| I consider myself an optimistic guy, but when i | | | | You see, your hero, motocross pro Chuck |
| first glimpsed the ho-hum screens of Dead Rising | | | | Greene, is stranded in town with his infected |
| two coming in, when i gazed over the oh too | | | | daughter, and you've got to find motorcycle parts |
| similar features list, and when I discovered that | | | | in order to assemble your escape. Unfortunately, |
| Frank West wasn't coming home (he's covered | | | | your daughter needs medication every twelve |
| wars, you know) I was more than ready to | | | | hours to remain in the realm of the living. And |
| dismiss Capcom's zombie follow-up straight to the | | | | guess What? Some jerk just drove off with the |
| bargain bin. Hell, the first game was, in hindsight, | | | | meds and now your baby's going zombie if you |
| more of a long, poorly paced frustration in phone | | | | can't find some pronto. To top it all off, the |
| calls than a dawn of the dead simulator. | | | | Military is on the way and they're more likely to |
| Luckily, Vancouver-based Blue Castle Games has | | | | lend you a bullet than a gun. In Case 0, you've got |
| not only given me hope for The upcoming Dead | | | | some serious deadlines to contend with. Chances |
| Rising 2, I'm actually quite hyped for the | | | | are, you'll be dead in twelve hours. |
| forthcoming sequel now. How? Through a demo, | | | | But it doesn't have to end that way! As my day |
| of course! A demo that happens to cost five | | | | of frantic searching dwindled down to mere hours, |
| dollars, and happens to be subtitled, "Case 0." Of | | | | I actually began sweating in my attempt to find |
| course, that isn't quite true either, because Case | | | | the last remaining parts. In fact, at one point Case |
| 0 isn't actually a demo, it's... ok, it's a demo, but | | | | 0's time limit proved so intense that I actually |
| there are a few things that I really must explain. | | | | resorted to murdering my final quest-giver in |
| Case 0 isn't just a part of Dead Rising 2 | | | | order to get the final part on time. I Just took my |
| extracted from the main game to serve as a | | | | spiked-bat and beat his head in. I was desperate. |
| demo. Case 0 is actually a fully-featured, | | | | And in these final few intense hours the game |
| competent prologue to Dead Rising 2 that not | | | | really shines. Graphically, the game is far better |
| only shows off the sequel's many improvements | | | | than its predecessor, despite being overall |
| and attractions, but does so for a measly five | | | | average looking. It's the little touches though, like |
| dollars. Ka-Ching! You've convinced me Capcom-- | | | | the setting sunset and growing zombie horde that |
| my five dollars, plus another sixty when the | | | | lend to the game's biggest strength-- the ticking |
| sequel finally launches. | | | | clock. As the sun dips down under the horizon, |
| You see, Dead Rising: Case 0 does everything | | | | you'll be both wide-eyed and horrified at the |
| that the original Dead Rising so utterly failed at. | | | | beautiful site, that also happens to denote your |
| There is no lonely Janitor trying to sabotage your | | | | utter failure to survive against the clock. |
| missions. There are no more awkward cutscenes. | | | | Closing Comments |
| Your hero doesn't sound like a twelve-year old | | | | So there you have it folks. Dead Rising: Case 0 |
| anymore. Shooting is no longer a motionless | | | | fixes nearly all the problems of the original, while |
| disaster. Your escorts are no longer suicidal. Your | | | | remaining very familiar as well. I could tell you |
| hero also doesn't run like a creeping drunkard | | | | about the promising construction system, the |
| anymore, and, oh yeah, save slots. | | | | improved escort missions and the rather wonky |
| Besides that, everything you actually liked about | | | | motorcycle section, but those little elements are |
| the original Dead Rising is present and better than | | | | better left for the upcoming Dead Rising 2 review. |
| ever. The Psychopaths (or psychopath, as there's | | | | Bottom line? Dead Rising 2: Case 0 is one heck of |
| only one in Case 0) are still interesting and, well, | | | | a paid demo that not only satisfies its five-dollar |
| psychotic. The undead has never been more fun | | | | price tag, but also radiates confidence in the |
| to kill, partially due to the ability to hit downed | | | | upcoming full game. Zombicidal maniacs need |
| zombies. The biggest attraction by far though, is | | | | apply. |
| the intensity of Dead Rising's ever-ticking clock. | | | | Recommended: To the Dead Rising hopeful. |