Dead Rising 2

Zombies still hold a powerful grip over developers and players alike, with the shuffling brain-eaters generating a mass of excellent, high-selling games year in, year out. Dead Rising 2 is the latest offering, set in a post-outbreak world where humanity has contained the globe's undead populace. It offers a neat parody on the expensive yet life-saving drugs of today, with a rare infection-controlling drug, Zombrex, that unburdens the bitten and holds a gruesome grip on society. Of course, the oppressed zombie hordes inevitably escape their confines, leaving protagonist Chuck to secure a regular dose of the drug for his daughter while unravelling a conspiracy that explains the looming apocalypse. The relentlessly violent gameplay focuses largely on using improvised weapons to clear a path through waves of zombies, under the watchful eye of the clock. With the crowds of undead always inches away, the action is brilliantly tense and often exhausting. What could seem shallow is in fact a very well refined strategic action game, and mastering crowd manipulation becomes hugely rewarding. Dead Rising 2's knack for capturing the eerie spirit of Americana also stands out, giving Capcom's effort a cinematic polish to go with the hugely enjoyable zombie massacre.