I'm still catching up on games released during my late summer vacation, and there are at least two more that I think are worth a few words. Not only do they represent a bit of inexpensive grownup fun, but they're also both made by independent Canadian studios.
The first is the Xbox Live-exclusive Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, developed by Vancouver-based Blue Castle Games and published by Capcom. Always up for some zombie mayhem, I got a kick out of its over-the-top action, which, like the original Dead Rising, has players using a wide variety of found objects as weapons while adding a new twist that lets us combine objects at a workbench to create, say, a baseball bat studded with nails or a shotgun taped to the handle of a rake. Lots of fun.
However, the most interesting thing about this game is that it turns the concept of downloadable content on its head. Rather than using DLC as a means of reaping a few more coins from people who have already purchased and enjoyed a game, Capcom rolled out Case Zero prior to the release of Dead Rising 2, essentially using it as a promotional tool.
You might be tempted to call it a paid demo, but it's more than that. The short story players experience-which sees a dad and his daughter spending a day in a desert town filled with zombies trying to build a motorbike so they can escape-isn't part of the boxed game. What's more, playing this pre-game chapter will put players at an advantage when they begin the full game, since they can hold onto the experience and cash they earn.
I think it's a smart way to roll the concepts of a demo, DLC, and tangible, useful player rewards all into one.
Of course, it could also backfire. If those who download Case Zero aren't satisfied with it and voice their opinion (as unsatisfied online customers are prone to do), then it could negatively affect sales of the retail game.
Luckily for Capcom, it doesn't look like this will be the case. Case Zero is a little shorter than some might like, but folks seem to love the ad-hoc weapons and bloody, zombie slaughtering action. In fact, Capcom just released a press release stating that the game "has broken all records on Xbox LIVE with the best week one unit sales in the history of all content distributed through Xbox LIVE Arcade."
That bodes well for the full game, also made by Blue Castle and slated for release on September 28th.
The other game I wanted to discuss in this post is Shank, a downloadable for Windows PCs, Xbox 360, and PlayStation 3 made by Klei Entertainment-another Vancouver studio-and published by Electronic Arts.
Like Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, Shank isn't for the faint of heart. The standout feature of this side-scrolling action game is its gruesome and highly stylized graphics, which show our muscle-bound titular hero slicing, pummelling, and shooting his way through hundreds of thugs.
The cartoon-style presentation is at once grisly and arty. Evidence of both qualities can be found in twilight scenes in which we see only Shank's dark silhouette as he mows down his enemies.
But there's more than just artistically crafted guts and gore.
The story, penned by God of War scribe Marianne Krawczyk, was clearly inspired by Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill films. It's a revenge tale that sees our protagonist remembering flashes of a past event that saw his wife kidnapped and him left for dead by his associates. Shank's goal is to methodically kill the perpetrators, each of whom appears as a game boss. Moments of dark humour will provoke chuckles, while the melodrama is succesful in making players sympathize with Shank's righteous retribution.
Plus, the action introduces a novel game mechanic that I absolutely loved. Called "pounce," players can touch a single button to leap into the air and land automatically on a nearby enemy before choosing the method of beating they'd like to dish out. It's a satisfying and reliable way of dealing with lesser baddies in large hordes.
It's not a particularly long game (around three hours by my watch, which includes deaths and restarts). And, despite the regular introduction of new melee and ranged weapons, the proceedings do end up becoming a bit repetitious.
However, Shank's style, story, and gratifying pounces combined to keep to keep me playing through to the end-which, if I'm being honest, doesn't happen all that often these days with me and side-scrolling beat-'em-ups. It's $15 well spent for adults with an appetite for stylized action.
Dead Rising 2: Case Zero
Platform: Xbox 360
Developer: Blue Castle Games
Publisher: Capcom
ESRB: Mature
Score: 7.5/10
Shank
Platform: Xbox 360 (reviewed), PlayStation 3, Windows PC
Developer: Klei Entertainment
Publisher: Electronic Arts
ESRB: Mature
Score: 8/10
Follow me on Twitter: @ chadsapieha