Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster changes the original for the better | Hands-on preview

I was lucky enough to spend several hours in the brilliant, spruced up world of Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, and it made me fall in love with Frank West and his goofy, blood-splattered exploits all over again. Yes, folks, this is another huge tick in the win column for Capcom, who have been knocking these remasters truly out of the park over the past few years.

Back in 2006, Dead Rising satisfyingly scratched a very specific itch for me. A game that was in sparkling high definition, still something of a novelty for me at the time, and one in which the possibilities in terms of what you could do in its sandbox seemed almost endless. Combining that unquantifiable Capcom magic with a rip-roaring homage to classic 80s zombie movies, it was a seminal modern title, and a truly original, fantastic time; albeit one that was not without its share of problems. Most of the criticisms aimed at it were around punishing save points, quality of life, and some misfiring misogynistic content. 

Not only have Capcom addressed all of these issues, but they have done so in a way that improves on the original in a multitude of ways, to the point that it feels less like a remaster. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster feels more like an entirely new experience, much in the same way that Resident Evil 4 Remake gave that all-timer a stunning new lease of life. 

As we have seen before, the RE Engine has taken the original Dead Rising and brought the visuals, physics, and overall aesthetics into the modern gen in stunning fashion. Loveable hack Frank West has never looked better, and the huge variety of NPCs, zombies, and unforgettable psychopath bosses are stunningly reimagined. The architecture of the Willamette shopping mall and its surroundings are now a thing of real beauty with expertly crafted lighting effects and gorgeous textures that really pop. Superb motion captured facials and overhauled voice acting also improve things hugely, including an actual voice and personality for Otis who was strangely silent in the 2006 version.

Capcom have proudly announced how many of the new visuals are literally hand-crafted, and it shows. The world building and lore of the Dead Rising universe are also embellished and improved in several ways. Fan favourite characters are fleshed out. Some culturally inappropriate characterisations have been tweaked. The in-game HUD and ways you navigate are more intuitive and offer more without becoming intrusive. Oh, and there is more gore. Lots more gore.

Looking and sounding great is one thing but the game and its unique structure are also freshened up. For the uninitiated, you take on the part of camera wielding journo West, who is given 72 hours in the aforementioned shopping mall to unlock the secrets of the bonkers undead outbreak before being picked up by a chopper on day three. Everything happens within in-game time, with specific events occurring at certain times of the day. You can keep tabs on the time by looking at Frank’s watch (which has a Capcom Easter Egg moniker), and as you explore the plagued environs you unlock missions known as Scoops, get the option to rescue NPCs, and can achieve multiple different endings depending on your actions and pathway through the loopy story.

You earn Performance Points for killing things, unlocking in-game achievements, and taking photographs. In the thick of the action it is sometimes easy to forget that Frank is a journalist at heart, and his bread and butter is capturing a great snap. Points are awarded for different genres of photograph. Taking a shot of a particularly messy scene of carnage will give you Brutality points, whereas dramatic scenes involving plot-points or meaningful interactions between folks ramp up the Drama score. Thankfully, the seedy Erotica genre from the original – which encouraged you to take edgy and inappropriate shots of female characters – has been axed. There is no place for stuff like this in 2024 and rightly so.

The way Dead Rising plays out is quite unlike any other zombie massacre game. It’s structure confines you to the in-game rules, but you never feel restricted. It is a game of near-infinite possibilities and encourages and rewards thinking outside the box, and the sense of discovery, not to mention learning how things work, and why things happen. After a few run-throughs, I found myself agreeing with the opinion of the Capcom staff proudly exhibiting the game. Structurally, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is something of a roguelike. No two playthroughs are the same, and each attempt brings new surprises and changes.

The main reason for the diversity of play is the huge variety of ways that you can kill things. More or less anything can be employed as a weapon, with varying degrees of effectiveness and durability. Every time you pick up an item, it has a bar telling you how many hits it can withstand before breaking. Some weapons are two-handed. You can throw pretty much anything. One minute you will be smashing a potted plant over the head of a zombie, the next throwing compact discs like shuriken stars. Occasionally you will luck into an incredibly effective and satisfying means of causing mass zombie destruction. I particularly enjoyed the surprisingly nasty stun gun, but expect to find swords, guns, and sporting goods as well. You will never look at a lawnmower or bowling ball the same way again. Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster now allows you to aim and move at the same time, something that was sorely missing from the original.

Killing isn’t just limited to the zombies and the super-tough, malevolent bosses either. NPCS are equally at risk and can be harmed or even wiped out. Attacking an ostensibly friendly character can turn them against you in an instant, which is something I found out when I inadvertently wrapped a shelving unit around a scared survivor who had barricaded himself inside a shop. NPCs seem far more intelligent this time out and respond well to your commands and even give you useful tips, however, you also have to look after them by ensuring they are fed and in some cases given their own weapons. You can search the insanely detailed mall for items to use to your benefit. You can find and consume food items, but also find places where you can cook stuff and essentially craft new, more effective foodstuffs to replenish your health. There are also reading materials that you can discover that award you with buffs and abilities.

There are some insane touches in this regard, such as a side mission involving Japanese tourists which requires Frank to learn a bit of Japanese in order to converse with them and complete the gig. It is done with genuine humour and warmth, and just displays how deep Capcom have gone to improve and enrichen Dead Rising. There are loads of crazy secrets like this, and bonkers awards given out for performing tasks. I mentioned bowling, and yes, there is a reward for skittling down a bunch of zombies like pins in an alley.

Finally it would be remiss not to mention Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster’s crazy unlockable and downloadable costumes. Beautifully rendered, they allow you to completely alter the appearance of your avatar with a selection of outfits drawn from around the wider Capcom and Dead Rising multiverse. I won’t spoil too many of these here, however, there is a particular selection of costumes drawn from beloved fighting games and therefore perfect for me. I found myself running around dressed as merman Rikuo from Vampire/Darkstalkers, and as an added bonus when you change into one of these alternates, it also changes the music that plays ambiently in the mall. I was whaling on zombies whilst a vintage Darkstalkers ditty warbled along in the background.

If you can remember, there has already been an HD remaster of Dead Rising, however, Producer Kei Morimoto has spoken on record how he wanted Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster to feel like a new game, and one that was easier to play. He and his team have undoubtedly achieved their aim. This is looking like a home run and an essential purchase.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster releases on September 19 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.