In the evolving landscape of video game remasters allowing major franchises to exist across generations, Capcom’s recentDead Rising Deluxe Remasterhas found itself playing a critical role for its IP. This return to Frank West’s mall escapades is now serving as more than just a nostalgic update of the past, as it also seems to be carrying the heavy expectation of determiningthe future ofDead Risingitself.
The initial reception toDead Rising Deluxe Remasterhas been generally positive in the face of its visual upgrades and quality-of-life enhancements, but there are still several challenges and criticisms which could significantly impact the overall legacy of the series. Following comments from developers, it’s become clear that Capcom will be weighing the performance of this remaster against any risks associated with givingDead Rising 2the same treatment.
Capcom’s History of Using Remasters to Test the Viability of Franchises in Hiatus
Several Major Series Haven’t Been Continued After Falling Short of Capcom’s Projections with Remaster Releases
There is now a well-documented history of Capcom utilizing remasters as barometers for the viability of franchises that have been dormant for years. Titles likeMega Man Legacy Collectionand theremasteredDarkstalkers Resurrectioncollectionhave been subjected to scrutiny that could be considered excessive for re-releases, as their sales have helped to dictate whether further entries would eventually see the light of day.
In the case of this series, the release ofDead Rising 4has done more harm than goodfor the perception of the IP. This has put far more pressure onDead Rising Deluxe Remasterto perform commercially, as it’s easily the most unanimously well-received entry in several years. The investment that was required to bring it into the modern fidelity of the RE Engine makes Capcom’s standards somewhat understandable, but it also makes any backlash thatDeluxe Remasterhas received regarding issues like audio mixing or gameplay changes have all the more significant bearing on future projects.
Following producer Kei Morimoto’sstatements about a potentialDead Rising 2remaster, it seems that Capcom’s future strategy will continue to be linked to the sales of the currently releasedDeluxe Remaster. There’s certainly a wave of nostalgia driving the success ofDR’s return, but it might be unreasonable to think that this kind of hype should be equal to what kind of excitement would bring in sales for an actual brand-new title. Despite this reality, it’s been indicated that whether players get to once again step into the role of Chuck Greene will be determined by the profit generated byDead Rising Deluxe Remaster.
The sales numbers associated with similar releases for other series under Capcom’s umbrella could be considered impressive in their own rights, regardless of its desired figures. The fact that aDarkstalkerscollection managed to sell decently at all as updated arcade games has been seen as an indicator of interest among its community, but the company hasn’t been satisfied enough to return to that iconic series.
Given thatDeluxe Remasteroffers its players far more fidelity through its updates, however, it does have the genuine potential to far surpass those past outings in terms of commercial performance. It might also be true that Capcom will accordingly adjust its standards by greatly heightening them in this case, though, so even several million sales might not be enough tojustify a return toDead Rising 2. Only time will tell.
Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster
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Dead Rising returns with modern graphics!More than just a remaster, this Deluxe Remaster is a full graphical overhaul of the first game in zombie-slaughtering action game series “Dead Rising.“This remaster has also been fully voiced, supports auto-saves, and has various other quality-of-life features.Witness the unmatched mayhem and freedom for yourself!Story:One day, the peaceful town of Willamette, Colorado, found itself put under quarantine by the U.S. army.Frank West, a freelance journalist, smells a scoop and finds his way into the only shopping mall in town.Unfortunately, the mall had turned into a living hell, crawling with countless zombies.Help will arrive in 72 hours, so it’s up to him to find out the truth behind this incident before it’s too late!Realistic graphics reborn through RE ENGINE!All of the graphics, including the characters and environments, have been renewed, and greatly improved over the original.Character’s facial expressions, material textures, and blood spatter all look much more realistic.Overwhelming hordes of zombies fill the screen with completely remade graphics!
