Frank West

"It's Frank... Frank West. 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 and Dead Rising: Chop Till You Drop. He also appears in Dead Rising 2: Case West, Dead Rising: Road to Fortune and is mentioned in Dead Rising 2 and Dead Rising 3. 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. His personality is such that he would rather visit dangerous places to satisfy his desire for adventure than out of any sense of journalist curiosity. A loose cannon who doesn't like working for, or with, others, Frank's research style, articles and photos are all unregulated and sold to the highest bidder. While he's not the most polished and professional person in his field, he is strong, genuinely kind and decent, and always operates on instinct.

Not your typical journalist, Frank is quite capable of handling himself in combat and is very keen to help other survivors to safety. 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 an alternate version of Fortune City.

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

In the original Dead Rising, Frank is the main playable character. 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.

After landing on the helipad of the Willamette Mall, he meets Brad Garrison and Jessica McCarney, two agents of the DHS (Department of Homeland Security). Though reluctant to accept Franks help, they eventually realize that working together was in their best interest, due to their communications with the DHS headquarters being blocked, and the only known way out of the mall was via Frank's helicopter coming after three days.

Between working with the duo and helping survivors out of the mall, Frank also comes across Russell Barnaby and siblings Carlito and Isabela Keyes, who know more about the outbreak then they are letting on. After rescuing Barnaby and befriending Isabela, Frank learns that the outbreak was caused by government experiment that went on in the town of Santa Cabeza, somewhere in Central America, and that this attack was retaliation against a government cover up.

After confronting Carlito about the attack, Frank and Isabela work together and find a way to unblock the communications between them and the DHS. However, after contacting their HQ, Jessica learns that the government has initiated a clean-up operation, and that everyone in the mall, including them, will be killed.

After hiding from the army for a short time, Frank and Isabela make their way to the helipad at the mall to make their escape only to quickly have their hopes dashed, as the helicopter crashes in the middle of the park. Frank and Isabela make their way back to the hideout, where Frank learn that he has been infected. Isabela asks Frank to gather ingredients so that she can make Frank a temporary vaccine.

After obtaining the supplies needed for the vaccine, Frank and Isabela make their way out of the mall via an underground tunnel. It is there they they confront the military about the outbreak, but as the zombies approch, Brock Mason, a soldier, attacks Frank to proceed with the clean-up operation. Frank manages to get away, however, and he and Isabela proceed to escape the town and proceed to tell the world about the true events at Willamette and Santa Cabeza.

Dead Rising 2: Case West

 * Main article: Dead Rising 2: Case West

In Dead Rising 2: Case West, Chuck asks for Frank's help to clear his name. Frank and Chuck head to the Phenotrans Facility to contact Frank's source. Frank and Chuck learn that the director of the facility managed to cure herself of the zombie infection. The director activates the factory's self-destruct mechanism. Chuck tries to stay behind and frantically search for the cure, but Frank convinces him to get out just in time.

Outside of the facility, Chuck ponders on the difference a cure could make to the world, but Frank says it could have been a lie, and they at least have the proof to clear Chuck's name.

Dead Rising 2: Off the Record

 * NOTE: Frank's character in Dead Rising 2: Off the Record is considered non-canon, though it may reflect his desires to be famous again.

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.

Dead Rising 3
Although he doesn't make an appearence, Frank is mentioned multiple times throughout the game. A cardboard cutout of him (as well as Chuck Greene and Carlito Keyes) can be found in the museum, as well as a short biography stating that he is currently a zombie consultant and public speaker. He was also mentioned by Chuck Greene while he and Nick were pursuing Hemlock. Isabela Keyes mentions him while discussing the cure with Marian Mallon and accuses him and Chuck of leaving her to die after the incident at the Phenotrans Facility. He doesn't make an appearance due to cutting all ties to the other characters. If he had appeared in the game, Frank would be 51 years old.

Frank Statues are also one of the main collectibles in the game, an obvious homage to Frank being absent from the game.

Other Appearances
Frank West had made appearances in other games since his debut in Dead Rising:


 * In Lost Planet: Extreme Condition and Lost Planet 2, Frank West appears as a unlockable player skin for the Xbox 360, Playstation 3 and PC.
 * Frank West is a playable character exclusive to the Nintendo Wii version of Tatsunoko vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars. He can call zombies into the fight and his stage is based off of the Entrance Plaza. He is voiced by Peter Von Gomm.
 * Frank West was planned to be a playable character in Marvel VS. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, like he was in Tatsunoko vs. Capcom, Ultimate All Stars. In fact, you can see Frank's silhouette in much of the promotional artwork. However, he was cut before release due to technical difficulties.
 * However, in the recent re-release of the game known as Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds, Frank has been completed and is a fully playable character. He is voiced in fully by T.J. Rotolo.
 * Frank 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.
 * In Left 4 Dead 2: The Passing, Frank does not make an appearance, but 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.

Trivia

 * For the most famous line in Dead Rising, see I've covered wars you know.


 * Designer Keiji Inafune wanted Frank West to be an average person instead of the usual Japanese characters which are young and beautiful. Frank wears a black jacket with a white button-up shirt, green pants and brown shoes. His appearance can also be changed by visiting various stores around the Willamette Shopping Mall, ranging from suits, dresses, hats, sunglasses, masks and more.
 * In the game Saints Row: The Third, there is a "Whored Mode" minigame wave called "Hank East" with the tagline "He's covered wars ya know"
 * Frank is not 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 (different logo etc), Frank had a completely different voice actor. The beta trailer can be seen here.
 * Although Frank does not appear in Dead Rising 2, he is mentioned numerous times.
 * When Frank is idle in Case West he will occasionally take a picture of Chuck.
 * Frank's outfit from Dead Rising is available in the Shipping Office, appropriately titled Journalist Suit.
 * ScrewAttack.com rated Frank the 3rd "Manliest Man in Gaming".
 * Frank cannot kill a zombie by spitting on them alone, unless he's drank a Spitfire smoothie.
 * 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 also wears it in Dead Rising 2: Off the Record.
 * Frank has two round marks on his left shoulder, similar to the scars caused by Soviet vaccinations.
 * Frank always holds his camera in his left hand whenever possible.
 * During the years after Dead Rising and between Dead Rising 2, Frank had his own radio show called The Killing Hour.
 * According to Frank West's press pass (visible on the pause menu in Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, Frank lives at 555 Main Street in Endofird, NY. However, in Dead Rising: Road to Fortune, Frank lives in Hubbard Gulth, NV. This can be explained by the fact that Off the Record is non-canon, or because Frank was shown in his home in Hubbard Gultch three years before present times in the universe, so it's possible that he moved at some point.
 * Frank's notebook pictures in Dead Rising 2: Case West and Dead Rising 2: Off the Record are identical.
 * Frank's weapon of choice seems to be a Baseball Bat since he uses one in the beginning of 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.