Dead Rising 2 preview: My 5 favorite weapons so far
Having finished the first two in-game days of Dead Rising 2, I've come to the same conclusion as our earlier previews: that the game is basically just more of the things you liked about the first Dead Rising. Rather than evaluate the many similarities and few differences between the two games -- we'll save that for the review -- I've come up with a much more valuable use of your time: A list of 5 of my favorite weapons I've created so far, how they work and where you can find them.
Fair warning: Here there be spoilers. It's not for those who want to savor the sweet sense of weapon-making discovery themselves.
A quick primer: The only way to make weapons in Dead Rising 2 is by finding maintenance rooms. Thankfully, there are maintenance rooms all over Fortune City and, for some reason, it seems all of them just happen to contain two items that can be handily combined into a devastating weapon. Furthermore, most maintenance rooms have other compatible items in the immediate vicinity, so smart players should be able to snag at least two combo weapons from each pit stop.
Throughout the game, protagonist Chuck Greene will come across Combo Cards that contain recipes for specific weapons. It's possible to figure out recipes on your own -- these are called Scratch Cards -- but having a weapon's Combo Card also grants Chuck the ability to perform a special attack with that weapon. Still, even without a special attack, it's better to use combo weapons, as they are much more effective than most standard weapons. They also give Chuck a valuable Prestige Points (PP) boost, helping him level up faster.
"Free Bird!"
Power Guitar
Recipe: Electric Guitar + Amplifier
Location: Tunemakers Maintenance Room, Royal Flush Plaza, 1F
The Power Guitar is great at clearing out a crowd of surrounding zombies. The standard attack sends out a shock wave that floors all zombies within its radius. The special attack has Chuck jamming out a wicked solo that does more than melt faces ... it makes entire heads explode. Best of all, it's very close to the main safe room. You'll find the necessary equipment and a maintenance room in Tunemakers on the northernmost edge of Royal Flush Plaza.
Meal pushing wheels
Electric Chair
Recipe: Wheelchair + Battery
Location: Tunemakers Maintenance Room, Royal Flush Plaza, 1F
Another great weapon you can find right in the starting area, the Electric Chair is great when you need to get somewhere in a hurry. It can plow through hordes of zombies before breaking, earning you an instant kill and lots of PP for each one you hit. As a bonus, a zombie passenger can be ejected into a crowd, creating an explosion of electric zombie death. Just be careful to avoid large obstacles that will stop your killing spree dead in its tracks. The chair can also be picked up and used as a blunt weapon, but it's nowhere near as effective (or entertaining, for that matter).
"Stick and move, Mac. Stick and move!"
Flaming Gloves
Recipe: Boxing Gloves + Motor Oil
Location: Southwest Maintenance Room, Palisades Mall, 1F
Yes, Flaming Gloves are boxing gloves that are on fire. Any zombie you punch with these bad boys will light up like a lighter fluid-soaked grill, eventually burning to a crisp. Zombies can still attack you while they're on fire though, so caution is still important. The special attack causes Chuck to grab the nearest zombie for a quick three punch combo, finishing it off by letting the glove sizzle in its face for a second or two. Definitely something you'll want to pick up when you visit Palisades Mall.
Chow time
Dynameat
Recipe: Hunk of Meat + Dynamite
Location: Southeast Maintenance Room, Fortune Park (near Atlantica Casino)
A severed human hand, a stick of dynamite and a lot of dead zombies. Simply throw Dynameat into a crowd of zombies and watch them all crowd around it, trying to get a piece of the delicious human flesh. After a few seconds, the dynamite explodes, taking a seething mass of hungry zombies with it. Dynameat can get you several thousand PP in only a few seconds, so it's a good idea to snag one anytime you pass by the Atlantica Casino. Just be careful not to get too close, lest you be blown to smithereens along with your undead prey.
It's blunt, but it has a point
Defiler
Recipe: Sledge Hammer + Fire Axe
Location: Safe House Maintenance Room
One of the most brutal weapons I've encountered in Dead Rising 2, the Defiler is a sledge hammer with a fire axe affixed to either side. As its name implies, the Defiler is nasty, and it's one of the only weapons that can be used while jumping. It's also available right in the safe house maintenance room. The fire axe is next to the security room and the sledge hammer is at the end of the hall near the entrance to Royal Flush Plaza. I've yet to find the actual Combo Card for the Defiler, which is unfortunate because I'm sure it packs a mean special attack.
