Dead Risingpreviews are here and the consensus on theDeluxe Remasteris relatively positive. It’s being touted as a faithful revival ofCapcom’s action-horror classic that also introduces a slew of quality-of-life improvements such as auto saving, kinder controls, and easier ways to slay thousands of zombies without the gameplay mechanics grinding up against you.
But sometimes I love a good grind. A video game that pushes my buttons and forces me to try harder, play smarter, and put up with some nonsense because the end result is worth it. Dead Rising is that game, and the 2006 original is defined by overly punishing mechanics, obtuse level design, and a required repetition to see everything it has to offer. The remake appears to view those character traits as flaws, which couldn’t be more wrong.
When I first played Dead Rising as a kid I was blown away by how punishing it was, even as I sliced zombies to pieces with a katana. Die during the traditional campaign, and you can choose to either load your game, or restart the story all over again. In order to progress, you are encouraged to start a new run because your character level is intact.
It’s worth noting that I’m complaining about a lot of changes that can thankfully just be ignored if you’re a veteran player with a stubborn streak. You can toggle old controls, make use of the original timer, and party like it’s 2006. But this time the text is actually legible.
You don’t start from scratch on a new run, instead you’re far more powerful and capable of pushing through locations and quests that stumped you before. Hardship eventually gives way to triumph, and without that, Dead Rising isn’t the same game. But in order to satiate modern gamers, Deluxe Remaster is making changes.
Guns are way more powerful these days, while a dedicated dodge button and ability to strafe around enemies makes once challenging boss battles a cakewalk because the AI can’t keep up. Yes, it’s nice not to be stunlocked into oblivion by Carlito and his obnoxious SMG, but it’s worse to have any and all challenge neutered in service of modern approachability.
Cool alterations like building trust with survivors by gifting them their favourite items, Frank being able to respond to zombie grapples using the face buttons instead of wiggling a stick, and being able to easily access outfits and other items through a revamped menu interface are all positive, and complement the original experience rather than taking away from it.
But you level up too quickly, withThe Sphere Hunterpointing out that by the time they reached Paradise Plaza they were already pushing Level 10, which has a pretty good possibility of breaking the game’s pacing and sense of reward if it remains consistent. Beating bosses, rescuing survivors, and navigating the mall now appears too easy, all in service of letting Frank live out the power fantasy of becoming a zombie killing machine.
I honestly wouldn’t say no to a harder, more punishing difficulty for veteran fans, and maybe there is a chance we’ll see this as downloadable content later down the line.
Previously, this felt like the end goal, or a delightful twist when you came across the perfect weapon and suddenly turned the tables on hordes of shambling undead. Deluxe Remaster wants this feeling to be the norm, which I worry is going to result in a shorter and ultimately less memorable experience. Dead Rising might be goofy and packed with action, but it’s still a horror game where you are trying to survive and will be punished for making silly decisions.
I fear missing out on the potential replay value, or that I’ll pick up the Deluxe Remaster, see it through, and then call it a day. Which isn’t what I want from Dead Rising, and frequently it’s a strike against Dead Rising 3 and 4 because they tried to make things more approachable even if it meant bringing in wider audiences. If Capcom wants to be faithful to the original, it would acknowledge the flaws of Dead Rising which, over time, have become memorable quirks.
Maybe I’ll change my tune when I get my hands on the full game, and I’m focused on all the wrong things from the previews instead of celebrating what is otherwise a pretty terrific package. But I know why I love Dead Rising, and to see that taken away decades later is a bit of a bummer.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
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Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster builds on the 2016 remaster of the 2006 original, following photojournalist Frank West as he looks to uncover the shocking source of a zombie outbreak - and make it out alive.
