This review contains spoilers
As someone playing this 7 years after its release with expectations that were so far in the ground you could shove a spicket up my butt and find oil, I actually thoroughly enjoyed playing this game. However, I can see where my love for the ridiculous and for hack n' slash games are making me like this more than the average player probably would.
So let's start with the obvious, Frank West is NOT the Frank West we knew in the first Dead Rising. His character was never as heartless and crude as the Frank of this game. If this had been a different character, I think it would have helped the game's reception. This literally could be Hank East and it would work, with the only things that would be ruined are the history of Frank in Willamette and of course his death at the end of the story.
The timer being removed is actually something I look at favorably, BUT I believe that the timer is a big aspect of what makes Dead Rising. Having to make choices and having tight time crunches were part of that experience.
The maniacs sadly lost out by not having the cutscenes that psychopaths had. There was some characterization for them, but nothing that really clues you in on say Sadistic Claus's reason for becoming a maniac. Additionally, you miss out on Frank's reaction to the psychopath. I think some of them were fun like the previously mentioned Sadistic Claus, Scare King, Captain Black Fridaybeard, Grim Gobbler. Others were kind of lacking like the return of the True Eye Cult Leader and the most forgettable of them all, Sibyle.
Storywise I didn't think much of the game, especially considering we were juggling basically two different storylines between Tom's group and Obscuris. I think it could have been more cohesive for sure, but having separate stories intertwining does create the idea of this being a bigger world and having more than just the government conspiracy conflict. But ultimately, the story in Dead Rising never seems all that great to be honest, but I appreciated it continued building from the previous games.
Gameplay was where I really enjoyed the game. The combo weapons actually felt nice compared to some from DR2, vehicles were fun and plentiful, and I just enjoy hacking throughs crowds. I could have done with maybe a few less zombies always being crowded into areas, but whatever. Oh and of course the exo-suit. I wasn't particularly a fan of the exo-suit, especially having to put it on for the final boss. I came in prepared with my favorite weapons and then proceeded to have to punch my way through the boss or hit him with Christmas tree lights. It was great getting to finish the giant horde at the end with them, but it really killed my vibe a bit.
Overall, I really enjoyed the game and I know that is controversial. While I think this is lacking in being a part of the Dead Rising game, I still enjoyed it. I view it in much of the same way I see a game like Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. It isn't a good entry in its series, but it is a good game. If Dead Rising and at the very least Frank's character wasn't bolted onto this game, I think it would be perfectly fine.
So let's start with the obvious, Frank West is NOT the Frank West we knew in the first Dead Rising. His character was never as heartless and crude as the Frank of this game. If this had been a different character, I think it would have helped the game's reception. This literally could be Hank East and it would work, with the only things that would be ruined are the history of Frank in Willamette and of course his death at the end of the story.
The timer being removed is actually something I look at favorably, BUT I believe that the timer is a big aspect of what makes Dead Rising. Having to make choices and having tight time crunches were part of that experience.
The maniacs sadly lost out by not having the cutscenes that psychopaths had. There was some characterization for them, but nothing that really clues you in on say Sadistic Claus's reason for becoming a maniac. Additionally, you miss out on Frank's reaction to the psychopath. I think some of them were fun like the previously mentioned Sadistic Claus, Scare King, Captain Black Fridaybeard, Grim Gobbler. Others were kind of lacking like the return of the True Eye Cult Leader and the most forgettable of them all, Sibyle.
Storywise I didn't think much of the game, especially considering we were juggling basically two different storylines between Tom's group and Obscuris. I think it could have been more cohesive for sure, but having separate stories intertwining does create the idea of this being a bigger world and having more than just the government conspiracy conflict. But ultimately, the story in Dead Rising never seems all that great to be honest, but I appreciated it continued building from the previous games.
Gameplay was where I really enjoyed the game. The combo weapons actually felt nice compared to some from DR2, vehicles were fun and plentiful, and I just enjoy hacking throughs crowds. I could have done with maybe a few less zombies always being crowded into areas, but whatever. Oh and of course the exo-suit. I wasn't particularly a fan of the exo-suit, especially having to put it on for the final boss. I came in prepared with my favorite weapons and then proceeded to have to punch my way through the boss or hit him with Christmas tree lights. It was great getting to finish the giant horde at the end with them, but it really killed my vibe a bit.
Overall, I really enjoyed the game and I know that is controversial. While I think this is lacking in being a part of the Dead Rising game, I still enjoyed it. I view it in much of the same way I see a game like Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. It isn't a good entry in its series, but it is a good game. If Dead Rising and at the very least Frank's character wasn't bolted onto this game, I think it would be perfectly fine.