Video Game Review: Resident Evil 5: LOST IN NIGHTMARES (PS3, PC)

Category: Action

Release Dates

Capcom’s Resident Evil 5 launched a year ago to good critical and commercial reception, and saw a downloadable addition soon after its launch with the well-received versus mode. Now, the game is seeing it’s second piece of downloadable content, the Lost in Nightmares pack. Aside from a few new features for its multiplayer modes, the DLC also offers up a new prequel episode that follows series regulars Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine as they return to the infamous Spencer mansion to face off against a familiar enemy.

While it’s pretty short and a little low on action, the episode is a nice bit of nostalgia that will ultimately ring true for regular fans of the series. Additionally, weighing in at only five bucks (400 Microsoft Points) the content pack comes in at a nice price for those who want to check out some of the backstory only hinted at in the original Resident Evil 5.

The Lost in Nightmares content pack offers the titular episode, which explains Jill’s apparent death at the hands of Albert Wesker. This is somewhat explained in the original RE5 via cut scenes, but this episode allows you to play through the entirety of the events, letting you face off against a tough new enemy type and solve a couple of puzzles before the final boss battle.

The puzzles are pretty traditional fare for the Resident Evil series, and include a fair amount of exploration. As in the original game, you’ll have to work cooperatively with your teammate (either AI-controlled or with another friend) in order to solve some of the puzzles and find specific items to help you progress. One segment requires you to run from the new enemy type, a hulking mutant beast with a weak spot on his back that wields a heavy blunt weapon capable of killing you in one hit, while your partner uses cranks to set at trap. As you won’t have weaponry at this part, you’ll have to be smart with your actions and avoidance of this enemy.

Gameplay

Chris and Sheva battling a group of enemies.

Resident Evil 5 features similar gameplay to Resident Evil 4, with context-sensitive controls and dynamic cut scenes also making a return.

The player can control Chris Redfield or Sheva Alomar in a similar fashion to Leon S. Kennedy inResident Evil 4, with the same over-the-shoulder perspective. Once again, the game's environment plays a significant role. The Mercenaries minigame, featured in previous Resident Evil games, is present in Resident Evil 5. At launch, the multiplayer in the minigame was offline only, but a launch day patch gave the game online multiplayer.

The game features new types of enemies called "Majini", meaning evil spirit in Swahili.Furthermore, they are different from the previous ganados. The number of weapon variations has been greatly increased compared to the previous games in the series; there are now several varieties of the handgun, shotgun, submachine gun and rifle to choose from. Like inventory systems in previous Resident Evil titles outbreak and outbreak 2, the player can only equip weapons and items in the midst of gameplay, as opposed to accessing an inventory menu by pausing the game.

The game features some online elements. Resident Evil 5's main story mode can be played with two players, in a co-operative online mode. The feature will allow players to enter or leave anytime during the game. Players will not always stick together, and can be separated at points during the gameplay. An offline co-op mode is also in the game with the same co-op experience offered by the online co-op mode, only with two local players controlling the action in split screen.