While the new features are disappointing, the lack of gameplay and graphical upgrades is even more so. The power-ups usually appear once per case/chapter, which isn’t enough time to appreciate the ridiculous combat. The suits allow you to destroy zombies with giant swords, flamethrowers, and jackhammers, so it’s a shame that one of the game’s best features is not utilized more often. The addition of over-powered Exo Suits at least adds a degree of novelty, but they appear too sparingly. Dead Rising 4 fails to meet the fundamental standards of the genre, let alone offer anything new. When ducking, West is not fully hidden behind cover, and there are no abilities that help you sneak up on enemies – you can’t even peek around corners. Certain missions reward you for not engaging in a firefight, though pulling off a perfect execution is difficult due to poor mechanics. Similarly, stealth is heavily encouraged for the first time in the series. It would add more suspense to the light-hearted game, and would also make the detective elements feel less forced. Too much time is spent scanning rooms for highlighted items, and not enough time is spent using night vision as a means to explore dark areas. Players can use West’s camera for night vision and to investigate areas for clues, and while the idea feels fresh at first – it’s a nice break from the hordes of zombies – it becomes tedious and repetitive as the game progresses. Since West is back (although he might sound different since the original voice actor has been replaced), Dead Rising 4 revives the journalism meta-theme, and even introduces a new photography mechanic. Dead Rising 4 should be a step above its predecessors, but instead it feels unfinished and unimaginative, and that applies to the game’s new features. The game does nothing to evolve its customization features, and ultimately suffers as a result. More weapons and vehicles do not equate to more fun if they all feel similar, and the novelty of outrageous combinations wears off quickly. The series is best-known for its weapon crafting system and it’s still a solid feature, but there’s nothing new about it in Dead Rising 4. Unfortunately, that’s where the praise ends. It would have been nice for the holiday theme to play a larger role in the actual narrative, but the change in aesthetic still adds a positive element to the game. Players have been to the Willamette mall before, yet with the holiday décor, it feels entirely new, and the town’s enthusiasm for Christmas during a zombie outbreak is hilarious in concept. The Christmas theme also puts a fresh coat of paint on the otherwise ordinary setting. The narrative is quite easy to follow, with most of the laughs coming from West, as many would expect. Photojournalist Frank West, the protagonist of the first Dead Rising, returns to investigate and resolve another zombie outbreak in Willamette, Colorado, and the tongue-in-cheek humour helps elevate the serious tone of the subject matter. It’s an open world game about killing hordes of zombies using a variety of improvised weapons, and there are a few things that the game does well, including the well-written dialogue and story. In the broad strokes, Dead Rising 4 is a lot like previous entries in the franchise. Dead Rising 4 fails to deliver a satisfying zombie-slaying experience and is not the kind of present you want to see under the tree. Despite a few new features and the return of signature elements, Capcom Vancouver’s latest is a mediocre attempt to breathe life into a series that has lost the interest of average gamers and die-hard fans. Throw a log on the fire, grab a plate of gingerbread people, and pour a tall glass of eggnog, because you’re going to need supplemental material to enjoy the Christmas-themed Dead Rising 4.
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