Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster Review

Frank's still got it.

The original Dead Rising was a thing of legend back in 2006. It was certainly ahead of its time, delivering an impressive amount of on-screen zombies whilst also turning heads for the amount of Xbox 360 consoles it was red ringing.

I found myself drawn to it as both a zombie video game and movie fan — by Resident Evil’s Capcom, it seemed to carry some of the cheesy sensibilities of the original whilst taking a plot and setting straight out of George Romero’s Dawn of the Dead.

Dead Rising was great back in 2006, remained great in its 2016 1080p re-release, and continues to be so in this 4K, 60 frames-per-second remaster (properly titled Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster).

Set in the fictional shopping centre known as the Willamette Parkview Mall, players fill the shoes of photojournalist Frank West. Armed with his camera and his wits, Dead Rising is a timed sandbox in which you can pick up weapons, clothes, and vehicles to survive. Along the way, you’ll meet additional survivors, ruthless enemies, and even unravel a larger mystery.

For some, Dead Rising is the best the franchise has to offer. I’d tend to agree as, unlike entries that follows, this one isn’t about crafting or ensuring that you have the items to make different mixtures on hand, but about the mall and its characters. Frank’s a seedy, slimy, tabloid-like photographer, but he’s a kind-hearted one too. Armed with a baseball bat, a handgun, or a traffic cone that he can throw onto a zombie’s head, it’s all really about getting to the bottom of a scoop or helping a survivor in need.

Because of Frank’s background, photography plays a large part in the story. Taking photos of, say, a gas station exploding or, y’know, a homicidal clown on a rampage will earn you Prestige Points, or PP. That PP, in turn, will add to Frank’s health, inventory size, and provide special moves that will aid him in his quest. Grouping and gathering survivors will also assist in the production of PP.

If you’re somehow new to the mix, you’ll soon get used to navigating the mall, dealing with zombies, and will find that the real challenge of Dead Rising is time management. Frank will be tasked to solve case files at the same time he can rescue certain survivors, pick up special items, or meet those he’s already encountered at a specific place and time.

As a result, Frank’s always on a countdown; thankfully, this is performed in a way that doesn’t instil the player — or at least, doesn’t instil this one — with crippling anxiety. That said, additional modes jack this sensation up to 11, and it’s here that things may feel overwhelming for some. Consider yourself warned.

Strangely, Capcom was careful to tell us that we could feature content from Dead Rising‘s Overtime and Infinity modes, though a simple search can tell you how those were unlocked in the 2006 original. We were, however, encouraged to show off the range of costumes at Frank’s disposal. I’ll refrain from spoiling just what a Resident Evil Chris Redfield outfit looks like on Frank though.

In terms of what this specific iteration brings, players can look forward to 4K and 60 frames-per-second gameplay. While I’m not on the level of Digital Foundry, I found things to be stable and smooth. It was nice to take photos without feeling like a perv too, so that’s something.

All up, Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster felt like going home for this veteran player. Who doesn’t love slinging a camera over their shoulder, grabbing a 2×4, and swinging it at the back of a zombie’s head to obtain a Queen? With a retail price of only $70 AUD, it’s all the better… especially since our hardware should handle this just fine this time around.

Expect the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster from 19 September 2024 on Windows PC via Steam, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X, and PS5. Physical versions head to Australia from 8 November.

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster was reviewed using a promotional code on PS5, as provided by the publisher. Click here to learn more about Stevivor’s scoring scale.