Frank West returns to Willamette for a Black Friday outbreak. Image: Capcom Vancouver / Capcom
Dead Rising 4 is an open-world zombie action game from Capcom Vancouver, released on 6 December 2016. It brings back Frank West and sets a fresh outbreak in a Christmas-decorated Willamette — but it removes the series' defining time limit. That single change makes it the most accessible Dead Rising and the most divisive one among long-time fans.
Dead Rising 4 at a glance
| Developer | Capcom Vancouver |
| Publisher | Microsoft Studios (later Capcom) |
| Released | 6 December 2016 (Xbox One, Windows) · PS4 December 2017 |
| Setting | Willamette, Colorado — Black Friday and Christmas |
| Multiplayer | Four-player online co-op (separate from the campaign) |
| Length | ~10–12 hours campaign, 20+ with side content |
Which version should you buy?
Look for Dead Rising 4: Frank's Big Package. It is the complete edition and bundles everything released for the game:
- Frank Rising — a story epilogue where you play as a partially zombified Frank
- Super Ultra Dead Rising 4 Mini Golf — exactly what it sounds like
- Stocking Stuffer Holiday Pack — cosmetics and weapons
- Capcom Heroes — a mode letting Frank fight in costumes based on Mega Man, Street Fighter and other Capcom characters, each with its own moveset
Capcom Heroes is the most substantial addition and genuinely changes how combat plays. Buying the base game without it means missing the game's best extra.
What happened to the timer?
This is the change that defines Dead Rising 4, and how you feel about it will decide whether you enjoy the game.
Every previous Dead Rising ran on a strict clock. Missions expired, survivors died if you were slow, and the tension came from triaging what you could realistically save. It created genuine pressure and made replays meaningful.
Dead Rising 4 removes it entirely. You can explore Willamette indefinitely, hunt blueprints at your own pace and experiment with weapons without penalty.
Both reactions are fair. It is unquestionably more relaxing and less frustrating — no lost progress, no restarts. It also removes the mechanic that made the series distinctive, turning it into a more conventional open-world action game.
If you are new to the series, you will probably enjoy it. If you loved Dead Rising 2, you may find it hollow.
Zombie density is the highest in the series, and the frame rate holds up.
How is the combat?
The strongest part of the game, and a clear improvement on its predecessors.
Zombie density is dramatically higher — the screen fills with hundreds of enemies and the frame rate rarely suffers. That alone makes crowd fighting more satisfying than in any earlier entry.
Gunplay is genuinely fixed. Aiming is responsive rather than the loose approximation of previous games, so firearms are viable instead of a last resort.
Combo weapons return with the series' usual absurdity — a sledgehammer with grenades strapped to it, a launcher that fires swordfish, a nutcracker helmet that shoots bullets, an electrified wreath you drop over a zombie's head.
The Exo Suit is the biggest addition. Found around Willamette, it lets Frank swing oversized weapons and send zombies flying, and it can be modified with objects — attach a slushy machine and you freeze enemies before shattering them. It is time-limited but consistently entertaining.
Each weapon also has a special move that triggers after a kill streak, and clearing a crowd with one looks as good as it feels.
What about the story and Frank?
The plot is the weakest element. A new outbreak strikes Willamette on Black Friday and Frank returns to investigate, alongside Obscuris mercenaries, hostile survivors and new undead variants. It is functional and predictable.
Frank himself carries it. The writing gives him consistently good lines, and the photography mechanic — using his camera to find clues at crime scenes — provides a welcome change of pace, even if you will want to get back to fighting.
One point of contention: Frank is voiced by Ty Olsson rather than TJ Rotolo, who played him in earlier games. The performance is good but noticeably different, and long-time fans found the change jarring.
Is Dead Rising 4 worth playing in 2026?
It depends what you want from it.
Play it if you want a relaxed, funny open-world zombie game with excellent crowd combat and no pressure. The Christmas setting is a genuine novelty, and Capcom Heroes adds real variety.
Approach with caution if you are a series veteran. The missing timer, the thinner survivor system and the more conventional structure make this the least Dead Rising-feeling Dead Rising.
One piece of context worth knowing: Capcom Vancouver was closed in September 2018, and Dead Rising 4 was its final game. The series went quiet afterwards until Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster arrived in 2024, rebuilding the 2006 original.
If you are new to the series and want to understand what people love about it, the Deluxe Remaster is the better starting point. Come to Dead Rising 4 afterwards, knowing what it changed.
The Exo Suit is the standout new toy — and it can be modified with scenery.
Where can you buy Dead Rising 4?
- PC — Steam and the Microsoft Store
- Xbox — Microsoft Store, Xbox One and backward compatible on Series X|S
- PlayStation — PlayStation Store (Frank's Big Package, PS4)
Getting it cheaply, and getting the right edition
Dead Rising 4 has appeared on Xbox Game Pass and discounts heavily in Capcom publisher sales — the series is a regular fixture in Steam seasonal events. Always check whether the listing is Frank's Big Package or the base game, since the price difference is usually small but the content difference is not. Capcom also bundles Dead Rising titles together periodically, which is often the cheapest route if you want the earlier entries too.
A correction worth making: Dead Rising 4 was never released free — it was a full-price retail game, and cracked “free download” builds are illegal and a known malware vector. They also cannot access the four-player co-op mode, which requires official servers. IGGG Guides does not link to pirated software.
Dead Rising 4 FAQ
Does Dead Rising 4 have a time limit?
No. It is the only mainline entry without one. You can explore Willamette for as long as you like without failing missions.
What is Frank's Big Package?
The complete edition, bundling the base game with Frank Rising, Super Ultra Dead Rising 4 Mini Golf, the Stocking Stuffer Holiday Pack and Capcom Heroes.
Does it have co-op?
Yes — a separate four-player online co-op mode. The main campaign is single-player only.
How long is Dead Rising 4?
Around 10–12 hours for the campaign, or 20+ including side content, collectibles and Capcom Heroes.
Do you need to play the earlier Dead Rising games?
No. Dead Rising 4 tells a self-contained story. Knowing Frank from the first game adds context but nothing essential.
Is Dead Rising 4 scary?
Not really. It leans far more toward comedy and slapstick violence than horror.
The verdict
Dead Rising 4 is the most fun-to-play and least Dead Rising-like entry in the series. The combat is the best it has ever been, the Exo Suit and Capcom Heroes are genuinely entertaining, and the Christmas setting gives it a personality of its own.
What it loses is the tension that defined the series. Without the clock, Willamette becomes a playground rather than a crisis — more enjoyable minute to minute, less memorable overall.
Best for: newcomers who want relaxed, silly zombie combat with no pressure.
Skip if: the time limit and survivor triage were why you loved Dead Rising.
More from IGGG Guides:
- Silent Hill f review — everything we know
- Dying Light: The Beast — everything to know
- Borderlands 4 review — 150+ hours of gameplay insights
Last updated: 6 September 2026