Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster Review — A Resurrected Classic

Since its initial release back in 2006 on the Xbox 360, Dead Rising was one of the first games to push what consoles could achieve in terms of the number of characters on screen while paying homage to zombie movies of the past. Now, Capcom has released the game using the fantastic RE Engine, breathing new life into this cult classic which is Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster.

At the beginning of the game, it asks for your age, followed by a confirmation stating that the age entered will not affect the content of Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster. It’s a strange prompt, given that it has no impact on gameplay.

For those familiar with the original game, you’ll immediately notice that the introduction is different. The remaster opens with a mother and daughter driving along as they witness the chaos of the zombie outbreak. This shift adds more emotional depth, similar to how The Last of Us begins with Joel, Tommy, and Joel’s daughter trying to flee.

After the opening, you assume the role of Frank West, a photojournalist infiltrating the quiet town of Willamette, Colorado, which is under army blockade. You’re introduced to the photo mechanics in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, where taking more brutal shots earns you Prestige Points (PP). Frank lands on the roof of the local mall, and you’re informed that you must return to the heliport by 12 p.m. on the 22nd—part of the game’s signature 72-hour mode—or be left behind. Keeping an eye on your watch at all times is crucial.

Soon after, you meet survivors trying to barricade the mall’s entrance from the encroaching zombies. Things seem under control until a panicked woman opens the door to look for her missing dog, allowing the zombies to flood in.

PP points, awarded for taking photos, escorting survivors to safety, or killing zombies, function like an experience system. As you level up, you can increase your attack, speed, life, and stock (items held), and gain new skills. Photos can earn extra PP based on brutality, drama, outtake, or horror situations. The game notably removes the ‘erotica’ category for photos, which was in the original, likely to align with current cultural sensitivities. This was a good move given today’s climate.

When you step into the main part of the mall, you receive a map and a transceiver. From this point, you learn about escorting survivors back to the security room. The remaster allows you to direct survivors to specific locations, a useful addition that wasn’t in the original. You can also arm survivors with weapons to help defend themselves.

The story mode is structured into eight cases, with a ninth called ‘The Facts.’ Each case advances Frank’s investigation into the zombie outbreak. Side quests, referred to as ‘Scoop Cues,’ also operate on a time limit, offering additional survivors to rescue and granting PP as rewards. These are typically relayed to Frank by Otis, who uses the transceiver to notify you of survivors in need.

The mall is littered with various shops filled with weapons, items, and clothing to help you survive. You can slice and dice through hordes of zombies using anything you can find, from baseball bats to chainsaws. While speaking of the weapons, all the tools from the original are here and have much more of a gross and bloody effect to them. So when you chop a zombie down with a sickle, you will see them get ripped apart into a bloody mess with their insides showing. Likewise, with the variety of handguns, uzi, and even railguns that are either hidden or equipped by the mindless police zombies shooting randomly around the place, well-placed headshots will send their heads exploding off their shoulders. It’s great!

When it comes to your battles with the psychos (bosses), it would have been great to see prolonged damage from your gunshots or slices to the clothes or skin. Likewise, with Frank, we know the RE Engine is capable of this from the Resident Evil remakes, so why not implement it here?

Thanks to the upgraded engine, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster looks fantastic. The world and characters are richly detailed without compromising the number of zombies on screen. Cutscenes highlight impressive facial details, such as the crows’ feet on Frank’s eyes, the pores on Brad’s face, and the freckles on Jessie’s cheeks. Each character, along with the game’s famous psychopaths, is brought to life with a more realistic look than in the original.

However, while the realism looks stunning, it sometimes feels out of place due to the game’s comedic and over-the-top tone. Initially, this juxtaposition felt polarizing, but as I settled into the game, it grew on me. The environments, character models, and shops, along with the outdoor areas and day/night cycle, all looked amazing and added to the immersion.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remasterbrings many quality-of-life improvements beyond just the visual upgrade. The addition of a compass/map at the top of the screen helps guide you to your next case or scoop. One of the biggest gameplay improvements is the ability to move while holding a gun, making boss fights far more manageable.

Other improvements include better AI for survivors and bosses (psychopaths), the ability to skip time for those who want to focus on the story, auto-saving between areas, and a weapon durability bar that indicates when a weapon is about to break. The remaster also introduces a feature allowing you to restart the game with carried-over progress if Frank dies, adding a rogue-lite element.

Additionally, there are many costumes inspired by Capcom franchises, including Resident Evil, Street Fighter, and Mega Man. While these outfits are completely out of place, they’re a fun nod to Capcom’s iconic titles.

The biggest change in the voice department is the replacement of Frank West’s original voice actor, along with most of the cast. For veterans of the series, this change might take some getting used to. While the new actors do a commendable job, there are moments when the performances feel lacking compared to the original. It’s hard to say if this was a directing issue, but it’s noticeable, especially with Frank’s new voice.

At the end of the day, I would classify Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster as more of a remake than a remaster. While the voice-overs were replaced and the entire game engine received an overhaul, at its heart, it’s still the same game from 2006—and that’s not a bad thing. For new players, this is the definitive way to experience Dead Rising, while veterans of the original will appreciate the RE Engine upgrade, which adds more life to the world and characters.

There’s a lot of content packed into this game, from the main storyline, which should take you around 20 or so hours to complete, to the numerous endings and outcomes, depending on your time management. Capcom has done an excellent job of retaining what made the original game special while enhancing it for a modern audience.