Hands-On with Dead Rising

Few games offer that initial wow factor; you know the one, where you turn to your buddy and they turn to you, and you both say "did you just see that?"

With the dozens and dozens of zombies on screen at once, all shambling, moving, and attacking independently, Dead Rising™ offers such a wow factor right from the start.

An Undead Premise
You play as the fatefully unlucky Frank West, a photojournalist looking for a great story only to find the most cataclysmic event of his career. You don't have time to bask in the glory of a possible Pulitzer, though. You're just trying to survive, to get to the next safe haven before the shuffling hordes finally get to you.

Chop, chop!

Dead Rising comes from the survival-horror masters at Capcom, so you know the pedigree is top-notch. You can't go wrong with the development house behind the Resident Evil series.

That said, don't expect the two games to sport the same gameplay. Dead Rising is much more about surviving the masses, not the slow building tension and terror of Resident Evil.

Crack some zombie skulls with
a pipe, a sledgehammer, or a fire-axe.

Dead Rising is more of an arcade-style action title brimming with non-stop bloody combat from start to finish. The hordes of undead never relent, and you need to bash, smash, slash, shoot, and blow them to bits at every opportunity.

Of course, while Frank isn't your typical protagonist, with your help he finds the inner hero within, mustering enough resolve to save those trapped or imperiled by the armies of zombies. Much of the story involves your attempted escape, but equal parts task you with saving innocents as you go.

Something tells me they're not pulling closer for a hug.

Zombie-Killing Gameplay
The combat satisfies from the get go as each blow hits home with a satisfying thud. More than just well-done animations and sound effects, it's the opportunities in the environment that show promise.

Not satisfied with the bat in your hand? Try picking up a sign and bashing your way through the crowd. Don't dig fisticuffs? Throw caution to the wind and crack some zombie skulls with a pipe, a sledgehammer, a fire-axe, a cash register, a sickle, or any part of the world you can pick up and swing.

Don't worry—firearms play a quality role in your arsenal as well. The first time you pull the trigger on the boom-stick (read: shotgun) you'll smile as you clear whole mobs of undead one shell at a time.

Dead Rising combines a retro beat-em-up sensibility with the next-gen power Xbox 360™ provides. If action and lots of it strikes your fancy, you'll find hours of escapist joy in the gory set pieces of Dead Rising.

Article by Alex McLain