Dead Rising 2: Case Zero is a prequel to Dead Rising 2 which won’t be released until later this month making Case Zero the perfect time to be released. It is an arcade game exclusively for the Xbox 360 Arcade that only costs 400 Microsoft Points (£3.40/€4.80). That comes out to around $5.00 and is quite an amazing deal especially with its replay value being fairly high. This may be the part of the reason that Dead Rising 2: Case Zero broke sales records now holding the Xbox Live record for best week one sales of any title ever released on Microsoft’s digital platform.
That’s the ‘Zombies are gonna die look’.
The replay value of the game is pretty good considering that there are something like four or five different endings to the game. Completing all objectives is one thing but discovering everything is a whole different story. You can find a blender and mix drink that give you different effects. There are a load of different hairstyles and clothing combination’s that just take some time to find, but unfortunately time is not on your side in this game. One play through of the game may take anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes as long as you are not constantly dying and progressing at a fair rate. The main objective of the game is to find all the motor-cycle parts needed to escape Still Creek with Katey once she has been dosed with Zombrex, before the military arrives. If you fail to do so it is not a happy ending as the military takes no chances whether someone might or might not be infected.
Chuck with his ‘Boomstick’ Weapon Combo
The controls and mechanics of Dead Rising 2: Case Zero have come a long way from the original Dead Rising. Everything is much smoother and easy to get used to. One of the best additions to the game is the combine option you will have to create special weapons and others things at work benches. You can create super weapons that like any other weapon in the game don’t last long before they fall apart. An example of a weapon combo would be finding a chainsaw, placing it on the work bench and then combining a double oar paddle to it, typically used for boating/kayaking. This gets you the paddle saw as well as a scratch card for that weapon that sticks with you and will carry over to Dead Rising 2. Once doing specific tasks in the game like beating bosses you get your scratch card turned into a combo card which gives you a PP (Prestige Points) multiplier. PP is what levels you up in the game, it’s like another way of saying XP or Experience Points. Combining weapons not only does more damage but when used will earn you more PP to level up, granting Chuck additional health and combat techniques.Here are the weapon combos you can make in Case Zero not forget about all the other awesome weapons like the Broadsword, Bow and Arrow and many others.
Rake + Battery = Electric Rake
Beer + Construction Hat = Beer Hat
Whiskey + Newspaper = Molotov
Propane Tank + Nail = I.E.D.
Pitchfork + Shotgun = Boomstick
Nail + Bat = Nailed Bat
Paddle + Chainsaw = Paddlesaw
Drill + Bucket = Drill Bucket
Pylon + Spray Can = Air-horn
Oh the fun that is ahead.
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero lets you play through as many times as you want saving your PP, Money and Combo/Scratch Cards every time you play through again as long as you save at the end. The max level you can reach in the game is level 5. When Dead Rising 2 is released this September 28th for the Xbox 360 and Playstation 3, you will be able to carry over your level and combo cards, giving you a slight advantage right from the start. There are a few different endings and a bunch of side quest one involving you to save all the survivors, making this game have lots of replay value, but mostly because of the annoying time limit you have to complete the game. The time limit is really the only major thing in the game that I found annoying, but then again that is the Dead Rising style that makes up its unique franchise. For only five bucks this game is well worth the buy and loads of fun. The graphics are great and the amount of ways to exterminate a zombie seem endless. You should get this game just cause of the good price but after buying it I’m sure you won’t be disappointed.
This game was reviewed on the Xbox 360.
THE GOOD
For $5, the game is basically a steal. You basically are getting a taste of the full Dead Rising 2 game so you can decide if you want it when it releases. Much replay value, with different endings. Your level and weapon cards are transferred to Dead Rising 2.
THE BAD
The time limit you have makes the game hard to play if you just want to explore or go looking for different weapon combination's to kill zombies over and over with. Unless you are some kinda of guru, your first time playing the game, your going to need to play this more than once just to complete all the objectives and discover everything.
Final Verdict
Basically a taste of Dead Rising 2 which was quite entertaining with it being a prequel to the actual Dead Rising 2. One of your main objectives, is to save your daughter, Katey who has been infected with the Zombie Virus but is unturned due to your ongoing efforts to keep finding 'Zombrex' which is a temporary cure that lasts only 12 hours until another shot is needed. You play as once motocross star Chuck Green as you battle through hordes of zombies.