Chapter One Walkthrough

At the start of Dead Rising™, a long introductory cinematic sequence welcomes you into Willamette, Colorado, where all hell is breaking loose—perhaps quite literally. Your photojournalist protagonist, Frank, flies in on a helicopter and lands on the roof of the Willamette Mall. From there, you become more participant than observer.

The mall is always so darn crowded.

The Security Rooms
Follow the game's guide to the Security Rooms. At this stage of things, only a few items of interest merit your attention, so don't waste your time looking into every room. Most importantly, go straight to the green couch. You'll see it as soon as you come down the stairs.

There will be an S surrounded by a square there. That icon tells you that you can save your game here. Save it now. The last thing you want to do is sit through the opening cinematic again if you die.

Once you've saved, head straight for the red door. Beyond the red door, you'll find the security office. Here, they have monitors that you can examine. As you approach the desk, an icon appears to let you know there's something for you to look at. Take a peek.

The walking dead do laps around the mall.

The Mall
Keep moving forward, through the room with the air ducts and into the back hallways of the mall. These lead you out into the mall proper where you'll meet more people like yourself and many who are nothing like you. Don't worry. At this point, your life still isn't in any danger. Enjoy the mall's easy-listening music while you can.

After you've been introduced to the local survivors and the teeming horde of zombies who want to eat you, you have an excellent opportunity to explore the mall. Go up to the second floor.

If you go to the rear of the first floor, you'll hit a cinematic that will drop you straight into the story and you won't have a chance to explore, so go up first. Play on the deserted escalators. Get a general feel for the mall's layout.

When you've gotten a feel for things, return to the front entrance of the first floor and check out your fellow survivors. Be sure to take lots of pictures here. You can get plenty of points for pictures of the horror going on outside the mall as well as of the drama inside.

Only when you've finished taking all your pictures should you head to the pile of rubble at the back of the entrance lobby and trigger the next stage's cinematic.

Once you've finished your conversation with blonde
bombshell a.k.a. spooky government agent girl,
Jessie, you regain control of the situation.

The Zombies
Thanks to some crazy old woman (isn't it always the goofballs?), you are thrust into the midst of a mass of shambling, brain-eating zombies. Don't panic. If you stick to the outside of the crowd, it's thinner.

Pass through gaps in the crowd and press A constantly in order to leap away when zombies lunge toward you, and keep running like hell for the stairs. You can make it if you keep your head (no pun intended).

Once you get to the stairs, it's easy sailing for awhile. You'll enter into another cinematic that introduces you to your fellow main characters. Listen to what they have to say. Once you've finished your conversation with blonde bombshell a.k.a. spooky government agent girl, Jessie, you regain control of the situation.

You'll find fruit and coffee creamer in the security office (orange door), on the floor beside Jessie. Grab these things and add them to your inventory. You'll eat them to regain your health.

Don't think too hard about the idea of chugging a whole gallon of coffee creamer, horrified, you may lose the strength to go on. Lastly, take a moment to return to the green couch beyond the security office and save, save, save.

There's just something about Jessie.

The Warehouse
When you're ready, go back to the room where Brad climbed into the air ducts and—'cause you're a crazy s.o.b.—follow him. You'll come out onto the roof of the warehouse. Once you've leapt down off the ledge, you'll see a shelf unit straight ahead of you.

There's a bat lying on the rooftop there. Pick it up. Head over to where Jeff is acting like a blind chihuahua on steroids. Talk to him once, twice, three times until you're sure you've heard everything he has to say.

Then go to the other side of the roof to meet his wife, Natalie. Natalie and Jeff want to spend a little quality time together, so you have to interrupt them. Talk to them. That'll get their attention. Give Natalie the bat. You'll find other weapons very soon.

You have two exits off the roof. You can either take the elevator or use the door next to where you found Natalie. I recommend using the door. They both go the same place, but the elevator puts you on the floor and the door puts you on top of the shelving units.

Jump across to other units in order to access weapons that are stored there. Jump down to the floor to earn the Freefall achievement.

Otis helps you find survivors.

Answer the call from Otis and listen to what he has to say. Set your Guide Arrow to "Cut From the Same Cloth." You have one more mini cutscene to make it through before you leave the safety of the warehouse and enter the world of gnashing teeth and tearing fingers.

In this one, you'll receive an alternate mission, though I recommend you focus first on "Cut From the Same Cloth." The other photographer you're seeking teaches you some helpful pointers about photography, and you'll need them wherever else you go. Brad will wait for you.

Before you enter the mall, switch weapons. You don't want to use up your gun's ammo just yet. You'll need it later, when you find Brad. Use bludgeoning weapons for now, or any other guns that can you find in the mall. Keep your wits about you. Don't forget that you've got Jeff and Natalie tagging along with you, and no matter what you do, don't get eaten!

Article by Angel Leigh McCoy