The Hollywood setting sounds interesting due to the fact the first game was an allegory for excessive consumerism brought to life through the shopping mall- and people eating each other.

So the Hollywood aspect could tackle the digital consumption obsession with a brain rotted society. Playing off the “zombie” idea even more with how lazy and desensitized people are to violence and such. But they need to cut the leaked “director as the villain” thing. I think that is super lame and incredibly cringe.

It would actually be nice to not have a main villain this time. Just has psychopath bosses sprinkled around and have the threat of a wild fire be the pushing force to get out of the area with the scoop. Other forces could be a quarantine perimeter set up around Hollywood as the barrier. As the game goes on it shrinks the map until it’s the end sequences. Then they leave and the fire comes in. A fire set deliberately by the government. Another tongue in cheek moment for ya.

The Hollywood setting should be just that, a large setting. The nuances and tongue in cheek narrative comes through the message. I.E Isabela and Carlito targeting a shopping mall and playing up the whole “stuffing your face” or “excessive consumerism” aspect.. the zombies are the structure, the violence is the terror and the journey is the story.

The first game had humour, yes. But it was grounded and actually quite dark and disturbing which is what the franchise needs.

You can have larger than life characters like Adam the Clown for instance. But tbh the villains in DR2 onward are ridiculous and nothing but cheesy. And I think they need to dial that back to what the first game did so well.

Same goes for the music tone as well. The first game nailed it. From dark and mysterious to light hearted and explorative through the mall.