Dead Rising 4 (Xbox One Disc or Digital Download)

If misery factories like The Walking Dead have taught us anything, it's that people are crappy and that they're the real threats in a zombie-infested world. That may be, but some of us would rather experience the end of days like The Last Man on Earth, using the apocalypse as an excuse to ride a tricycle around while wearing a tuxedo jacket and snow pants. Dead Rising has straddled the line between horror and humor since its inception, and that hasn't changed with the fourth entry - but it's not shambling in the footsteps of what's come before. Even though we're back in Willamette with Frank West, Capcom Vancouver has infused the series with fresh ideas and some of the best action that it's had in a decade.

Frank can't seem to stay out of the game, in more ways than one. Capcom has introduced new heroes in the Dead Rising series with each numbered entry, but they don't have the same staying power as the war photographer. Like a lot of people, I get a kick out of the lovable doofus. Sure, his jokes are enough to make dads nod appreciatively, but there's something compelling about a hero that's always just on the edge of failure at any given moment. His return to the scene of the first game is fitting, though he can explore far beyond the mall's confines this time around.