I've been digging into Dead Rising 2 a bit more since my initial impression of the game this past Halloween.  Currently, I've restarted three or four times, and Chuck stands at Level 7 with the first major series of missions complete on day one.  I really don't know if I'm actually going to complete the story, though.
 
There's a right way and a wrong way to play Dead Rising 2.  The wrong way would be attempting to barrel through all of the missions and save every survivor on the first playthrough.  The right way would be to concentrate on leveling up first, restart a few times, and then focus certain activities you know you can do while progressing through the story.
 
Then there's the best way.  And that is simply screwing around as much as humanly possible without regard for anything.  Run around a casino while dressed in a fetching ensemble of a track suit and football helmet.  Smack zombies with foam fingers.  Ride a little pink tricycle through the undead hordes.  Make an ass of yourself until you die.  Then start over and screw around some more.
 
Really, who needs the bizarrely structured storyline missions when you can just be a ridiculous asshat to the undead and see what kind of bizarre crap you can get away with?

And that is why the game is flawed.  If actually playing the game as intended by getting through the story isn't the best way then why even bother.  Killing zombies gets boring after a while.

" And that is why the game is flawed.  If actually playing the game as intended by getting through the story isn't the best way then why even bother.  Killing zombies gets boring after a while. "

" If actually playing the game as intended by getting through the story isn't the best way then why even bother.  "

I finished it on the first play through , I think that it is a lie that you MUST restart the game every other time to be able to complete it , now I dont think that it can be done to save every survivor , nor cared to , but I did kill all the psychos and did all the cases , wile saving a few of those survivors .... granted I ddint have all the time in the world as I only had 3 days to return the game (it was rented) so I played as fast as I could , but looking back I neither did multiple play throughs on the first game , one play is all I could take of this mediocre games  .... that why I enjoyed more case zero than the 2 of the games convined.

" @ChristianCastillo said:

" If actually playing the game as intended by getting through the story isn't the best way then why even bother.  "

Even though I haven't played the game, I can say that fucking with a game in ways the makers never intended can sometimes be more fun than actually playing the game as you should. For example, who the hell has ever played a Grand Theft Auto game without fucking about with the cheats? Maxing out your wanted level and summoning a Hydra is more fun than sneaking around mansions and beating people to death with dildos. Wait, that sentence did not end how I wanted it to end. "

" @Video_Game_King said:

" @ChristianCastillo said:

" If actually playing the game as intended by getting through the story isn't the best way then why even bother.  "

Even though I haven't played the game, I can say that fucking with a game in ways the makers never intended can sometimes be more fun than actually playing the game as you should. For example, who the hell has ever played a Grand Theft Auto game without fucking about with the cheats? Maxing out your wanted level and summoning a Hydra is more fun than sneaking around mansions and beating people to death with dildos. Wait, that sentence did not end how I wanted it to end. "

What I meant to say is that you can't play the game like that forever.  It will get boring after a while and then what?   "

I don't think you could do all the missions and save everyone on your first playtrhough, could you? The benefits from leveling up are pretty damn helpful.
 
I think I've restarted 5-6 times now and I'm level 49. Got pretty far each time. Been playing with a friend and thoroughly enjoying my time in Fortune City.

" And that is why the game is flawed.  If actually playing the game as intended by getting through the story isn't the best way then why even bother.  Killing zombies gets boring after a while. "

Sounds about right.