Umbrella Chronicles is a game that the Wiimote could have been designed for and it is obvious from the outset that this has been designed for the Wii from the ground-up. Indeed the fact that this is one of the very few light-gun games ever that has not been converted from the arcade, is the game’s strongest card. There are no endless continues, so it cannot be whizzed through in a matter of hours. In fact, the longevity of the game is a standout. Not only do the main missions provide plenty of challenge and replay value, but the bonus missions are of equal length and challenge and provide many of the game's best moments. It has the standard alternate routes familiar to most games of this type and although these are only minor diversions in early scenarios, further exploration of the game provides greater branching and provides extra incentive to return.
Although Resident Evil 0 is the only scenario available from the beginning, there are actually 4 main scenarios to choose from: Resident Evil 0, Resident Evil 1, Resident Evil 3 and a fourth scenario not previously seen in any game. There are also a selection of bonus stages that become available as other areas are completed and surprisingly these often provide some of the highlights. Each main scenario is split into 3 stages with a boss at the end of most of these. It’s a shame that there is no Resident Evil 2 scenario, as this has always been many a fan's favourite game, but its omission has given rise to rumours of a Resi 2 remake, which would ultimately compensate more than adequately. There are no Code Veronica or Resident Evil 4 scenarios either, but there’s certainly enough here to keep even die-hard Resident Evil fans more than happy.
It’s debatable whether or not fans of the series were ever desperate to play through familiar areas and scenarios in first person and after the mostly awful Gun Survivor series, it was unlikely that they would embrace such an idea with open arms. However, to experience them in this way really does give the scenarios an entirely new spin. Fighting the snake from Resident Evil 1 for example, was always a high tension moment, but having it rear at you head-on and lurch towards the screen really does get the blood pumping. It’s a similar story with all the familiar bosses and Capcom has really made the effort to put a twist on these encounters rather than simply relying on the new perspective to add spice. All the old favourites are there, from Plant 42 to the Nemesis and each encounter feels fresh and exciting.
The game does everything you would expect from a light-gun game but does it with the panache that only companies like Capcom can provide. Movement is on rails, although the nunchuck joystick provides you with a small amount of freedom to look around the edges of your environment. This seems somewhat extraneous at first but soon becomes essential to capture all the available pick-ups. Like all good light-gun games, shooting items and scenery reveal both new weapons and health, but Umbrella Chronicles also gives you the chance to capture files and items from previous Resident Evil games. These are more than just for show as the number of items found, along with items destroyed and enemies killed provides you with your end of scenario ranking: from shameful ‘C’ up to that elusive ‘S’ grade. Good grades also enable you to unlock some of the later bonus stages. The controls work very well and although shaking the Wiimote to reload can sometimes feel cumbersome (especially in the heat of battle), it is possible to change the settings so that shaking the nunchuck can be used for reloading instead.
There is the ubiquitous 2-player mode but once again Capcom has put an interesting spin on the traditional version. Instead of it being every man for himself, both players have a combined health bar. This means that cooperation and awareness are necessary for success. If one player takes a hit: both players lose health so it becomes essential to keep an eye on you partner as well as your own side of the screen. This provides an extra level of tension and excitement to the game and makes 2-player sessions far more involving and fun.
When enemies approach, they can be shot in any area to take them down, but only a critical hit provides an instant death and an explosion of blood. Every enemy has one, usually in the middle of the forehead, but these hits provide the only true gory moments. In fact, the game is mostly splatter free, which is more than a little surprising for a Resident Evil game. Although the critical hits are very visceral, the rest of the time enemies display no obvious signs of damage, so it is almost impossible to detect whether or not an enemy is on the verge of collapse or still ready to fight-on. It can sometimes get very confusing but ultimately adds another layer of unpredictability and nervous tension to the game. In fact, in contrast to other games of this type, there are frequent moments of quiet where the tension is left to build until another creature swoops to attack. Successful completion of the game does necessitate the mastering of the critical hit, but as with any learned skill that is initially difficult to get right, finally pulling it off at regular intervals is incredibly rewarding.
As with all previous Resident Evil games, there is also the opportunity to find and upgrade new weapons. Returning to previously impassable stages with a souped-up sub-machine gun or Magnum prevents the game becoming frustrating and although the game is occasionally tough, location of items and mastering of the critical hit will always provide a passage through any scenario. The new additions to the Resident Evil universe ironically provide some of the most standout moments: whether it’s for the opportunity to play as previously unavailable characters or the new bosses to be found, the game continualy surprises and delights in equal measure. The chance to finally play through classic scenarios as the infamous Albert Wesker is something special and those who wondered how he escaped from the facility after being ‘killed’ by the Tyrant, or what he has been up to since will get the chance to find out.
Umbrella Chronicles achieves greatness by being more than the sum of its parts. It takes the established Resident Evil genre, throws a dormant light-gun element into the mix, stirs it all together and still comes up with something that will amaze and thrill fans of both. This is an essential purchase for anyone who is a fan of Resident Evil, light-gun games or just action games in general. For devotees of all three, this is nothing short of gaming nirvana.