New to Capcom’s zombie hack-n-slashathon series? Let us give you a quick rundown of the series!
The Dead Rising series has been around for a while now, and with a wide selection of the titles on sale here at Fanatical, there’s never been a better time to jump in for existing and new fans alike. Whether you want to be introduced to the series, or just want to rejog your memory, allow us to guide you through Capcom’s iconic action-horror games!
Dead Rising
In the debut title in the series, Dead Rising, players take control of Frank West, a gritty photojournalist looking for the next big story to rejuvenate his dwindling career. After getting a tipoff that there’s an unusual situation developing in Willamette, Colorado, Frank catches a helicopter ride into the area. Locked down by a military quarantine and arriving at the Willamette Parkview Mall, it quickly becomes apparent that the area is completely overrun by, you guessed it, ZOMBIES! Players have three in-game days before their helicopter ride returns to collect them and have the freedom to decide whether they want to use that time to help survivors, uncover the conspiracy behind the outbreak, or just slay zombies using a wide variety of weapons. With extra modes and several different endings to achieve, Dead Rising is a great starting point for new players to the series.
Dead Rising 2
Dead Rising 2 sees the arrival of a new player character: former motocross star Chuck Greene. With the in-game universe now aware of the existence of zombies, Chuck is in Fortune City, Nevada, to participate in the zombie-slaying gameshow Terror is Reality. Due to his daughter being infected during a previous outbreak, Chuck is desperate to earn the prize money to pay for her Zombrex, the medication which prevents the process of turning into a zombie. Lo and behold, Terror is Reality’s zombie supply is released, quickly overrunning Fortune City. It’s up to players to help Chuck secure Zombrex for his daughter and to clear his name after he is falsely accused of starting the outbreak! Dead Rising 2 boasts a larger map than its predecessor and a new feature of combining items to create new tools of zombie punishment, amplifying everything that made the first game so great.
Dead Rising 2
Dead Rising 2: Off The Record
A non-canon retelling of Dead Rising 2 with the ever-professional Frank West as the lead (he’s covered wars, you know), Dead Rising 2: Off The Record retains most of the plot and gameplay of the original version but with a host of new extras, such as the return of the photography mode from Dead Rising, a new area to explore, and new survivors to save. Down on his luck after the events of the first game in the series, Frank tries to rejuvenate his career once again by covering the Fortune City zombie outbreak. Seeing the inclusion of a sandbox mode and a few key differences in the story, Dead Rising 2: Off The Record is a must-play for any fans of the series.
Dead Rising 2: Off the Record
Dead Rising 3
Dead Rising 3 is the first of the series to be released on eighth-generation consoles, meaning a significant jump in scale, with the full open world of Los Perdidos, California, a game map larger than the first two titles combined. Expanding on Dead Rising 2’s combo crafting system, mechanic Nick Ramos can craft combination vehicles to help with exploring the city, as well as tackling the hordes of zombies roaming the streets. Stuck in Los Perdidos, Nick must find a way to escape and help other survivors whilst also uncovering a devious plot that ripples through the government of the United States. The PC release, titled Dead Rising 3 Apocalypse Edition, also includes all four of the extra story DLC packs, giving a wider scope to the plot of the game.
Dead Rising 3 Apocalypse Edition
Dead Rising 4
Last but certainly not least is Dead Rising 4, the most recent title in the series. With players once again in control of one Frank West, the game returns to areas surrounding Willamette, Colorado, the scene of the original zombie outbreak from Dead Rising. Poor Frank can’t seem to catch a break and is labelled a fugitive by the government after poking around a compound focusing on zombie research. Tasked with investigating a new outbreak to clear his name, Frank faces both zombies and soldiers around the vast open world. With a huge arsenal of weapons, vehicles, and crafting blueprints, Dead Rising 4 offers the action-packed experience that the series is known for but cranked up to 11. Included in the PC bundle, Dead Rising 4 - Frank’s Big Package, are the extra weapon DLC as well as Frank Rising, expanding on the story of the game with a playable version of Frank as a zombie.
Dead Rising 4 - Frank's Big Package
There’s our brief breakdown of the Dead Rising series. With plenty of titles to dip your toes into, the Dead Rising series provides a wealth of action-adventure fun whether you’re into zombies or not. Which one will you try first?
