Gaming Review: Dead Rising 2

This has been a year of undead.  From vampires to zombies, we've been bombarded.  Whoever designed this game, however, must have a personal belief that there never has seemed to be enough Zombies to go around.

Synopsis
Dead Rising 2 begins in Fortune City, a fictionalized Las Vegas, where Chuck Green is working as a cast member for the highly popular and highly controversial "Terror is Reality" game show to earn money for his daughter's Zombrex medication. TIR is somewhat of an American-Gladiator type game where contestants mutilate, disfigure, and make fun of zombies.

Outside of the arena, a protest is led by the "Citizens for Undead Rights and Equality" (CURE), an organization that finds TIR disgusting. There's also the usual behind-the-scenes drama of any television show.  Before you know it, suddenly word comes in that that zombies are over-running the city.  As the world has already dealt with a zombie outbreak at this point, there are safe houses and Chuck flees to one with Katy.

Sullivan, the safehouse guard can tell that Katy is infected and tries to ban her, but Chuck promises to keep Katy full up on Zombrex until the military rescue because without it, she will surely turn into a zombie herself.  The secret however, is that Chuck doesn't have any more Zombrex.  This leads to Chuck sneaking out of the shelter into the malls and casinos in search of more.  But not before he learns that to the outside world, he is being blamed for the entire outbreak.  Now the mission is rescuing survivors, finding Zombrex, and ultimately clearing his name.

My likes/dislikes:
Likes:

• Humor!  Although the idea of zombies is terrifying, Dead Rising takes an outrageously humorous approach through the crazy weapons and cut-scenes. This is amped up a lot when you're rescuing survivors and bringing them back to the safehouse.  The reasons for their being in Fortune City, were often hilarious too.
• Weapons - Chuck employs tons of crazy weapon combinations through combo cards you find around the casinos.  They can be made with items found around the mall and put together in the various maintenance rooms. 

• Zombies, Zombies, and More Zombies -There was no shortage of undead in this game.  At certain points I just couldn't see how I was going to get through some of the crowds.  They were all speeds, and strengths, and it really intensified the game.
• Terror is Reality Multi-Player - The multi-player function is actually you playing episodes of TIR against online players.  The minigames are insanely funny, but more importantly, they are financially helpful in the game.  The money you earn can be used during the story mode to buy weapons, items and the elusive box of Zombrex. 
• Co-Op Mode - You can join any game and anyone else can join yours.  You can also use the survivors you rescue to help out if you give them a weapon.
• Katy - Katy is adorable.  Period.  LOL She's a sweet and innocent reminder that grounds the character from becoming too detached. Whenever you find yourself getting lost in the fervor of shooting golf balls at zombies, or dressing up in costumes before your missions, there is always a reminder on your timer that Katy will need Zombrex soon and that you should head back to check on her.  She was so sweet in fact, that if you find a toy in the malls and bring it back to her any of the times you come to give her Zombrex, you can score a bonus.

Isn't she just the bees knees with her little zombified self!?

Dislikes:

• Boss Battles - They grew to be a bit repetitive.  Some crazy person who is using the zombie outbreak to be as outrageous or homicidal as they've always wanted to be.  You chase them around a few times and then kill them.  However, as repetitive as these battles were...they were NOT easy by any means.
• Handling - Some of the controls were wacky and frustrating.  Especially when you're trying to get away from a horde of zombies.

This game is rated: