Lifeless Rising Deluxe Remaster assessment — ‘a considerate remake’

Platforms: PS5, Xbox Collection X|S, PC

A decade after Capcom redefined survival horror gaming with its seminal Resident Evil collection, the Japanese developer breathed some contemporary life into the rotting corpse style with Lifeless Rising. Whereas the 2006 motion title adopted within the shuffling footsteps of the studio’s flagship franchise, it traded on its extra critical storytelling and melodramatic characters for a campy, George A. Romero-inspired romp that noticed gamers creatively carve their approach by a zombie-infested Colorado mall.

Lifeless Rising Deluxe Remaster invitations followers again to the quarantined buying mecca, the place photojournalist protagonist Frank West as soon as extra finds himself wielding ridiculous weapons – whereas carrying equally absurd costumes – towards hordes of foot-dragging foes. As its prolonged title suggests although, this new launch has been considerably prettied up with a contemporary coat of polygons. Full of extra, sharper particulars, improved character fashions, and elevated constancy throughout the board, its presentation is sort of on par with modern titles.

Whether or not you are comically eviscerating zombies with a model torso – whereas wearing a stomach shirt and horse-head masks, clearly – or hilariously scarfing down a complete baguette for a fast well being enhance, the sport’s over-the-top, B-movie shenanigans have by no means appeared higher. However in contrast to most remasters, Lifeless Rising affords a lot greater than a mere makeover. The graphical overhaul is accompanied by a ton of gameplay polish that smooths out lots of the tough edges that often made the unique such a irritating slog.

Most notably, the inflexible save system has been changed with a far much less punishing method that ensures you will not lose a lot progress upon assembly an premature demise. So even when a strolling corpse tears into you want a free pattern on the meals courtroom, you needn’t fear about repeating a prolonged part of the story.

Moreover, a a lot improved navigation system removes the tedium and confusion that led to gamers getting misplaced within the sprawling buying middle — a frequent prevalence that usually resulted in escorted survivors being needlessly mauled. These updates barely scratch the floor although, as a variety of smaller quality-of-life tweaks, reminiscent of the flexibility to now transfer Frank whereas he is firing a gun, make for a a lot smoother, extra pleasing zombie apocalypse.

Some returning points, like clunky boss encounters and lackluster AI (making an attempt to steer clueless characters to security can nonetheless be a headache,) sadly recall the sport’s 18-year-old origins. However for each annoyance, there is a handful of enhancements that make this return to the Willamette Parkview Mall really feel extra like a considerate remake, much like Capcom’s latest Resident Evil do-overs, than a fast, cash-grabbing remaster.