Quick note: just need to add a file to the game folder to disable the 30 FPS limit. Google it.

I originally started with Dead Rising 2 on the Playstation years ago, and decided to buy the complete series for PC. I've been playing through each of them from 1 to 4, but I've skipped 2 OTR because I just had completed 2 twice.

My major complaint with 2 was the keybinds were missing, like it was ported from console with minimal effort to support PC features. I figured out what keys are available (a limited set) and had to map via editing the keymap file in the game folder.

Fortunately, Dead Rising 3 is not burdened with the feeling it was shoveled on to PC, rather it feels native to PC. The keybinds are complete, I had no issues with selecting my own keys, and further, the game displays in-game the right keyboard hints unlike how DR2 will show WASD even if you mapped the arrow keys.

Okay, controls are really a big thing for me, obviously, but beyond this, the game is so much more what I wanted. It's an open world game which has several modes of gameplay. The standard single player mode allows you to explore at your leisure, and I never ran out of time on a mission, like the old games would do.

Some major differences, though, come from the survivors you encounter. Some just run off, but others will never leave your side. I was confused by this, as I expected to lead them to safety, but I didn't know how, so the first three that joined me died in battle. I later learned that you can turn them on or off with the Survivor Bulletin Board which exists in the 4 safe houses.

Unlike the previous game, you aren't forced directly in to a safe zone, you have to clear one out before you can use it. This added to my confusion, as you are lead to a garage which has no save points.

There are no scratch card type crafting, so you must find a blueprint in the wild or gain them through encounters. This means no trial and error combos. Another difference is that you can craft anywhere, so no more needing to find a maintenance closet. Also, there are combos of combos, which help fill out the over 100 weapon combos.

The gameplay is different. It feels like a different game, unlike how the first two were. The item selection is frustrating, when trying to pick up an object or try on a clothing item. Too often you wind up cycling between items, and worse, your posse will stand really close to you and you'll wind up swapping weapons with them accidentally as well.

The player movement seems to respond a bit delayed, same with camera moves. Once you get used to it, it's fine, but it takes some time. At the very beginning, I couldn't even figure out how to pick objects up, it seems like I had to hit pickup twice to get it to work. It got better once the intro phase was over, but still isn't ideal.

The map is a good size. It's great to have so much area to explore, but one thing that is annoying is trying to navigate past fixed barriers while in a vehicle. It's pretty much better to abandon a vehicle and hop a barrier and find another on the other side. Another plus is that the 4 areas are not landlocked like in GTA. You can go anywhere once the game begins, except inside certain buildings or the graveyard.

Another interesting thing is the persistence of the gameplay objects. Once you use it, it's gone from the rest of the game. If you move your a car, it will stay there. Some items, though, like boxes and crates, will continually respawn after you leave the area. Also, there are some crates or weapons or food that are infinite supplies. This seems like a huge problem as you'll quickly realize you can't find some objects needed for making combos you've already made. Well, here is the interesting part - all weapons you've previously held will be available from the weapons lockers in the safe houses, including boss weapons. No need to gather the items to make the same combos over and over again, just select what you want and go. Also, you can acquire skills that allow you to substitute objects within a class (blunt objects, axes, etc.), so you won't need a perfect match when using a formula.

Survivors can use some combo weapons now, which is great. Also, feeding them will not require that they give up a weapon. This is a nice change.

One flaw is the save system. While it saves without leaving the gameplay when you hit a toilet or portapotty, it doesn't seem to have slots like the previous versions. Others have also complained about bugged saves, so it would be wise to manually backup your save data occasionally.

Ultimately, this is a different game. It's not full of all the same silliness of the others, so it has a more sterile and less campy tone. There aren't big fuzzy dice to roll a 7 with to earn PP, there isn't even money, but I'm fine with this. I'd rather not play the same game over and over again with a different wrapper. I'm enjoying it.

Some have complained that the game drags. If they want, there is a mode that matches the original games pace, so the option is there. Also, this has multiplayer support, which I've not tried yet, but you can play offline as well.

Quick note: just need to add a file to the game folder to disable the 30 FPS limit. Google it. I originally started with Dead Rising 2 on the Playstation years ago, and decided to buy the complete series for PC. I've been playing through each of them from 1 to 4, but I've skipped 2 OTR because I just had completed 2 twice. My major complaint with 2 was the keybinds were missing, like it was ported from console with minimal effort to support PC features. I figured out what keys are available (a limited set) and had to map via editing the keymap file in the game folder. Fortunately, Dead Rising 3 is not burdened with the feeling it was shoveled on to PC, rather it feels native to PC. The keybinds are complete, I had no issues with selecting my own keys, and further, the game displays in-game the right keyboard hints unlike how DR2 will show WASD even if you mapped the arrow keys. Okay, controls are really a big thing for me, obviously, but beyond this, the game is so much more what I wanted. It's an open world game which has several modes of gameplay. The standard single player mode allows you to explore at your leisure, and I never ran out of time on a mission, like the old games would do. Some major differences, though, come from the survivors you encounter. Some just run off, but others will never leave your side. I was confused by this, as I expected to lead them to safety, but I didn't know how, so the first three that joined me died in battle. I later learned that you can turn them on or off with the Survivor Bulletin Board which exists in the 4 safe houses. Unlike the previous game, you aren't forced directly in to a safe zone, you have to clear one out before you can use it. This added to my confusion, as you are lead to a garage which has no save points. There are no scratch card type crafting, so you must find a blueprint in the wild or gain them through encounters. This means no trial and error combos. Another difference is that you can craft anywhere, so no more needing to find a maintenance closet. Also, there are combos of combos, which help fill out the over 100 weapon combos. The gameplay is different. It feels like a different game, unlike how the first two were. The item selection is frustrating, when trying to pick up an object or try on a clothing item. Too often you wind up cycling between items, and worse, your posse will stand really close to you and you'll wind up swapping weapons with them accidentally as well. The player movement seems to respond a bit delayed, same with camera moves. Once you get used to it, it's fine, but it takes some time. At the very beginning, I couldn't even figure out how to pick objects up, it seems like I had to hit pickup twice to get it to work. It got better once the intro phase was over, but still isn't ideal. The map is a good size. It's great to have so much area to explore, but one thing that is annoying is trying to navigate past fixed barriers while in a vehicle. It's pretty much better to abandon a vehicle and hop a barrier and find another on the other side. Another plus is that the 4 areas are not landlocked like in GTA. You can go anywhere once the game begins, except inside certain buildings or the graveyard. Another interesting thing is the persistence of the gameplay objects. Once you use it, it's gone from the rest of the game. If you move your a car, it will stay there. Some items, though, like boxes and crates, will continually respawn after you leave the area. Also, there are some crates or weapons or food that are infinite supplies. This seems like a huge problem as you'll quickly realize you can't find some objects needed for making combos you've already made. Well, here is the interesting part - all weapons you've previously held will be available from the weapons lockers in the safe houses, including boss weapons. No need to gather the items to make the same combos over and over again, just select what you want and go. Also, you can acquire skills that allow you to substitute objects within a class (blunt objects, axes, etc.), so you won't need a perfect match when using a formula. Survivors can use some combo weapons now, which is great. Also, feeding them will not require that they give up a weapon. This is a nice change. One flaw is the save system. While it saves without leaving the gameplay when you hit a toilet or portapotty, it doesn't seem to have slots like the previous versions. Others have also complained about bugged saves, so it would be wise to manually backup your save data occasionally. Ultimately, this is a different game. It's not full of all the same silliness of the others, so it has a more sterile and less campy tone. There aren't big fuzzy dice to roll a 7 with to earn PP, there isn't even money, but I'm fine with this. I'd rather not play the same game over and over again with a different wrapper. I'm enjoying it. Some have complained that the game drags. If they want, there is a mode that matches the original games pace, so the option is there. Also, this has multiplayer support, which I've not tried yet, but you can play offline as well.