Xboxist

Everything You Need to Know About Dead Rising 2

Well almost. There are still many specific details about gameplay that remain unanswered, but Capcom revealed some major info on its upcoming zombie slasher this week. At an exclsuive demo event in Tokyo, members of the press were able to get their hands on both single and multiplayer gameplay from Dead Rising 2.

The game is set a few years after the events of the original Dead Rising, and the zombie virus that originated in Santa Cabeza has spread all over the United States.When the zombie outbreak finally hits America's new capital of entertainment, Fortune City, it is every man and woman for themselves. But some adapt better than others to survival on Fortune City's zombie infested strip. Spurned on by the paternal instinct to protect his daughter, motocross champion Chuck Greene is one such man.

Dead Rising 2 builds on the combat system of Dead Rising where anything picked up is a potential weapon, by considerably increasing the number of items Chuck will find in Fortune City's casinos, bars and shops. Just like the original, Chuck will be able to make use of items that range from 'traditional' weapons like guns and swords to the more improvised such as roulette wheels, croupier sticks, wheelchairs, stuffed marlins and tons of other objects. Players will also be able to wield some interesting homemade weapons: the paddle-saw (two chain-saws attached to either end of a canoe paddle) and the self-explanatory drill bucket are two we know about so far.

Like millions of Americans, Chuck is gripped by the latest TV show, Terror is Reality. Hosted by the flamboyant Tyrone King and ably assisted by his two glamorous co-hosts, Terror is Reality pits ordinary members of the public against an arena full of zombies with a simple challenge - kill more zombies than your opponents and stay alive. The lucky winner will collect big money and the chance to come back and secure even greater prizes.

Like a modern day gladiatorial contest, those lucky enough to get a grandstand seat urge the contestants to spill more zombie blood, with over the top takedowns greeted by rapturous applause and the promise of slow motion replays on the arena's jumbotron. So, what is it that has forced Chuck to risk his life, is he trying to recapture the fame of his motocross days, does he have a reason to hate zombies, or is it simply the lure of big money?

Dead Rising 2 allows players to experience the carnage of Terror is Reality with a series of multiplayer challenges for up to four players via online play. Whether you're jumping into giant hamster balls and mowing down the undead; seeing who can place the most drill buckets on zombies' heads, or taking to the arena on a motorbike with chainsaws for handlebars, the challenges will feature exactly the kind of over-the-top action and humor that Dead Rising is known for. Adding to the competitive nature of these events is the ability to prevent your opponents from scoring, ensuring fierce rivalries as competitors fight dirty to claim victory.

The original game was able to put an impressive 800 zombies in front of the player at any one time. The new engine allows designers to play with much larger numbers of zombies - sometimes as many as 6000 - to really add to the sense of mayhem.

Dead Rising 2 is being developed by Canadian developer Blue Castle Games in close collaboration with Capcom. A number of members from the original Dead Rising team will be working alongside Blue Castle Games throughout the development process, including Capcom's global head of research and development, Keiji Inafune, who will play an active role in the project. Read more about the development of Dead Rising 2 from Keiji Inafune here.

We don't yet have a release date for the game, but Capcom tells us to expect it sometime in 2010 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Microsoft Windows platforms.