| Resident Evil: Deadly Silence review |
|
Ten years. That's how long it's been since Capcom unleashed the Biohazard franchise onto the Playstation. To celebrate the anniversary, things have come full circle with the release of the first game on the Nintendo DS. Not just content with providing the original version (almost) intact, a new Rebirth mode has been added which includes sections that utilise the touch screen and microphone, as well as altering a few parts of the game.
For those solely familiar with the REmake on the Gamecube, firing up this version may come as a bit of a shock. So sit down, take a deep breath, and grab a loaf or two in which to contain all the cheesy-ham acting present in the introduction and beyond. If the franchise had been solely rated on the cutscenes, it wouldn't have gone any further! Barry's classic lines of "master of unlocking" and "Jill sandwich" are present and correct, and the original voice cast sound truly bored at times. This, strangely enough, actually adds to the appeal of the title by revelling in its original corniness.
Playing through the game makes you realise just how much content was added for REmake. For the competent players, it shouldn't take more than five hours to complete either mode as Jill or Chris. Add up all the gameplay though, and you're looking at around twenty hours of entertainment overall. Capcom have blessed the player with the later enhancements of the 180-degree-turn and fast-reload (along with the knife permanently assigned to the L button) but they neglected to include the excellent control 'type C' from REmake, meaning it's back to fumbling around a bit on the control pad for all your movement choices.
So how have Capcom used the second screen you cry? It's, drum roll please, used as a map. Ignoring the obvious groans here, there is actually a valid requirement for a constant map during the game. For once, good use has been made of the second screen, and it's what people wanted! The fact that you don't have to press Start all the time to check the map is a godsend, and prevents you from running right, into a wall, when you should have turned left to go round the corner.
Classic mode is the game everyone knows and loves, and as you go through it, you remember just how balanced and tense it was - a very good mix of risk and reward. You'll also remember the sodding dogs setpiece used to be in a different place to REmake, approximately half a second after crapping your pants. It shouldn't prove too taxing overall, a nice warm-up before tackling Rebirth mode.
For the most part, Rebirth mode is not that different. At least the mansion layout is not. It definitely is a bit harder to get through though, with another side order of monsters added at no extra cost. A few of them are even blessed with Michael Johnson-like speed. Thankfully, there is a bit more ammo supplied to take care of them. A few of the routine "press a button" moments have now been turned into brain-scratching mini-puzzles meaning it's time to think instead of just pushing. Where possible, interaction has been assigned to the touch screen, for example when typing on keyboards, and through the microphone for... well that's left for you to find out.
But the biggest use of the DS powers come via the first-person knife mode. Every so often, the perspective will change, with zombies and other more powerful foes coming towards the player and the knife is all you have with which to fight back. Doesn't seem fair does it? Then again, if the knife was THIS powerful in-game you wouldn't use the guns! As the enemies advance, sweeping or stabbing the stylus on the screen wields the knife to hit them back, the best moment being just as they attack to return maximum damage (and often a critical hit). It's an interesting change to proceedings, and towards the end, possibly the hardest part of the game to get through unscathed. There is even a "master of knifing" mini-game to unlock should you make it through Rebirth mode intact.
Playing through this version was like revisiting an old friend. It's warm, comforting, you know roughly what to expect, even if the memory can't quite remember it all. Taking down three hunters in a row with the magnum still elicits the same smile and sense of satisfaction. Being able to consume herbs to heal still triggers bewilderment. The original game was a solid piece of programming and that is still evident playing it today.
Resident Evil makes use of the DS wi-fi capabilities with a four player multi-card mode. Playing as Jill, Chris or one of the secret characters, players can team up to rid a custom map of all enemies within a given time limit or compete for the fastest escape times and most kills. The co-operative mode adds a further aspect of survival to the game, as the number of monsters makes play much easier if teammates stick together. It's an interesting diversion from the main quest that is unfortunately let down by the fact that other players are only represented by a floating star, which completely destroys any suspension of disbelief. Those who have access to the extra cartridges will find this mode amusing for a few minutes before they return to the single player mode, and those without, won't really miss out on anything essential.
If Capcom's aim was to deliver the original Playstation experience with knobs on to the DS, then that aim has been met and exceeded. It looks the same, it sounds the same; not that is a bad thing - far from it, the DS probably isn't capable of improving things by that much. Sure it looks dated compared to RE4, but it's still enjoyable to play. For those who loved the original and haven't touched it in ages, there are plenty of new elements to get your teeth into and revisit. Those sick of the series and/or the original in general, should probably give it a miss.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
System: Nintendo DS
Genre: Survival Horror
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Players: 1-4
Version: United States
Reviewed: Apr 2006
Writer: Mat Allen
|
Pros:
- Relive the original experience
- Still masses of fun to play through
- First-person knife fights add substantial challenge
|
Cons:
- Control method still gets in the way of success
- If you've already played RE to death, this may not have enough extras to warrant purchase
|
|
|
|
|
|
