete them. The game also features several modes that give it extended replayability, such as the survival mode which, once unlocked, lets the player try to live as long as he can with an ever-shrinking health bar, limited food, and every psychopath in the game stalking the mall's corridors. It's a challenge, to say the least.
Overall, the game has decent gameplay, which is a good thing given that it is more of an action game than a survival horror game. At times, the controls could be clunky, particularly the game's object recognition and movement controls/aiming, but once you get a feel for it, you can lay out some hurt (at least enough to keep the zombies at bay). There is also an XP-based levelling system that allows Frank to gain more item slots, do more damage, and perform different combat maneuvers. Some of this XP stems from the photography system; Yes, all the while Frank is trying to survive and save others, he is also looking for the best photo opportunities that he can find--He is a photographer, after all.
Visually, the game is not particularly as impressive (for the 360), partially because of the sheer volume of enemies that the game renders on screen and the early relative launch date of the game, but the gore and effects are nice and the game has its own look that makes it decent. My biggest gripe with the visuals is the use of the smallest font in the whole goddamn world for the menus and information displays.
Ultimately, Frank's journey is compelling and rewarding, the villains are entertaining, the gameplay is on par with other action games, and the humor--often dark and inappropriate--is pretty darn funny. With the sequel only a short time away, Dead Rising can probably be purchased on the cheap and, as long as you have a TV with decent resolution (that damn font!) you'll likely have some fun bashing in zombie heads.
