DRW Frank West

"It's Frank... Frank West. Remember that name 'cause the whole world's gonna know it in three days."

- Frank West

The protagonist of Dead Rising, Frank West is a freelance photographer and photojournalist. Frank is not a handsome man. He's not even particularly good looking. He's a big guy, with a lantern jaw and a no-nonsense attitude, and all he's interested in is the biggest scoop of his career. He is a relatively well-known freelance journalist who has covered many world events, wars, and other big stories. Lately, however, his career has begun to fizzle out. Looking for the next big scoop, he stumbles on to some strange events happening in the small town of Willamette Colorado. His personality is such that he would rather visit dangerous places to satisfy his desire for adventure than out of any sense of journalist curiosity. A loose cannon who doesn't like working for, or with, others, Frank's research style, articles and photos are all unregulated and sold to the highest bidder. While he's not the most polished and professional person in his field, he is strong, genuinely kind and decent, and always operates on instinct. Not your typical journalist, Frank is quite capable of handling himself in combat and is very keen to help other survivors to safety. During his time at Willamette, he earned the trust and friendship of Brad Garrison, Jessica McCarney, Otis Washington, and Isabela Keyes.

Frank makes a return in Dead Rising 2: Case West and fights alongside Chuck Greene after rescuing him from Fortune City as they tackle Phenotrans at one of their facilities. In the end, Frank escapes the facility with Chuck, though Isabella Keyes was kidnapped by Dr. Mallon, he has successfully retrieved evidence to help clear Chuck's name in the Fortune City disaster.

Frank also stars in Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, a "what-if" scenario that he imagines taking place in Fortune City during the outbreak.

Dead Rising
In the original Dead Rising, Frank is the player character. After his career is in a bit of trouble, he hears about some kind of incident going on in Willamette, Colorado, and charters a private helicopter to fly him into town. It is there that he becomes involved with the first major zombie outbreak.

After landing on the helipad of the Willamette Mall, he meets Brad Garrison and Jessica McCarney, two agents of the DHS (Department of Homeland Security). Though reluctant to accept Franks help, they eventually realize that working together was in their best interest, due to their communications with the DHS headquarters being blocked, and the only known way out of the mall was via Frank's helicopter coming after three days.

Between working with the duo and helping survivors out of the mall, Frank also comes across Russel Barnaby and siblings Carlito and Isabela Keyes, who know more about this outbreak then they are letting on. After rescuing Barnaby and befriending Isabela, Frank learns that the outbreak was caused by government experiment that went on in the town of Santa Cabeza, somewhere in Central America, and that this attack was retaliation against a government cover up.

After confronting Carlito about the attack, Frank and Isabela work together to find Carlito's hideout, and find a way to unblock the communications between them and the DHS. However, after contacting their HQ, Jessica learns that the government has initiated a clean-up operation, and that everyone in the mall, including them, will be killed.

After hiding from the army for a short time, Frank and Isabela make their way to the helipad at the mall to make their escape. Only to quickly have their hopes dashed, as the helicopter crashes in the middle of the park. Frank and Isabela make their way back to the hideout, where Frank learn that he has been infected by the zombies, but Isabela can make a vaccine, though it would only be a temporary fix.

After obtaining the supplies needed for the vaccine, Frank and Isabela make their way out of the mall via an underground tunnel. It is there they they confront the military about the outbreak, but as the zombies approch, Brock Mason, a soldier, attacks Frank to proceed with the clean-up operation. Frank manages to get waya, however, and he and isabele proceed to escape the town and proceed to tell the world about the true events at Willamette and Santa Cabeza.

Dead Rising 2: Case West
In Dead Rising 2: Case West, Chuck asks for Frank's help to clear his name. Frank and Chuck head to the Phenotrans Facility to contact Frank's source. Frank and Chuck learn that the director of the facility managed to cure herself of the zombie infection. The director activates the factory's self-destruct mechanism. Chuck tries to stay behind and frantically search for the cure, but Frank convinces him to get out just in time.

Outside of the facility, Chuck ponders on the difference a cure could make to the world, but Frank says it could have been a lie, and they at least have the proof to clear Chuck's name.

Dead Rising 2: Off the Record
In Dead Rising 2: Off the Record, Frank is in Fortune City and goes through an outbreak that decimates the city and has him fighting for his life, all while it is taking place in his imaginations as a "what-if" scenario.

Character design
Designer Keiji Inafune wanted Frank West to be an average person instead of the usual Japanese characters which are young and beautiful. Frank wears a black jacket with a white button-up shirt, green pants and brown shoes. His appearance can also be changed by visiting various stores around the Willamette Shopping Mall, ranging from suits, dresses, hats, sunglasses, masks and more.

Other Appearances
Frank West had made appearances in other games since his debut in Dead Rising:


 * Lost Planet : Extreme Condition

Frank West appears as a playable character in Lost Planet: Extreme Condition for the Xbox 360 and PC, through downloadable content.

A skin of Frank West is available for use in Lost Planet 2.
 * Lost Planet 2

Frank West is a playable character exclusive to the Nintendo Wii version of Tatsunoko Vs. Capcom: Ultimate All Stars. He can call zombies into the fight and his stage is based off of the Entrance Plaza.
 * Tatsunoko vs. Capcom : Ultimate All Stars

While Frank West does not appear in the Left 4 Dead 2 Downloadable Content, he is referenced through a note in The Passing. In a room located in a bar, he has a note sprawled across the wall, for Otis Washington saying: "Otis, Out of film, No Helicopter. Zombies are too fast. Not Going to make it. Frank West"
 * Left 4 Dead 2 : The Passing

Producer Ryota Niitsuma explained that Frank West was cut from the game late in the development, and that legendary lawyer Phoenix Wright was actually considered as a fighter.
 * Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 : Fate of Two Worlds (UMvC3)

"As for Frank West, he was actually in the process quite deep, and in one of our high quality CG trailers he was actually part of it," Niitsuma told VideoGamer. "But we've taken him out, due to the fact that we've foreseen some extra work involved, just from the nature of his moves. We felt we could direct our resources to better use, so we've taken Frank out." Additionally, you can see West's silhouette on the announcement trailer for Marvel vs. Capcom 3.

However, the roster for MvC3's update Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 was leaked, and Frank West is among those to be added to the game in the update.

It's offical that Frank West will be featured in Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3 as a playable charater.

Trivia

 * Frank is not always voiced by his normal actor, TJ Rotolo. When Frank says "Fantastic!" after taking a perfect photograph, he is voiced by Marty Belafsky. Furthermore, in the very first trailer, depicting the game in its beta stage (different logo etc), Frank had a completely different voice actor. The beta trailer can be seen here.
 * One of Frank's lines: "I've covered wars you know", became a meme. In Dead Rising 2, there is an Achievement called "He hasn't covered wars..." in reference to this line. At another point, Chuck asks Rebecca, "have you covered wars or something?" during a cutscene. In Case West, Frank's notebook description is simply "he has covered wars, you know."
 * Although Frank does not appear in Dead Rising 2, he is mentioned numerous times.
 * When Frank is idle in Case West he will occasionally take a picture of Chuck.
 * Frank's outfit from Dead Rising is available in the Shipping Office, appropriately titled Journalist Suit.
 * ScrewAttack.com rated Frank the 3rd "Manliest Man in Gaming".
 * Frank cannot kill a zombie by spitting on them alone, unless he's drank a Spitfire smoothie.

Appearance

 * Frank wears a Mega Man brand watch.
 * In Dead Rising 2: Case West, it appears Frank is wearing Carlito's locket.
 * Frank has two round marks on his left shoulder, similar to the scars caused by Soviet vaccinations.
 * Frank always holds his camera in his left hand whenever possible.

Video
I've covered wars ya know. I've spoken with presidents. I've chased down stories from one end of this earth to the other side. And all anybody wants to hear about - all anybody wants to talk about are the dead, and the damned, and the crap I had to go through at Willamette. Well take a good look boy. See what I had to do, see what I had to see. And what I had to fight for for a great photo. And when your done, looking at all that killin', you just remember one thing, it ain't over. Frank West is back in the game.