I’m standing on top of a burned out taxi cab. As far as I can see, there are zombies. There is no end to the swarming mass of the undead. It’s a beautiful unending madness. It is the next generation. It is Dead Rising 3.

While some zombie games would make this situation seem absolutely impossible, in Dead Rising 3, it is an invitation to mayhem. Using one of the hundreds of items or crazy combo weapons, working your way through is a joy. The act of killing zombies is fun and chaotic. You can quickly attack zombies with the X button, or use the alternate harder hitting Y attacks. In typical Capcom fashion, the combat is a gamble with time. Use the more powerful but longer alternate attacks, or manage the crowd with quick strikes. Throw in guns and the various special-effects melee weapons and you have a smorgasbord of options.

As you make your way around the huge open world you’ll find a ton of collectibles to give you extra experience, including evidence of lost survivors’ tragic endings and Frank West statues. There are even weapon blue prints scattered around that unlock new weapon combos. The great thing about Dead Rising 3 is that every blue print has the parts needed for the weapon right there. Find a blue print, make a new weapon, have fun. This variety keeps the game  interesting through the end. And no need to worry about remembering all these weapon recipes, visit any one of your unlocked safe houses and pull out any item you’ve had or made in the game.

But the combos don’t stop there – you can also make combo vehicles. The large, open world practically demands a better way to get around. I mean, driving a sedan through 500 zombies won’t last long. Combine a motorcycle and a steamroller and you have a Rollerhog, a bastard combination with spikes and flame throwers that allows you to make quick work of a street filled with the undead. Driving around you’ll find numerous blockades, so its best not to get too attached to any vehicle. Luckily there’s always another not far away.

In previous Dead Rising games, there was a limited time for beating the game, and beating it in one go wasn’t really an option. That is gone in Dead Rising 3. You can now take all the time you want, but there is a clock. The city will be destroyed in 7 days. If you want a good ending, be sure to complete the main missions before that happens. Don’t worry, there is plenty of time to do that. By the time I beat the game, I had 2 days left and had maxed my character out at level 50.

The main missions have you running around the different districts completing fetch quests and killing bad guys. The story is enough to keep you going, but it is a pretty standard wackadoo Capcom affair. What’s more interesting are all the characters you meet. There is always someone to save or a crazy psycho to dispatch, which supplements the main story arch nicely.

Dead Rising 3 nails the feeling of progression. By the end of the game, I felt like a zombie killing god. It also doesn’t overstay its welcome. It took me about 15 hours to finish the game, and there’s still plenty for me to do if I wanted to go back and play again. With Co-op, side missions, collectibles, and levels to gain, there’s a lot to be had with Dead Rising 3. It’s crazy stupid fun, and it’s a must play if you bought an Xbox One.