Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
Last updated: 2025-04-11
- Significant improvements over the original game.
- Modernized controls enhance gameplay experience.
- RE Engine delivers greatly improved graphics.
- Helpful autosaving and save system implemented.
- Significant performance and stability issues reported.
- Voice acting quality considered inferior.
Verdict
Mostly positive
Summary
Positive 80% · Negative 20%. Score: 20 / 100
Positives:
- The remaster features significant improvements over the original, including enhanced graphics, modernized controls, quality of life updates like autosaving and time skip, and improved AI. These changes make the game more accessible and enjoyable for both new and returning players, while still retaining the core gameplay and charm of the original.
- The game features modernized controls, including the ability to move while aiming and remappable controls, which improve the overall gameplay experience. These changes make the game more fluid and intuitive, addressing a major issue with the original's clunky controls.
- The addition of autosaving and multiple save slots addresses a major pain point from the original game, making it more forgiving and less frustrating. These features prevent significant progress loss due to unexpected deaths or crashes.
- The game's graphics have been significantly enhanced using the RE Engine, resulting in improved textures, character models, lighting, and environmental details. This visual overhaul brings the game up to modern standards and creates a more immersive experience.
- Survivor AI has been significantly improved, making escort missions less tedious and more enjoyable. Survivors are now more intelligent, capable of following directions, navigating the environment, and assisting the player in combat.
Negatives:
- The game suffers from significant technical issues, including stuttering, frame rate drops, crashes, and poor optimization. Many reviewers found the game unplayable due to these problems, even on systems exceeding recommended specifications. This makes the game difficult to recommend in its current state.
- The new voice acting is a major point of contention, with many reviewers finding it inferior to the original. Common complaints include awkward intonation, lack of emotion, and miscast roles, particularly for iconic characters like Frank and Brad. This negatively impacts the game's atmosphere and character interactions.
- The remaster/remake fails to capture the essence and charm of the original game. Many reviewers feel it's a downgrade due to content removal, unnecessary changes, censorship, and a soulless feel. Some even suggest the original is better in almost every way, making the remake not worth the asking price.
- The game's difficulty has been significantly reduced, making it too easy and less challenging than the original. This is due to improved AI, faster leveling, and changes to enemy health and behavior. Some reviewers feel this diminishes the original's appeal, especially for experienced players.
- The remaster includes censorship, with changes to character designs, dialogue, and the removal of certain content like the 'Erotica' photo mode. Reviewers feel this detracts from the game's original edgy charm and satirical nature. Some consider these changes unnecessary and inconsistent.
Gameplay:
- Players can utilize a wide variety of objects as weapons against zombies, encouraging experimentation and creativity in combat. The game world is filled with items that can be used for both offense and healing.
- The game retains its time-based structure, requiring players to manage their time effectively to complete missions, rescue survivors, and defeat psychopaths within a 72-hour limit. A time-skip mechanic has been added to alleviate some of the pressure.
- The game's design encourages multiple playthroughs to explore different endings and strategies. Leveling up is faster, allowing players to experience more skill moves earlier.
- The game is set in a zombie-infested mall, inspired by Dawn of the Dead, where players must survive for 3 days. The core gameplay loop involves rescuing survivors and guiding them to a safe shelter.
- The game features a photography system where players can earn experience points by taking photos of specific scenes, such as landmarks, zombie hordes, and survivors. The camera also has new modules that offer new possibilities for taking pictures.
Performance:
- Many players have found that lowering graphics settings, particularly texture and shadow quality, can mitigate some of the performance issues like crashing and stuttering. However, these adjustments do not guarantee a stable experience, especially on high-end PCs.
- Some reviewers have reported save corruption issues and long loading times, while others have reported fast loading times when playing on an SSD. This suggests that loading times may vary depending on the player's hardware configuration.
- The game utilizes the RE Engine, which generally provides enhanced visuals and smooth performance. However, some reviewers noted that the RE Engine may not be well-suited for open-world games, potentially contributing to performance issues and a reduced zombie count compared to the original.
- Several reviewers have reported noticeable pop-in issues, particularly in open areas, cutscenes, and during the intro sequence. This can be immersion-breaking and detract from the overall visual experience.
- Some reviewers have reported that DLSS worsens performance and that the game's optimization is poor, making them unwilling to use DLSS to improve performance. FSR is available, but it looks worse than DLSS and does not offer frame generation.
Recommendations:
- Many reviewers recommend the game, especially to newcomers or fans of the original, citing improvements and additions. However, some suggest waiting for a sale due to technical issues or the availability of the cheaper original. Ultimately, enjoyment depends on individual preferences and tolerance for outdated mechanics.
- A significant number of reviews suggest waiting for a sale before purchasing the game. This recommendation is often due to concerns about the game's price relative to its content, technical issues, or the availability of the original game at a lower price.
- The game is recommended for fans of zombie games, horror, action, and sandbox games. Some reviewers recommend the game to those who enjoy the story and characters/setting of Willamette Mall. The game is also recommended for those who like quirky RPG/rogue-like mechanics.
- Many reviewers express positive sentiments towards the game, calling it amazing, a masterpiece, and fantastic. Some reviewers rate the game highly, with scores of 8/10, 9/10, or even 10/10. However, some reviewers feel that the remaster is rushed or poorly optimized.
- Reviewers express gratitude to Capcom for reviving the franchise and hope they continue to develop remasters and new games in the series. Some suggest specific improvements, such as adding a hard difficulty or removing Denuvo. A few reviewers express disappointment with Capcom's current quality compared to their past work.
Miscellaneous:
- The game is a 'deluxe remaster' that stays faithful to the original 2006 release, retaining the core gameplay, story, and level layout. It includes graphical enhancements, quality-of-life improvements, and some restored beta content, but it may not feel like a significant upgrade for those familiar with the original. Some reviewers feel that the game feels too similar to the original, while others appreciate the faithfulness.
- Some content has been censored or altered, including the removal of the 'erotica' photo category, changes to character designs, and adjusted dialogue. Reviewers have mixed opinions on these changes, with some finding them insignificant or even positive, while others view them as unnecessary censorship. Some reviewers feel that claims of censorship are exaggerated.
- The game's story is set in Willamette, Colorado, where photojournalist Frank West investigates a zombie outbreak at a mall. The story explores themes of social commentary, government cover-ups, and the origins of the zombie outbreak, remaining consistent with the original game's narrative.
- The game is priced at $50, which some reviewers consider expensive, especially since the original game is available for $10. The high price point may deter some players who are familiar with the original game or are unsure about the value of the remaster.
- The reviewer bought the game out of faith in Capcom. The reviewer hopes Capcom considers remaking the second game in the series.
