I did not "get" the first Dead Rising.  Heard a lot about it, bought the game after playing the demo, and gave up after meeting the first boss.  What game were all these guys talking about?  This wasn't about killing zombies, it was Pokemon Snap and then fight a douchebag on a movie set.  I gave it away to a friend (who has played the shit out of it and loves it) and decided the series just wasn't for me. 
 
Until Dead Rising 2: Case Zero.  This was the demo they should have made for the first game.  The endless hordes of zombies are there, but it also introduces the most crucial mechanics involved in the game proper, as I've since found out from reading.  Namely, level up and figure shit out, and then restart with all the levels and knowledge you've gained.  If I'd realized that was what the first game was about I wouldn't have quit in frustration and would probably have spent a ton of time on it.  
 
Well, now I can, I guess.  It's 20 bucks on XBM, so I'm gonna buy the sucker again and spend this weekend with it.  Hopefully it will click this time, because Case Zero sure has me hungry for killing a ton more zombies.