[038]

Released: September 2010
Platforms: Xbox 360, Playstation 3, PC.
Modes: Single-player, online co-op, multiplayer.
Developer: Capcom

My seemingly undying habit of playing sequels without playing the originals continues. No I did not play the first one. And no, you don't have to take "annoying photos" of the zombies anymore. Whatever that means. But yeah, I'd heard good things and I hadn't played any decent console games for a while so I thought 'why not'.

Serves me right really. I hated this game. Maybe I didn't give it a chance. Well, no that's a lie. I played it for about four-five hours overall ? It was boring. Repetitive. Getting somewhere takes far too long and by the time you've gotten there, this ridiculous time line idea tells you you've run out of time and have therefore PLUNGED THE WORLD INTO ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, but this didn't actually happen because I didn't play it that long.  Maybe that would've made things vaguely interesting.

I don't really understand the appeal of this game unless you're obsessed with combo weapons (making them and discovering them) and how many different ways you can de-limb a zombie. Maybe it's just me that after the first ten minutes of slicing my way through endless zombies I was feeling, "Hm, cute, now can we have some substance?".

I think that's the issue I have with this game, there's no substance. I didn't care what happened. Sure, I didn't want that little girl to die, but did Chuck really have to be so antagonistic the whole time ? And the girls, oh my God. Each one gets larger breasts, a sluttier personality and an even more cringe and overly-sexually-hungry dialogue. Women are portrayed terribly in this game. And if the game itself didn't bore or annoy me to high heaven, it would've gotten away with it.

Also if Co-op had been offline. Online co-op I'm not too much of a fan of, but if it was offline I would've given it a go at least. I find playing with real life people a lot more entertaining. I didn't play multiplayer either. What's the point if the campaign has you clawing your own eyes out.

Reading other reviews, I do wonder whether it's just me being overly critical and maybe something is vaguely wrong with me to not find this game at least entertaining. Mine seems to be the most negative. I like a game with a good story, a non-repetitive combat system, characters I don't want to stab in the ear, and for me, Dead Rising has none of these.