Capcom has scheduled another trip to Fortune City for Dead Rising fans later this year when Dead Rising 2: Off The Record hits stores. This new zombie-filled adventure was playable at E3, and I got to take a look at what has changed from last year’s hit.
The biggest difference this time around is that you’re not in the shoes of DR 2 protagonist Chuck Greene, but instead are once again behind the lens of the original hero of Dead Rising, reporter Frank West. The game pretty much plays the same as the others, so DR veterans will be right at home. The biggest difference, though, is that you can take photographs (like in the original DR), which can help earn you experience points (PP) for upgrades and new attacks.
The rest of the game is pretty much the same as DR 2. You can once again combine weapons to form your own creative armaments of mass zombie destruction. The new game does promise to have some new weapon combinations, but the only one I discovered is the combination of saw blades and a tennis ball machine. Needless to say, you can “serve” up some real carnage with that one.
Overall, DR 2: Off the Record is pretty much the same game as DR 2, with the play and feel of the original game, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. DR veterans will probably snatch this up right off the bat. While new players can easily pick it up and play, they may be better off getting the first two games beforehand. The good news: You won’t have to pay full price once again to survive Fortune City, as Capcom has announced that this version will be released at the discounted price of $39.99.
