The classic zombie game for Xbox 360 is making a comeback and is better than we remember

DEAD Rising is a classic for all the right reasons. It's known for pushing boundaries and offering innovative game design.

The entire story runs on a constantly ticking timer, with events occurring at specific times of the day and harsh, irreversible penalties if you miss them.

It makes you feel like your actions really matter, to a level that few games have achieved before.

Despite Dead Rising's great achievement in the video game space, time has not been kind to the game.

Aside from how clunky the frame rate and graphics look 20 years later, the tight timing required to get the perfect run is annoying to the modern gaming audience.

The first is Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, a faithful remake of the survival horror classic with some modern twists.

The plot is the same as the original: photojournalist Frank West infiltrates a secret mall full of zombies and has three days before his helicopter comes back to pick him up.

The main attraction is that you decide how you play Frank West, but his personality shines regardless of your choices.

You can help survivors, get them to the shelter and deliver supplies, or you can focus on telling your story.

Even Frank's good deeds seem selfish in some ways, as his comments make it seem like he's only saving people to make his story better.

Rescuing survivors is one of the most interesting challenges in the game, as not everyone will follow you willingly.

While some can be persuaded with the promise of a safe room and an upcoming helicopter ride, others are understandably cautious.

Not all survivors are in good health and you must fight your way through the horde while carrying their burden.

The timing is just as tight in the remake, and while you can keep playing if you miss a piece of news, you'll never know the full story.

The biggest criticism is that not enough changes were made and this version may be too faithful to the original.

Frank controls better than before and there are more upgrades to your camera, but there are still outdated concepts like the exceptionally tight time frames and the way the bosses work.

There doesn't seem to be any way to predictably stun them, and they don't rotate well, meaning you can turn your back on them while you chip away at their health bar.

Other bosses can trap you in a combo with no escape, meaning death is inevitable.

This level of awkwardness was acceptable in the Xbox 360 era, but today we know better and generally don't accept it.

Another unique aspect of Dead Rising is the central role of photography in the gameplay.

They increase your health, speed, and storage space thanks to the number of unique or interesting things you can photograph.

This changes the focus compared to most zombie games where your main goal is to kill the most heads.

Even in 2024, Dead Rising feels unique and the game still has plenty of charm.

It's a very clever game hidden behind the silly facade of chainsaw-dismembering zombies, and while some aspects have aged poorly, it's just as fun to play as ever.

If you want to read more about recent game releases, check out our review of Persona 3 Reload: Episode Aigis – The Answer.

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