Dead Rising 3 takes place ten years after the event of the Dead Rising 2 , in the city of Los Perdidos, California and players take on the role of a new protagonist, Nick Ramos. As a result of zombie infection, most of humanity has been wiped out, and anyone who takes the anti-zombification medication Zombrex has a GPS chip implanted into them along with the medication. Whilst Nick is in Los Perididos looking for supplies, a group of zombies escape, causing another outbreak. The game starts 3 days after the initial outbreak, and must attempt to escape, during which Nick must fight off zombies, as well as encounter other survivors of the outbreak. As with previous Dead Rising games, it is possible to finish the game on one of several different endings and an Overtime Mode.
The gameplay in Dead Rising 3 involves exploring the city, scavenging for supplies, and fighting off hordes of zombies. The player must also complete various objectives and side quests, such as rescuing survivors and completing missions for other characters. The game features a variety of weapons and tools that can be used to take down zombies, including melee attacks, explosives, and traps.