Dead Rising 2: Case Zero - Available Now

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Dead Rising 2: Case Zero, the game that fills in the gaps between the original zombie action game and the sequel, hits the Xbox 360 exclusively on Aug. 31, Capcom confirmed today.

The downloadable game will cost 400 Microsoft Points and introduces players to Dead Rising 2's hero Chuck Greene. And that's a price that's not making Capcom any money, according to Keiji Inafune, Capcom's Head of R&D Management Group and Executive Producer for Dead Rising 2.

"We're not making any money on this," Inafune said during today's Comic-Con panel for the game. "I went against the company's wishes and went for the 400 MSP price point"

"With Dead Rising 2: CASE ZERO we had two goals: provide newcomers with an easy point of entry to the Dead Rising universe, and give fans of the series an insight into what took place after Frank West survived the outbreak at the Willamette Mall," Inafune said in a prepared statement. "We have certainly achieved both of these ambitions but I am equally pleased that we are able to give gamers so much unique and entertaining content at such a great price."

Dead Rising 2: Case Zero takes place two years after the events of the original Dead Rising and three years before the beginning of Dead Rising 2. In the prequel, Greene is trapped in the zombie-infested desert town of Still Creek with his infected daughter, Katey.

The prequel will give players access to Greene's weapon-building skills. Players who buy the prequel will also be able to carry over character attributes earned such as ‘Player Level', to a maximum of five, ‘Prestige Points' alongside skills, ‘Combo Cards' and a number of alternate outfits.

When I spoke with Capcom earlier this year about the prequel they said there were no plans to bring Case Zero to the Playstation 3.

http://kotaku.com/5594032/dead-rising-2-case-zero-hits-xbox-360-next-month/gallery/
 
I'll still get this but $5 for a "prequel" demo? It just takes one game to start it then other games will jump on board and start selling "demos".
 
[quote name='theredworm']I'll still get this but $5 for a "prequel" demo? It just takes one game to start it then other games will jump on board and start selling "demos".[/QUOTE]

You're naive to think this is just a demo. They've developed content specifically for this release. It's a prequel to 2, not a demo of 2.
 
[quote name='theredworm']I'll still get this but $5 for a "prequel" demo? It just takes one game to start it then other games will jump on board and start selling "demos".[/QUOTE]
What if you download the demo of this supposed ''demo'' and you get it free won't you already be demoing the game for free and not for 400 points?
 
[quote name='LinkinPrime']400pts is crazy. I was totally expecting this to be 1200-1600pts.[/QUOTE]

Same, will most likely get this.
 
The 25 minutes part worries me a lot. Good thing that part came out before it was released. From interviews, they were saying 6 hours. How?
 
[quote name='mtxbass1']You're naive to think this is just a demo. They've developed content specifically for this release. It's a prequel to 2, not a demo of 2.[/QUOTE]

Doesn't matter if it's new content, this game is taking the place of a demo for DR2, ergo, this is essentially a $5 DR2 demo.

I'm down for 400pts, but it is definitely a slippery slope.
 
[quote name='Corvin']Doesn't matter if it's new content, this game is taking the place of a demo for DR2, ergo, this is essentially a $5 DR2 demo.

I'm down for 400pts, but it is definitely a slippery slope.[/QUOTE]

thank you
 
It's not a demo, so please stop complaining about being charged $5 to play it. It takes place in the town of Still Creek, which is NOT A MALL (demo argument already de-bunked!). It's an infected town, and it will explain the entire gap between DR and DR2.

Yes, it's going to be using the same gameplay engine that DR2 has. That does NOT mean it is a demo.

My God, they are releasing what will be a full-fledged XBLA title, for 400 points, something that never happens anymore, and people are STILL complaining. Sometimes I really hate the internet.
 
[quote name='Corvin']Doesn't matter if it's new content, this game is taking the place of a demo for DR2, ergo, this is essentially a $5 DR2 demo.

I'm down for 400pts, but it is definitely a slippery slope.[/QUOTE]

[quote name='theredworm']thank you[/QUOTE]

It can't be a demo if it's not the same game.

/incrediblysimplelogic
 
[quote name='LegendK7ll3r']It takes place in the town of Still Creek, which is NOT A MALL (demo argument already de-bunked!).[/QUOTE]

There is no "demo argument" to be had in the first place because it's not the same game. Freaking duh.
 
Its not a demo, its just standalone DLC that comes out before the full game. They took a level out of the full game and are charging you for it.

"Wont make any money off this."
 
I understand the slippery slope argument/concerns but Dead Rising is the only franchise that could get me to bite on something like this. I'm pretty excited; I just wish it was coming out sooner. I'm a bit concerned about the time issues. Some reports out of Comic Con have stated it can be beat in 25 mins but who knows if that's accurate. For 400 pts it's a day one purchase for me, regardless of the time.

/edit: Found this on Capcom's Community Facebook Page.

Just so you know Case Zero is around 2-3 hours in length and much longer to max it out. The version at Comic Con is an unfinished build that lasts 25 minutes. IGN clocked Case Zero in 25 minutes? They wish!
Click to expand...

:whee:
 
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Sold.

BTW, introduction =/= demo.

This is more like them selling the tutorial level of a game to you in advance, only better since it's 2-4 hrs long. I advocate them doing this with tons of games, especially RPGs.
 
[quote name='Schizophriend']Its not a demo, its just standalone DLC that comes out before the full game. They took a level out of the full game and are charging you for it.

[/QUOTE]

well said. Capcom is selling you modular pieces of the complete game. "pay as you go style." com'on, you've had to see this coming right?

Try it for $5, to see if you like it. < does that sound like a demo?

and regarding the 400 MS points? that's about the right amount they could have gotten away with without a major fan-based backlash. People will spring for $5 without whining too much, but going up to $7 or $10 for an *cough* 'excuse me' *cough* demo or XBLA game (whatever you wanna call it BS)? not likely.

Capcom has great licenses, and a fantastic fan base, myself included. But these marketing guys and trends are irking my patience.
 
[quote name='Schizophriend']Its not a demo, its just standalone DLC that comes out before the full game. They took a level out of the full game and are charging you for it.

"Wont make any money off this."
 
Considering this takes place 2 years after DR1 but 3 years BEFORE DR2...how can people think this is a demo? It wouldn't have made sense AT ALL to include this in DR2. It would have thrown the entire story off to skip ahead 3 years. Not to mention we're basically getting a chance to see the new game engine in action, as well as get a story that will fill us in on the last 5 years between the two games.

The ability to carry over your stats/levels is a nice bonus.
 
sad part is we're arguing whether this is or isn't a demo, vs the new gameplay features. [sigh]

let's end this once and for all, so we can all win and move on. shall we?

a demo is a sample of the game, a trial version, a timed version, or a few levels of the complete game. location or time line is irrelevant, because in a completed game, there are multiple locations and sometimes multiple time frames.

what 'Case Zero' basically is, is a 'prequel chapter' removed from Dead Rising 2, repackaged or 'disguised' and sold [off] as a separate DLC. A DLC that 'connects' directly into the sequel. So yes, it's both a demo and not a demo depending on your unique perspective. However, the thorn on your side should be that Capcom is charging Microsoft points [money] for it. The [biggest] downside is, they are actually removing [significant] content which should be included [in the final retail disc].

the GameStop ninja outfit is 'removed' content. replace the word 'removed' with 'exclusive' for more money. removing maps, levels (chapters), or characters also helps to make more money; assuming size and loyalty of fan base [following]. this trend or practice diminishes the original contents of the game and decreases end user value [price you paid for it vs contents].
 
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Demo or not, it should of been in the full game. End of story. This is just another company ripping people off. People don't need to be upset with it. If you don't like it don't buy it, but this isn't any different from a company announcing DLC before a game is even out. Its just an extended demo/early dlc which should of been included in the game.
 
[quote name='slickkill77']Demo or not, it should of been in the full game. End of story. [/QUOTE]

Nope. It's not like the Assassin's Creed download content where it's events that happened to the main character that are even referenced in the main game sold as separate content. This is a completely different story arc with the same game mechanics. It is not a missing piece of the Dead Rising 2 at all aside from filling in what happens in the years between the games so it's not like it's a missing piece of the game.

You don't have to like it, but it doesn't mean it's some sort of conspiracy from Capcom against gamers. There are far better examples of that.
 
I don't see how this is any different than games like Alan Wake or Heavy Rain having extra DLC chapters added to them after the game came out. But doing it before the game comes out allows you to build hype and familiarize people with the gameplay. If you're going to call this a demo, even though it has unique characters, location, achievements, etc, how can you call ANY game on the XBLA anything more than a "demo".

It's a shorter, more condensed story, that fits inside the bigger framework. Is Battlefield 1943 a "demo" for BC2? (I'm sure there are better examples...I'm just drawing a blank right now). If the story and gameplay are entirely self contained and self supported, what's wrong with selling it as a separate experience? Is this going to cause Dead Rising 2 to have shorter gameplay or not have a true demo of its own? I seriously doubt it. If not, then there's nothing to bitch about. If DR2 DOES have a short campaign and you blame Case Zero for it, then don't buy DR2 until it drops in price. You don't always have to buy games the day they come out, people.
 
[quote name='n8rockerasu']You don't always have to buy games the day they come out, people.[/QUOTE]

but then you'd miss out on gameplay content sold off to retailers as exclusives (cough*pre-order*cough). if and when those 'exclusives' end up on marketplace later on is a guess. if they never do, then the question is, 'do you want to end up SOL, or pony up early to CYA?'

the difference then is whether buying day-one at full price, or days later at significant discounts? this dollar difference is either your savings, or the 'insurance premium' for the complete 100% unrestricted gameplay experience.
 
[quote name='Mospeada_21']but then you'd miss out on gameplay content sold off to retailers as exclusives (cough*pre-order*cough). if and when those 'exclusives' end up on marketplace later on is a guess. if they never do, then the question is, 'do you want to end up SOL, or pony up early to CYA?'

the difference then is whether buying day-one at full price, or days later at significant discounts? this dollar difference is either your savings, or the 'insurance premium' for the complete 100% unrestricted gameplay experience.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, but the people concerned with that kind of thing also wouldn't be bitching about a $5 prequel XBLA game.
 
[quote name='n8rockerasu']Yeah, but the people concerned with that kind of thing also wouldn't be bitching about a $5 prequel XBLA game.[/QUOTE]

It's the new business strategies, getting the most out of a $60 retail game and as fast as possible, which conflicts with gamers' traditional perception of buying, paying for, and playing their games.

a) 100% complete game, $60.

6 months pass...

b) 100% complete game, now $20. Boo for publishers; great for consumers.

or

c) 10% of game, sold off as XBLA game $5. 75% of game, $60. 2% sold as exclusives to pre-orders, which may or may not be paid DLC later. Then more costume packs, map packs, expansion packs or modes, another $10-$30 for remaining 12%-15% of the game. Same game, now $65-$95.

6 months pass...

d) 75% of game, now $20. Acceptable for publishers; bogus for consumers. However, consumers may now restore the game to near 95%-100% of content with additional DLC purchases. Consumers still end up paying $25-$55. Publishers have protected themselves; "Why would consumers complain?"
 
I don't know, I don't think the "% of game" argument is very valid. Stop looking at things as being broken into pieces and start viewing them as separate products. When DR2 comes out, decide whether IT is worth $60. Don't worry about what DLC has been put out before it...or what might come out after it. Sure, costume bonuses and other crap that retailers give for pre-ordering can be enticing. But if all of that stuff is absolutely necessary for you to enjoy the game, you're starting to get into the territory of an obsession, and you're playing right into their hands.

Now, of course, everybody has certain games that they're just really big fans of, and they'll pay anything for. That's fine. We're all like that with something. My point was more geared toward people who buy every new release and then bitch when it's "too short", "too easy", etc. If you're going to argue that "75% of the game" isn't worth $60, then don't buy it. If you're saying that's not an option because you have to have the bonus costumes that come with pre-ordering the game, then they've got you by the balls anyway. Either learn to be less obsessive or deal with it.

Also, one option in your scenarios that you seemed to gloss over is that a lot of games now have "game of the year" or "platinum hits" versions which not only lower the price, but give you MORE bang for your buck by including DLC on the disc itself. Personally, I think buying a game at full price even though you don't think it's worth $60...just because you're worried about not being able to obtain a costume a few months later is ridiculous.
 
[quote name='Mospeada_21']It's the new business strategies, getting the most out of a $60 retail game and as fast as possible, which conflicts with gamers' traditional perception of buying, paying for, and playing their games.

a) 100% complete game, $60.

6 months pass...

b) 100% complete game, now $20. Boo for publishers; great for consumers.

or

c) 10% of game, sold off as XBLA game $5. 75% of game, $60. 2% sold as exclusives to pre-orders, which may or may not be paid DLC later. Then more costume packs, map packs, expansion packs or modes, another $10-$30 for remaining 12%-15% of the game. Same game, now $65-$95.

6 months pass...

d) 75% of game, now $20. Acceptable for publishers; bogus for consumers. However, consumers may now restore the game to near 95%-100% of content with additional DLC purchases. Consumers still end up paying $25-$55. Publishers have protected themselves; "Why would consumers complain?"[/QUOTE]

As a consumer who without fail strictly follows scenario B (as probably others who frequent this site do), I can guarantee that C and D have come up in publishers' board rooms simply because the window that a game is full price is far too small considering the time and development costs put into it, not to mention their losses in the second-hand market. From a business perspective, they've hit on a revenue flow that wasn't there before and circumvent the problems I described. Mos' idea of the perception of gamers to buy and play a complete product at launch is something that will most likely be finished by the end of this console generation and almost certainly by the start of the next.

With this in mind, I agree with n8 that you have to draw the line at what you want and just know going into the purchase that DLC will most likely be added later (or in this case, before). It will definitely be interesting to see how Case Zero sells and how much this translates into actual DR2 sales. If it does sell well, expect to see a ton more of this from pretty much every publisher.
 
[quote name='slickkill77']Demo or not, it should of been in the full game. End of story. This is just another company ripping people off. People don't need to be upset with it. If you don't like it don't buy it, but this isn't any different from a company announcing DLC before a game is even out. Its just an extended demo/early dlc which should of been included in the game.[/QUOTE]

Negative. Case Zero takes place 2 or 3 years BEFORE Dead Rising 2. It would feel out of place to play 2-4 hours of Case Zero and then be thrown into the present day where the full game picks up. Case Zero is an optional piece of DLC that allows people to get a taste of Dead Rising 2 for $5. Not to mention you can get your character up to level 5 and transfer that over to the new game.
 
I'm surprised nobody has brought up NBA 2K10 Draft Combine, that's the closest thing I could compare to Case Zero.... both of which are basically prequels to the games that have you leveling up and then bringing a character into the full game when it releases.

Draft Combine was also 400 pts.... and it also was sort of a sample of the full game.

I'd say as long as these come out at 400 pts (which is cheap enough), and have at least 3 hours of gameplay, and achievements, it's worth it without complaining.

I'd agree these are essentially demos, but they come out awhile before the real game and give you achievements and gameplay and everything
 
[quote name='SynGamer']Negative. Case Zero takes place 2 or 3 years BEFORE Dead Rising 2. It would feel out of place to play 2-4 hours of Case Zero and then be thrown into the present day where the full game picks up. Case Zero is an optional piece of DLC that allows people to get a taste of Dead Rising 2 for $5. Not to mention you can get your character up to level 5 and transfer that over to the new game.[/QUOTE]


Or it would be something unique and refreshing to the game. Whats the point of getting your character to level 5 if they are different characters? People complain about companies selling DLC early as it is and if this kind of thing takes precedents then all companies will do this. They will start leaving things out of the game and say "Oh we're giving you and early taste of the game for a low price".

It would be nice to know what happens in the 2-3 years between DR 1 & 2. So tell me this, if you don't play Case Zero then how will you know what happened? Its going to be some lame ass 2 minute cut scene or narrative. It would of been a hell of a lot cooler to play this at the beginning and then swing full force into the game.

Small example but at the beginning of Battlefield Bad Company 2 you play a WW2 mission. That's a complete departure from the normal game but its cool as hell to play. I would of been just fine playing some more WW2 missions before they went to the normal story. Its bad enough that most stories in games are becoming 6-8 hours if we are lucky and 3/4 of the time the story sucks.

I have no problem with people buying it. If you want to play something early then be my guest. I just don't agree with you that this is not a glorified demo/ or should of been included in the full game.
 
Demo argument or not i'm buying it on release day. It's just 400pts that most all of us pick up on the cheap and I loved the first Dead Rising.
 
[quote name='slickkill77']Small example but at the beginning of Battlefield Bad Company 2 you play a WW2 mission. That's a complete departure from the normal game but its cool as hell to play. I would of been just fine playing some more WW2 missions before they went to the normal story. Its bad enough that most stories in games are becoming 6-8 hours if we are lucky and 3/4 of the time the story sucks.
[/QUOTE]

That beginning was a huge factor into setting up the entire narrative of the single player of BC2.

This is a separate narrative that takes place between the timelines of the two games and is not essential to the narrative of Dead Rising 2.

They did not have to create it at all, and as a $5 extra side story for Dead Rising it certainly seems worth the content. If you don't agree there is no requirement to purchase Case Zero. Argueing about whether it should've been included is just chasing your own tail, it isn't part of the main game so further discussion about what you feel should or shouldn't be in the game is pointless. If you don't think that the content is worth the price then don't purchase it.

Personally I can't wait to kill some zombies tomorrow.
 
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Reviews should be going up tomorrow morning, though I wouldn't be surprised to see an early review from a site like IGN.

If you want a free demo, check out the trial and enjoy. I'm not sure what the demo specifically offers since I got the full version. If you want to play Case Zero with some persistence and the ability to carry over your save to DR2 and earn some easy achievements, you can pay the $5.
 
I picked it up this morning and played around with it for about 45 minutes. Seems worth the $5 so far. :)
 
Sigh, I wish they had released it over the weekend. I wont be able to put in any serious playtime for at least a week.
 
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