Nintendophiles 11.02.06
Posted by Theo Fraser on 11.02.2006
It’s the Halloween edition of Nintendophiles, and to celebrate the holiday, we take a look at how Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles might work on the Wii. It’s zombie-tastic!
First and foremost, an apology. I've been a bit pressed for time this week, so this edition will be a slightly "condensed" issue of Nintendophiles. But uh…I always live by the motto "quality, not quantity" so with that in mind…on with the show!
Now this has to be seen to be believed. Yes, your eyes do not deceive you; that is a trailer for a Legend of Zelda movie. Don't get too excited though…it's not exactly high budget! Props to the people who made it though- they're obvious Nintendophiles- but the scary thing is that this is supposedly going to be released this fall (presumably a straight-to-DVD thing, I would imagine). Wow. That is all I can say. Anyway, just watch it. Laugh. Then weep at the fact that someone actually put the effort into making this.
And if you liked that (…you probably need therapy), you'll definitely want to check out this Mega Man movie made as some kind of video production project by a university student. Check out the INSANE special effects!
It's been a reasonably quiet week in Galbadia this week, save for my shouting when Crazy Redd sold me ANOTHER (~!) fake painting yesterday for the sixth time in a row! Still, not too much of a loss, as I spent each day collecting all the fruit and selling them to Tom Nook, so by the end of the week I'd made a pretty hefty sum. My main work in Galbadia, however, has been sorting out the town to make it look nice and pretty (aww!). I've planted hundreds of trees, but it is STILL not enough for Pelly, who maintains that my town is "A bit more than milk, but not quite a milkshake". You silly motherducker (…She's a duck, in case that wasn't obvious. Well, no, she's a pelican, but the jokes funnier if you think she's a duck).
As part of my aim to create a perfect town, I am currently trying to grow a lovely little garden of hybrid flowers. Now this took some careful thinking, but with a little bit of strategy, I have planted a damn good combination (if I may say so myself) and I guarantee that within a few short days, that Black Rose will be mine! Mwa ha ha ha.
This upcoming Saturday is the worst of the month. Yes, it's that time again…Flea Market day. Oh, joy. Those dear neighbours of mine just barge straight into my house and start inspecting my most prized possessions…and then have the cheek to offer a measly 830 bells to buy it. When I tell them that it probably cost more than their house, they look at me like I've just farted in church. If Egbert comes round this Saturday, I'm locking him in the basement and throwing away the key. Just don't tell anyone, OK?
Hopefully November will go by quickly, as I can't wait to see what Galbadia looks like in the December snow, with the Christmas li- oh, sorry, "Seasonal" lights in the trees. Those hundreds of trees I have slaved away planting. *Sigh* But it will all be worth it once I catch my first dung beetle. Admittedly, maybe I shouldn't be so excited about catching a dung beetle…but it does give a slight tingling sensation just thinking about it. Plus, I get to make a Snowman! Hurray!
Altogether now, "I'm dreeeeeeeeeeaming of a whiiiiiiiiiiiiiiite Christmaaaaas!"
Investigating Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles
We know almost nothing about this game. What we do know is that it features the locations from all previous major iterations of Resident Evil; the mansion from REmake/Zero, the police station of 2, Raccoon City itself from Nemesis, and the European village of the epic RE4. The plot looks to delve into the history of the Umbrella Corporation, the company responsible for the various forms of the virus. Hopefully this will be the game to tie up all those numerous loose ends.
*SPOILERS!! Do not read if you don't want Resident Evil 0, 1, 2, 3 and 4 spoiled*
We don't know the whereabouts of Billy Cohen from 0. At the end of 0, he and Rebecca go their separate ways; is he gone from the series, or will he make a return in Umbrella Chronicles?
Jill Valentine was infected with the G-Virus towards the end of Nemesis. Does she begin to mutate? Does she somehow recover? This matter has been left unexplained for quite some time.
Resident Evil 4 leaves us on a cliff-hanger, as Ada Wong snatches the Las Plagas parasite tube out of your hands and flies off into the distance. It is revealed in the Assignment: Ada side-game that she is in cohorts with Albert Wesker. Will Wesker make an appearance? Why would Ada align herself with Mr I-couldn't-be-more-evil-if-I-tried (I mean really! Shiftiest video game character EVER. How the hell did Chris and Jill NOT suspect him in the first place?).
Finally, how (if at all) will this game link with the upcoming Resident Evil 5 on the Xbox 360/ PS3, which we still know next to nothing about?
*END SPOILERS*
So, Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles has the potential to be an absolute must-buy for all Resident Evil fans, as it could be the game to bring closure to the storyline branches from previous iterations. However, I think Umbrella Chronicles' main appeal will be its control scheme, and the potential for unparalleled immersion and interaction. Resident Evil 5 may have a cracking story and astonishing graphics, but it can't touch the controls offered by the Wii.
The question is, just how will a Wii-based Resident Evil work? Gameplay is said to be very similar to RE4 (and that's good news, by the way) and will utilise both the Wii-mote and nunchuk accessory. It has also been said that the playable characters will be able to duel-wield weapons, meaning we are in for some double gun-toting action! But that really doesn't tell us anything, does it? Let's explore some possibilities for how Capcom could implement an effective Wii control method.
#1- Puzzle Solving
A simple one, this. We all know that Resident Evil is famed for its somewhat obscure puzzles, so Capcom are bound to exploit the Wii-mote for a truly unique puzzle-solving experience. There's the obvious examples, like twisting the remote round to fit together pieces of a family emblem/crest (come on, that one crops up in EVERY Resi game!), but there's plenty of scope for new puzzles, such as shaking the remote to empty out a crate or jar in search of a jewel or key. The Wii-mote could also be used in a scratching/rubbing mini-game, like the DS' stylus is used in WarioWare. Maybe there's a plaque on the wall that has some important information on it, but it's incredibly dirty and therefore unreadable. So it's up to you to use the Wii-mote to wipe/scratch off the dirt until the writing is legible. Little mini-games like this would ensure RE:UC doesn't become a simple run-and-gun shoot ‘em up, and could serve as a welcome break from being munched on by ravenous zombies and mutated Labradors.
#2- Fighting
It's pretty clear that the Wii-mote will be used as a gun, as from what we've seen of the game, there appear to be some first-person sections, in which case the controls will likely mirror Red Steel and Far Cry Vengeance. With gameplay similar to RE4, it obviously isn't all first-person, probably employing the same over-the-shoulder camera view that was used in 4 when Leon brought up his gun. So, shooting will probably be implemented in that fashion. That's not to say, however, that we won't see any innovative methods of combat.
In previous Resident Evil episodes, when a zombie latches onto you, the player has been instructed to furiously circle the joystick round in order to break free. In Umbrella Chronicles, this could be done by merely shaking the controller to literally shake yourself free. There's also the possibility of some hand-to-hand combat being introduced, which would work in the same manner as the Boxing portion of Wii Sports, using the remote and nunchuk separately to represent each hand.
Obviously, Resident Evil has never been about punching zombies in the face, but it might be useful as a ‘last resort' gameplay element, say for when the zombie dogs jump at you; a quick flick of the remote could bring up your fists to batter the dog back down to the floor.
#3- Item Management
Here, I definitely think Resident Evil should take a page out of Trauma Center: Second Opinion's book, and use the Wii-mote as a tool. You could use the remote to administer healing items to yourself. I'm not saying we should do away with the herb, a staple of the Resident Evil series, but the spray cans could be swapped for needles, so that you actually ‘inject' a cure into yourself. The character's arm could come up on screen, and you'd have to line up the needle with their veins and (much like the use of the forceps in Trauma Center) press the A button and B trigger together, complemented with a downward motion to stick the needle in. It's not a ground-breaking feature, but it's a little something to help make all aspects of the game as interactive as possible.
Reloading your gun should also be considered a prime candidate for getting a Wii facelift. The most basic form this could take would be a simple shake of the remote, but seeing as the remote will likely be taking the form of a gun (and it is rumoured that the Zapper gun attachment might be used) it would make sense to implement some kind of cocking motion. The designated Reload button could be pressed down, and then you'd draw the remote back with a quick, sharp motion, as if pulling back the barrel of a gun. With the Zapper attachment added to the proceedings, I feel that this would really add to the experience, putting you right in the shoes of a S.T.A.R.S team member.
So, I think you'll agree that in principle, Resident Evil has the potential to be THE definitive game of the series. We're unlikely to find out any new information before the year is out, but until then I've hopefully given you enough substance to whet your appetite for the future.
One final piece of info; a little digging around has revealed that the game will include new enemies/monsters never before seen in a Resident Evil game. So at a guess, I'd say there's a new virus on the loose. Get those Rocket Launchers and Magnums ready…there be Tyrants about!!
Next week I'm hoping to look at one of my most anticipated US launch games, beside Zelda of course, that being Excite Truck. A great title that doesn't seem to getting the love is truly deserves at the moment…so we shall have to fix that, right here at Nintendophiles! And of course, next week I'll be on proper form, so One Nintendo Game You Must Play Today and Viable Candidates for the Virtual Console will return after their hiatus this week.
And remember…17 days to go until the US launch of the Wii! SWiit! (Painful).
Ch-ch-check it out (Yes, that was the extent of my DJ skills)
