12 Ways Capcom is Transforming Willamette Mall – PlayStation.Blog

Note: Some gameplay clips in this article feature costumes available in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster Digital Deluxe Edition

A visual performance through RE Engine

Real-time light and shadow: Whether you’re running around a colorful food court or trying to stay calm in the moonlight between mall entrances, the Remaster’s reimagined visuals don’t lose the stylized character of the original game. The mood created by these animations ensures you’ll be immersed in a delightful mix of the creepy and the vibrant.

More detailed character models: Getting close to Frank highlights the noticeable improvements Capcom has made to the game’s stars, with even the seams and stitching on his iconic leather jacket visible. And if you’re unlucky enough to be spotted by an enemy, you’ll sometimes see anything from temporary bleeding on his face to crimson bullet holes.

Non-player character The details are also embellished. For example, the annoying rival photographer Kent is blessed with lavishly movable hair, and Madonna the Poodle fans will surely enjoy seeing her look more like a… well, poodle.

Even zombies have more variety in body shapes and patterns, which not only makes photographing them more fun, but also makes some moves like Frank’s initial step on Zombie Ride more interesting.

Modern and classic control options

Get to know Frank better: Being surrounded by hordes of the undead is scary enough, so if you’re not used to Frank’s original controls, don’t worry. You no longer have to choose between moving and shooting, which makes gunplay much smoother. In moments where gunplay is essential – which is most of the game’s boss fights – you’ll have much more accessible and dynamic combat, aided by the option for auto-aim assist and a Heads-Up Display reticle.

Defensive moves are easier to perform: The new dedicated dodge button makes dodging easy, but if Frank gets pinned by a zombie, you can tap the face button to escape instead of having to frantically spin the left joystick.

And of course, if you want to retain the intentional tension of the original, you can always revert back to the classic control setup.

Better save function

Add save point: Now you don’t have to worry about going to specific places like the bathroom or the bed in the security room to save your game. Every time you enter or exit a new area (usually indicated by a very short loading time), the game will automatically save, reducing the fear of having to restart from the beginning due to a sudden overrun. Personally, I found that it meant I took more risks when I was wandering around Willamette Mall knowing that my mistakes wouldn’t be punished as severely as when exploring the original.

Improve survivor intelligence

Improve NPC intelligence: It was too easy for other survivors to become zombie food if they got stuck in certain parts of the environment or didn’t keep up with you fast enough in the original Dead Rising, an issue that Capcom addressed in the Remaster. While you still need to pay attention to your surroundings, NPCs have better intelligence to find their way around obstacles, with some areas being tweaked to allow them to navigate better in more difficult locations.

Immortality: The improved AI isn’t just limited to survivors. If you happen to encounter any armed zombie cops, they’ll shoot at you. Though thankfully they’re not the best shooters – to be fair, they are. To be aim through the eyes of the undead.

Life is better through the lens

Take the perfect photo: In all the chaos of zombie smashing, it’s easy to forget that Frank is only in this situation because he wants to take some world-changing photos. So taking great photos has become easier with the addition of an autofocus button and the ability to tilt the camera.

More generous reputation points (PP): If the improved visuals aren’t enough to get you to take more photos, better photos now grant a larger amount of ability-boosting PP, making it easier and faster to upgrade Frank and survive a little longer in the wilds of the Mall.

Updated user interface and quality of life features

Quick status screen and HUD options: If navigating the improved mall is a joy, the same can be said for the improved UI and menus. The status screen alone is impressive, with Frank framed in the viewfinder, breathing, blinking, and wearing whatever outfit you have him in at the time.

With the wide range of tweaks available to the HUD, you can also make the game look as cinematic as you want. One particularly handy addition is the damage bar below each weapon, which shows when your mace is about to break. So this time if you get caught short in the middle of a fight, it’s entirely your fault.

Update sound

All NPCs are voiced: While the ability to change the mall’s soundtrack at any time is a great mood changer, the real sound changer comes from the massive amount of dialogue in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster. Voice acting is ever-present, making interactions more intuitive and quicker, and making it easier to locate certain survivors.

Otis doesn’t need much help: VO also changes your relationship with everyone’s favorite mall janitor, Otis. In the original game, answering any of his frequent calls for new information and missions prevented Frank from doing almost anything in that moment, including defending himself. If you were attacked, the call would end and Otis would then call back to scold you for interrupting him… before starting his previous call over again.

But now, thanks to Otis being voiced, Frank can answer and listen to his friend’s calls without any interruption or worry – and even if you ‘accidentally’ interrupt Otis by walking into a loading area, he’ll still be fine. Phew. And as a little bonus, if you enable the Speaker Control option, you’ll hear his calls through the DualSense controller.

You won’t have to wait long to enjoy all the improvements that make Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster the most memorable trip to the mall you’ve ever experienced when it launches on September 19 on PS5. Enjoy your 72 hours…