Shopping Maul- Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop Reviewed

When Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop was announced for the Wii last July, the game industry reacted with a wave of speculation. Some questioned how a high definition Xbox 360 title could make the transition to Nintendo’s utilitarian console. Clearly, the Wii did not have the processing power to render huge throngs of the zombies, one of the original Dead Rising’s defining traits. Others wondered if the integration of Wiimote gesturing would significantly change the atmosphere of the title.

After playing through Chop Till You Drop, it is evident that sacrifices were made to shoehorn the game onto the Wii. However, Capcom wisely altered the game’s design and structure, tailoring the game to eliminate some of its more frustrating aspects. While Dead Rising’s beat-‘em-up origins are still visible, the game has been reimagined as a shooter recalling Resident Evil 4’s action mechanics.

Whereas the 360 incarnation of Dead Rising was an open-ended adventure that pitted the player against the clock, Chop ‘Till You Drop presents a series of challenges that the player traverses in a fairly linear fashion. Gone is the exasperating logistics of saving people in strict accordance to the game’s clock, replaced by a uncomplicated monochronic storyline. Surprisingly, we favored the Wii’s version handling of the undead apocalypse. Chop is still challenging, particularly before the protagonist levels up, but rarely feels unfair.

Sadly, some essential elements of the original Dead Rising have been excised. Photography had been expunged, which was an enjoyable diversion in the original game. Since the protagonist of the game is a photojournalist, removing this endeavor makes little sense. Jumping is only allowed at predetermined points; crossing the water moat in front of the toy store is no longer possible. A modest number of weapons for the original game didn’t make the cut. Gamers can take solace in knowing the 360’s limited save system has been revamped, and now allows three save slot.

Chop’s control scheme is exceedingly tactile, even for a Wii title.  To pick up objects, interact with survivors and open doors, players must press the ‘Z’ button on the nunchuck and ‘A’ button on the Wiimote simultaneously. Using any firearm is a three part process- first the player holds the ‘B’ button to reader our protagonist, then the Wiimote is aimed on screen. Finally, pressing the ‘A’ button fires the weapon. It took about five or six hours or uninterrupted playtime for the sequence to become instinctual. Occasionally, simple on-screen gestures would appear, requiring the gamer to mimic the motion to initiate a special move Fortunately, the controls are responsive; rarely did we have the frustration found in many wimote-intensive titles.

Chop Till You Drop wasn’t expected to match the fidelity of the Xbox, and for the most part, Willamette’s mall survived the transition astonishingly well. The game’s framerate is remarkably steady, helped by the reduction of on-screen undead. In order to maintain a fluid refresh rate, the game’s draw distance can be frustratingly diminutive; zombies would appear before us when racing through the mall on a skateboard.