The best survivors of the Dead Rising series

An important part of Dead Rising 1 and 2 are the survivors. They're pretty forgettable in Dead Rising 3 and absent from 4, but in the first two rescuing any possible survivors was a big goal. Getting all these people to the safehouse can be quite difficult, but their stories make the survivors even more memorable.

There are some survivors that you will simply never forget because of the moments associated with them, and they may offer some great advantages such as combo cards or weapons. They offer unique perspectives in this nightmarish zombie apocalypse scenario.

10 Bill Brenton: Dead Rising 1

The man in trouble

Aside from the first two survivors on the roof, Bill Brenton could probably be the first survivor you need to escort. Otis won't call you about him, so of course you'll have to find him at the In The Closet store in Entrance Plaza. He's been stuck behind the store for two days, so he doesn't know about the zombie outbreak that's currently taking place.

This provides a very unique perspective that only Bill has in this game, as the title begins after the zombie outbreak has already begun. It's interesting to see how people in this universe would immediately react to zombies, and that's why Bill stands out, especially in Dead Rising 1.

9 Leah Stein: Dead Rising 1

Darker than you would imagine

Some people may forget that Dead Rising became more comedic as the series progressed, but the overall tone of the original remains quite dark. A great example of this is Leah Stein, who appears in the scoop “A Mother's Lament” at Al Fresca Plaza.

Leah is crying her eyes out over her little daughter Grace, who we eventually learn has been eaten by zombies. That's pretty dark, and surprisingly that's where the game went. This moment is very memorable, but at the same time feels alien to the rest of the series, which has a far more goofy tone, making it stand out even more.

8 Ross Folk: Dead Rising 1

Another dark moment

A few scoops in Dead Rising can lead to different results, and the most memorable of these is probably Lovers. In Wonderland Plaza you will find Tonya Waters and a seriously injured Ross Folk. Ross has been shot and after talking for a while he will ask for a handgun.

You'll probably have a handgun in your inventory on your first playthrough, and many people won't even think about giving the gun to Ross. If you give him the gun, you've just made a serious error in your judgment, as Ross will shoot his brains out. It's shocking and proves that you shouldn't always follow orders in video games.

7 Greg Simpson: Dead Rising 1

The most important survivor to save every time

Adam the Clown is not only one of the best boss fights in the Dead Rising series, but also one of the hardest. Even with the Real Mega Buster, Adam proves to be more resilient than most of the other boss fights, but he's worth defeating.

Not only do you get the small chainsaw, but you also find Greg Simpson, who provides you with an amazing and essential shortcut that connects Wonderland Plaza and Paradise Plaza. This shortcut must be discovered on every playthrough in order to use it, and it proves so helpful that rescuing Greg is a must on every playthrough. He's also good friends with Otis, and you can't go wrong with that.

6 Paul Carson: Dead Rising 1

Both a psychopath and a survivor

Paul Carson is probably the most unique psychopath in Dead Rising 1. A victim of bullying and a lover of explosives, he makes a suitably challenging boss towards the end. What makes Paul unique, however, is that he can be saved. After the boss fight, you can save Paul with the fire extinguisher and bring him back to the safe house.

That was cool in the original because at that point they were so used to killing all the psychopaths. That's not all, as later Paul will give Frank an unlimited supply of Molotov cocktails in the safehouse while Paul is there, a sweet bonus to play around with.

5 Bob Blackrock: Dead Rising 2, Case Zero

A great helper that you can actually save

One character type that appears in some Dead Rising games is the sniper survivor found high up who helps clear out the zombies along the way. There is one in Dead Rising 3, but after a while the character just disappears with no resolution. One character who receives a resolution is Bob Blackrock in Dead Rising 2: Case Zero.

He shoots zombies from above, but is also the Otis/Stacey equivalent and talks about survivors in the area, which helps him a lot throughout the game. After the Jed boss fight, you are free to leave town, but you shouldn't. At this point, Darcie, Bob's daughter, can finally be found, and after they are reunited, both can be saved. It's great that this helpful character can be saved, especially in this hidden way that many will miss.

4 Jerry Sampson: Dead Rising 2 Case West

The man behind the ultimate weapon in Dead Rising 2

Since Dead Rising 2 introduced combo weapons, it makes sense that many of the survival rewards are combo cards, making them essential survivors to rescue. The best weapon a survivor can get has to be the laser pistol from Dead Rising 2: Case West. You can find Jerry Sampson in the living quarters in Case 3-1, and he is actually the creator of this weapon beast.

Of course, you have to give him the two combo weapons required for this: the lightning cannon and the laser sword. After giving it to Jerry, he is saved and also receives the laser gun and its combination card. It is one of the most destructive weapons in the series and can kill many zombies with just one shot. So you will want to save Jerry.

3 Angel Lust: Dead Rising 2

The worst of the bands

Since Las Vegas is the setting for Dead Rising 2, there are many aspects of the game related to this area, including a rock concert. On the morning of the 26th, at the north end of the Silver Strip, you'll find the band Angel Lust performing in front of a group of zombies.

After a while of talking, they will eventually join you, but not before they finish their rocking performance, which ends with a deadly guitar wave explosion. Shown here is the combo card reward for saving the band, the Power Guitar which is fun to play around with. They're just a great group of characters and worth saving for the exclusive combo card.

2 Tape It Or Die Crew: Dead Rising 2

An incredible surprise upon release

Leading up to the release of Dead Rising 2, there was a promotional website called tapeitordie.com. It was an in-universe blog with four different characters and was a good read as it added more knowledge to the Dead Rising story. You'd think the characters would be completely missing from the actual game, like most promotional tie-ins, but you'd be completely wrong.

In the final third of DR2, a normally locked door in the Palisades Mall is unlocked. Inside is the entire Tape It Or Die crew, which was an incredible surprise. You'll be involved in a few side quests, and completing them all will net you three exclusive combo cards, so be sure to complete them.

1 Snowflake The Tiger: Dead Rising 2

Raaawr!

Another boss that can be turned into a survivor has to be the best survivor in the series: Snowflake. Her boss fight is brutal and will likely require a lot of healing, but once you've tamed her, she's the ultimate beast.

She is undoubtedly the best attacking survivor in the game, mauling zombies and even psychopaths. There's even an achievement in Off The Record where you use Snowflake to damage a psychopath. It's a shame she probably won't stay with you long since you want to accompany her to the safe house, but she's a total delight.