Dead Rising 4 Review

Frank West is back.
dead rising 4

The holiday theme plays directly into the decorations of the mall and town, as well as being represented in some of the weapons that you can use and craft. Things like plastic candy canes and singing Santa dolls are all things you can use against the undead. Initially it’s a fun thing as it’s not something we’ve seen in a lot of games, but sadly the game rarely plays with the theme in the story. It is interesting to hear renditions of holiday songs whenever you’re browsing your main menu though.

Recommended Videos

The camera mechanic of the first game also returns, as Frank West can snap a photo or even a selfie wherever he wants.  His camera even has two new filters, one being night vision that lets him see in the dark and the other a spectral filter that lets him see clues or searchable areas in the world. New segments in the story called “investigations” see Frank using his camera to find clues in a selected area, in a Batman Arkham kind of way.

In addition to the story and  just roaming around, there’s a number of side objectives to complete in the game. Most of these come in the form of collectibles like cell phones, newspapers, and podcasts. You can find these scattered around the world, and each is a part of a side objective that rewards you with experience and a bit of story relating to residents of the town. You do have to read or listen to each of these in your menu however.

The memorable Psychopaths of previous games do return, although they’re called Maniacs this time and are quite different. With a few exceptions, these are optional rumors that Frank investigates, pitting him against groups of themed enemies, like a Pirate Captain and Sharks or Santa and Elves. Unfortunately though, they’re no longer given crazy cutscenes for context but are merely introduced with dialogue, and they don’t have unique musical themes like before. The Maniacs are a disappointment and feel like a big missed opportunity for Dead Rising 4, especially as the Psychopaths of previous games were some of the most memorable parts.

dead rising 4

The biggest, and probably most divisive, change to gameplay is without a doubt the removal of the game timer. In past games you’d be on a set time limit, having to pick and choose where to go and what to do. It added an air of urgency to everything, something that Dead Rising 4 is desperately lacking.

With no urgency to what you’re doing, it’s easy to just find yourself wandering mindlessly killing zombies and picking up items. It doesn’t help that there’s a significant lack of compelling content outside of the main story. Most of what you’ll spend your time doing is just wading through hordes of zombies and picking through different items. The collectibles and Maniacs feel sparse at best, leading to an experience that can get a bit repetitive even if it has undeniable charm to its world and tone.

Dead Rising 4 is a blast to play initially, but after you’ve killed enough zombies to get your fill. things start to wear thin. The story is able to hold your interest, even if the pacing is a little slow at times, and Frank is a genuinely likable character for how much of a jerk he is. I definitely enjoyed my time with Dead Rising 4, I just wish there had been a little more substance outside of the story. If the game retained the timer feature of past entries it may have even alleviated some of these issues, as it could have encouraged you to continue the story or side events in a more timely fashion, and cut down on some of the repetitive material.

Dead Rising 4 evokes much of the same style and quirkiness that the first two games did, but ultimately isn’t able to spread that fun across the entire experience.

SCORE:  3.5/5 – FAIR


PROS

  • Metroplex Mall is interesting and reminiscent of the first Dead Rising.
  • Tons of zombies to kill, and tons of weapons to use.
  • Holiday theme is fun with its music, visual, and weapon themes.
  • Frank West is still a fun and ridiculous character to follow.

CONS

  • Maniacs are a big missed opportunity, especially with a holiday theme.
  • Areas outside of the mall are drab and boring.
  • Absence of the timer makes the game devoid of a sense of urgency.
  • Charm wears off after hours of repetitive gameplay, also driving controls are just bad.

Twinfinite is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article Open Roads Review – A Disappointing Road Trip
Rating: 3
Tess and Opal in the car in Open Roads
Read Article South Park: Snow Day Review – Chaotic Co-op Fun
Rating: 4
Kyle in South Park: Snow Day!
Read Article MLB The Show 24 Review – Hitting It Out the Park
Rating: 4
MLB The Show 24 Review - Hitting It Out of the Park
Related Content
Read Article Open Roads Review – A Disappointing Road Trip
Rating: 3
Tess and Opal in the car in Open Roads
Read Article South Park: Snow Day Review – Chaotic Co-op Fun
Rating: 4
Kyle in South Park: Snow Day!
Read Article MLB The Show 24 Review – Hitting It Out the Park
Rating: 4
MLB The Show 24 Review - Hitting It Out of the Park
Author
Hayes Madsen
A connoisseur of all things RPG related, and always looking for the artistic expression in gaming. His love of Gundam is only matched by his love of Pizza. Playing Games Since: 1991 Favorite Genres: RPGs, JRPGs, Strategy,