Posted 10/12/11 4:16 pm ET by MTV Geek in PS3, Reviews, Video Games, Xbox 360
By Jason Cipriano
"Dead Rising 2" fixed a lot of the problems that gamers had with the original "Dead Rising," as well as added numerous improvements that left fans wanting more. However, there was one key thing missing from the "DR2": Frank West. The hardened photojournalist that survived the Willamette Mall outbreak had won the hearts of fans, but was left out of his own game's sequel. While Frank's absence didn’t detract from the overall enjoyment that "Dead Rising 2" offered, his people pleaded for his return, and in "Dead Rising 2: Off The Record" their prayers are answered.
THE BASICS
"Dead Rising 2: Off The Record" is essentially an elaborate expansion pack for "Dead Rising 2." Set in the same Fortune City that has become overrun with a zombie outbreak, "Off the Record" adds some new content (Uranus Zone, an outer space themed amusement park), Sandbox Mode, and tells the story from the perspective of the now washed up photojournalist, Frank West. Frank has to survive for three days until the military arrives, and, in that time, try to recapture his glory days by investigating the origins of the outbreak. Using what ever he can get his hands on as a weapon, West will have to run all over Fortune City solving cases, rescuing survivors and taking down psychopaths.
THE HIGHS
Budget Zombies
Shortly after popping in "Off The Record" players are likely to discover that this release is not just a retelling of the events of the last game with a new character, but it's actually more like a reimagining of those events. While there is plenty of content that relates back to its predecessor, Frank's story is completely different than Chuck's, making it a great supplemental addition to that game.
The "reimagining" aspect of "Off The Record" allowed the developers to take numerous liberties with the story and characters from "DR2." While there are familiar faces at every turn, there's a good chance that they aren’t playing the same character as you remember them as. Besides, there's so much new content here that for $40 you really can't go wrong.
Frank's Got His Own Toys
"OTR" builds on one of the most outstanding features of the last game, weapon combos. All the familiar instruments of death are there, but with new items to construct with, Frank will have his own toys that Chuck would be jealous of. And, if that's not enough, players will finally see the proper return of Frank's camera, which offers up hours of entertainment on its own.
Sandbox Time
Sandbox mode is something that "Dead Rising" fans have been dreaming of since the original was released. In both games, Capcom has created these elaborate worlds, and then put time restrictions on how much you can run around them and explore. "Off The Record" does away with that, and allows Frank to paint the town red from the very beginning of the game, offering its own unique set of challenges along the way. Perhaps the best part of Sandbox Mode is that any upgrades that you unlock carry over to the story mode, making it the ideal way to level up at your own pace.
THE LOWS
Rehashing The Same Problems
Veteran fans of the series will already be aware of this, but newcomers take note: checkpoints do not mean your game is saved. The save system retains the overall improvements of "Dead Rising 2," but the series is infamously one of the most challenging of this console generation, based on its reliance on the player to initiate most saves, instead of autosaving at checkpoints. That being said, no matter what game you're playing, it's always a good idea to heed the words of the great Ken Levine, "save often."
So Much To Do... So Little Time
Less of a shortcoming, and more of a point of frustration, the story in "Off The Record" continues the laborious tradition of its "Dead Rising" predecessors forcing players to adhere to a very strict schedule. Fortunately, Sandbox Mode more or less solves this problem, but you're still going to be put in numerous situations where you need to make some serious choices, which usually result in either survivors dying or failing cases. It really goes to show you that you can't have it all, so just beware if you are easily distracted.
THE VERDICT
"Dead Rising 2" was a great game, but it seems like it just set the stage for "Off The Record." An all new story, weapons, and area to explore, coupled with the return of Frank West, his camera, and his stellar personality, really come together as a solid release. It may not be a perfect game, but Sandbox Mode alone is just about worth the price of admission. As an overall package at a discounted price point, Capcom has has yet another killer entry in the "Dead Rising" series on their bloody, rotting hands.
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Posted 10/13/11
Posted 10/13/11
Posted 10/13/11
Posted 10/13/11
Posted 10/13/11
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