A Blast from the Past: The Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

In the early days of the Xbox 360, Capcom's Dead Rising burst onto the scene, leaving a lasting impression on gamers. The game's unique blend of time management, zombie-slaying, and dark humor captured the hearts of many. Now, the developer has revisited this classic, giving it a fresh coat of paint and a slew of improvements. But has the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster managed to recapture the magic of the original? One of the most striking aspects of the game is its commitment to time management. With a three-day timer ticking away, players must navigate the Willamette Parkview Mall, completing cases and rescuing survivors before the clock runs out. This mechanic adds a sense of urgency to the gameplay, making every decision feel crucial. The game's structure is still intact, with cases unfolding at specific times, and survivors appearing at set hours. The addition of a seamless New Game+ feature allows players to carry over progress, making it easy to experiment with different approaches. The controls have been updated to make the game more accessible, with weapon aiming while moving and remapped buttons that make more sense for modern gamers. The ability to skip ahead in time and auto-save features greatly reduce the frustration of manual saving. The AI has also received a significant overhaul, making survivors more intuitive and reactive to their surroundings. Each survivor now has preferred weapons and items, which can be upgraded to make them more effective. The visual overhaul is a welcome addition, with significant improvements to character models, environments, and lighting effects. The game's environments, such as the mall rooftop and Wonderland Plaza, are now more detailed and immersive. While the game may not quite match the visual fidelity of other PS5 titles, it's still a pleasing looker. One area where the game falls short is its use of load screens. While they're now incredibly short, it would have been nice to see the game's locations turned into cohesive settings, allowing players to freely explore. However, with the game's age and the limitations of the original, it's understandable that this wasn't possible.