PlayStation 3

Dead Rising 2: Off the Record

Whether or not Off the Record is a good idea is a pretty difficult question to answer. If you enjoyed Dead Rising 2, then Off the Record is much of the same with a few new weapons, missions, a new environment, and the return of the camera system from the first game. The time limit-free sandbox mode is a welcome addition to the series and one I hope they carry into the inevitable Dead Rising 3. However, if the wacky story, forgettable cast of characters, and repetitive gameplay are starting to wear out their welcome, than Off the Record might not be worth it for you. It's tough shaking the feeling that this game offers little to make it worthwhile to anyone who played the second game, but if you're itching for some more gory zombie action, then Off the Record shouldn't disappoint.

Para bien o para mal, no hay mucho más que decir de Dead Rising 2: Off The Record que no se haya dicho ya en los análisis anteriores de otros capítulos de la franquicia. Básicamente es el mismo juego que Dead Rising 2, pero aprovechando para hacer una "versión del director", añadiendo nuevas armas, zonas, un nuevo modo de juego y puliendo técnicamente algunos aspectos. Y además, se nos presenta una nueva historia protagonizada por el héroe original, Frank West, que está mejor narrada y adaptada en muchos aspectos que la que vivimos con Chuck hace un año. De hecho, es de esos detalles que te hacen preguntarte cuál debería ser la segunda entrega oficial. Dead Rising 2: Off The Record tiene novedades muy interesantes y mantiene todo el encanto jugable de episodios anteriores, por lo que, dado que sale a precio reducido, los amantes de la franquicia (y sobre todo los del primer Dead Rising) tienen alicientes de sobra para volver a adentrarse en Fortune City.

Dead Rising is a unique experience that no other franchise quite replicates. But part of the appeal lies in how different it is from other games. There have now been four Dead Rising games released in little more than a year, and this may be a case of too much of a good thing. Off the Record just doesn't do enough to differentiate itself from previous games in the series, so even the most ardent fans should be resistant to dive in again. And those immune to the lure of mass zombie slaying in the past still don't have a worthwhile reason to take the plunge because the Sandbox mode is so tiresome. This is still a well-designed game with a humor and style all its own, but there's not much here that you can't find elsewhere. Off the Record is a good game, but ultimately a redundant one.

Les esprits chagrins qualifieront sans doute Off the Record de nouvelle skin pour Dead Rising 2, et ils n'auront pas foncièrement tort : en reprenant l'environnement, l'intrigue, de nombreuses missions, et les mécaniques de jeu de sa précédente production, Capcom devait s'attendre à ce genre de critiques. Il faut cependant reconnaître que le retour de Frank West et de son appareil photo apporte un petit plus à l'aventure, et que la présence d'une nouvelle zone et du mode Bac à Sable est bien agréable. Reste qu'au final il est bien difficile de recommander l'achat du jeu aux personnes ayant retourné Dead Rising 2 dans tous les sens, car même à 40€ cet Off the Record reste trop proche de son prédécesseur, souffrant d'ailleurs des mêmes lacunes techniques. Si toutefois vous n'avez jamais mis la main sur le jeu original, vous pouvez foncer sans état d'âme sur ce spin-off plus complet et tout aussi jouissif.

Off The Record is the way Dead Rising 2 should have been to begin with. But the lack of improvements to the aging gameplay, it is clear that this game is a quick repressing that didn't get the love it truly deserved.

Off the Record strikes me as a strange product. There are a lot of reasons to fondly remember Frank West, and it's fun to see him back in action here, even if he's put on a few. But the way this game depicts Frank going through nearly the same story you've seen before sort of cheapens the existence of the original Dead Rising 2. Video games are such a blatantly sequel-driven medium that I'm genuinely impressed any time a franchise makes a move as bold as replacing its protagonist, and moreover, Chuck Greene was a likable guy who did a respectable job with the whole reluctant-hero thing. Off the Record almost feels like it's giving up and saying, "OK, fine, here's that original guy you were so attached to." What this game means for a possible third Dead Rising remains to be seen, but at present, your interest in Off the Record should be directly dictated by how much Dead Rising 2 you've already played, and how much more you're still eager to play now.

Vous aurez compris que si Dead Rising 2 Off The Record ne s'adresse pas nécessairement aux fans du premier opus dans le sens où il n'apporte quasiment rien de neuf, il reste cependant un bon investissement vendu à «bas prix» pour tous les autres joueurs n'ayant pas encore franchi le pas. On y retrouve avec plaisir l'antihéros qu'est Franck West et si on a beaucoup de mal à adhérer à la politique de recyclage de Capcom (d'autant qu'on retrouve tous les problèmes de l'oeuvre originale), il est indéniable que retourner à Fortune City nous fait encore son petit effet. Bref, à vous de voir dans quel camp vous vous situez et si l'achat de ce «nouveau» volet s'avère suffisamment intéressant pour vous.