Capcom's Head of Research & Development Management Group and Online Business (breath) Keiji Inafune is all about the Western game market. In an internal interview on Capcom's website published earlier today, Inafune makes a variety of comments regarding Capcom's changing attitude with regards to the Western market. "I think I can only get away with saying this now, but I really thought that using the Xbox was the only way to break into overseas markets, and I took that hypothesis all the way," Inafune says in the piece, citing Lost Planet and Dead Rising as two prime examples of games targeted at Western audiences that were successful.

Speaking to the state of the video game industry and Capcom's relevance within it, he continues, "Up until now, we made games in Japan, and it was merely coincidental that those games sold overseas. But overseas game makers in regions like North America and Europe have gained strength, and it has become clear that this is the direction the game industry is going." We've heard statements like this before from MadWorld creator Atsushi Inaba, but never from such an influential and powerful figurehead within the Japanese development community. Considering the online multiplayer focus of the company's cadre of games both released and on the horizon, we think Capcom is putting its money where its mouth is.

Update: The reviews haven't exactly been pouring in for Dead Rising: Chop 'Till You Drop. We've added one more, but this can't be a good sign for the game.

It's been a rocky road to release for Capcom's Wii port, Dead Rising: Chop 'Till You Drop, and now that it is finally out, has all of the hate been warranted? Well, we can't answer that question, but we can offer you the next best thing: some reviews. Find the few scores available so far below and for those of you who have spent some time with it, be sure to drop your own two cents into our commenting fountain. We'll update the post as new reviews roll in.

• IGN (69/100): "A lot of corners have been cut to get this game on the Wii and the result is not the impressive next-gen experience it was on the 360. Rather, it's a breezy weekend diversion with some fun gameplay and subpar graphics."
• GameTrailers (69/100): "A more flexible save system is also a step in the right direction. Yet, the repetitive mission objectives and moronic AI ensure that the enjoyment you glean from it will be directly proportional to how much you enjoy using new weapons to kill zombies."
• Official Nintendo Magazine (68/100): "A real let-down. There are some great ideas in here but they're just not executed very well. Stick to Resident Evil 4."
• CVG (50/100): "Another example of a game that greatly underperforms on a perfectly capable console."

Seemingly aware of our penchant for writing headlines like this one, MTV's Stephen Totilo recently asked Resident Evil producer Jun Takeuchi whether or not Capcom would ever consider a Resident Evil / Dead Rising crossover project. Takeuchi's response: "No!" It makes sense, given that both series have rather disparate plotlines, different design philosophies and ... wait, what reason did he give?

"We can't have a Resident Evil character running around in just pants." Considering Chris Redfield is just barely able to squeeze his pythons through his shirt sleeves as it is, we're not sure how solid that reasoning is. Regardless, it looks like our dream of donning a Mega Man costume and then running over Albert Wesker with a lawnmower has been crushed.

In addition to the 'Challenge Quests' revealed earlier this week, Capcom has shown the first screens of another new mode for Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop: "THE SNIPER" mode. On the face of it, a series of sniper-rifle-based challenges that task Frank with shooting certain targets within a strict time limit -- red birds flying among flocks of blue birds, and zombies attacking people whom you are trying to protect -- sounds like a fun arcade-style addition to the game.

But we cannot support the "Kobun Mask Boom" mission. This mission puts everyone in Servbot helmets, and you must determine which of the wandering Servbot-people are zombies by observing their clothing and behavior. It's not the possibility of shooting innocent people that offends us -- it's the fact that this is almost a minigame about shooting Servbots, and that is not cool. Servbots are wonderful!

The latest edition of the Bionic Commando podcast includes a Q&A session with Dead Rising creator Keiji Inafune. Strangely, he seems unwilling to divulge many new details about Dead Rising 2, but talks in length about collaborating with a Western developer. The sequel has been farmed out to Canadian-based Blue Castle Games, but Inafune is eager to state that developers from the original game are working very closely with the DR2 team, with conference calls occurring every week.

"[Blue Castle Games] really understood the Japanese flavor that made Dead Rising so unique," says Inafune. "They showed me that they are serious about making a game that keeps that Capcom 'spice' intact, and so far it's going very well." He hopes to make Dead Rising 2 an improvement over the original, as the game will be developed from a global perspective. This level of collaboration between East and West, he says, is unprecedented for Capcom. Perhaps the Resident Evil team should look into trying something similar for its next title?

In terms of actual gameplay details, there's little to glean from the podcast. Inafune does mention that the new character will be much more interesting than Frank West, but doesn't want to give away too much right now. Blue Castle feels that keeping the time management aspect of the original game in the sequel is important, but is planning a much larger variety of mission objectives. Have a listen yourself for more Dead Rising 2 tidbits.

We're happy to report on something fairly rare: an element added to Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop, rather than removed. Sure, the new "Challenge Quests" seem to serve as replacements for the Achievements absent from the Wii game (or any Wii game), but they represent significant playable content not present in the Xbox 360 version. The fact that this is at all positive news makes it the best thing we've heard about Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop since the GaGaGa SP video.

Basically, the game features a selection of self-contained challenges. The few shown in these new screens include battling against giant zombies (not the most flattering way to show off your low-poly zombies), racing around the mall on a bike, and killing a group of zombies using only a soccer ball. No hands!

In the latest edition of Touch Ruminations, former DS and Wii Fanboy Lead David Hinkle talks about how lousy Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop looks and why the Wii needs to be taken more seriously. Basically, he just rants about stuff. The opinions expressed here belong to the author and don't necessarily reflect those of Joystiq, Weblogs Inc. or its affiliates.

You've seen it, right? Horrible, I know. How does something like this even happen? I don't have all of the answers, but being an individual that has worked in the Wii trenches for years now, I can tell you one thing: this isn't helping the Wii to get the respect it deserves.

That "Dead Rising 2" video from last week, that kinda looked like it could have been Dead Rising 2? It was totally Dead Rising 2. Capcom has officially announced the title not just for Xbox 360, but for PS3 and PC as well! The sequel occurs years after the events of the first game -- with the zombie virus now spread throughout the United States. The action will take place in the "gambling paradise of Fortune City". The main character is apparently no longer Frank West, but some guy in a jacket instead. Of course, Fortune City is filled with new junk with which to smash zombies, including, most importantly, that hamster ball/Atlasphere thing from the video!

As rumored, the game is being developed by Canada's Blue Castle Games. According to the press release, "A number of members from the original Dead Rising team will be working alongside Blue Castle Games throughout the development process," including producer Keiji Inafune.

Before watching the video we've posted after the jump which depicts Dead Rising: Chop Til' You Drop's version of the memorable "maintenance tunnel" sequence, we suggest strapping on your strongest pair of UV-protective eyewear. If you possess no such ocular shielding, here's a helpful site that can show you how to make one of those pinhole projector boxes you can use to view solar eclipses. It may be a bit too much artsy and craftsy trouble for you to go through for just one video, but we feel it's a necessary precaution.

We knew Capcom was going to be making a few cutbacks in order to make Dead Rising: CTYD Wii-friendly, such as a reduction in the maximum number of on-screen zombies. We don't really care about that -- but if the final version of the game offends our senses of sight and sound (and yes, even taste) as the post-jump video has, well, that would be a noteworthy cause for concern.

[Via GoNintendo]

A video is making the rounds on the internet supposedly confirming the existence of Dead Rising 2. The video makes reference to the events of the first game, also noting that a drug has been created to halt the spread of the zombie disease. We're guessing said drug wasn't too effective, as the video then moves on to showcase a casino / hotel environment filled with zombies. The video also mentions a discovery of some sort by Isabella Keyes, a lead character from the first game. Finally, was that a giant hamster ball?

Is this the first official confirmation of Dead Rising 2? We've contacted both the YouTube user who uploaded the video and Capcom for comment. In the meantime, let's not forget that Keiji Inafune himself stated the game was in the works during a (supposedly mistranslated) interview with Famitsu just last week. Watch the video after the break.

The Special Forces soldiers from Dead Rising are making a return appearance in the Wii remake Chop Till You Drop, storming the Willamette Mall to, basically, shoot at Frank West and take his pants. Well, it's more complicated than that, but as the new screens illustrate, that is what happens. And even though they aren't zombies, Frank seems perfectly happy to shoot them right back and take their pants guns.

With the game finally out in Japan on the 19th and North America on the 24th, we'll finally know the answer to the question of whether the Dead Rising Wii remake idea was worthwhile, or if the mad science experiment of reanimating the 360 game created a monster.

You don't have to be a seasoned photojournalist -- even one who's covered wars -- to recognize inconsistencies between Dead Rising: Chop Til You Drop and the Xbox 360 original. Now, Capcom's Colin Ferris has stepped up to defend the February release, stating that while the company is "quite concerned" over criticism of the title, it "was not designed for side-by-side graphics comparisons with the 360." Instead, the product marketing manager states simply that it "was designed to be a fun Wii game."

Ferris openly admits that the Wii-take won't look as "beautiful" as the original, nor will the Willamette Parkview Mall's escalators be as crowded with the recently deceased, facts we have already accepted, albeit begrudgingly. "Does that mean we should deny Wii gamers the joy that 360 owners had in surviving three days in a zombie-infested mall," asks Ferris. "The answer is, obviously, no." Dead Rising: Chop Til You Drop is expected to shamble onto retail shelves for the Wii on February 24.

We completely understand talk of a sequel to Lost Planet. With a movie in the works, it makes sense to revisit the misplaced orb that's so wonderfully overrun with bugs and mechs. As for Dead Rising 2 ... we want more Frank West in skimpy clothing. Also, we want to kill 53,000+ zombies again.

The mega man behind the Mega Man series and Capcom top dog, Keiji Inafune, recently sat down for a chat with Japanese mag Famitsu and was pretty direct about his forthcoming projects, making sure to refrain from beating around bushes. "We're finally putting out new Dead Rising and Lost Planet games," he exclaimed. He went on to say that Capcom is "thinking about multiplatform, and expanding upon both slightly from the Xbox 360 version."

CVG asked a Capcom UK spokesperson about the matter, who said that Dead Rising "was a huge success for us and is obviously the kind of game we'd like to continue to make." He elaborated further, adding that, "At the moment we have made no official announcement regarding a sequel. As the source is Famitsu, I can only suggest that it was a mistranslation." Mistranslation, huh?

So, what say you all? Want another Lost Planet? We know you want another Dead Rising already. We asked your mom and she said you loved the first game, so we're glad to be in agreement there.

He may have covered wars, but when Frank West makes a return visit to the Willamette Parkview Mall to buy a case of waggle, he'll do so without his trusty camera in tow. Rather than blaming brain freeze (journalists are prone to this, you see) Capcom explains that the shutterbug's best friend was chopped in favor of a camera of a different sort.

According to OMG Nintendo, Minoru Nakai, director and producer on Dead Rising: Chop Til You Drop, describes the upcoming Wii port as "a very different game" than the Xbox 360 original, with a Resident Evil 4-style camera that "stays fairly tight behind Frank." Apparently this makes snapping pics, erotic or otherwise, of the undead not work so well.

We hope Frank doesn't feel too naked without his trusty 35mm, though it looks like the photojournalist has that situation well in hand.

[Via N4G]

Here, Australia and New Zealand, take a few long, hard breaths into this paper bag, because everything's going to be okay. Capcom has moved to quash fears that the collapse of Red Ant, Capcom's distributor down under, would delay Capcom releases in the region.

The good folks from Capcom PR just mailed us to say that Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop wouldn't be moved from its original Aussie and Kiwi release date of February 27, and that future Wii titles such as MotoGP and Neopets Puzzle Adventure would still be released "in line" with other PAL territories.


[Via press release]