Dead Rising 2: Case West Review
by king_ruckus
Pros:
Frank West is back, and he's got some great one liners.
Some cool new combo weapons to mess around with.
Mad Scienist hairdo makes Chuck look like Heihachi Mishima.
Cons
No character select in a game that hypes the return of Frank West.
Photography feels more like an afterthought.
Doesn't add much to the Dead Rising mythos.
Dead Rising 2: Case West picks up right after the events of Ending A in Dead Rising 2, with Chuck Greene still suspected of causing the Zombie Outbreak in Fortune City.
After a brief introduction, Chuck Greene and Frank West(the main character from the original Dead Rising) head to a PhenoTrans facility to meet with Frank West's mysterious source and collect evidence that will clear Chuck's name.
You can either play this DLC alone, or with a friend via Xbox Live. Player 2 will take control of Frank West.
Much like Case Zero, this DLC is more like an extended preview of what the full game has to offer, although it seems to offer less than Case Zero did at half the price. You can still build combo weapons, change costumes and mix drinks, but there is no pawnshop this time. There are a good number of normal zombies and gas zombies to fight through, and some of the new weapons can clear a path in seconds. You've also got some human enemies to deal with, but having armed guards and later, Big Daddy rejects, attacking you at random is more of an annoyance than a challenge.
You start off at level 40 even if you've maxed out Chuck Greene in the full game. It's an understandable choice, as the DLC is already fairly easy to get through even before you top out at 50 again.
Frank West is with you the entire time and he's basically invincible. You never have to heal him, and while you have the option to give him any weapon at any time, he's more than capable of handling himself.
In an odd choice that is sure to upset a lot of fans, you can only play as Frank if you join someone else's game. Why Capcom didn't add a character select to this game is beyond me. There is literally no moment in the game when these two characters are not in the same room, even during cutscenes. I don't think it's much of a stretch to say that making Frank West playable in single player would not have taken much work.
Apparently Frank West went to the Duct Tape Academy, because in Co-Op players controlling him can make combo weapons like Chuck can. Both players can also snap photos, though you won't get points for it unless you snap photos of specific markers. No more Horror or Erotica shots. It feels more like a tacked on gimmick than a necessary part of the experience.
So is this DLC worth $10?
Having played through it three times, I'm still not entirely sold. I feel like the final product could have been better. It's a short epilogue that really doesn't expand much on the full game storywise. There are minor tweaks and improvements to the gameplay formula, but the overall experience is still very much the same. Definitely not a bad thing, but not really worth $10 either.
While I enjoy playing the game, I can't say I feel this is a necessary purchase. Die hard fans will most likely rush out to buy it without so much as checking a message board, but for those of you who are just getting into Dead Rising 2 on Xbox 360, opt for Case Zero now and wait for the inevitable discount on Case West.
RATINGS SYSTEM
Retail Releases:
Buy it - This game is worth your money out of the box.
Rent it - Worth playing, not necessarily worth paying full price for.
Skip it - You shouldn't waste your time.
DLC
Buy it - This DLC either adds to the core game significantly, or is a great standalone product.
Wait for a Discount - Enjoyable, but overpriced. Make the leap at your own risk.
Skip it - A money grab. Protect your wallet from the publisher's hands and save your money for something worthwhile.
My suggestion for Dead Rising 2: Case West:
Wait for a Discount.
