Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster Review – A Bloody Mall Crawl

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster – Welcome to Colorado

Hey folks, it’s the BandurArt team. We write about gaming for players and game developers. And right now, we would like to discuss Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster. It was released on September 19, 2024, on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. It takes approximately 72 in-game hours to attempt to do everything.

We have been playing it a lot during the last week. Is it still good in 2025, or should you stick to the vanilla version of the famous Capcom game? We are ready to answer this question.

The original Dead Rising game was released in 2006; it was an exclusive game on Xbox 360 for a few months. It has now been upgraded by Capcom with their glorious RE Engine. The remaster is not a copy of the game, but rather a new version with a common protagonist and location.

You are playing the role of a grizzled photojournalist called Frank West. The action takes place in 2006, but it seems to be a new dream. We start in a Colorado shopping mall infested with hordes of zombies. You have 72 hours or three in-game days to locate survivors, capture photos, and battle the zombies before the military “evacuates” the area. 

Technical Side

We’ve played it on PS5. The DualSense controller has decent vibration on biting zombies. The intro cutscene is still powerful. The new graphics are crisp, as promised. The original game was sharp, but the remastered version surely has dynamic lighting and higher resolution, along with better textures. The mall appears to be more detailed, with a new color filter – soft sepia. It resembles Until Dawn remaster, IMHO.

Let’s talk graphics in Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster. The RE Engine makes Frank appear more real with real emotion on his face. Zombies are ugly, and they move without any trouble. There is good lighting, using fluorescent bulbs. The game is 60 fps at 1440 quality. When you turn to performance mode, it runs 120 fps but only on PC. The game loads fast and does not have any slow-loading pauses. On PC, you receive DLSS or FSR.

Our PS5 ran it smoothly too – so, optimization is good. The only problem is that the sepia filter may cause bright colors to look washed out.

Gameplay

Dead Rising tells you that you have to complete tasks within a restricted time. You are able to gather weapons by picking up things in the mall. You capture zombies to upgrade Frank. It is possible to save NPCs and get them to a safe room. The boss fights feel more like a boss rush. These mechanics were saved in the remaster, but the controls are smoothed. In the past, certain moves were difficult to activate. Now controls are more intuitive. It’s fun and not tiresome.

The original game had a time limit. When you missed a survivor window, it was bad. In the remastered version, you can go fast-forward. XP and Prestige Points are less difficult to grind. Saves in the game have now been changed to auto-saves. One of the boss fights had a glitch, but it is not a common issue.

Weapons indicate durability bars; hence, you are aware of when they break. There are various combinations that you can use to craft inventive weapons. The loot comes in handy when you are low on health. Cars assist you in driving through the traffic. The physics may not be ideal, but it is fun.

NPCs and Enemies

Companions and NPCs you need to save still have a lifeline you need to watch to prevent their death. The AI of the NPCs in the original Dead Rising game was slow and caused the enemies to either lag or rush towards the attack like a lost puppy. Enemies are sharper too – they evade more, they take narrower turns, and can wield plain weapons without being killed at once. It was less hectic to save the book club’s ladies at the entrance.

Nevertheless, AI bugs may occur during our walkthrough – one companion lost control and hit a group of zombies in a wave of cultists. Frustrating, although not as common as before. The battles against psychopathic enemies and bosses were made to be more tense. As well as dialogues with NPCs.

For example, the dialogue with the creepy convict Larry was edited to emphasize his mania – it no longer relies on slimy stereotypes. Another NPC – the vet, Cliff, does not talk about Vietnam anymore; his anger is now pure and intense. Capcom has made smart adjustments to make the gore of the story not as off-putting without the absurd style.

New Modes

Photo mode has expanded. Close-ups of Frank in the middle of a suplex, filters are turned on to make each frame more dramatic. It is not as expansive as in Sony games like Horizon: The Forbidden West, but it gives it a replay value.

New Game+ mode brings with it levels and abilities, useful in high-rank hunts. The secrets of the mall remain – hidden magazines increase PP, shortcut doors open after exploration. We took hours to plan the most optimal paths, and we had a compass in our hands – the new HUD arrow indicates goals and displays shortcut opportunities. It is a mini map without excessive assistance.

Original Dead Rising 1 vs Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster

This Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster of 2024 received a total redesign compared to the original Dead Rising and its 2014 HD remaster. The core game was wonderful, but full of bugs, especially when it came to timer-focused missions. The 2014 Deluxe Edition included DLC outfits and overtime missions, but became outdated soon.

This new version includes it all: all the costumes, abilities, and modes. The graphics jump was from SD to 4K. Controls become less clunky. It is true to the original, except that quality-of-life changes are made to make it more playable in 2025.

Surely, the main differences concern the technical upgrades between the original title and the remastered version. You should definitely check in detail the Digital Foundry video about the performance and frame-by-frame comparison of two games with almost a 20-year difference.

Pros:

• The vast arsenal, from a hubcap shield to a flaming katana. Each has a durability meter.
• Boss brawls are more interesting now, especially with the clown Adam.
• Sandbox secrets were added, too. You can even unlock the rooftop helipad.
• Hilarious physics, similar to Yakuza or Just Cause games.
• Overtime and overkill option.
• NG+ god mode is also awesome.

Cons:

• Combat feels stiff.
• Vehicle handling’s still wanky.
• NPC’s AI feels frustrated.
• Many glitches.
• Repetition creeps, especially in side quests.

Verdict – 8.5/10

Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster nails the revival of the original game, for sure. It honors the original’s gonzo spirit – zombie malls, timed terror, Frank’s snark – while fixing what grated. The RE Engine polish makes Willamette’s mall look fantastic. Grind is easier, too, compared to the original game. Some flaws remained as well – a bit clunky combat, NPCs are irking a few glitches. But for $49.99 or on sale, it’s a steal for newcomers or veteran fans. If you’re dipping toes into zombie sandboxes, start here. Skip if you’re all-in on polished modern titles like Dying Light: The Beast.

A remastered rampage that’s timely, timeless, and terrifically twisted. Grab it, gear up, and let the chopping spree commence. What’s your go-to mall weapon? Hit the comments when sharing this Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster review on your social media – ours is the paddle boat, every time.

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