Either download the game to your console directly, or head over to the Marketplace where it will automatically download for you. As with previous “Games with Gold” titles, Crackdown will be yours forever. The next game, coming up on August 16th, will be Capcom’s Dead Rising 2 and its expansion pack Case Zero, which can both be had for free till September 1st.

The “Games with Gold” offer has thus far seen three other titles since its introduction in June with Fable III, Defense Grid: The Awakening and Assassin’s Creed II. Check out Major Nelson’s blog for more information on future releases as they happen.

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.