I'd go with Left 4 Dead, the co-op is simply amazing. Also, the AI Director insures that your experience will never be the same twice. The game play is very smooth and it has some of the best controls I've seen since COD4. Plus, it never gets dull watching Zombies crowd around a flashing pipe bomb only to be blown to bits...
As for Dead Rising...I honestly don't see the appeal. Yeah, you've got a mall full of different weapons to use but for the most part they all do the same thing; either beat them, cut them, or shoot them (And a few that burn them). So really it's just 3 weapons that have about 50 different appearances and animations each. Maybe it's just me but I thought the controls were terrible as well. Before anyone rips me a new one this is only my opinion, obviously the game must be good to get the acclaim it received. I'm just not into it.
Resident Evil: Can't really go wrong with these games. Though I prefer the newer games to the older. It's another control thing for me...I just don't like the fixed camera angles and awkward movements/attacks the older offer.