10 Times Video Games Got Weapons Wrong
5. A Pen Might Just Be Mightier - Dead Rising
Anyone that has completed any of the games in Dead Rising series can vouch for the sheer creative brilliance that goes into the choice of weaponry at the player's disposal. For this entry I will be discussing the weapons available pre-combos, and analysing the melee options available in protagonist Frank West's first outing.
Featuring a total of 141 weapons - not including modes of transport - Dead Rising displays one of the largest and most diverse arsenals in video game history. Optional weapons include baseball bats, park benches, soda cans, parasols, mannequins and toy swords.
In order to keep the game balanced, a fairly restrictive durability feature is built in to every weapon, but the decisions made for the game certainly raise some eyebrows in the real world.
A favourite of the series is the Katana. Lasting 20 hits before breaking and doing 500 damage per swing, the Katana is powerful but should be used sparingly. Strangely though, when compared to the Acoustic Guitar, you could almost argue that this melodic instrument is a better weapon. The flimsy wooden Acoustic Guitar also does 500 damage when thrown, but lasts 40 hits, double that of the made-for-combat steel Katana.
I think I know what I'd rather be hit by.