Dead Rising 2 Review

29 Sep 2010 at 03:40:09 by Lauren Wainwright
Systems used to review this title: (360)

I hate Marmite. I mean, I really hate Marmite. If I had the power to rid the world of that weird, thick, gloopy brown substance then I would. You see, Dead Rising 2 is a lot like Marmite. It looks great on the box, seems fun like its predecessor but has a nasty after taste that I can only imagine Marmite lovers would appreciate. And if describing something as 'Marmite' seems clichéd, you obviously haven't played Dead Rising before, which is so much the definition of a 'love it or hate it' series that Capcom might as well have shares in the vile foodstuff.

Leaving Frank West in the past, you now control Chuck Greene. Zombie Slayer by day and grief stricken father by night, Chuck joins Fortune City’s zombie killing game show, Terror Is Reality, to raise money for his infected daughter’s daily dose of Zombrex – the leading medication for temporarily halting your loved one's transformation into the undead. Not everyone is happy about the killing of ‘innocent’ zombies, however, and soon the pen that keeps the horde under control is opened, leading Fortune City to ruin. And so begins your mission to clear your name, save your daughter and repeatedly pummel dead flesh…

Each mission, or ‘Case’ as Dead Rising 2 lovingly dubs them, generally involves going to a location, talking to someone or finding something, then returning in a time limit. You also need to keep an eye on your daughter’s daily Zombrex needs and answer calls regarding people who need your help. These encounters can range from intriguing conversations between Chuck and a reporter who is trying to find out what is going on, to comedic hillbilly rants between two AI survivors as you try to get them through the horde back to the safe house. It has its moments where the experience comes together in an over-the-top display of ridiculous outfits, lunatic survivors and graphic zombie slaying, but on the whole the game's pace feels disjointed and repetitive.

I have an issue with the games emotional pacing. For something that is trying so hard to make you laugh, it still tries its hardest to be serious during the cut scenes. It’s difficult to really feel any empathy for Chuck’s situation when he’s stood reassuring his daughter in a mankini. Sure, it’s totally optional to wear the weird get ups but it’s encouraged. You go from conversations about being framed to bowling giant dice into groups of the undead. It just doesn’t feel right in points and the serious and comedic parts of the game are so poorly segregated.

I felt conflicted as to whether or not I actually like pointlessly running around with humorous weapons, destroying families of zombie citizens as I head to the next case. Part of me thinks I actually hated the fact that the timed based missions just become increasingly frustrating as you wade through thousands of the bloody undead, standing shoulder to shoulder from one end of Fortune City to the other. It’s just annoying and if you end up running out of time because of it then you are treated to playing the rest of the game without the story arc, leaving only side missions available until the rescue team arrives.

The combat is slow, focusing on scripted one-on-one attacks rather than large scale sweeps. While some weapons can dramatically improve your chances, the earlier stages of the game really discourage you from wanting to seek out a fight. It isn’t until much later, when you have levelled up, can you really deal a satisfying amount of damage to the horde. Fun weapons like the wheel chairs, wheelie bins and bikes can mix up the experience but they only last for so long. The best weapons, created by combining items, are just as fragile, making your brawl against the undead a short one.

Co-op certainly improves the experience, even if it is a lazy addition. Letting you team up with a friend is was really helpful for bringing survivors back to the safe zone and generally picking up the pace of the game. You feel more comfortable answering the phone for additional side missions than ignoring it just in case you run out of time. Getting into a co-op game can prove more hassle than it’s worth as you sit in front of what seems to be a never-ending sea of loading screens. This trend also follows with playing multiplayer online, a mode comprising of mini-games to make in-game cash for your single player save.

It’s difficult to really judge what Dead Rising 2 is offering. Sure you have an amazing amount of weapons and customisation to play around with but the time limit really restricts how far you are willing to go with it all. You can forget about the actual story and free roam around the city but once you lose the story there just isn’t enough to keep you entertained.

The thing is, as you progress and level up, some of the early frustrations let up. You kill faster, can reach locations quicker and the gameplay becomes a lot more enjoyable. It’s just surviving the first half that is the real challenge. It’s like giving a child all the toys they could imagine, but only a brief window of time to play with them.

Like I said before, Dead Rising 2 is a lot like Marmite. And I can’t stand Marmite.

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