Summary
When it comes toDead Rising: Deluxe Remaster,the first thing that comes to mind when equipping Frank is weapons. Books are often overlooked. It’s difficult to kill a zombie with one, after all. Yet, carrying the right books can give players powerful passive bonuses that will help with progress.
In addition to the 24 books in the original game, theDeluxe Remasterhas added a bunch of new books to find. Many of these new books are powerful additions with a bit more variety and utility than their original game predecessors.
Still, sacrificing an inventory slot in a game with such limited space isn’t an easy choice to make. That means it’s handy to know which books are worth collecting, and where to get them. These books are the best in the game, and worth keeping in mind for any run.
8Camera Books
Extra PP And Unique Effects
The camera might be a secondary mechanic, but it can help out more than might be expected with these books. Camera 1 and 2 can boost the PP received from photos significantly. Camera 1 can be obtained early on from the Contemporary Reading bookshop. Camera 2 has to be unlocked from the “Photographer’s Pride” scoop later on in the campaign.
There are also camera books that canhelp with taking photos, though they’re less useful. The Weekly Photo Magazine gives visual indicators for photo opportunities, and the new book available in the North Plaza photo shop will slow down time when players aim the camera.
7Health Books
Heal More From Items
The Health 1 and 2 books can boost the amount that food items heal Frank by 50% per book. The books come from Sir Book-A-Lot in Wonderland Plaza and Sinister Read in the Entrance Plaza, respectively.
The additional healing boost is nice, especially as healing item availability can be limited early in a playthrough. It’s arguably overshadowed by mixing food items for better healing, but that requires some collecting and gathering time. Having the option to carry books is a nice alternative.
6Durability Books
Make Weapons Last Longer
Some books improve durability for any weapon type in the game. Some weapons are even affected by multiple books, meaning the durability bonus can be stacked. For example, the Hedge Trimmer can get bonuses from Criminal Biography, Engineering, and Lifestyle Magazine.
The triple bonus gives the weapon 540 hits before breaking, compared to 20 without a book. Not all weapons can get bonuses from three books, but it’s easy to experiment as the durability-related books are readily available from the mall’s bookshops. These books should be kept in mind any time a large horde of zombies needs to be dealt with.
5Hypnotism & Brainwashing Books
Keep Survivors Alive
Rescuing survivors can be a tricky task. The AI might have been improved in the remaster, but that doesn’t mean survivors can’t get stuck, or surrounded. The Hypnotism book is a new addition that will help keep survivors alive, with increased damage resistance. Players can pick it up at Chris' Fine Foods in the Food Court.
Combine this with the existing Brainwashing Tips book and turn survivors into weapons. This book, obtained by completing the “A Strange Group” scoop, makes survivors more aggressive. Give them a gun and have both books and survivors become walking turrets.
4Fireworks & Throwing Books
Deadly Throwing Weapons
These books are two powerful new additions toDead Rising: Deluxe Remaster.Each book is effective enough on its own, but both books make a deadly combo. The Throwing book makes thrown weapons go further and deal more damage. It can be grabbed from Kokonutz Sports Town.
That’s a pretty good bonus, but if players grab the Fireworks book from the hallway between the two empty stores in North Plaza, they can add an explosive twist. This book makes thrown weapons explode on contact, dealing splash damage.
Having both books together makes throwing weapons more viable than they ever were in the originalDead Rising. It’s worth remembering that these books only affect thrown weapons though, not thrown items.
3Gunslinger
Boost Firearm Power
The Gunslinger book is anothernew addition to the remaster. This book boosts the attack power of all gun-type weapons, even affecting the stun gun and rocket launcher. It appears after the first boss fight with Carlito, during the “Backup for Brad” mission, right where Carlito is standing in the fight.
The limited ammo and limited firepower of most weapons make guns a lackluster option for Frank in most scenarios. This book helps mitigate that with a decent damage boost. It can be combined with the Infinity book for infinite ammo, once it’s unlocked, for a truly overpowered pairing.
2Blender Manual
Weapon Combining
The Blender Manual is one of the best additions to theDead Rising Deluxe Remaster. It essentially adds the fan-favorite feature from later games ofcombining weapons. Players need to survive 72 hours before they can unlock it, but once they do, there are some tasty new recipes to experiment with.
With the Blender Manual, the blender that previously combined food items can now mix weapons, too. There are some potent combinations, such as combining a Mega Buster toy and a fire extinguisher to make a rocket launcher. This book unleashes Frank’s inner mixologist.
1The Infinity Book
Infinite Ammo & Durability
The Infinity book gives Frank unlimited durability and ammo on any weapon, making it easily the strongest book in the game. But, as might be expected, it’s not an easy one to get hold of. Players have to rescue all survivors (Get the “Saint” achievement) before this book is unlocked.
Once it’s unlocked, though, it’s available for all subsequent runs on a save file. That means it’s the perfect tool for running through infinity mode with ease.
