The main objective of the game is to remain alive inside the zombie-infested mall for at least three days, after which help will arrive via chartered helicopter. Time in the game passes twelve times faster than real-time (i.e. one day in-game is two hours in real time); therefore, the game automatically concludes after six hours of gameplay when time runs out. In addition to this primary objective, the player is free to choose whether or not to pursue any of the game's secondary objectives such as rescuing survivors or defeating psychopaths. As Frank West, the player attempts to uncover the truth behind the zombie epidemic by completing "case files" that reveal the central game plot as they are completed. Completing case files by accomplishing specific tasks or by being "in the right place at the right time" reveal cutscenes which serve as the story's exposition. Dead Rising does not prevent players from ignoring all missions, since missions are not the sole focus of the game. Once players have passed a certain point at the beginning of the game, they have complete free rein and can do whatever they please - save or kill other survivors; wander aimlessly through the mall, sampling food and trying on clothes; or simply kill zombies - just so long as, by the end of the game, they have reached the helipad in order to be able to catch the exit helicopter. Several of the game's 50 Achievements even reward this method of play. The setting of Dead Rising, the fictional Willamette Parkview Mall, is modeled after a stereotypical American mall with multiple floors and several themed sections. The mall includes a roller coaster, supermarket, movie theater, park, and an underground maintenance tunnel system (all filled with zombies). There are six main sections to the mall, each with a variety of shops, each filled with objects which can be used as weapons or to improve Frank's health. Electronic Gaming Monthly reported that there can be up to 800 zombies on the screen at once. During the day the zombies are sluggish and weak, but at night they become more active, gain a significant increase in toughness, sport glowing red eyes and increase in numbers.
Dead Rising offers seemingly endless and frequently hillarious ways to dispatch the hordes of zombies you'll encounter. The "everything is a weapon" gameplay mechanic is probably the greatest strength of the game. The katana, battle axe, lawnmower, bowling ball, shopping cart, and cash register are just a few examples. However,...
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