Dead Rising 2: Case Zero (2010) Capcom

So I was looking for something to play yesterday and Dead Rising 2: Case Zero was available for download on XBOX Live for only 400 MS Points (about $5.00).  While I wasn't a hardcore fan of Dead Rising I figured five bucks is cheaper than a rental of a full title and I felt like whompin on some zombies.

I gotta say it's well worth the price.  DR2:CZ has a lot packed into a small amount of space, at least a good six-eight hours if you want good endings and achievement points.  Plus it's just good fun butchering the snot out of living dead.  Some of my favorite weapons from Dead Rising  make a comeback including; the frying pan, the bowling ball, and the shower head.  There's also the ability to make insane customized weapons, my personal favorite is the baseball bat with nails in it -surprise, surprise.

You can level your character up to five but everything you unlock will carry over to Dead Rising 2.  That's cool. Personally I think this is a great marketing trick - offer a extra large demo for a cost less than a meal at a fast food joint, give the player enough incentive to replay several times, and it's all the hook to draw the player in.  The only downside I have to both Dead Rising and DR2:CZ is that tasks are timed, there little room for exploration the first or second time through. I understand why they did this but I'm not sure I like it, since I mainly game for exploration.

In any case, it's a fun diversion.