Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles marks the second time the series has ventured away from its survival-horror roots into light gun play. The reasons for twisting the suspenseful series into a trigger-happy arcade affair are a little lost on us, still, Wii Zapper primed, we shot our way through a demonstration of Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles at Capcom's booth during Comic Con 2007.
We played through a level that had us running through a series of dark alleyways and dank sewer, shooting out zombies along the way. Hordes of the undead roamed the tight back alleys, while descending into the sewer we had to contend with massive spiders. At one point in the demonstration, we even had to square off against a small group of feral dogs. Given the variety of enemies in this early level, it should be interesting to see what Capcom throws at us as the game progresses.
An on-screen reticle allows you to aim at enemies with movements of the Wii Zapper or Wii Remote. Aim carefully and you can pull off a headshot that rewards not only an instant kill, but a satisfying splash of blood. It's also possible to take advantage of location-specific damage, such as blasting a zombie's legs to immobilize it and then go in for a kill.
The game doesn't afford freedom of movement, sticking instead to rails that guide you along a set path through each level. Fortunately, the control stick on the Wii Zapper or nunchuk do allow you to look around to find extra items, ammunition, and even zombies attempting to sneak up from your sides. Picking up these items was as simple as tapping the Z button while targeting them with the reticle.
It's particularly important to keep an eye out for ammunition since it's limited for all firearms excluding the handgun. In the level we played, we were equipped with a basic pistol that had unlimited clips; additionally, we located a shotgun, machine gun, and a few grenades. Switching weapons is done via the C button, with multiple taps allowing you to cycle through your available arsenal. Reloading requires a simple shake of the Wii Zapper or Remote. If you have played any of the Time Crisis games, you'll feel right at home with the controls in The Umbrella Chronicles.
The shotgun was a natural choice for blasting back zombies, thanks to its power. Grenades, although extremely limited in quantity, were also useful in clearing the screen of multiple enemies. Along with basic attacks, you can also slash at enemies with a knife. Holding Z and shaking the Wii Zapper or Remote enables a quick swipe with your combat knife. Additionally, whenever an enemy comes in for a bite, hastily pressing the Z button triggers an instant counterattack. The timing can be a bit hard, but well worth it.
The Umbrella Chronicles couldn't be any further from the main Resident Evil series with its total focus on gunplay. From what we played, it's shaping up rather well given its formulaic approach to the genre. There may not be much new in The Umbrella Chronicles, but sometimes running and gunning is all that's needed for a good time.
