Zombies (Dead Rising)



"What? Did you just say, "zombies"?!"

- Frank West, on Ryan's explanation

Zombies are parasitic hosts whose bodies are infected by Salem El Morabeth (an immunodeficiency virus) and taken over by genetically engineered wasp larvae, appearing in all seven games of the Dead Rising series. Their only purpose is to feed and multiply.

They were previously humans or animals who were infected with the parasitic larvae of the Ampulex Compressa Giganteus.

Zombification
When bitten by a zombie it takes, on average, 24 hours to become one, though it varies greatly from person to person. It can also depend on where the person is bitten (for example, a person bitten in the neck will transform within seconds which is shown in Dead Rising 2, while an arm bite may take longer). However, if a person is bitten by more than one zombie multiple times, then this may quicken the process.

Like many video games in the zombie genre, the only exceptions to this rule are primary characters, such as Chuck Greene and Frank West, for both can sustain many bites from zombies over the course of the game and never become a zombie. This is meant for gameplay purposes, but Isabela notes that Frank does have a natural high resistance to it anyway, and may be the same for Chuck. For gameplay purposes, survivors that are injured by zombies while being escorted do not turn unless specifically scripted. In the related film series Zombrex: Dead Rising Sun, it seems suggested that resisting zombification after being bitten is a matter of willpower - leading to the conclusion that the zombies themselves are largely a metaphor for one's struggles in life.

It has been stated by Gretchen Peregrine that a bite needs to be somewhat deep to infect a person, though Jessie McCarney is infected by Dr. Barnaby from just a slight scratch which is so small that it goes unnoticed by Frank and Brad. Frank is eventually infected through the story, but it's possible to play through the entire game without being hurt once by a zombie, and still find out he was infected in the end. Again, no bite wounds are visible on Frank, and he doesn't display any pain or discomfort, possibly indicating his infection also came from a scratch. Knowing that the infection isn't necessarily viral, It's unknown if zombie scratches can potentially spread Salem El Morabeth - currently their bite is the only confirmed method of transmission.

Considering that zombies are essentially just half-living slaves to the Queen larvae, it seems quite plausible that a host cannot support the parasitic lifeform if it has expired. Some victims are attacked so viciously and fervently by a horde that the parasitic larva doesn't have time to implant into the spinal chord, and thus they will not "reanimate" as a zombie. It is also possible that some hosts are simply unable to handle such trauma, and will die before the implantation process is completed. This could be the case with children, as no child zombies have ever been seen in the series - while this could likely be a matter of morality, it's stated in Dead Rising 2 that "Katey Has Turned" if Chuck fails to give Katey Greene her Zombrex in time. Her profile in the notebook lists her as "Dead" rather than "Undead" after the message is displayed. Beyond this point, as well as in the non-canon Off the Record, Katey is missing and cannot be seen.

Physiology
Ampulex Compressa Giganteus larvae are parasitoids, meaning that they spend the entire first half of their life entirely dependent on their host. Zombies are the respective host, with the larvae embedding itself into the host's spinal chord. To feed and grow into an adult Queen, the larvae excessively stimulates the host's sense of hunger using a powerful pheremone, essentially making the host a walking mouth.

Zombies are rather fragile creatures, as they are being constantly devoured from within by the larvae. In terms of physical strength however, they share much of the same ability as their human host - they can grab potential victims with enough strength to wrestle them to the ground despite their ever-withering nature, and thanks to the parahormones of the larvae, zombies will typically bite excitedly when given the chance to feed on a potential victim. Every bite of a zombie carries the same infectious qualities as a Queen's sting (these being Salem El Morabeth and a new Queen larvae), implanting the victim with a fresh larvae.

Based upon Dr. Barnaby's research prior to the Santa Cabeza outbreak and the reaction of Brandon Whittaker after being bitten, it can be presumed that a host must be alive during the infection process for it to succeed. This seems to suggest that, in stark contrast to a lot of fiction, these zombies are actually alive. This is supported by the fact that zombies can bleed out from grievous injury. While they display obvious signs of necrosis and rapid aging, they also still breathe and can die from bodily injury. Soldiers in the AZU under the command of Sergeant Boykin are not trained to aim for the head, obviously supporting that in canon, a "kill shot" on a normal human will also kill a zombie. It is quite possible however that zombies are more resistant to trauma-wrought conditions such as shock, thus making them more damage resistant than the average human (realistically).



Red Eyes
At night, zombies become much more aggressive. This can easily be observed in any zombie due to its glowing red eyes. Zombies can also take much more physical trauma at night. For example, a Level 50 Frank can jump kick a normal zombie, killing it in one hit. At night, however, it takes two kicks. Note that their aggressiveness only lasts from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. This is a common trait that is shared in many zombie movies and literature, but it's usually just a coincidental horror theme and not part of their physiology.

It's worth noting that the mutated Gas Zombies have red eyes all the time, but also glow bright red after 7 p.m. This seems to suggest that this effect is created by the Queen and their larvae, which glow bright green when not implanted into a host.

Zombies at night are much more threatening due to their "crazed" state, and will often push themselves to greater lengths to close the distance between a target. This essentially means that less of the zombies will lurch around aimlessly and more of them will attempt to "rush" potential prey directly - an ability which the gas released in Fortune City seemed to advance upon with the new mutations.

Philosophy
While the zombies of Dead Rising are typically shown in a relatively serious and appropriately monstrous tone, there are a number of scripted events and gameplay mechanics throughout the series designed to put them in a more "entertainment-oriented" role than many other games of the genre. Throughout the series, this kind of tongue-in-cheek and symbolic role for the zombies has increasingly become a primary staple of the series; mixing often disturbing and gruesome themes with more lighthearted and philosophical ones, it allows for a much more diverse gameplay experience as well as fanbase.

From frequently referencing other well-known works of zombie fiction (such as Dawn of the Dead or Left 4 Dead), to actively putting zombies in tutus or shooting them with water guns, the serious tones are often starkly constrasted by ridiculous and silly ones. For example, thin female zombies in the series are shown to frequently attack the protagonist in the groin - an obvious suggestive and childishly crude theme, likely playing upon the key philosophical idea behind the zombies. Being that both Las Vegas and its spiritual successor Fortune City were targeted for outbreaks by a diabolical pharmeceutical corporation, who use the infection as an addiction-like financial basis for selling their products, it obviously suggests that the zombies are essentially a physical manifestation of human greed and the constant pursuit of extravagance.

This idealistic basis seems to be strongly supported by the nature of the zombies themselves - they are obsessed with more and more. They are always hungry for more, always driven to multiply, and the comedic crotch-biting aspect is only unique to thin and presumably once beautiful women, likely a reference to modern First World extravagance.

Types of Zombies
There are several types of zombies that are different than the normal ones.

Dead Rising

 * Carrier zombies have a Queen wasp on them. These carrier zombies are often easy to spot, for they stay in one place reaching upwards as if trying to grab something (presumably the Queen on them). Their only attack is to violently vomit blood on Frank if he gets too close, causing him to have a coughing fit and be left vulnerable. If the carriers are killed, the Queens will detach from their hosts. Frank may capture the Queen wasp, then kill it, eradicating any zombies in the immediate vicinity, with the exception of other carrier zombies.
 * Fat zombies are bulkier than normal zombies and have more health.
 * Cop zombies have the most health of any zombie. They wield either a handgun or a nightstick. On Chop Til You Drop, they can Shoot the Handguns at Frank, should he stand still for a few seconds
 * Knife-wielding zombies are zombies in open, yellow Hawaiian shirts that usually wield hunting knives. They are black and have both ears pierced. They have about as much health as a fat zombie.
 * Construction worker zombies wear construction hats, and are immune to any kind of strike to the head.
 * Cart zombies are found pushing shopping carts around. They are typically fat female zombies. While they are still holding on to the shopping carts, they will ignore any survivors.
 * Propane tank zombies are found pushing the portable version of the propane tank. While they are still holding onto the propane tank, they will ignore any survivors.
 * Male zombies bigger, stronger, and more durable than female zombies, but faster than fat zombies. These with the female zombies are the most common zombies.
 * Female zombies take less damage to kill than male zombies. Thin female zombies will bite Frank in the groin while fat female zombies just attack Frank normally.
 * Zombie James is seen after defeating Cletus Samson in The Gun Shop.
 * Zombie Survivors are found when survivors being escorted are killed by zombies. After a cutscene of their death, they will be found at the spot they previously were. This includes any main character that can be escorted, for instance Isabela Keyes.
 * Zombie Brad is encountered after Case 7-2: Bomb Collector. In Chop Til You Drop, he has extremely high health.
 * Zombie Jessie is encountered after completing all cases, and can be found in the security room. In Chop Til You Drop, she has a lot of health.
 * Zombie Barnaby is seen in a cutscene in Case 6-1: Santa Cabeza trying to zombify Jessie, and can be found in Infinity Mode.

Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop

 * Zombie Cliff is a variant of a zombie armed with two Machetes.
 * Zombie Jo is a zombie with two different variants. A blue shirted one is equipped with two stun guns and a brown one is equipped with one stun gun and one handgun
 * Zombie Kent is a zombie version of photographer Kent Swanson.
 * Zombie Animals are animals that have been turned into zombies. Examples of zombie animals are parrots and poodles that resemble Lindsay Harris's dog, Madonna.

Dead Rising 2: Case Zero

 * Bowler zombies are fat male zombies found in the Grumpy Dog Bowling Alley. They wield bowling balls.
 * Cop zombies are male zombies dressed in an officer's uniform. They are found in the Sheriff's Office and wield handguns, shotguns, and flashlights.
 * Hairdresser zombies are young female zombies found in Ed's Friendly Barber Shop. They wield scissors.
 * Mechanic zombies wield large wrenches.
 * Military zombies are male zombies in military attire found in the quarantine zone. They wield assault rifles or handguns.
 * Waitress zombies are young females in waitress attire found around Momma's Diner. They wield pans and chef knives.

Dead Rising 2

 * Male Zombies are the most common zombies. They're tougher than the female zombie and faster than the fat zombie.
 * Female Zombies are the other type of the most common zombies. They are weaker than the regular male zombie. They tend to humorously bite Chuck in his crotch. Some that wander around shops may wield Handbags.
 * Fat Male Zombies are fatter, slower and stronger than normal male zombies.
 * Fat Female Zombies are fatter than normal female zombies. They only appear around Slot Ranch Casino and Food Court.Beserk_zombies_DR2.jpg
 * Gas Zombies are queen carrying zombies that have been mutated with gas. They will rush torwards Chuck while knocking other regular zombies out of their way. If Chuck gets too close to them, they vomit blood, which causes Chuck to cough for a few seconds. They are about three times stronger and harder to dodge. There are only males of this kind.
 * Rusher Zombies are zombies that will rush against Chuck if they see him. They are faster than normal. These zombies are mostly male and/or fat.
 * Police Officer Zombies are male zombies who worked as police officers prior to the outbreak. They often wield Handguns, Shotguns, and Nightsticks.
 * Military zombies are male zombies dressed in military attire. They can only be found at Fortune Park after the military rescue arrives. They wield Assault Rifles.Udrcdr.jpg
 * Construction Worker Zombies are male zombies in construction garb. They are usually found in South Plaza and wield a variety of weapons, including Lead Pipes, Large Wrenches and Sledge Hammers. Some tend to push Dollies and Maintenance Carts around.
 * Protester Zombies are zombies that, ironically, wield CURE signs. They can be found at the Platinum Strip, Fortune City Hotel and throughout the South Plaza.
 * Jersey Zombies are normal male zombies that wield Bowie Knives. They can be easily spotted due to their large blue jersey top.
 * Cocktail Dress Zombies are female zombies dressed in revealing cocktail dresses. They appear after the first day at various hotspots in Fortune City.
 * Kitty Zombies are female zombies dressed in black and yellow kitty costumes. They might have served as waitresses and bartendresses. They can be found at Pub O' Gold and the Poolside Area in Palisades Mall.
 * Dealer Zombies are male zombies dressed in dealer's attire. They can be found in the various casinos of Fortune City. Some may wield Croupier Sticks.
 * Showgirl Zombies are female zombies dressed in fancy bodysuits and hats. They can be found at the Atlantica and Yucatan casinos.
 * The Bride Zombie is a unique female zombie that appears after the Here Comes the Groom mission. This zombie was apparently killed by Randy Tugman while being forced to marry him, ironically, it is the same zombie that eventually finishes him off.

Dead Rising 2: Case West

 * Security Zombies are zombies that used to be security guards in the Phenotrans complex. They wield Security ARs and Shotguns.
 * Scientist Zombies are zombified Phenotrans scientists that fell victim to the zombie infection.

Dead Rising 2: Off the Record

 * Wrestler Zombies are fat male zombies dressed in wrestlers' uniforms, they are encountered at Fortune City Arena.
 * Uranus Zone Zombies are female zombies dressed in space-inspired attires found in Uranus Zone.
 * Scare Zombies are zombies that play dead or hide behind a corner that leap out when the player gets to close and there is an audio sting at that moment, attempting to scare the player.
 * Massager Zombies are zombies that wield massagers, once killed you can pick up the massager and use it for yourself.
 * Fanboy Zombies are zombies that used to be fans of Terror Is Reality and wear purple TIR and green caps. Found in the Arena and South Plaza.

Dead Rising 3

 * Civilian Zombie are male and female civilians from Los Perdidos outbreak. They have multiple clothing depending on the location.
 * Cop Zombie are male zombies that used to belong the Los Perdidos police force. They wield shotguns and handguns and, apparently, some remember how to use them.
 * Prisoner Zombie are male zombies in prisoner attire. They are considerably taller and stronger than common zombies and can be found inside the Los Perdidos Police Dept. or near Prison buses. In the cinematic trailer, a Prisoner Zombie was seen equipped with a shotgun.
 * Football Player Zombie are male zombies members of a football team. They are quick and can knock you down and headbutt you.
 * Firefighter Zombie are male zombies dressed in firefighter attire. They wield fire axes and swing them at you. Due to their attires they are inmune to fire damage, and similar to the football player zombie, they are supprisingly tough.
 * Spec Ops Zombie are male zombies in military attire originaly sent to deal with the outbreak. there similar to the cop zombie but more armored and carry assault rifles they dont exactly remember how to use them
 * King Zombie are special mutations seen on certain zombies. Taller than average zombies they have a beehive attached to them with several wasps around them. Capable of throwing a swarm of wasps to zombies to enrage them, making them top priority targets among hordes. When killed, their upper body explodes in a mix of a green substance, blood and guts; damaging anything within its radius.
 * Super Zombie are zombies that got swarm wasps from the king zombie makeing them more powerful than regular zombies.

Survivor Look-alikes
Sometimes you see a zombie that looks like a survivor but recolored and zombified. Zombies found as survivors so far are:
 * Cheryl Jones (can be commonly noticed in a horde of zombies due to her revealing clothing, which stands out in a crowd)
 * Jonathan Picardson
 * Ronald Shiner
 * Simone Ravendark
 * Jolie Wu
 * Greg Simpson and Freddie May & various staff workers (and ones with hardhats which are unaffected by headshots)
 * Burt Thompson
 * James Ramsey
 * Barbara Patterson
 * Kathy Peterson
 * Derrick Duggan
 * Aaron Swoop
 * Floyd Sanders
 * Kristin Harris
 * Andrea Brenser
 * Helen Bonner
 * Adrian Lee
 * Jenny Slaten (Off the Record Only)
 * Tammy Blaine (Off the Record Only)

Survivor Death Scenes
thumb|275px|right If a survivor's health is fully depleted from attacks by zombies, one of death scenes is triggered showing him/her being killed by the zombies in a gruesome manner.

If you go to where he/she dies, you can see that he/she has risen as a zombie and will behave accordingly. The notebook will also list him/her as Undead. This works for all survivors and psychopaths.

If the survivor's health reaches zero for any reason other than being attacked by zombies, then he/she will simply lie there, not rise up, and be marked as Dead in the notebook. See the video to see the different death scenes. There is a chance that a survivor's death scene from a zombie attack will include them carrying a pistol (even if they're not carrying one when they die) and committing suicide rather than being eaten, they then appear as dead instead of undead.

For some reason, in Dead Rising 2, the death scenes only play in certain locations.

Trivia

 * There are 20 different zombie models in Dead Rising.
 * Zombies make an appearance in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All-Stars, in a stage based on the Entrance Plaza. Frank also has attacks that summons zombies to aid him in battle, much like Jill Valentine in Marvel vs Capcom.
 * In the beta version of Dead Rising, there was another type of knife-wielding zombie which wore a dark green Hawaiian jacket.
 * Unlike their Dead Rising counterparts, zombies in Chop Till You Drop are weaker at night.
 * Zombie animals are confirmed to exist, but are not encountered in Dead Rising 2.
 * According to the Official Fortune City Website, Zombies are kept as pets.
 * Fortune City Websites shows that there is a Zombie Zoo, filled with zombified specimens of creatures. One noticeable example is zombie penguins.
 * Takahashi was bitten by his girlfriend Emily in Zombrex: Dead Rising Sun the same way Frank and Chuck are bitten when a female zombie grabs them, in the crotch.
 * In the upcoming Dead Rising 3, the zombies shown bear a closer resemblance to the "walkers" from popular comic book/TV Series The Walking Dead. Also, they are shown as much less comical and more dangerous due to the new system being able to support more zombies on-screen.
 * Also, in all the revealed DR3 content, the zombies are shown feeding on any nearby corpses, possibly hinting that in the new release, the zombies will focus a bit less on the protaganist and can possibly be avoided whilst they eat. They also display a greater strength as they have been observed busting through simple barriers like wooden fences.
 * Also in the DR3 Gamescom 2013 trailer a women zombie is shown to be pushing a baby carriage down a street this could show that some zombies still retain memories of their past lives. A shotgun-wielding prisoner zombie walks, growls and shoots with such tenacity,the Anne comments that he seems angry at something, possibly the survivors or possibly half-remembering being arrested and convicted.
 * The same zombie takes a thrown Sledgesaw to the chest but appears near the end of the trailer (humoursly, the weapon is still embedded in his chest and his expression seems even angrier) despite hours passing, possibly hinting at greater durability for prisoner and/or regular zombies or possibly implying that zombies no longer die from bleeding out.
 * Nick Ramos is the only known survivor to be completely immune to zombification.