Over at Gamespot, the boys recently completed a hands-on look at the next iteration of the ‘Resident Evil’ series, in pocket form.
Granted, Resident Evil: Deadly Silence isn’t a brand new chapter in the blockbuster series. Capcom has once again gone back to the original PSX hit and (again) remade it, this time for the Nintendo DS (hence the title, Deadly Silence). New to the remake this time around are new single-player and multiplayer modes. The single-player game is divided into two modes: Rebirth and Classic. Classic mode is (obviously) the original game that scared the crap out of me way back when, complete with the now-classic cheezy dialogue (“STOP, don’t open that door!”). Rebirth is a slightly tweaked version of the classic, with new baddie placement, new puzzles, etc.
For those who have never played Resident Evil (for shame!), the story involves you taking on the role of either Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine, two members of the S.T.A.R.S. special police unit. Your group has been dispatched to discover the whereabouts of another part of the S.T.A.R.S. team that disappeared while investigating mysterious goings-on at a sprawling mansion in the hills near Raccoon City. As is the case with many of these situations, you are separated from your teammates after a tense situation and forced to fend for yourself against zombies, crows and other wierd creatures. Chris and Jill will meet at certain points, though they each have different paths to take, and have different abilities (Chris being stronger, Jill being able to pick locks).
The game has been updated somewhat to coincide with the recent games in the series, namely in the controls (the much-needed 180 turn). Being on the DS, the game takes full advantage of the stylus in the Rebirth mode. The inventory screen can now be navigated with the stylus, and at certain points, the game will switch to a first-person view (similar to RE4, but different) where you’ll be required to use the stylus to slash at incoming zombies, crows, and other threats. The stylus will also come in to play during some of the new puzzles in the game, as well.
Lastly, the other big addition to the game is the multiplayer mode, where you choose from three levels (the mansion, the guardhouse, and the laboratory) and then you and up to three other players race through the levels simultaneously to see who finishes the fastest. The opposing players are marked on your map by coloured diamonds in the same space you occupy, so no need to learn over to your buddy’s screen to see where they are.
Whether you’re a fan of Nintendo’s new portable, or a sucker for nostalgia, this could be a nice refresher of sorts for those of you who sold your old PlayStation games. The game appears to be a faithful port in every way (music, graphics, and even the uncensored cinematics that we missed out on in the North American release the first time). Look for the game to appear on shelves the first week of February.