2008 Woodie Awards
Scratching the surface
'Umbrella Chronicles' is solid but lacks depth
by Leah Christensen
Issue date: 1/31/08
Section: Gaming
Playing "Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles" feels like skimming a book or a magazine article and gleaning only the gist of the product.
For any fan, this game is like the footnotes to all the previous games: one doesn't need them to enjoy the overall experience, but they're still nice to have.
In the game, swarms of the undead from the Umbrella Corporation's failed experiments roam Raccoon City and other Umbrella facilities. Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine and other characters from previous installments are back to take down the mysterious corporation for good and discover other dark truths hidden in the "Resident Evil" mythology.
Many of the levels are taken from previous "Resident Evil" games. Old stomping grounds such as the mansion and the police station are back, though the player isn't allowed to once again explore these nostalgic hotspots.
"REUC" does not hold the same suspense as its previous installments. In other games, the player has more control over where the characters go and how they get there, but in "REUC," the player is forced to travel to certain destinations on a set path without the power to stop or go back. This rail shooter method of the game's design works well in the "Resident Evil" universe. It feels like being back at the arcade, when just running and gunning was all a player needed.
The Wii remote works fluently. Transitions between the game's wide arsenal of weapons is smooth. It's a simple scheme, but the fact that it doesn't try too hard is what makes it work. Using the Wii remote as a gun gives the game an active first-person perspective.
A major drawback to "REUC" is after getting use to next-generation graphics, the game feels behind in the machine power category. The Gamecube versions of the remake of the first game and "Resident Evil: Zero" look better than this, but the voice-over work is excellent. "REUC" competes time and time again with any animated big-budget film viewers see in theaters today.
"REUC" has a lot of replay value. The various routes and pathways throughout the levels create multiple layers of gameplay. Hidden scenarios are also embedded into the game. A player will replay stage over-and-over again for perfection just to unveil this extra material.
"REUC" is a game built for fans, but for any Wii player it provides a solid shooter to a system lacking in the genre.
Leah Christensen is a Reporter staff writer
For any fan, this game is like the footnotes to all the previous games: one doesn't need them to enjoy the overall experience, but they're still nice to have.
In the game, swarms of the undead from the Umbrella Corporation's failed experiments roam Raccoon City and other Umbrella facilities. Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine and other characters from previous installments are back to take down the mysterious corporation for good and discover other dark truths hidden in the "Resident Evil" mythology.
Many of the levels are taken from previous "Resident Evil" games. Old stomping grounds such as the mansion and the police station are back, though the player isn't allowed to once again explore these nostalgic hotspots.
"REUC" does not hold the same suspense as its previous installments. In other games, the player has more control over where the characters go and how they get there, but in "REUC," the player is forced to travel to certain destinations on a set path without the power to stop or go back. This rail shooter method of the game's design works well in the "Resident Evil" universe. It feels like being back at the arcade, when just running and gunning was all a player needed.
The Wii remote works fluently. Transitions between the game's wide arsenal of weapons is smooth. It's a simple scheme, but the fact that it doesn't try too hard is what makes it work. Using the Wii remote as a gun gives the game an active first-person perspective.
A major drawback to "REUC" is after getting use to next-generation graphics, the game feels behind in the machine power category. The Gamecube versions of the remake of the first game and "Resident Evil: Zero" look better than this, but the voice-over work is excellent. "REUC" competes time and time again with any animated big-budget film viewers see in theaters today.
"REUC" has a lot of replay value. The various routes and pathways throughout the levels create multiple layers of gameplay. Hidden scenarios are also embedded into the game. A player will replay stage over-and-over again for perfection just to unveil this extra material.
"REUC" is a game built for fans, but for any Wii player it provides a solid shooter to a system lacking in the genre.
Leah Christensen is a Reporter staff writer
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