Dead Rising 3

86%
Game Brain Score Based on 144 reviews
  • story
  • graphics
  • gameplay
Dead Rising 3 Game Cover
Sure, we’ve seen it all before but not only this scale before thanks to the slick graphics and highly addictive gameplay.
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Dead Rising 3 is a single-player Horror Adventure game with a stunning story and wonderful gameplay. Players explore the zombie-infested city of Los Perdidos, using anything as a weapon to survive until escape, in this heart-pounding experience with intense action and high customization in a massive open world. The game is known for its humor and creative, over-the-top ways to defeat hordes of zombies.

  • Play​station 4
  • Play​station 5
  • Xbox One
  • Xbox Series X|S
  • Play​Station
  • Xbox
Genres & TagsPlay Modes

Reviews

86%
Audience ScoreBased on 144 reviews
story39 positive mentions
stability3 negative mentions
  • Dead Rising 3 offers a vast open world filled with hundreds of zombies, allowing for chaotic and satisfying gameplay.
  • The game features an extensive weapon and vehicle combination system, providing players with creative ways to dispatch zombies.
  • The removal of the strict time limit from previous entries allows for more exploration and a more relaxed gameplay experience.
  • The game suffers from occasional technical issues, including frame rate drops and texture pop-in during intense action scenes.
  • Some players found the story and character development lacking, feeling that it didn't live up to the potential of the series.
  • The recipe management system for crafting weapons is poorly designed, making it difficult to find and utilize items effectively.
  • story146 mentions

    The story in the game is generally considered engaging and fun, featuring a mix of main missions and side quests that add depth, though it suffers from linearity and clichéd elements. While some players appreciate the urgency and twists, others find the narrative lacking in depth and exploration, often overshadowed by the gameplay focused on zombie slaying. Overall, it provides a decent backdrop for the action, but it may not leave a lasting impression for those seeking a more profound storyline.

    • “Though there are some silly Hollywood bad-guy moments and some contrived plot twists, the story is engaging and carries the game along, keeping up a sense of urgency and impending doom through most of the game.”
    • “The story works and fits into the previous stories, and I think would even make Romero smile.”
    • “The story is fun, with a few little twists that keep it interesting.”
    • “The story is pretty bad for starters.”
    • “The story is full of clichéd characters and your typical hero trying to escape the city.”
    • “The lack of exploration in the story is a bit disappointing and leaves me wanting more.”
  • graphics52 mentions

    The graphics in Dead Rising 3 are generally praised for their quality and improvement over previous titles, offering a vibrant and engaging visual experience, especially in the context of a launch title. However, some reviewers noted that the visuals do not represent a significant leap forward for next-gen consoles, with occasional frame rate dips and minor lighting issues. Overall, while the graphics may not reach the heights of other titles like Ryse or Forza, they effectively enhance the gameplay experience, particularly with the large number of zombies on screen.

    • “The graphics are amazing, the open world helps with one of the biggest problems in the old Dead Rising games, those constant loading screens.”
    • “The graphics are greatly improved and the combat is far more fluid and satisfying.”
    • “Graphics look amazing!”
    • “Not only did the graphics not seem to get a substantial leap above that of the 360, but the gameplay wasn't significantly affected by the integration of SmartGlass or the Kinect 2.0 voice recognition.”
    • “That being said, I was disappointed with the graphics and although it's a newly launched console, I was expecting a little more.”
    • “I wasn't impressed with the graphics; I was hoping for more.”
  • gameplay17 mentions

    The gameplay is highly praised for its smooth mechanics, extensive weapon and vehicle customization, and engaging main and side missions that enhance the overall experience. Players appreciate the removal of the timer and improvements in combat mechanics, making it accessible and enjoyable for both new and returning fans of the series. Overall, the combination of fun gameplay elements and impressive graphics creates a compelling experience for zombie game enthusiasts.

    • “The gameplay is great and I love all the potential weapons, the vehicles, and of course the combination of weapons/vehicles into more powerful versions.”
    • “The main mission itself is fun, but I really enjoy the side missions as well which allow you to earn more prestige points (for leveling) and they also work to integrate gameplay functions which you may otherwise miss.”
    • “Updated graphics, more accessible gameplay, tons of customizable weapons and vehicles, and all the zombies you could ever want filling your screen.”
    • “Not only did the graphics not seem to get a substantial leap above that of the 360, but the gameplay wasn't significantly affected by the integration of SmartGlass or the Kinect 2.0 voice recognition.”
    • “The core of the gameplay is strong; for fans of the combo-making series or even fans of zombies, there is plenty to enjoy.”
    • “That aside, the gameplay is much to what we have expected from a Dead Rising title.”
  • humor16 mentions

    The humor in Dead Rising 3 is characterized by its campy, tongue-in-cheek style, blending slapstick comedy with gory zombie action, which often leads to hilarious moments. Players enjoy the witty dialogue, amusing character interactions, and the absurdity of the game's outfits and combo weapons, making for a fun co-op experience. However, some reviewers noted that the overall grim setting contrasts sharply with the humor, creating a unique but sometimes jarring atmosphere.

    • “What really makes Dead Rising 3 worth playing is the huge amount of collectibles lying around the fairly large game space and the humor and silliness of the game itself...a sort of tongue-in-cheek, slapstick humor where chopping off heads and running over zombies with a steamroller makes you chuckle a little every time.”
    • “I play it with my husband and we just have a blast with Dead Rising 3. The witty and comical things the characters say, and the animated action they do will make you fall off your gamer chairs laughing.”
    • “The combo weapons and vehicles are hilarious.”
  • replayability8 mentions

    Overall, the game's replayability is mixed; while some players appreciate the different difficulty levels and the potential for enjoyable co-op experiences, others find the DLC short and lacking in replay value compared to previous titles in the series. Despite these criticisms, many still consider it a worthwhile purchase due to its engaging gameplay and significant replay potential.

    • “There's a ton of replay value and the DLC is worth a purchase as well if you're looking for more.”
    • “A must buy with huge replayability.”
    • “[Staggering number of zombies onscreen, visceral combat mixed with scavenging, easy drop-in, drop-out co-op multiplayer, solid use of new Xbox One tech, fantastic evolution in the series, great replay value.]”
    • “For $30, I've played some ridiculously awesome budget titles, but these DLCs are so short and so non-replayable that, knowing what I know now, would never have convinced me to pay upfront.”
    • “The game isn't incredibly long, and replay value is probably kind of low, especially compared to the previous DR2: Off the Record, where they added game modes.”
    • “There are also different difficulty levels, which makes the game replayable.”
  • music3 mentions

    Players generally praise the game's music, describing it as great and well-integrated with the overall sound design. However, some users experience performance issues, particularly lag, when playing music through external apps while the game is running, especially during intense moments with many zombies on screen.

    • “Overview: graphics great, sound great, music great.”
    • “The game is consistently slow when there are a lot of zombies on screen, even without anything snapped, but I play music through Xbox Music while I play games, and the lag was pretty bad at times.”
  • stability3 mentions

    Overall, players report that the game offers a smooth and visually appealing experience with minimal lag or glitches. However, some users note the presence of minor glitches and a lack of innovation that slightly detracts from its overall stability.

    • “Dead Rising 3 is over the top, bloodthirsty fun at its finest, albeit with some minor glitches and a lack of innovation that prevents it from being perfect.”
  • grinding2 mentions

    Players find the grinding aspect of the game to be tedious and repetitive, which can detract from long play sessions. While some acknowledge that it becomes easier over time, many feel it lacks engaging elements to sustain their interest.

    • “It does get tedious and repetitive, but understand, this is part of the game, and it will get easier.”
    • “However, I still find the game to be tedious and lacks something to make it suitable for long playthrough sessions.”
  • optimization1 mentions

    The game's optimization has been criticized for its poor technical performance, leading to issues such as lag and frame rate drops that detract from the overall experience.

    • “The game suffers from poor technical performance, leading to frequent frame drops and stuttering.”
    • “Optimization is severely lacking, making it difficult to enjoy the game even on high-end hardware.”
    • “I experienced constant crashes and long loading times, which really detracted from the overall experience.”
Positive mentions (%)Positive
Neutral mentions (%)Neutral
Negative mentions (%)Negative

Critic Reviews

79% average critic score

Play time

50hMedian play time
50hAverage play time
50-50hSpent by most gamers
*Based on 2 analyzed playthroughs

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