Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles

Ever since the T-virus was first unleashed, Capcom has been trying to find ways to expand the Resident Evil series. Direct sequels have gotten very complex and can no longer be made in the usual 18 to 24-month timeframe. Hence the Resident Evil remake, the Wii version of RE4, the attempt at online play, and a bunch of PSone offshoots.

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is another offshoot. It’s a lightgun shooter that jumps back to the time when bloodthirsty zombies first took over that fateful mansion. It revisits the vicious encounter with a scorpion that nearly killed Rebecca Chambers. And it goes back to the days of Resident Evil 3, when Jill Valentine fought to stop her city from falling apart.

Up to two players may simultaneously fight through these scenarios, picking off zombies with expert precision. That’s the first thing you’ll notice about the game – how well the Wii remote works in a lightgun environment. There were hints of its capability last fall with the on-rails shooter stages of Rayman Raving Rabbids. Released just before Ghost Squad and the Wii Zapper, The Umbrella Chronicles was the first full-fledged lightgun shooter to hit the console.

Don’t Lose Your Head

But do make sure your enemies lose theirs. With handguns, shotguns, machineguns and other Resident Evil staples, you have the firepower to do just that. And with the ability to shoot any part of a creature’s body, there are more death destruction sequences than in any other horror game (including fellow horror/shooter The House of the Dead).

Only a few zombies attack in the first area, but you’ll soon enter a room with a few dead bodies on the floor. In the past, any of those bodies could come to life and attack. Since there’s no way to know which have been infected with the T-virus and which have not, you’ll be tempted to shoot dead bodies to ensure they stay that way.

Every shot point has a different lifelike reaction. The head is often a zombie’s weak spot, but you won’t know which part of the head until you hit it. Consequently, a zombie could be shot several times before going down. Typically a few headshots will do the job regardless of whether or not the weak spot is reached. But if you do hit the bull’s eye, a nice, blood-bursting explosion is sure to follow. Blood splatters everywhere except on the screen – that would’ve been a great touch, but the game still looks gorgeous.

Graphics play a key role in the success of any lightgun shooter, and are half the reason why The Umbrella Chronicles is a success. Let’s face it: if the effects aren’t appealing, if the textures aren’t realistic and if the frame rate sucks, the fun of pointing and shooting at a screen won’t last. It’s not like other genres where you have more substantial gameplay to fall back on.

That’s not to say that lightgun shooters can’t be substantially entertaining. This one of the deepest games of its kind. Missions are rich with a variety of scenarios – not just the type of enemy or the change of backgrounds, but all aspects. Boss battles range from shooter-fest (hit the weak spot until it’s dead) to the more intelligent and often frustrating cases where you have to dodge attacks (by pressing a button or shaking the controller) and lure the monster to a specific area before penetrating its thick exterior.

Players are in control of nothing except their weapon, which may be either a standalone Wii remote and nunchuck combo, or both controller pieces strapped into the Wii Zapper. The latter setup is recommended – you won’t want to play this game too frequently without the peripheral. The Zapper’s plastic may not feel as sturdy as the remote itself, but it still delivers a superior shooting experience.

The nunchuck is needed for slight camera angle adjustments. You may tilt the camera slightly to get a better look at each area. It’s not something you’ll do every minute, but it’s helpful in acquiring those hard-to-reach items. If at anytime you see something shiny on the screen, there’s a good chance it’s a weapon, herb (automatically restores health) or health spray (restores health after death).

To find out, point your weapon at the shiny object and, if it is something important, press the A or Z button to grab it. The Z button is obviously the more intuitive button to press if you’re using the Zapper, since hitting the A button would require you to release your grip, bring your hand to the top of the remote, and find the button (without taking your eyes off the screen) while trying not to get eaten alive.

The only breather moments occur in between missions, which is where players can upgrade their weapons. They come at a price: stars (points) gained in battle, and those are based on your mission ranking. The improvements aren’t massive but they are necessary. Ammo, capacity and firepower will be increased every time you level up.

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is deeper and more challenging than most lightgun games, but don’t expect it to be anywhere near the length of Resident Evil 4’s 10 – 20 hour quest. That said, each scenario is built for multiple play-throughs. It’s a thrilling and wonderfully gory, though not scary, experience that won’t wear out its welcome for a very long time.

Gameplay: 8.5
This is so much more than “The House of the Dead with an RE theme” – you can’t even call it that. There was a moment (before playing the game) when I feared that’d be the case. But The Umbrella Chronicles has its own unique feel, one you won’t soon forget.

Graphics: 8.6
Not as jaw-dropping as Resident Evil 4, The Umbrella Chronicles is still a highly impressive, zombie destruction-filled beauty that will keep players’ (and spectators’) eyes glued to the screen.

Sound: 7.9
Good but unusual. The voice acting is as cheesy as ever. But the new music doesn’t really work in the old Resident Evil environments. I suppose it could have worked in a game with new environments. But The Umbrella Chronicles is all about going to places you’ve been before. It would have been cool to hear more of the classic tunes in addition to the new tracks.

Difficulty: Medium
Not your everyday lightgun shooter. Enemies are vicious and unforgiving. You might think that a health spray or two will save the day, but it’s barely a backup.

Concept: 7.0
The Umbrella Chronicles is a concept Capcom has been trying to nail for many years. The PSone shooters failed so badly I can’t even remember their names. This one won’t be forgotten. Finally, after 11 years of memorable survival/horror gaming, Resident Evil has a lightgun offshoot that the fans won’t want to miss.

Multiplayer: 8.0
There isn’t anything innovative about The Umbrella Chronicles’ multiplayer mode. Two players can run through the game simultaneously, a feature that has been found in arcade shooters since the 90s. But as you know, entertainment rules the day, and there aren’t many co-op games that are as fun – or as cool – as The Umbrella Chronicles.

Overall: 8.5
Exciting and unrelenting, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is a grand reworking of the series’ most prominent worlds.