Dead Rising is a 2006 action-adventure game that follows photojournalist Frank West. Going after a scoop of a riot in the small town of Willamette, Colorado, Frank is flown via helicopter into the town, noticing that the surroundings and exits are all heavily guarded by the military. Pushing forward against law enforcement, Frank observes that the town is oddly quiet, he realizes that something is very wrong. As they are flying over the mall, Frank is surprised when he spots a military chopper shooting at him, trying to execute him for trespassing on government land.
Quickly the pilot informs Frank that he will be back to pick him up in two days. In a panic, Frank jumps from the helicopter onto the roof of the mall, leaving his pilot to flee from the military.
Deserted with just his trusty camera and irresistible charisma, Frank is left to roam the zombie infested mall. Unfortunately for Frank, there is much more happening that is not known by the outside world, and he will be left to find out.
Throughout Dead Rising, Frank goes through many challenges: encountering survivors, fighting zombies, solving mysteries, and battling psychopaths.
For the entirety of the game, Frank encounters numerous psychopaths. These include a crazed clown, a Vietnam veteran with PTSD, escaped convicts riding a jeep with a mounted machine gun on top, a deranged butcher, and many more. Each and every one of these psychopaths pose a vital threat to Frank West, but with each one slayed, experience is gained.
One of the many reasons why Dead Rising is so special is because of its realism. Covering the aspects of people in their everyday lives, it shows how a catastrophic event like a zombie apocalypse can change the world. Dead Rising’s iconic game soundtrack and scene dialogue only amplify the spirit of the game. In a thought provoking interview with DHS media assistant ‘Captain’ Cyrus, there were many topics brought up, but when asked what makes Dead Rising such a notable game, Cyrus expressed “It’s very interesting and also scary to see how the zombie apocalypse can realistically send people into the descent of madness and what would likely happen over time, Dead Rising covers this very well.”
Sept. 19, 2024 was the revival of the Dead Rising franchise. After years of public outcry and persistence, Capcom released the subsequent Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster for the Xbox Series X/Y, Playstation 5, and PC, much to the delight of fans around the globe. When asked on his thoughts about the Dead Rising remaster, Damascus High School ITSS and computer guy Travis Swiger stated “I think it’s exciting that they remade the game, because a younger generation that probably never knew about the original will get to experience it. As someone that usually likes the originals, I’m always wary of a remaster, I know a few years back they re-released some of the Resident Evil games which also walks a similar path with Dead Rising.”
With significantly enhanced graphics, altered dialogue, increased gore, and characters looking almost 20 years older, the remaster of Dead Rising stayed true to its original charm of the aughts.
