Dead Rising impressions!

[Pharaoh]

My enjoyment of the game jumped 100% once I realized one fact that my brain just wouldn't understand before...this game is NOT a single, contained, campagin against zombies.

It is designed, intended, and enforced to be a sandbox sim. You have 6 hours to solve the case (of what happened), and anything else is up to you. You can solve scoops, explore the mall, whatever, just as long as you keep the Case's on track, and therefore the timer and unlocks of locations in the mall.

Once I realized the save system is perfect for that type of game, I re-adjusted my impressions of the game...I am suppossed to play it over and over because each time is a different game. This play, Im ignoring survivors, and hopefully when my skills/hp/itemslots are a little higher, I'll go back and try to rescue people. Hell I might even explore the stores a little more.

The Cases don't actually take that long considering, so you got time to search the mall for the Psychopaths (who each seem to be guarding the unique items in the mall), or so forth.

Love it, although the zombies are night are TOO good

[Kevin Grey]

I heard Dead Rising was designed by some of the people who did Breath of Fire: Dragon Quarter.  From how the save system sounds, that wouldn't surprise me.

Does Dead Rising have different cutscenes/endings like Dragon Quarter did for each playthrough?

[Ralph-Wiggum]

I haven't played the game, but, IMO, the worst part of the save system is the "one game per storage device" part. So if my brother buys the game, I can't play it without getting a memory card. Lame.

[depward]

I haven't played the game, but, IMO, the worst part of the save system is the "one game per storage device" part. So if my brother buys the game, I can't play it without getting a memory card. Lame.

Hold up - so are you saying that, well, in my case: my brother and I 'share' an Xbox 360.  I can't have a save game since he already has one?

[Soulchilde]

I haven't played the game, but, IMO, the worst part of the save system is the "one game per storage device" part. So if my brother buys the game, I can't play it without getting a memory card. Lame.

Hold up - so are you saying that, well, in my case: my brother and I 'share' an Xbox 360.  I can't have a save game since he already has one?

I'm thinking it's per profile.  So if your Brother has his own profile he should be able to save....I think that's the way it works

[depward]

Ah, per profile would make sense.  In that case, GAME ON

[hepcat]

I haven't played the game, but, IMO, the worst part of the save system is the "one game per storage device" part. So if my brother buys the game, I can't play it without getting a memory card. Lame.

Hold up - so are you saying that, well, in my case: my brother and I 'share' an Xbox 360.  I can't have a save game since he already has one?

I'm thinking it's per profile.  So if your Brother has his own profile he should be able to save....I think that's the way it works

you are correct sir.  checking the manual, i see where it specifically states that saves are per storage device and/or per profile.

[-Lord Ebonstone-]

Does Dead Rising have different cutscenes/endings like Dragon Quarter did for each playthrough?

Dunno, I haven't played it.  But from what I've been reading:

-Some sidequests/secrets/whatever are only available at certain times, and it's impossible to see them all in one playthrough (you'd have to be in more than one place at once).

-There are multiple endings, but I'm not sure how many or how varied they are -- to get the 'true' ending, you have to do all the case files within the 72 hours the game takes place in and discover what happened to the town.  If you miss your window of opportunity for a case file, you can still play til the 72 hours are up and get an ending, just not the one where you actually figure out what went wrong.

So basically I think the answer is yes to your question, albeit the events/endings are more tied to the realtime clock than a zombie equivalent of a D-Ratio.

[Jancelot]

...I am suppossed to play it over and over because each time is a different game.

Really?  That sounds awful.  I was not overly impressed with the demo and left hoping that a good story would save it.  The more I read the more I'm being convinced to pass.  Uninspired story, bad save system, time constraints and a short game with required repitition?  Hrm.  I'm curious about the opinions once this honeymoon stage is over and everyone's had more time with it.

Of course outside of the save system I pretty much just described NCAA Football which I love.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Ok, that's good. To have my own profile would I need my own Live account?

[hepcat]

Ok, that's good. To have my own profile would I need my own Live account?

i think when you create a profile on your 360, it automatically creates a silver account for that profile name during the process, if i'm not mistaken.

[Eduardo X]

I think that the story is pretty good thus far. It is a zombie story, so you won't be getting anything amazing, but for what it is worth, I'm intrigued.

[-Lord Ebonstone-]

Really?  That sounds awful.  I was not overly impressed with the demo and left hoping that a good story would save it.  The more I read the more I'm being convinced to pass.  Uninspired story, bad save system, time constraints and a short game with required repitition?  Hrm.  I'm curious about the opinions once this honeymoon stage is over and everyone's had more time with it.

Yeah... um, well, Dead Rising sounds like a sandbox game, ala GTA or a sports game, like you mentioned.  

It's not a typical 10-12 hour action/adventure with save points every 20 minutes.  (Thank god).

[Jancelot]

Well, my curiosity certainly is high.  I think my best option is to give it a rent.

[TheMissingLink]

I need a little help...maybe I'm overlooking something or am retarded...

But whenever I find a survivor, and I've got them on my back, or am holding hands with them, I try to find one of those people icons on the map, which I am guessing is where I can take them to rescue them.  Except every time it's telling me I need a maintanance key.  Every one of them.  All of my survivors have died because it's night-time and it's hard enough as it is!

Soooo are any of these unlocked?  Where do I get that key?

[SpicyJ]

My game keeps locking. I played for a little while, getting inside the mall and finding the other photographer. I had saved, then turned off the 360. I came back later, and the save game wouldn't load (it sat on the loading screen forever, with the "Judo Throw" preview thingie). So I tried starting a new game, and got to the rooftop with the odd-looking guy (2nd playable part of the game). When I tried to go inside the security office, the game locked up again (on the same loading screen).

I tried my disc in another 360, and it works on a different machine. Should I be scared?

[Eduardo X]

My game keeps locking. I played for a little while, getting inside the mall and finding the other photographer. I had saved, then turned off the 360. I came back later, and the save game wouldn't load (it sat on the loading screen forever, with the "Judo Throw" preview thingie). So I tried starting a new game, and got to the rooftop with the odd-looking guy (2nd playable part of the game). When I tried to go inside the security office, the game locked up again (on the same loading screen).

I tried my disc in another 360, and it works on a different machine. Should I be scared?

I've heard that you need to do the "clear cache" trick, though I don't know how to do that.

Also, TML, you need to take the survivor back to the roof, through the werehouse.

[TheMissingLink]

Hmm, okay...is there only one way to get to the warehouse?

[Eduardo X]

Hmm, okay...is there only one way to get to the warehouse?

Yup.
It is in the Paradise Plaza, next to the camera store. You know, the place where the elevator is.

[Chaz]

Just ran into

Spoiler for Hiden:

the chainsaw clown in Wonderland Plaza.

Bastard kicked my ass six ways from Tuesday.  Same with the

Spoiler for Hiden:

dudes in the Humvee in the central park area.

I'm wondering what I'm going to have to do to get past those two things.  Better weapons, general skill ups?  Waiting until it's not the middle of the night?

On that note, the game's freaking creepy at night.  Glowing zombie eyes all over, zombies that just won't die, and it's freaking DARK!

Well, just you wait until dawn, you zombie bastards.  Me and my six string will teach you a thing or three.

Also, does anyone know

Spoiler for Hiden:

what I'm supposed to do to get the "Image in the Monitor" scoop going at the end of the first day?

[TheMissingLink]

Heh, I just found my new permanent costume in the movie-theatre area

I took one of the survivors home safe!  ONE!

[EddieA]

"If you miss a case, you can still play through the rest of the game. You probably just get a different ending because you didn't do all the cases."
According to the Gamespot review, if you miss one case, you can't do any of the ones after that.  Are they wrong, or am I misinterpreting what you said?

[The Grue]

"If you miss a case, you can still play through the rest of the game. You probably just get a different ending because you didn't do all the cases."
According to the Gamespot review, if you miss one case, you can't do any of the ones after that.  Are they wrong, or am I misinterpreting what you said?

I think you're misinterpreting.  No, you can't do any of the cases after you miss one, but you can still play out the 72 hours, from what I understand.  It's just you get the crap ending and you never find out what happened.

[SpicyJ]

I've heard that you need to do the "clear cache" trick, though I don't know how to do that.

There's a trick? *sprints to google*

Edit: Found this link, and this one. Will try them in a bit.

[SpicyJ]

Tried both cache reset things. Still no luck.

More worrisome: I took the HD out, and tried the game. It gets past that spot without the HD in place.

[Eightball]

The game gets much harder at night.  MUCH harder.

More zombies, more aggressive, and lots more health.  It's a little frustrating.

[TheMissingLink]

Gah, doesn't sound good, SpicyJ.

Yeaaaah, zombies are night tear me up.  May have to level up and restart

The psychopath's are really, really hard.

[happydog]

Gah, doesn't sound good, SpicyJ.

Yeaaaah, zombies are night tear me up.  May have to level up and restart

The psychopath's are really, really hard.

I did that tonight. Now I am almost level 10 and have an idea of what I am doing. Also I am pretty much at the spot I restarted from already.

[TheMissingLink]

I need to find out where some of the heavy-duty weaponry is at.  Badly.

[-Lord Ebonstone-]

I need to find out where some of the heavy-duty weaponry is at.  Badly.

I think your best bets are Hardware Stores (lead pipes, chainsaws, and more fun), Antique Stores (swords & axes), and of course the Hunting/Gun Store (though apparently you face some resistance in the gun store).

I still don't own this game or even a 360, mind you, but my brother's friend just bought a 360+Dead Rising, and he's been telling us about it.

[hepcat]

i really haven't noticed any significant difference in the zombies at night as opposed to day.  are they harder to kill?

[kathode]

Just ran into

Spoiler for Hiden:

the chainsaw clown in Wonderland Plaza.

Bastard kicked my ass six ways from Tuesday.

Yeah I stumbled on him with 10 bullets left in my SMG and no other weapons on me.  Suffice to say punches didn't help that much.

Same with the

Spoiler for Hiden:

dudes in the Humvee in the central park area.

I'm wondering what I'm going to have to do to get past those two things.  

Spoiler for Hiden:

Get the SMG and katana from the demo area.  For the SMG, go up the first stairs you see on your right, and jump off those towards the right to grab onto the blue overhanging.  For the katana, go to the Starbucks type store upstairs, and jump off the balcony to the orange awning.  Target the gunner first with the SMG and take him out.  Took me three tries to do it.  Then you can just katana the other guys as they drive past, OR jump up, grab the gun, and go to town.

[Eduardo X]

I beat the second case yesterday. I was very proud, until I noticed it was 1:00, meaning I missed the third case. I had to restart

The zombies get all in an attacking frenzy at night. It is quite hard to get through a thick crowd of them without getting attacked.

[Eightball]

i really haven't noticed any significant difference in the zombies at night as opposed to day.  are they harder to kill?

Yeah, they're harder to kill.  Takes 2-3 hits from a baseball bat instead of the normal 1-2.

But they're more of them, they're much more aggressive.  That's the real problem.

[SpicyJ]

Apparently a lot of people are having the same issue as me, they've been bitching about it (and a lot of other random things) on the xbox forums.

*sigh*

[Pharaoh]

When those damn red eyes show up...the game gets tough.

And you know, its not that the zombies are tougher (which they are, but tolerable), its just they are so much more aggressive that the large zergs of zombies you see during the day (and can safely run around), give you very little in the way of options. You either have an AoE Item, a Grocery Cart/Something to rush forward as a battering ram, or you are going to lose most of your life. Its that simple. Until you learn some of the higher level skills like Double Lariat, you aint getting thru a red eyed zombie horde with a 2x4.

Which I kinda love. Cause it makes me realize situations I am truly fucked and start to dread it.

[depward]

Apparently a lot of people are having the same issue as me, they've been bitching about it (and a lot of other random things) on the xbox forums.

*sigh*

Yikes, yeah dude, that sucks   :?

[warning]

This game sounds like it's a good save system away from perfection.

[-Lord Ebonstone-]

This game sounds like it's a good save system away from perfection.

What does that even mean?  The save system is exactly like an RPG -- there are save points, and if you use them, you get to save.  If you die or fail a mission, you reload from your last save or you can start over in a New Game+ with all your experience from your last attempt.  You even have the Morrowind-esque choice to keep on truckin', despite "The thread of prophecy [being] severed."

Complaints about the save system aren't complaints about saves.  They're complaints about the real-time clock.  If you save with fifteen seconds before your window of opportunity closes to solve a case, well, that's your own damn fault.  It's like overwriting your single save in a FPS with a save where you're at 3 of 100hp and no healing items are near.  The game is nice to you, though, and lets you keep playing through the rescues and sidequests, or if that's not your cup of tea, it even lets you start fresh with everything you've learned up to that point, both as a player and as a character in the game.

Let me put it another way.  This game would be a sack of trash without the real-time clock.  It'd be Dynasty Warriors of the Dead.  The real-time clock allows the game to transcend its corny, typical zombie story and be an interactive zombie movie, where sacrifices have to be made, innocent victims have to be left to their deaths, and, as is the 'moral' of every monster movie, the protagonist has to resort to being more monstrous than the enemies he faces, lest he fail to survive.

[Farscry]

You either have an AoE Item, a Grocery Cart/Something to rush forward as a battering ram, or you are going to lose most of your life. Its that simple. Until you learn some of the higher level skills like Double Lariat, you aint getting thru a red eyed zombie horde with a 2x4.

Actually, there's one other way past that: the Zombie Walk.  Jump on one, and start jumping from zombie to zombie.   :twisted:

Which I kinda love. Cause it makes me realize situations I am truly fucked and start to dread it.

That's my favorite thing about this game so far; I never expected it to be very challenging, but the massive hordes of zombies really are quite difficult to get through alive at times.    Really feels like a fight for survival just getting from point A to point B!