Frank West

"It's Frank... Frank West. Now remember that name 'cause the whole world's gonna know it in three days."

- Frank West on the Willamette Incident.

Frank West is the main protagonist of Dead Rising, Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record. He also appears in Dead Rising 2: Case West, and is mentioned in Dead Rising 2. His popularity has caused him to be referenced in many other video games after his initial appearance in 2006.

Frank is a freelance photojournalist who has been quite active in his career, covering several events, including wars. He has an unusually deep sense of determination to find the next big story, taking big risks in order to achieve his goals. He is a survivor who has knowledge on weapons and firearms. He sees the town of Willamette, Colorado as his "next big scoop" when he is first introduced in Dead Rising. By spending time in Willamette, he manages to get the story of a lifetime after covering the first known zombie outbreak in US history.

Five years after the events of Dead Rising, Frank teams up with motocross champion Chuck Greene to infiltrate and investigate the Phenotrans Facility and to reunite with his long time acquaintance Isabela Keyes.

He also stars in the non-canon game Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, in which he takes the place of Chuck Greene in the original Dead Rising 2 in an alternate version of Fortune City.

Contents
[show]==Dead Rising == ''For more information on Frank's journey in Willamette, see case files and overtime mode. ''

Frank hires a private helicopter piloted by Ed Deluca to fly him over to the town of Willamette, Colorado after receiving a tip that something big was about to happen. As Ed flies the helicopter over the town, Frank initially believes that there is rioting going on in the streets. He is dropped off on the helipad of the Willamette Parkview Mall, and Ed tells Frank that he will come to pick him up in three days time.

As Frank enters the mall, he soon learns that the town of Wilamette has been infested by zombies. He works alongside Jessie McCarney, Brad Garrison, Russell Barnaby and Otis Washington to unravel the mystery behind the Willamette Incident. He confronts Isabela and Carlito Keyes who are responsible for the outbreak and is able to get the story of a life time. He becomes famous and is also praised as a hero. During his time in Willamette, Frank unfortunately becomes infected, but is saved by Isabela who becomes a long time acquaintance of Frank's.

Dead Rising 2
Frank is only briefly mentioned by Stacey Forsythe in a conversation between her and Chuck Greene. She mentions how Frank helped  Isabela make the first inhibitor for the zombie infection and how there may be hope for a cure in the future with their research.

Dead Rising 2: Case West

 * Main article: Dead Rising 2: Case West

The game starts at the ending of Dead Rising 2, as Frank saves Chuck Greene from a zombified Tyrone King. Though initially hesitant to work with Chuck after hearing the news reports, he eventually brings Chuck with him to a Phenotrans facility after hearing a tip from a source that works there.

Ultimately, Frank discovers that Isabela is his source, forced to work for Phenotrans after the events in Willamette. The Phenotrans director reveals that a cure for the zombie parasite has already been created, but isn't being produced because it would mean less money for the company.

The facility is destroyed in an explosion, but Frank and Chuck manage to escape just in time with some evidence that points to Phenotrans as the perpetrator of the Fortune City outbreak, which will effectively clear his name.

Frank's watch beeps, telling him to take his next dose of Zombrex. Panicking due to having discarded it, Chuck passes his Zombrex to him, having retrieved it earlier, telling him "The world needs Frank West."

Dead Rising 2: Off the Record

 * Main article: Dead Rising 2: Off the Record

In this "what if" scenario of the Fortune City incident, Frank West returns as the main protagonist and carries a role very similar to his role in Dead Rising. Frank narrates through the opening telling of his rise to fame to his downfall, and his hope to "get back in the game."

After competing in Terror is Reality, Frank comes across his next big story as he witnesses shady dealings happening between TK and Brandon Whittaker, a member of the zombie protest group CURE.

As the zombie outbreak in Fortune City unravels, Frank discovers the Fortune City Emergency Shelter and takes shelter from the chaos in the city. Unable to find Zombrex in the shelter, he sets out to the Fortune City Mall in order to find his daily dose. He enlists the help of Stacey Forsythe and will later team up with her (and later Rebecca Chang) to find the truth behind the Fortune City outbreak.

Other Appearances
Frank has made a few appearances in other games since his debut in Dead Rising:

Lost Planet: Extreme Condition

Frank West appears as a playable character in Lost Planet: Extreme Condition for the PS3 and PC, and also appeared in the stand alone expansion Lost Planet: Extreme Condition Colonies.

Lost Planet 2

A skin of Frank West is available for use in Lost Planet 2.

Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars

Frank West is a playable character in Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars. He can call zombies into the fight and his stage is based off of the Entrance Plaza. His voice actor isn't T.J. Rotolo. Instead, Frank is voiced by Peter Von Gomm, who also voiced X in Mega Man X7 and Kyo Kusanagi in The King of Fighters XII.

Left 4 Dead 2: The Passing

While Frank West does not appear in the Left 4 Dead 2 DLC, he is referenced through a note in The Passing. In a room located in a bar, he has a note sprawled across the wall, for Otis Washington, that says "Otis, out of film, no helicopter, zombies are too fast, not gonna make it. Frank West" This may be referencing a note found near the end of Dead Rising.

Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3

Frank West appears as a playable character in Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. Like in his appearence in Tatsunuko vs. Capcom he uses zombies for combat as well as his camera and several makeshift weapons from the games such as chainsaws, fire axes and the Paddlesaw. He also has a level up system in battle, which gives access to different moves and a red health refill. His reveal trailer was released together with Rocket Raccoon.

Project X Zone

Frank West appears in Project X Zone, a tactical role-playing game produced by Capcom, Sega, and Namco-Bandai. He is paired with Darkstalkers's Hsien-Ko (ironically a zombie), many of their attacks involving using random objects.

Trivia

 * Frank isn't always voiced by his normal actor, TJ Rotolo. When Frank says "Fantastic!" after taking a perfect photograph, he is voiced by Marty Belafsky. Furthermore, in the very first trailer, depicting the game in its beta stage, Frank had a completely different voice actor. The beta trailer can be seen here.
 * Frank always holds his camera in his left hand whenever possible.
 * One of Frank's lines: "I've covered wars ya know", has become a famous phrase often referenced throughout many different games.
 * ScrewAttack.com rated Frank the 3rd "Manliest Man in Gaming".
 * Frank wears a Mega Man brand watch. It is a battery operated watch that will run out of batteries during Dead Rising's Overtime Mode.
 * In Dead Rising 2: Case West, it appears Frank is wearing Carlito's locket. He wears this in Dead Rising 2: Off the Record as well.
 * Frank's original attire from Dead Rising is available in Dead Rising 2: Case West for use by both him and Chuck, similar to how Chuck's original attire was available for Frank in Dead Rising 2: Off the Record.
 * Frank's theme for Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 is a remix of Adam's theme from Dead Rising.
 * In Case West, AI-Controlled Frank can be given weapons, like most other survivors. However, unlike the weapons given to other survivors, the weapons given to Frank break/run out of ammunition. Also unlike other survivors, Frank can be given combo weapons. He also appears to be immune to damage.
 * In Case West, if the Guest player has two or more weapons, and loses connection, but then regains the connection, they would only have the weapon that Frank was wielding last.
 * A reference to Frank can be seen in Saints Row: The Third during the game's "Whored Mode". One of the minigames "Hank East" contains the famous line, "He's covered wars, ya know."
 * Frank's weapon of choice seems to be a Baseball Bat since he uses one in the beginning of Dead Rising 2: Case West and is seen holding one on the cover of Dead Rising 2: Off the Record. He is also seen holding one in most pictures. In Case West, when AI Frank's weapon breaks and is not given another one, he will infinitely respawn a new bat.
 * Frank is the only main character not to appear in Dead Rising 3, instead he made cameo appearances as a cardboard cut-out and in the Fortune City outbreak photos.
 * In Dead Rising 3 his biography at the museum states that he is now a zombie consultant and a public speaker.

Gallery
Frank's beta appearance.Promotional artwork of Frank's beta appearance.Frank fleeing an explosion.Artwork of Frank's appearance in Dead Rising.Promotional artwork of Frank.Frank in Lost Planet.Frank in Lost Planet 2.Frank's message in Left 4 Dead 2.Artwork of Frank's appearance in Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3.Frank in Chuck Greene's original attire in Ultimate Marvel VS Capcom 3.Notebook photo in Dead Rising.Notebook entry in Dead Rising 2: Case West.Notebook Portrait in Dead Rising 2: Case West.Artwork for Frank's apperance in Dead Rising: Off the Record.Megaman Costume in Ultimate Marvel VS Capcom.Frank's victory pose in Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3.Project X Zone artwork.Frank in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom.Frank in Tatsunoko VS. Capcom.Frank's attire is wearable in Dead Rising 3.