Frank West is back in the Willamette Parkview Mall, and honestly, the zombies aren't even the biggest problem. It’s the AI. Or, well, it used to be. If you played the original 2006 classic, you probably have trauma from survivors getting stuck on a pebble or refusing to climb a ledge while a zombie chewed on their neck. In the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster all survivors run is a different beast entirely because Capcom actually gave these people brains this time. They navigate. They stay together. They don't just stand there and die.
But that doesn't mean it's easy. Saving all 50-plus survivors in a single 72-hour run is still the ultimate stress test for any Dead Rising player. You’re juggling a ticking clock, psychopath bosses that can end your run in seconds, and the constant radio chatter of Otis telling you someone is hiding in a closet across the map. If you want that Saint achievement, you have to be efficient. You have to know who is where and, more importantly, when they disappear forever.
The First Rule of the Mall: Level Up First
Don't try to save everyone on your very first playthrough. You’ll just get frustrated. Frank starts off slow, weak, and with a tiny inventory. By the time you’re level 30 or 40, you have the speed and the strength to actually clear a path for a group of five people. The Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster all survivors challenge is built for New Game Plus. Or, at the very least, a Frank who has spent some time grinding PP by taking pictures and killing zombies.
Speed is everything. You need the shortcut from Paradise Plaza to Wonderland Plaza that you get by defeating Adam the Clown and talking to Greg. Without that, you’re spendng half your time running through the Leisure Park, which is a death trap for survivors once the convicts show up in their jeep.
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Early Game: The Ones Most People Miss
The game starts with a bang, and if you aren't careful, you’ll lose your first batch of survivors before you even realize they exist. Most players know about Natalie and Jeff on the roof—the husband and wife who reunite—but things get complicated fast.
Take Bill Brent, for example. He’s the guy holed up in the back of the Entrance Plaza. If you don't go get him early, he’s gone. Same goes for the "Out of Control" mission. After you take down Adam the Clown (seriously, use the small chainsaws he drops, they are the best weapons in the game), you have to save Greg. Greg is the key. He shows you the bathroom shortcut. If Greg dies, your "all survivors" run becomes significantly more painful.
The Problem With Sophie and Burt
In Al Fresca Plaza, you've got Burt and Aaron. They’re scared, and Burt will actually attack you if you aren't careful. You have to beat some sense into him before he’ll join. While you're there, you'll likely see Sophie being chased by the convicts in the park. This is where most runs fail. If you can’t take out the convicts quickly, Sophie is toast. In the Deluxe Remaster, the convicts' AI is a bit more aggressive, so bring a heavy hitter like the Mannequin Torso or a shotgun.
Managing the Mid-Game Chaos
Around the 24-hour mark, the radio starts blowing up. You’ll get "Lovers," "The Woman Who Left Behind," and "Shadow of the North Plaza" all hitting at once. This is where the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster all survivors pathing gets tricky. You can only have eight NPCs on the map at one time, including Frank and any Psychopaths. If you have too many active missions, new survivors won't spawn until you clear some out.
I’ve seen people get stuck wondering why a certain survivor isn't appearing. It's usually because they have a group of four people following them and another three waiting in a store somewhere. You have to drop them off at the Security Room to make space.
The Cultists and the Box
The "A Strange Group" mission in Colby’s Movieland is a nightmare. Not because the fight is hard—the True Eye cultists are basically glass cannons—but because they capture Jennifer. If you don't intervene, they kill her. Once you clear the theater, don't forget to open the wooden crate. There are survivors inside. It sounds obvious, but in the heat of a zombie horde, it’s easy to walk right past it.
The Late Game: High Stakes and Heavy Hitters
By the time you hit Day 3, you’re dealing with "The Last Resort" and "Girl Hunting." The survivors here are tougher to manage because the mall is crawling with Special Forces later on.
One of the most easily missed groups is the "Honeymooners" in the Wonderland Plaza. Or the group in the "Antiques" store. These missions don't always give you a lot of time. If you’re busy fighting a Psychopath like Larry the Butcher, you might find that your window to save the others has closed.
Handling the Mutiny
Kindell is a pain. There, I said it. At a certain point, he tries to convince the other survivors in the Security Room to leave because he thinks Frank is taking too long. You have to go back and talk him down. If you ignore him, you lose people who were already saved. It’s a mechanic that catches a lot of veteran players off guard because it feels like the game is cheating, but it’s just Kindell being Kindell.
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Why the Deluxe Remaster Changes the Strategy
In the original game, survivors were basically suicidal. In the Dead Rising Deluxe Remaster all survivors are much more competent. They can actually use weapons effectively. If you give a survivor a shotgun or a submachine gun now, they are actually helpful. They don't just spray at the ceiling. They aim.
Also, the "Call" and "Send" commands are more responsive. You can point to a spot on the floor, and they will actually go there and stay there. This allows you to "park" your survivors in a safe corner while you handle a boss. It changes the game from an escort mission from hell into a tactical squad game.
Common Pitfalls That Kill Your Run
- Ignoring the Scoop Timers: Red means they are almost gone. If you see a red bar, drop everything.
- The "Handover" Glitch: Sometimes, an NPC won't trigger their "join" dialogue because a zombie is within a five-foot radius. Clear the area completely before talking.
- Accidental Team-Kill: With the new improved graphics and lighting, it’s easier to see, but in the chaos of a dark hallway, a swinging sledgehammer doesn't care if it hits a zombie or Leah. Watch your swings.
- Food Management: Survivors need to eat. If their health is low, they move slower. Always keep a few snacks in your inventory specifically for them.
The Secret Survivors
Not everyone shows up on Otis's radio. There are "hidden" survivors who only appear if you happen to be in the right place at the right time. The most famous are the ones in the Entrance Plaza on the final day. Since the radio is down, Otis won't tell you about them. You just have to know they’re there.
Then there’s Tad. Poor Tad. He’s being "protected" by Kent in a specific mission window. If you miss that window, Tad is gone. Most players miss him because they hate Kent's missions (rightfully so, Kent is annoying), but for a perfect 50-person run, you have to play along with the photography side quests.
Actionable Steps for a Perfect Run
To successfully rescue every survivor in the Deluxe Remaster, follow this workflow:
- Prioritize the Shortcut: Defeat Adam the Clown in Wonderland Plaza as soon as his mission "Out of Control" appears. Take the survivor, Greg, to the bathroom to unlock the Paradise Plaza warp.
- Stack the Books: Find the "Leadership" book in the Sinister Read bookstore in Entrance Plaza. This makes survivors more effective and keeps them from getting tired or frightened as easily.
- Use the Small Chainsaws: Adam drops them. Pick up the Engineering book (Bachman's Bookporium) and the Entertainment book (Paradise Plaza) to make these saws last for thousands of kills. A clear path is a safe path.
- Manage the Queue: Never have more than four survivors with you unless they are all healthy and armed. If you have a full group of eight, head to the Security Room immediately.
- Check the Entrance Plaza on Day 3: After the military arrives, head to the Entrance Plaza. There are survivors there who don't have a mission marker.
- Talk to Kindell: When the "Mutiny" event triggers, drop everything and go to the Security Room. One conversation saves the whole group.
Rescuing everyone in Willamette is as much about time management as it is about combat. The Deluxe Remaster makes the survivors feel like people instead of lemmings, but the 72-hour clock remains your harshest critic. Keep your weapons sharp, your inventory full of orange juice, and your eyes on the timer.
Unlock the "Saint" trophy by staying mobile. Don't get bogged down in infinite zombie killing. If a survivor is with you, your only job is getting them to that vent. Every second you spend showboating is a second a survivor in another part of the mall is getting closer to death. Good luck, Frank. You're gonna need it.