by Josh Komon

Created on: July 10, 2010

There was an overwhelming feeling of disappointment with The Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, when it was released on the Nintendo Wii.  Fans of the series were upset with the fact that the game was a rail shooter.  (Meaning the camera work and movement was automatic, and all players need to do is point and shoot.)  Fans of shooters were upset that the game was not quite as good as a title released around the same time, House of the Dead: Overkill.  But, there is always a chance to make up for a previous inferior performance.  That chance is Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles.  

There are two good reasons why Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles is much more popular.  First, because video game nation had a better idea of what to expect, the rail shooter formula was easier to swallow.  Secondly, it really is just a much better game.

GAME PLAY

Players travel from location to location, using many favorite characters from the Resident Evil Series, finding guns and ammo, and using it on an unsuspecting horde of zombies and other mutants.  Of course, the players can also resort to their knives when necessary.  There are things on the screen that can be shot, which will reveal other collectibles, or gold.  This gold might be the most important thing for players to find, as it can be used to upgrade weapons.  Without the upgrades, the later stages of the game become almost impossible.

The biggest improvements in game play are the way in which weapons are switched, and the slight decrease in difficulty.  Keep in mind, those who like a challenge can still play on Hard Mode, which should satisfy most.

GRAPHICS

The game looks better than the last one did.  Umbrella Chronicles had a grayish, sort of grainy look, which would be cool if it was intentional.  Darkside Chronicles is just as dark, but uses colors better, and has a more polished look.  If there is a gripe, it is that some of the camera movement is just too shaky.

AUDIO

The voice acting, music, and ambience are all done well, but we fans have come to expect more from this franchise.  It won't ruin the experience, but it is not memorable.

OVERALL

Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles falls short of excellence, but is still a very fun game, especially when playing with a friend.

Learn more about this author, Josh Komon.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.