the beginning of a rocky series, nothing else ever matched the charm or integrity of the first one. this game is perhaps a modern classic, it does so many things right that the sequels could just never grasp.
the writing and general plot is spot on, not crazy enough to where it feels silly, and 'realistic' enough to where you get drawn in. all the characters are memorable (unlike the sequels) and the personalities are great.
the visceral feeling of being on a strict time limit really sets home the survival horror feel. on a first play through you absolutely will NOT save everyone. you have to manage your time and routs wisely and it adds a really deep strategical element.
you need to figure out what items to bring with you, how much food, and think about this the entire time.
the experience system/photography system is great and insanely rewarding. the game starts off REALLY hard but as you save survivors and level up, you get many many bonus's. one of the main ones is Speed in which Frank just moves significantly faster and is essential.
the general graphics and aesthetic of the game is great. the HUD is stylized so you feel like you're a photographer reporting live, the whole game is very immersive with great sound FX and cheesy happy mall music blasting out of the speakers.
The mall its self is unforgettable, every nook and cranny will be ingrained into your head. need a new katana? i know exactly where to look. orange juice? yup. how about that psychopath's chainsaw, and the secret leading to it? you bet I know where it is. that's another thing. the bosses (psychopaths) are also unforgettable. thats kind of the main word with this game, its an unforgettable experience that stays with you. just about every element of the game feels crafted with love and passion that its hard to not love it. the psycho's all have really distinct personalities, fighting styles, environments, and really awesome introduction/death cutscenes. most games when a cutscene plays, i kind of cant wait for it to be over. but in Dead Rising they're always a treat. theres so much charm packed into this game that its just amazing.
there always feels like so much to do, so much to explore, even if its just one mall which is incredible. throughout all of this, the game manages to have both a humorous undertone, and a very dreadful one. you can relate with frank, you can feel how he thinks, as hes just an average guy photographer that found his new scoop inside of an undead mall. i wont name spoilers, but many key elements in the plot you can really feel yourself in his shoes, and it even has a few tear jerk moments. the combat system is really fun, naturally being able to use anything you see fit as a weapon, but eventually you realize you can stack books for amazing effects like durability so you keep going back to the same 1 or 2 items for the whole game, and its fun to pick and choose your favorite item to go slaying with.
the amount of zombies on screen is still to this day awesome, and yeah maybe theres more in the sequels but they just nailed it first try really. willamette park mall really feels like a TIMELESS location, the game has so much replayability that you can just go back and back and back. there are a few minor annoyances, mainly the survivor AI when they follow you and try to get into the safe house they frequently get stuck on a little ledge and when you're on a tight time constriction its REALLY annoying and frustrating. other than that theres really not much bad I can say about it. infinite mode is a really cool addition where it mixes up the gameplay and your health constantly ticks down so you gotta find food, psycos are scattered all throughout the mall in different locations, including friendly faces that now want to kill you, so much content! amazing game!
8.5/10
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