10 Times Changing Protagonists Killed Video Games
6. Dead Rising 4 (2016)
There was a time when the Dead Rising games were the undisputed champion of the zombie genre. While their strict countdown timers added a palpable sense of urgency, they also allowed players to combine a canoe paddle with a chainsaw and slaughter hordes of undead while dressed in a ridiculous costume. It was a unique formula that made for an experience that was as grippingly tense as it was bonkers.
After establishing the series' tone in the first game, original protagonist Frank West returned in Dead Rising 4 after a long absence. While the reappearance of this fan favourite character was embraced by longtime fans, it soon became clear that this wasn't the Frank that players remembered.
The fan backlash began before the game was released. When it was revealed that original voice actor Terence J. Rotolo would be replaced by Ty Olsson, angered fans created an online petition to bring back Rotolo.
This new Frank also leaned more heavily on his goofier side, subsequently turning him into a caricature of his former self. Combined with the removal of fundamental mechanics like the countdown timer, this wasn't just a different Frank; this wasn't a Dead Rising game.