Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster: XBox Review

Developed by Capcom
Released by Capcom
Platform: Xbox Series X

It's very tempting to make a statement that zombie game Dead Rising has risen from the grave in this remaster of the 2006 fan favourite.

To the uninitiated, it's a simple story - freelance photographer Frank West has heard rumours of the army taking over a town called Willamette. Choppered in, Frank finds himself trapped in the town's mall, surrounded by zombies and with hapless citizens to protect and escape.

Essentially, Dead Rising was just a take on the George Romero movie Dawn of the Dead. But this remake has had a visual upgrade and once over rendering it a bit more in line with the gaming world of 2024.

While combat has not changed - it's a case of simply grabbing objects from around the mall and bashing the living daylights out of your opponents, minor graphic changes have made the game a little more playable and AI elements in the survivors have helped improve the quality of what transpires.

From survivors now no longer finding themselves stuck in situations and actively aiding Frank as he endeavours to help them, there is much on display here that makes the game a joy to play. Granted, there are still elements from 2006 that find their unwelcome way into the game - from outdated play models to weak gun play.

But Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster's MO is simply to have you trying to survive its pulpier elements. It's a throwback in many ways, along with its flaws, but it succeeds by being playable and disposable enough entertainment from the past.

Sonic X Shadow Generations: PS5 Review

Developed by Sonic Team
Published by Sega
Platform: PS5

Sonic the Hedgehog continues to live on in pop culture.

From the cinematic reinventions to the continual presence in the gaming world, it's clear the blue blur shows no signs of slowing down whatsoever. 

Containing a remastered version of Sonic Generations from 2011, the game shines more with the addition of events from Sonic's enemy Shadow's point of view. Setting him among scenes that have become part of the Sonic canon gives the game an edge and point of difference.

But as well as the 2D platforming of Sonic itself, the 3D iteration of Shadow's game makes everything feel different thanks to new powers and the ability to slow time down to avoid obstructions. This Matrix-style bullet time seems like an odd ability to add in but what it does, is give the game an edge that Sonic's raceabout mentality never really had.

From the Chaos Dash to an ability to fly, the developers have thrown a lot at Shadow to ensure the character stands out and the gameplay feels different. As a result, this new element feels radically engaging in ways that would be totally unexpected.

As a combination, Sonic X Shadow Generations may at times feel like an attempt to flesh out the Shadow character before he appears on screens over Christmas, but as a Sonic game, it does much to add a welcome edge to a consistently high-performing platformer.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to everyone who reads this site.

All the best for 2025!