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Play it again, Frank! Dead Rising 2: Case West trailer, screenshots
Here's why complaining about sequels is tough. When a company makes a sequel, gaming zealots get upset. When they decide to try something new and ditch the main character for some new guy, fans get upset. Guys, you can't have it both ways! Except you can, as Capcom evidenced by revealing its Xbox Live-exclusive "epilogue" Dead Rising 2: Case West. In this downloadable extension to this month's zombie-filled sequel, Frank and new guy Chuck team up to mess up some zombies. See what they're up to in the trailer after the break, or the screens right there. %Gallery-102314%
Blue Castle Games acquired by Capcom
Capcom apparently really liked Blue Castle Games' work on Dead Rising 2, as the publisher just revealed at TGS that it has purchased the Canadian developer. Keiji Inafune, Managing Corporate Officer of Capcom, said the publisher made the acquisition because the future of Capcom will require working with other developers on games that feel like they were made in Japan, but also have that Western je ne sais quoi. The studio will henceforth be known as Capcom Game Studios Vancouver. Taking the stage after the announcement, Rob Barret, president/CEO of Blue Castle Games, said, "We take this responsibility very seriously. Capcom games have a certain flavor ... we don't just want to make amazing games, we want to make amazing Capcom games." Phew, that's a relief. Good thing Capcom bought the company then -- would have been awkward if Blue Castle wanted to make amazing Konami games.
Japan investigates Dead Rising 2: Case Zero on Sep. 8
According to andriasang.com, Dead Rising 2: Case Zero will hit Xbox Live in Japan starting September 8. The game was delayed last week, reportedly because of some inappropriate content contained in the free trial version of the game. We're not sure what's inappropriate about justly sentencing zombies to a gory death, but the issue has presumably been resolved. Would-be Japanese zombie slayers will be able to purchase the game for ¥600. Of course, now we have to wonder if tomorrow's other undead XBLA release, Plants vs Zombies, will be deemed inappropriate as well. After all, flinging butter at an unsuspecting zombie is just wrong.
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero review: Undead and loving it
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero is kind of difficult to judge. While it is a standalone title, it's not really a full game per se. It is, essentially, DLC for a game that hasn't been released yet, an extension of Dead Rising 2. Of course, no one has had that experience yet, meaning that Case Zero serves double duty as a demo as well. It's an interesting experiment for Capcom and for the industry in general; thankfully for Dead Rising fans, it pays off. %Gallery-100734%
Dead Rising 2 Fortune City map unveiled
The shambling, groaning launch of Dead Rising 2 may still be over a month away, but that doesn't mean eager players can't start planning their zombie assaults now. Capcom has released a map of Fortune City, complete with a handy list of the various shops and locations littered about. A few locations guaranteed to house convenient implements of zombie death: SporTrance, KokoNutz Sports Town, High-Noon Shooting Range and, of course, Army Surplus Gift Store. Unfortunately, we're not seeing any cutlery stores on this thing, which could make the search for a katana a little difficult. In other zombie slaughtering news, 360Sync has revealed the Achievements for the Dead Rising 2 prequel, Case Zero. Said Achievements are rewarded for building weapons, spending money at the pawn shop and, naturally, killing zombies.
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero infects XBLA August 31
Better refill your Zombrex prescription: Capcom is letting Dead Rising 2: Case Zero out of quarantine and into Xbox Live Arcade on August 31 -- the original release date of the full Dead Rising 2 game (that's now dated for September 28). Capcom has also released a new trailer for Dead Rising 2, which you'll find after the break. Case Zero, a standalone experience, serves as a prologue to Dead Rising 2. Chuck Greene fights to escape the town of Still Creek and obtain the Zombrex he needs to keep his daughter Katey from coming down with a case of finding human flesh yummy. The prologue won't take a bite out of your budget: Capcom is pricing the XBLA-exclusive Case Zero at 400 Microsoft Points ($5).
Capcom prescribes Dead Rising 2: Zombrex Edition to North America
The European special edition of Dead Rising 2 may include a tiny, plastic zombie, but the North American special edition trumps it by helping you avoid becoming a zombie yourself. The Dead Rising 2 Zombrex Edition, available on both PS3 and Xbox 360, includes a syringe of life-saving Zombrex medicine (which looks suspiciously like a pen), along with a Zombrex safety information card, sales brochure, and 25-page prescription pad. The steelbook case also includes materials not related to fictional anti-undeadifying pharmaceuticals, including a Dead Rising 2 artbook, and a disc with a "Making of" featurette. The Xbox 360 version will also include the Zombrex Dead Rising Sun film, while the PS3 version will include a voucher for a dynamic theme. The Zombrex Edition will be released on the same September 28 date as the regular version, and will retail for $79.99 -- isn't it worth the extra $20 to have the peace of mind that only anti-zombie medication can provide? %Gallery-97578%
Dead Rising 2 'Outbreak Pack' staggering to Europe, Capcom 'not bringing' it to North America
What you see above is the Outbreak Pack for Dead Rising 2. It's a limited edition version of the game that comes with everything pictured: a zombie action figure, accessories, voucher for a premium theme and other console-specific goods. It'll release alongside the standard edition in Europe on October 1. We wanted to know about the potential for a North American release, so we contacted Capcom. A rep told Joystiq "we are not bringing the Outbreak Edition to North America," yet offered that "something special will be announced for North America very soon for Dead Rising 2." As soon as we know, we'll be sure to pass the info along. %Gallery-44178%
Capcom launches Dead Rising 2 site, reveals final box art
The official box art, and a new website, for the recently delayed Dead Rising 2 have shambled out. The website, TapeItOrDie.com, follows the exploits of four characters who will help you "discover exclusive content" in the zombocalypse sequel. The website is expected to update weekly, and looks like it'll be a great source for learning how to MacGyver new weapons in the game. As for the box art, it shows protagonist Chuck Greene sporting the quite handy (for beheading) kayak paddle with duct-taped chainsaws -- if only Frank West had that for his cover shoot instead of a big old busted TV. %Gallery-97158%
Dead Rising 2 release date a shambles, delayed to Sept. 28
How much time does Dead Rising 2 developer Blue Castle Games need to get its upcoming zombie apocalypse sim ready for consumption by the living? At least one month, it seems, as the game's North American release date has been pushed back to September 28 (from a previously stated late August release). Capcom sent over word this morning of the delay, oddly pointing out that it's "happy to confirm" as much. No explanation of the delay was offered (we're asking!), though we suspect Blue Castle probably had to re-articulate the limb separator subroutines and upscale the procedural chainsaw collision detection ... matrix. It's technical stuff, you wouldn't understand.
Interview: Keiji Inafune on Dead Rising 2, character design and difficulty
Capcom's Global Head of Production, Keiji Inafune, who started with the company over 20 years ago as an illustrator, oversees production of the publisher's major franchises, including Resident Evil, Lost Planet, Street Fighter and Dead Rising. We talked to Inafune at E3 about the design decisions and criticisms of the Dead Rising series, as well as Capcom's ongoing attempt to balance east and west game design philosophies. (Don't forget to check out our preview on Dead Rising 2 for more.) %Gallery-44178%
Preview: Dead Rising 2: Case Zero (XBLA)
Capcom is doing something pretty interesting with the release of Dead Rising 2. Prior to its August 31 launch, Capcom will put out Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, an Xbox Live exclusive prequel sans co-op that takes place two years after the original and three years prior to the second game. In short: it's distilled Dead Rising 2 on a much smaller scale.
Preview: Dead Rising 2 (single player)
Even though things have changed for Capcom's sequel, Dead Rising 2 -- new developer in Blue Castle Games, new protagonist in Chuck Greene and a new venue that swaps out the tried-and-true mall setting for the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas -- it felt very familiar. From the largely unchanged controls to the helpful security guard passing you updates on your walkie talkie (thankfully, this time around the text is actually legible) on to the survivor escort system, Dead Rising 2 is a sequel in the most literal sense.
Playboy mags make Dead Rising 2 more inappropriately sexy
What better combination could there be than the sexy ladies of Playboy magazine and rotting, unnaturally ambulatory corpses? Capcom and Playboy have reached an agreement wherein Playboy magazines and imagery will be seen throughout the world of Dead Rising 2, in the form of magazines, as well as billboards and other advertisements. Judging by the costume in one of the new screens, Fortune City is host to a Playboy Club as well. Playboy is just one of the publications used for the game's new "magazine system," which, like Dead Rising's book system, will offer enhancements to the player's stats. Playboy imbues Chuck Greene with a "unique and special upgrade" -- good that it has an actual gameplay purpose, because on its own, stopping to check out some babes while on the run from thousands of undead monsters is highly questionable, both in terms of tactics and just plain sanity. %Gallery-94955%
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero prequel detailed
Back during X10, Capcom revealed Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, the stand-alone prologue exclusive to Xbox Live Marketplace that will bridge the gap between the first and second game. It will introduce the sequel's protagonist, Chuck Greene, father and master of duct taping stuff, as he works to free himself and his daughter from the desert town of Still Creek -- two years after the events of the first game, but three years before the events of the sequel. Shacknews managed to secure the details while at Captivate in Hawaii, and says Capcom promises Case Zero will have "unique content not available in the full retail release of Dead Rising 2." Sadly, there's no mention of price or release date for Case Zero, but rest assured: You still have plenty of time to stock up on Zombrex before Dead Rising 2 launches on August 31. Editors' note: Joystiq did not attend Captivate this year. We determined the perceived environment, and associated downtime, of the event was not in accordance with our editorial policy. We expect to provide firsthand preview coverage of all Capcom titles shown at Captivate during E3 this June. For more information on our policies, click here.
Dead Rising 2 to have online co-op (and a drug called Zombrex)
Download in HD from Big Download Chuck Greene may know his "way around a zombie or two," as he says in this new trailer from Dead Rising 2, but he'll be facing down thousands at a time in Fortune City. Greene's daughter Katey will also be along for the ride -- she's bitten by one of the walking dead early on, and will require a daily dose of a drug called "Zombrex" during the game's 72-hour span "to stop [her] from joining the ever-growing zombie horde." Greene also comes across two supporting ladies -- one is a short-haired army jacket-wearing girl who goes on about conspiracies and "false accusations," and the other is a bombastic reporter who brings new meaning to the word "teaser." Capcom has also announced details of the game's online co-op system. Players will be able to use an "in-game transceiver to call for assistance at any time," and when your buddy shows up, it's game on for tactics like luring zombies into a kill zone or racing around on skateboards (no really -- check the gallery below). That's in addition to the "Terror is Reality" minigame versus mode that we got to play a little while ago, which will pit up to four players against each other in a game show setting. Dead Rising 2 will be out for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC in North America on August 31, and in Japan and Europe a few short, zombie-free days later. %Gallery-91175%
Capcom: First Dead Rising 'felt too Japanese'
If you're wondering why Capcom sought the Canadian influence of new developer Blue Castle Games for Dead Rising 2, producer Shinsaku Ohara has a bit of insight. He told CVG that Capcom "wanted to do it better for a Western audience this time," saying that Dead Rising "was built in a very Japanese style." Too Japanese, in fact, according to Ohara. Now, with the help of Blue Castle, Capcom is creating something that is "much closer to feeling like a Western game," in a collaborative process that is resulting in "crazier" ideas than before. Like duct-taping weapons together, or a zombie game show. We're crossing our fingers in the vain hope that the Servbots weren't singled out as "too Japanese" to find their way into Dead Rising 2. %Gallery-44178%
X10: Dead Rising 2 'Case Zero' prologue is standalone, will be game's 'demo'
Clearing up some confusion over how exactly gamers will get a hold of the Dead Rising 2 prologue, Case Zero, announced at yesterday's X10 event, developer Blue Castle Games explained to Joystiq that the term "add-on" used by Microsoft was, well, dead wrong. "It's not an add-on, because it's set before [Dead Rising 2] and you won't need [either] retail game in order to play it," the devs told us. As for pricing, they could only say that, "it won't be free, but we'll make it accessible for a lot of players." When we asked about a possible Dead Rising 2 demo -- whether it be single- or multiplayer -- they replied, "We think the prologue is going to give gamers a good sense of how the game is going to play. We haven't announced a release date for it yet, but it's definitely before the retail game." They added, "It's not like it's a chunk of the main game -- it is unique content, so even if you want to look at it as a 'demo,' it's not. It's a unique experience."
X10: Dead Rising 2 in US Aug. 31; shambles to Japan and Europe later that week
As part of Microsoft's X10 press event, it's been announced that Blue Castle's primetime sequel, Dead Rising 2, will be available this summer. Arriving on US shores August 31, Japan and Europe will be spared the zombie apocalypse for a couple days, arriving there September 2nd and 3rd, respectively. That's crucial time to gather supplies like duct tape, pitch forks and shotguns, no doubt. Oh, and comically large cellphones, of course.
Dead Rising 2 dev working on new action project
Before we've even laid hands on its death-by-giant-cellphone sim, Dead Rising 2, developer Blue Castle Games is thinking about its next project. According to a job listing spotted by VG247, potential applicants will be required to have their finger on the pulse of "open world and FPS games like Prince of Persia, Assassins Creed, Halo, and everything in between." Right, so look for Blue Castle's Dead Rising 2 follow-up, Royal Wall-Running Secret Killer Space Marine, coming in the fall of 2011.
