Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is an overall strong remake of Dead Rising despite a couple of strange changes. For the most part, though, the timeless concept and improved a great way to play one of the most unique and, in my opinion, best Capcom games ever.
Credit: Capcom
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
Developer: Capcom
Price: $50
Platforms: PS5 (reviewed), Xbox Series X/S, and PC
MonsterVine was provided with a PS5 code for review
The original Dead Rising is one of my favorite games ever made. I was cautiously optimistic when this hefty remaster was announced, as the original game did have some edges that could use smoothing. That being said, remasters and remakes are always a gamble, which is where the “cautious” part comes into play. Luckily, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is mostly great, with only a few changes that stand out.
The core gameplay loop of using everything in the mall to plow through enormous hordes of zombies is intact in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster and is as ridiculously fun as ever. Being able to grab anything from a clothes hanger to a pile of CDs to kill zombies with remains inventive and delightfully goofy, while the inherent time limit of the story means you never get tired of zombie-killing since you never really get to overdo it.
Credit: Capcom
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster makes some solid changes
There are plenty of positive additions in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, which outweigh the negative. The improved survivor AI is the biggest improvement, as I didn’t feel like I was babysitting helpless NPCs who ran headfirst into death and danger. They were able to follow me without much trouble, which is in stark contrast to the original game. This makes the entire game feel more manageable and less unpleasantly stressful, which is a massive boon. Plus, you can move while you aim and see how much durability your tools have left — two additions that go a long way in making for a smoother trip to Willamette.
“Autosave is another big plus, as I never feel as though I’ve lost too much progress upon dying to a boss or horde.“
Walkie-talkie calls can now be taken while doing other things, which means Otis doesn’t get mad at you for getting helplessly attacked while on the phone. There are more voice lines for these calls too, which is a pleasant little touch. Autosave is another big plus, as I never feel as though I’ve lost too much progress upon dying to a boss or horde. This is especially handy near the beginning when you have little health and lots of problems, like the escaped convicts in the outer area.
Credit: Capcom
The two alterations that I didn’t love are the change of Frank West’s voice actor and the altered dialogue of the psychopath boss Cliff. Frank’s new voice actor, Jas Patrick, does a great job in the role. It’s just that the first voice, T.J. Rotolo, was essentially perfect. He had this natural sort of everyman quality that really suited the character to a tee, so while Patrick gives a strong performance, the original is really stuck in my mind.
As for Cliff, this change is substantially smaller and less impactful, though still worth noting. His backstory as a Vietnam veteran was simplified and made more generic, with his dialogue being redone to follow suit. This ends up removing the more realistic and grounded edge of his backstory that made him so tragic, leaving him a bit less sympathetic. Again, it’s not a big thing as there are plenty of wonderful psychopaths in the game, but it did sadden me a bit.
Credit: Capcom
Everything does look substantially better, and I never ran into any performance issues while playing – even with the gigantic hordes of zombies. There are new costumes to try on – as well as classics like the Servbot head – the Psychopaths are more vivid than before, and blood splatters look nastier than ever. It’s a full visual overhaul and it works well with the game and its aesthetic.
The Final Word
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster is, for the most part, a strong revisit of one of Capcom’s classic titles. The new improvements are excellent, and the small problems aren’t enough to derail the experience. The original game is still widely accessible on current consoles regardless, but I recommend checking out Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster if you’re fond of the original or looking for a unique new experience, as there’s nothing quite like it.
MonsterVine Rating: 4.5 out of 5 – Great
