"I have no abhorrence of danger, except in its absolute effect- in terror." -Edgar Allen Poe

"I think I just messed myself." -M. Einstein

"You have to hit the brain! Destroying the brain worked in the movie!" -Ernie

"What if the movie lied?!" - Freddy

Before the main course of Dead Rising 2 releases at the end of September, Capcom decided to create some XBLA-exclusive pre-release downloadable content in the form of Dead Rising 2: Case Zero.  A reward for our patience?  Something to tide us over until Dead Rising 2 Proper comes out?  A reason to slaughter countless zombies in creative ways, while helping or ignoring survivors of the zombie outbreak?  All of the above, looks like below:

 Sure, killing zombies has been around for a good time now, since Resident Evil brought it to the gamers in a big way back in 1996 on the PSX.  Sure, there were probably zombie-killing games earlier than this one, but this was the title that brought us survival horror, and all the good and bad that goes along with it.  Dead Rising released over 4 years ago, and took that zombie-killing horror, and mixed it with the dark humor and over-the-top silliness and violence of "no, sorry, we aren't anything like George Romero's" Dawn of the Dead: trapped in a mall, looking for a way out, saving people and killing psychopaths while trying to stay alive and using creative ways to kill, eat, and dress.  A social commentary of the way people wander through malls and shop, even though they don't know why they are there or what they are shopping for.

Dead Rising 2 promises more insanity, in Fortune City/ Las Vegas, with more creative kills and the addition of mild sexual content and a reason to fight other than to save yourself: to protect your daughter, Katey.  We're introduced to Katey and Chuck (your character) with Case: Zero, $5 on the XBLA.  I've played through Case: Zero about 4 times, and died in the process 3 times.  Let me say that this game left me wanting more.  Not in a bad way, but a good way.  I want to kill more zombies, try more weapons, maybe save a soul or three, and save my kid.  The one thing stuck in my head is wondering if, upon defeating Dead Rising 2, Katey turns around and kills Chuck.  It's the romantic in me, or the reverse-Oedipal problem that nobody really faces outside of Greek mythology or the backwoods of West Virginia. 

Above:  Chuck's truck, contents?  Katey's Zombrex.

Katey is dependant on Zombrex, I suppose that's like that garlic sauce that Blade uses to fight of the thirst of being a vampire.  When Chuck and Katey are stranded in Still Creek, Chuck's supply of Zombrex and his pick-up were stolen by somebody who we will meet again later in Case:Zero.  You can buy Zombrex from the pawn shop (huh?), and you can find Zombrex in an ambulance in the quarantine zone (just follow the map), but you will have decisions to make later on in the game regarding the Zombrex.  The first couple of play-throughs I attempted, I couldn't ration the Zombrex properly, until I was able to level up and get a better hold of money, map, and time management.  Game save management has become less of a chore as well, Capcom gives us 3 save slots instead of the 1 save slot from the first Dead Rising.  It may not seem like much, but 3 is better than 1 in this case.  Much better.

Aside from the character introductions and the snappy upgrade in graphics and visuals, we are given the newest gift in zombie-killing.  That would be combining weapons.  They are pre-set combos, which is a little disappointing, until you use the drill-bucket weapon on a zombie's dome, or the chainsaw-kayak paddle combo to mow through mobs of undead, not because you necessarily have to do it, but because you definitely want to do it. 

Above: The Paddlesaw- use it, abuse it, enjoy it.

The two things you will never have a problem killing in videogames: Nazis. Zombies.  It's that easy.  There is a pretty useless weapon combo: add spray paint can to a traffic cone and you get.. an air horn?  Sure it annoys the zombies, and I saw some heads pop with the use of the horn, but.. really? A fekkin' air horn? 

Killing zombies can distract you from rescue missions, and the mission Chuck has to find and rebuild a motocross bike so he and Katey can get the hell out of Dodge, here excellently portrayed by the town of Still Creek. Population: lots of zombies.  In fact, tons of zombies for such a small town in the middle of nowhere... how in the world did they get there?  No matter, they want to kill me, and I want to kill them.

Sure, killing zombies is fun, but collecting motorbike pieces is, well, it's kind of tedious.  When you get familiar with Still Creek, it becomes less of a chore because you'll know where the pieces are, you just have to get them at the right time.  Some of you will play this several times for fun, some for completion, some just for a demo.  As an XBLA game, this thing is packed with stuff to do, lots of dialogue, lots of blood, and a nice amount of zombies on the screen at a time.  The loading is a bit annoying, but it feels much better than Dead Rising's "load screens for every screen" yawn-inducing catatonia.  For $5, it's a pretty good idea of what fun might be waiting for you in Fortune City with Chuck, Katey, some other living people, and thousands upon thousands of the undead.  Ed Wood, eat your heart out! 

We give Case: Zero 4 Smilin' Zombies out of 5.