Resident Evil has always been at the forefront of survival horror games. Capcom proved that with last year’s Resident Evil 5, which managed to refine the action aspects introduced to the franchise with Resident Evil 4 while shifting the focus of the series from single player to co-op. Twelve months (and a fairly lacklustre multiplayer addition) later, Capcom returns to the franchise with two downloadable episodes, Lost in Nightmares and Desperate Escape; both of which offer something new to both long-time and new Resident Evil fans itching to get back to shooting “not zombies.”
Lost in Nightmares takes place before the events of the main game, and this is an episode aimed squarely at long term Resident Evil fans. Taking the role of either Chris or Jill, players once again navigate a large, creepy mansion filled with cranks, pianos and jump scares, culminating in a confrontation with Albert Wesker that contributes to a massive plot-point of RE5. With limited ammo, the monster are big and brutal, but few and far between, returning this segment to the slower pace of the original Resident Evil. Frantic gameplay is replaced with a slowly building sense of dread as players are stalked by multiple giant enemies known as Guardians of Insanity, complete with giant anchors and acid spewing wounds: these guys have a tendency to smash through doors when least expected and getting on the wrong side of them will leave you dead in one blow.
Hardcore Resident Evil players will recognise the puzzles and have an idea what they should be doing, taking maybe 40-50 minutes to complete. But Lost In Nightmares also boasts collectibles, multiple difficulty levels and an unlockable classic camera mode (that removes the camera from over-the-shoulder and fixing it in a corner), meaning more than enough content for multiple playthroughs, especially for those with nostalgia for those Resident Evil games before they were so action-focussed.
Desperate Escape, the second downloadable episode for the game, takes place mid-RE5, following Jill after she meets up with Chris and then embarks on her own adventures with Sheva’s colleague Josh, namely escaping from the same facility as Chris and Sheva have fought through. Like the main game (and Lost In Nightmares), the emphasis here is on co-operative gameplay, whether with another player or the AI, and players can choose to play as either of the two characters.
Desperate Escape is much more similar in tone and gameplay to RE5, with frantic pacing and a constant stream of enemies to keep players on their toes throughout. While Lost In Nightmares lends itself to easier solo play, it’s not the case with Desperate Escape, and those without a partner to play with will find the constant onslaught of villains next to impossible, placing the emphasis here on shooting rather than puzzle-solving. Again, the episode can be cleared in under an hour, but there’s still the opportunities to switch characters and change difficulties to make for very different experiences.
Each downloadable episode also comes with two unlockable characters for Resident Evil 5‘s shooting gallery mode, Mercenaries Reunion, including the return of classic characters from the first Resident Evil game (and its various remakes) Barry Burton and Rebecca Chambers (also from Resident Evil Zero). Extra content is also available in the shape of new skins for Chris and Sheva, including Heavy Metal Chris and Business Sheva or Warrior Chris and Fairy Tale Sheva, which offer some tongue-in-cheek replayability for the main game.
While both downloadable episodes are relatively short, the whole package comes at a reasonable price on both XBox Live and PSN, making them a great experience for Resident Evil fans, and the perfect mixture of nostalgia and current gameplay.
Zombie Rating: A-
Resident Evil 5 is available now on XBox 360 and Sony PlayStation 3, with downloadable content available on both systems.
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