Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles

RE: UC is probably the first successful First-Person-Shooter conceived for the Nintendo Wii console system. Previous RE FPS didn't do too well, due to clunky controls and very different storylines. What makes UC such an amazing game is that it lets RE fans re-live their precious moments playing Resident Evil (whether it be on the Playstation 2, or the Gamecube).

The game consists of various scenarios from the Resident Evil timeline: RE 0, RE 1 (GC remake), RE 3, and [the exclusive] "End of Umbrella" storyline. Each chapter consists of two-playable characters, depending on the scenario. The unlockable chapters are single-player. As you progress through each chapter, the story unfolds in Umbrella's (and quite possibly Albert Wesker's) point-of-view. Albert Wesker was an Umbrella operative, who decides to backstab the corporation for his own personal end. He utilizes his position as the leader of S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics And Rescue Service) to pit his men against all sorts of B.O.W. (Biological Organic Weapons) in order to obtain raw combat data. He is the main antagonist throughout the entire RE series [so far].

The graphics are very pretty and are identical to Resident Evil (GameCube remake). The moody lighting and hidden surprises keep the game together. Most of the environment throughout the chapters are interactive. You are encouraged to shoot windows, doors, even chandeliers (and more objects) to uncover hidden weapons, and bonus RE files that can be later viewed in your inventory after the game.

You are scored on several things: the number of objects destroyed; the number of critical hits (headshots on creatures); time (finishing the chapter quickly); and the number of files you've recovered. An "S" rating is the best score you can get. Then the rest follow in this particular order: "A", "B", "C", "D" (I think, I haven't gotten a low score as of yet). At the end of each chapter, depending on your score, you receive a number of star points. These points allow you to upgrade/customize your weapons inventory, giving you more firepower to destroy your enemies in later chapters.

There are a few problems with this game: (1) Some of the boss battles become repetitive. Granted, every boss monster has a very specific attack pattern, but the length of some of these battles seem a bit stretched. Very soon, the shooting and avoiding gets boring and unimaginative; (2) Trying to collect all those hidden files scattered throughout all the chapters is fun (if you're obsessive-compulsive like I am), but there's no new information in those files (all those files can be read in BradyGames's Resident Evil Archives Paperback); and (3) The exclusion of Resident Evil 2's storyline from Umbrella Chronicles has me baffled. A nice battle with G and Mr. X would've been gratifying for a hardcore RE fan such as myself.

But despite all this, Umbrella Chronicles gives plenty of solid entertainment for both hard-core RE fans and general gamers.