Just how Deluxe is this remaster?

Dead Rising returns with modern graphics! More than just a remaster, this Deluxe Remaster is a full graphical overhaul of the first game in zombie-slaughtering action game series “Dead Rising.” This remaster has also been fully voiced, supports auto-saves, and has various other quality-of-life features. Witness the unmatched mayhem and freedom for yourself!

I remember playing the original Dead Rising on Xbox 360, I had such a blast wandering the shopping mall, killing zombies with things like baseball bats and bowling balls. I wasn’t keen on a few aspects of the game such as only being able to save in the bathrooms and the bosses seemed to be hit and miss, but I enjoyed the experience overall. I never thought I’d find myself back in Willamette, but here we go again…

I guess the confusing thing is, why now? PS4/Xbox One owners got a bundle of the first two games and Off the Record a few years ago, but it was more of a barebones port as opposed to this “deluxe remaster” which goes beyond the bundle did. Maybe they wish to remaster the entire series and DRDR is a test run, whatever the reason…I’m here for it.

Capcom clearly know what flaws the original had, but didn’t want to change the core experience so they’ve tried to balance it out and I think they’ve done it well, for the most part. Autosaves are now included, you can walk and shoot at the same time and AI companions aren’t as dumb as they were in the original, so you have a good chance of saving them. It feels more fluid to play and there’s very little in terms of loading times between areas/cutscenes, so it feels more streamlined overall.

One thing that does bug me is the prisoners in the jeep in the first courtyard, even if you somehow kill them, they come back each day somehow. It’s not the easiest thing to kill these guys and I always found it to be one of the more frustrating points of the game, especially if you are trying to escort survivors.

Boss fights are also still a hit and miss experience that can be incredibly tough, or in some cases laughably easy…I managed to get the store manager stuck under a lawnmower until he died and after his death cutscene, the lawnmower was still tearing him to shreds. I know it was a fluke glitch, I can’t even be mad about it because it was one of the most funniest thing I’ve seen I’ve seen in a game. Other bosses just seem to be cheap and unfair at times, but they were like this in the original so I don’t know what big change I was expecting.

Besides these issues, I still found the game highly addictive and enjoyable to play. I sometimes would get side-tracked by simply going on a killing spree of zombies and not even focusing on where I was meant to be going. You’ll still get calls from Otis to tell you he’s spotted survivors in certain areas, which helps in tracking them down, but it can be frustrating if you’re in mid-combat. You will also need to be in certain areas at certain times, but you can fast-forward times in bathrooms or in the security room, but be careful not to skip ahead by mistake…something I learned the hard way, but thankfully autosaves saved the day.

Besides the quality of life enhancements, the game also got a new lick of paint in the visual department. It’s art style is slightly more cartoony than it was, but looks impressive overall. The framerate is solid throughout and the voice-acting has been all re-recorded, although some characters have been recast like Frank himself. I was impressed with the voice-acting overall though, the quality is better and the soundtrack is still great.

The Verdict

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster fixes a good few flaws of the original game, while keeping a good few of them still intact. I guess they wanted to find a balance that didn’t ruin the experience of the original, but also wanted to make it feel fresh to a new audience. It’s a bold attempt and one that works well, for the most part. I just wonder if they will now remaster the other games in the series…

Score: 8.5