Zombie Goodness

So, to celebrate the new job (just waiting on criminal record from Jefferson County to make it official), I considered getting an Xbox 360. I've held out all this time by saying to myself that until it was "broken" by those special researchers or until it had a Grand Theft Auto title, I wouldn't spend the money. Well, that was before Dead Rising.

How to describe Dead Rising for those of you unfamiliar? Well, think of it this way: LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS OF ZOMBIES. A SHOPPING MALL. YOU AND A HANDFUL OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO SURVIVE UNTIL HELP ARRIVES. ANYTHING YOU CAN GRAB IS A WEAPON. GOOD LUCK AND GO TO IT.

Obviously I was sold at a single commercial for that game. I mean, geez. Zombies?! In a mall?! Fuck Reptilia Squamata Serpentes On An Air Transport Vehicle!!! Sold! So we took our gift cards and rewards checks from the camera purchase and applied them to an Xbox 360, Dead Rising, and assorted "extras." It was on.

Let me just state for the record. One, I love zombie films. Most horror films I could miss without a care. But zombie films? Oh yeah. Two, this game is like all of my worst nightmares come to video game life: zombies, trapped in circuitous routes, being constantly pursued, near impossibility of survival. My palms sweat just thinking about it all. Three, surround-sound was invented for the sole purpose of scaring the pants off of you while playing zombie games.

This game is just creepy. With 5.1 surround sound, it gets even creepier. I love it. I actually had to stop playing because my instincts were getting put on high-alert and I was having trouble calming down while playing. This wasn't just adrenaline rush of gaming...this was outright fight-or-flight craziness brought on by a video game. Ugh.

If you have a 360, I recommend at least a rental of Dead Rising. If you love zombie movies, I'd recommend you get this game. And if you have a 360 and are on Live, let me know...maybe we have a game in common and can play online sometime.