User blog comment:Coveredwarsyouknow/Dead Rising 2 -- What makes a Psychopath?/@comment-24293966-20150803231711

Here's a personal list:

1. A concept that actually sounds good on paper (despite being an overall good boss, 'Carl Scliff - a psychotic workaholic mailman' just doesn't sound all that great).

2. A nice beginning cutscene, to give you a taste of the psycho you are about to encounter. Get to know a psychopath at least a little. Good examples: Albert, Steven, Randy. Bad examples: Jherrii (kind of rushed and a bit inconsitent).

3. An interesting battle concept. Not particularly necessary, but it's always good when a psycho has a unique gimmick (i.e. Albert, what with you being drugged and weapon-less, TK, with Katie and Stacey/Rebecca slowly dropping into a crowd of zombies, Brandon with bathroom stalls, Chef Antoine with food health regaining).

4. A weapon that leaves a mark. Both physically (better get some of that OJ now...) and psychologically. Again, not too necessary, but a unique AND threatening weapon can boost a psychopath's score. Randy's pink chainsaw, Steven's shopping cart, Adam's mini-chainsaws, and Dylan's Lust Cannon, for example.

5. Battle theme. It's important. Randy is hard to take seriously with a lame dance theme like that. Postman makes Carl Schliff look like Chuck Norris. Dylan's gives you a feeling of uncomfortability and anxiety. Brandon's is eerie yet badass. Amber and Chrystal's theme is fats-paced and erotic-ish. You get the message.

6. A challenging yet not rigged boss battle. Sure, it's a challenge, but at least it's beatable, and rewarding. Unlike the battle with Big Earl in DR2. (Chuck climbes up to where Big Earl Hides, gets immediately shot at, falls down, loses several blocks of health. Rinse, repeat).

6. Death cutscene. Again, very important. You have to give your psycho a good, bloody, stylish death scene. Sure, you can just have them fade away slowly, or, you COULD HAVE THEM GO OUT IN A BEAUTIFULLY GORY BLAZE OF AWESOMENESS AND SATISFACTION!!!!! (i.e. Randy, Sgt. Boykin, Adam the Clown, Brandon). You get the message.

Hope I was helpful.