If Dead Rising continues its recent revival, then it could have the chance to expand into a new genre thanks to a few key details. The recent Dead Rising remake has been the best sign of Capcom's interest in the series in years, and it could be a good sign for its future. If more Dead Rising games start to come out, there will also be room for experimentation. One way to shake up the formula is by trying out a new genre. While that may sound unusual, Dead Rising already has great potential to expand to one particular genre.
The recently released Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster brought Capcom's zombie-slaying series back for the first time since 2016's Dead Rising 4. Historically, the Dead Rising games tend to stick to a common formula, albeit one that has seen changes between installments. While the game lets players roam freely, the storyline and the cases that they encounter are on time limits. Running out of time will lock the player out of the case for the rest of the playthrough. Of course, players aren't required to go for every case. However, they will need to learn time management if they intend to see the whole game.
A Dead Rising 2 Deluxe Remaster Would Have to Go All Out To Live Up To Its Name
Following Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster, Capcom should develop a Dead Rising 2 Deluxe Remaster including all variations of Dead Rising 2
Dead Rising and Roguelikes Are Surprisingly Compatible
Dead Rising's Basic Gameplay Shares Some Roguelike Elements
One common feature throughout Dead Rising's history is the ability to use random items as weapons. In almost every area in the games, players can find items to pick up and fight off zombies with. This can range from actual weapons, to tools to toys. This style of gameplay is surprisingly relatable to roguelikes, since games in that genre often see players using whatever they have at their disposal on each run. With that in mind, Dead Rising could very well have the potential to spin off into a roguelike of its own, since there's a solid framework to do so already.
Infinity Mode in Dead Rising Was a Pseudo-Roguelike Challenge
Players have plenty of instincts gained from trying to beat Dead Rising games that could translate to roguelikes. In addition to scavenging for items, Dead Rising also had a level-up system that unlocked stat boosts and abilities for future playthroughs, similar to many roguelike titles. There was even Infinity Mode, which challenged players to survive as long as they could in a single run. Ever since the first game in the series, Dead Rising has featured a surprising amount of connections to the roguelike genre. The only step left would be to fully dive into the genre with the series' next installment.
Dead Rising Could Spin Off Into a Full Roguelike
A roguelike spin-off or side mode could be part of the future of Dead Rising if Capcom so chooses. Such a game could see players go through stages constructed of randomly chosen stores and other locations to gather items while fighting off zombies. Each stage would naturally lead to a boss, either from Dead Rising's past, or an entirely new one created for the mode. Later stages could even incorporate elements such as Dead Rising 2's gas zombies and mercenaries to help raise the difficulty. While it would be a big shift for the series, Dead Rising already has many excellent pieces for a roguelike that make it a logical transition.
This new take on the series could be a good direction to take if Dead Rising continues past the first game's remake. While a full genre shift similar to what the Like a Dragon series pulled off probably isn't in the cards, a side project that turns the IP into a full roguelike would be a fun idea. The Dead Rising games already have a lot of transferable skills and mechanics for such a spin-off, so it would be worth trying to bridge the gap between Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster and a new mainline entry.
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WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
