Maybe that should be a little lessDead Rising, considering, but we love all versions of the game like ice cream, so in the end, it hardly matters. What does matter is that in these latest Dead Rising screens, you can witness what we hope is the lead-in to one of the more daring (and fun) rescues in the game, as well as some very irritating cultists. We also get a look at the wholly different menu screens, and even though these are in Japanese, you can get a feel for what’s what — particularly if you played the original.
The Wii’s wholly-different version of Dead Rising has been somewhat controversial since it was first announced. Sometimes it seems that the only thing the two versions have in common is that you occasionally use things to kill zombies; everything else — the where and how of it, and even your purpose — has been tinkered with. Some people think that’s already. There’s enough game here to spread a second approach around. Others think there’s something missing, some essential element, though no one seems to be able to tell us exactly what we’re getting. With everything we’ve seen, what do you think of the game? It’s hard to argue against the indiscriminate slaughter of the undead, even if it means making some sacrifices.
The House of the Dead: Overkillcollector’s edition bundle is one of the best preorder items we’ve seen in a while, so it was understandably upsetting when Sega initially revealed the package as a Europe-only bonus. You can pack that pitchfork away for another day, however, because Sega has confirmed it will be spreading the love to North America. Preorder Overkill at GameStop, GameCrazy, or Amazon, and you’ll have the option to bag all of this. Yum.
There may be a dearth of actual Dead Rising: Chop ‘Til You Drop screens, but we’ve been pretty rich in print media on the re-imagined game so far. The latest, from a French Nintendo magazine, show off some different angles from some of the scenes we’ve already seen, such as the psycho battle in the gun store.
There’s been some concern that there just won’t be as many zombies in the Wii version — and the number of zombies is pretty much the crux of the game — but considering we’re seeing screens from early in the game, it isn’t that surprising that there aren’t that many zombies. Until we see screenshots from a cramped area like the nightmarish Al Fresca plaza, we won’t really be able to judge how much, if any, the game has been downgraded in that sense. We’ve put together a couple of comparison shots after the break that demonstrate that there’s more to be hopeful about than many had thought.
Gallery: Dead Rising
Location: Inside a store
Xbox 360 — six zombies
Wii — six zombies
Location: Paradise Plaza
Xbox 360 — many zombies
Wii — many zombies
Location: Roof
Xbox 360
Wii
Only here in this last set is there a difference, but it’s a vastly different angle. No matter the angle, however, things are looking up for this new vision of Dead Rising!
It generally doesn’t take much more than a “zombie” descriptor to pique our interest in a game, but High Voltage Software (the folks behind The Conduit) went even further than that for Animales de la Muerte. Not only are they making a WiiWare game about the undead, which they aim to release in September, but even better (or at least, different) — it’s about zombie animals in a Mexican zoo.
High Voltage summed up the premise of this cartoonishly zany game more cleverly than we could by saying, “Now, wandering freely through the zoo, the rotting beasts are no longer content with eating visitor scraps they get tossed into their cages — instead they prefer to eat the whole visitor.”
Not only do you have to kill the zombified animals, but you also have to save the poor creatures that have not yet succumbed to the outbreak. Funnily enough, the undead animals drop pesos when you kill them, which can be used to upgrade your weapons. As for the controls, the game is essentially a point-and-shoot action title, putting the Wiimote to good use. There’s also a co-op mode where you can play with up to four people, if you’re not shut-ins like us.
We posted some goodies after the break, including a hilarious trailer, so make sure to take a look.
In “The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return” for Nintendo Wii, players will be able to play both versions of the game, battling the relentless attack of bloodthirsty zombies with steady aim and a quick trigger finger. Using the new Wii Zapper or the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, players will experience branching storylines with over six game modes including Arcade Mode and Time Attack modes that will test their shooting skills. The House of the Dead 2 & 3 Return features an engaging single-player campaign, plus a co-op multiplayer mode for up to two players for countless hours of zombie shooting action.
Sega’s The House of the Dead is famous for its heart-pounding pace and the great visual detail of the vast armies of unique enemies. Blasting through legions of grotesque zombies and mutated monsters, players eventually face-off against colossal boss creatures that will test the accuracy and skill of every Wii gamer. No word yet if this game shoots like Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles or the much-requested 1:1 aiming.
“The House of the Dead franchise has been revamped for today’s gamer looking for fast-paced shooting action on the Wii” commented Gary Knight, Marketing Director of SEGA Europe. “Utilising the new Wii Zapper, the player can get the renowned light gun experience in their own home.”
Let’s hope they haven’t revamped the insanely cheesy, and thus hilarious, voice acting…
In honor of Halloween later this month, we thought we would take some time to ask about your fears. Oh, not in general (though if you're also planning for the eventual zombie apocalypse, we'll talk strategy and escape routes later), but rather, your fears and worries about upcoming Wii games. There's always some little worry about possible disappointments, even with dependable franchises and developers, and more when the concepts are untried or untested. So tell us what worries you this morning, and let's try to assuage each others' fears.
And hey, it's okay if it's just little things, like maybe you're worried about Super Mario Galaxy because you didn't think Super Mario Sunshine was all that, or you're afraid everyone will suddenly start using the Zapper, but you hate it. You're among friends here (mostly). We'll try not to judge.Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Sometimes a zombie is just going to be naked. We've all been there, fighting for our life against a horde of the undead, only to find one or more of them lacking clothes. It's pretty funny for a moment, then we've all got back to the dispatching of the undead. Old hat, we know.
But these new Umbrella Chronicles screens are the stuff of nightmares. Naked zombies taking on a sort of doll-like appearance, lacking any kind of gender definition whatsoever? Man, that's all kinds of scary. Oh, and the mutant monkies aren't exactly the stuff of pleasant dreams, either.
Maybe that should be a little less Dead Rising, considering, but we love all versions of the game like ice cream, so in the end, it hardly matters. What does matter is that in these latest Dead Rising screens, you can witness what we hope is the lead-in to one of the more daring (and fun) rescues in the game, as well as some very irritating cultists. We also get a look at the wholly different menu screens, and even though these are in Japanese, you can get a feel for what’s what — particularly if you played the original.
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In honor of Halloween later this month, we thought we would take some time to ask about your fears. Oh, not in general (though if you're also planning for the eventual zombie apocalypse, we'll talk strategy and escape routes later), but rather, your fears and worries about upcoming Wii games. There's always some little worry about possible disappointments, even with dependable franchises and developers, and more when the concepts are untried or untested. So tell us what worries you this morning, and let's try to assuage each others' fears.