through the looking glass

Dead Rising 2: CASE ZERO is an Xbox Live exclusive demo of the upcoming title Dead Rising 2. Billed at 400 MS monies, this translates as $5 in American monies.

Dead Rising 2′s original street date was today but has been pushed back to September 28th.

In Case Zero, we are introduced to our hero Chuck Greene and his daughter Katey. Two years have passed since the outbreak at Willamette (Dead Rising), and the events at Fortune City (Dead Rising 2) are three years away. Escaping Las Vegas zombie outbreak, the Greene family stops 47 miles out to the small town of Still Creek. Chuck pulls into Brockett Gas Station for some fuel, taking Katey with him inside to check the place for supplies. Katey is sick. Really sick. Zombie sick. Little Katey has been bitten and the only hope she has is for Chuck to administer the zombification halting drug Zombrex every 12 hours.

Zombrex was designed by medical technician Isabella Keyes in Dead Rising to save Frank West. Zombrex is rare, expensive, and deadly if taken before or after the recommended every 12 hours prescription.

In horror scene fashion, some ass hops into Chuck’s truck and hauls away, leaving Chuck and Katey stranded in Still Creek. Worst yet, all of Katey’s Zombrex was in the truck. The undead residents begin shambling toward the gas station, and Chuck barricades the door, knowing he’s gotta come up with a way out. With Katey secure in the makeshift safehouse, Chuck decides to risk going outside into town. Checking his watch, it’s 7 AM. Daddy’s got to get his medicine…

Inafune quotes: “I have always had doubts about doing a demo…Everyone seems to want to do them. Rather than create a demo for Dead Rising 2 I wanted to set up a different area and let people see what the game play is like.”
“This is definitely a test case.”

This demo is short though the replay value is high.  If you loved the first game, you’ll dig this for sure.

BONUS FACT: After playing Dead Rising at my cousin’s house in Albuquerque, three days later as soon as I got home in San Francisco I bought an Xbox360 and a copy of Dead Rising .

You will run around Still Creek, bashing zombies, looking for weapons to bash zombies with, and experiment with combining items in the maintenance rooms to better bash zombies with. You will run into survivors and be introduced to the different methods of rescue which consist of giving them the inventory item they desire, kill all the zombies around them, talk to X person, carry the injured, and escort. You will have a fucking great time. All this is optional. The only required things to do are the 5 case files, but the demo is set to let you achieve every side quest within the time limits of the main missions. Once you get all the achievements though, the title loses incentive to replay. Though you can carry over your Prestige Points and Money from Case Zero into Dead Rising 2 so that may appeal to the grinders out there.

Reviewed from a release build provided by the publisher. Played to completion at least 6 times. Stopped at about 440,448 Total PP.

Time is almost up on Capcom’s goal to donate $25,000 to a charity if the Lost Planet 2 demo hits 1.5 million downloads. If you have a 360 or a PS3, download the demo and help a good cause!