A boat-load of fun can be had with the latest entry in the zombie-slaying series.
Developer(s): Capcom Vancouver
Publisher: Microsoft
PLAYED ON XBOX ONE
ALSO AVAILABLE ON PC
It seems like we haven't seen a truly new Dead Rising title for a while, and with all things considered, that may be true. Excluding DR2: Off the Record (set in Fortune City, much like DR2 with little in the way of different content), we haven't seen a fresh project from creator Keiji Inafune for three and a half years. He's been extremely busy with Mega Man in all respects, and so this trip to Los Perdidos on the XBOX ONE was a refreshing one at the very least, as the setting is completely altered and a new protagonist is introduced.
Meet Nick Ramos, a mechanic working in the small town of Ingleton, located due north of Los Perdidos, USA. He's extremely savvy with motors, and this proves a worthy trait when the zombie outbreak that originated back to the times of Frank West (Willamette Mall in 2006, Dead Rising) arrives in LS. Nick and Rhonda (his affectionate boss) are forced to pack up and prepare for the worst.
The game is set ten years after the events of Dead Rising 2, where it's time for the world to uncover how and why the zombie outbreak began before a bomb is dropped on the city to annihilate all cases of the infected. You'll retrace back to the Carlito Keyes conspiracy and the events that unravelled from that point, and why the military are so keen on not saving the survivors. Use anything at your disposal to carve a path through zombie-flooded streets and combine everyday utensils to craft a weapon capable of single-handedly controlling the infected threat. As well as this, a series-first feature is introduced in which Nick's mechanic skills can be used to combine parts from different vehicles to create a mean machine for slaughtering hundreds of zombies at any one time. It's a hell of a fun prospect, and it's no surprise to know that it's as fun as it sounds.
It doesn't boast the biggest world by any means, but the vast number of zombies builds the atmosphere.
When it comes to visuals, the game falls miles short of the next-gen graphics standards. It was originally in development for the XBOX 360, but as the eighth generation of consoles was only just around the corner, the choice was made to move the game over to a launch title for the ONE, purely for the sake of media interest and sales pushes. It has nothing on the likes of Forza and Ryse, but it's the shear number of zombies on screen at once that is something that I, certainly, have never seen before. It's quite a sight to be seen, even if the colour palette is a bit lousy unless you're right next to something. But the visceral gameplay and the way you can completely mutilate the undead (you can even slice them in two and watch what's left of them try and chase after you, closer inspection sees the leaking brain and busted ribs) makes for the most fun I've had in ages; blades feel like proper killing tools, spitball guns and sex toys are comically pointless and fun. Vehicle slaughter fun is there too, even if it's not so much so as hacking and slashing, as some cars feel strange to drive, and whilst it's not meant to be an arcade racer of any sort, it could have done with nicer vehicle handling. You'll play through eight story chapters in your single player journey, which typically range from forced boss battles to a satisfying number of side missions to keep you going for a bit longer. The cutscenes are worth a watch, even if the missions aren't always the most entertaining, and the story does slowly drag you along with prompts about how long it'll take for the bomb to drop, but certainly does give you enough time to play through extensively.
It's a very entertaining experience overall, though, and multiplayer somewhat expands on that by doing nothing more than chucking an online buddy in a game with you and taking on the infected together. Dead Rising 3 is an exciting addition to the popular franchise that players of the second game will also want to try for the story, most importantly ending and the epilogue (which I shall keep a secret). And if you've just picked up an XBOX ONE and know a friend that has done the same, get them to tag along for some mindless zombie-slaughtering fun.
DR3 glorifies its blood and gore to make for satisfying undead massacres.
Me Love Cars - Founder of Motopedia, Gameopedia, Battlefield: Bad Company 2 Wiki, Gran Turismo Wiki and TV and Film Wiki. 21:53, February 11, 2014 (UTC)
Positives +
Addictive gameplay.
A great range of weapons and usable items.
Interesting links to previous titles.
THE ROLLERHAWG!!!!!
Negatives -
Dry colour palette.
The story sometimes needlessly veers off for longevity purposes.
Graphics: 78%
Lifespan: 82%
Gameplay: 85%
Features: 80%
Innovation: 76%
Plot: 79%
JUDGEMENT:
81%
It certainly puts fun first, as Dead Rising 3 is a great XBOX ONE launch title that encourages exploration as well as just story completion.