Lost in Nightmares
The classic Resident Evil feel returns in the form of a downloadable content!
PG Exclusive Review
Play... the Pakistani way!
Pros:
Resident Evil 5 was brought upon the next generation, or the current generation (whatever), with much hype. This hype did the game good as it met with mixed critical reactions. The game had given up on survival horror and taken up action/adventure as it's norm. Some critics praised the gameplay and the graphics, stating that the flaws were forgiveable. Whilst others booed it for not living up to it's hard-to-live-upto predecessor, Resident Evil 4 (what a game!).
Though it was disappointing that the game didn't stay true to the franchise's purpose, it was still a great standalone title. Those who really wanted the magical feel of past Resident Evil games need to look no further than Lost in Nightmares! This downloadable content, if increased in size, would actually have the potential to surpass the main game in every possible way. It has a better co-op partner than Resi 5, it has a better setting than Resi 5, it's co-op works better than Resi 5, it's much more intense than Resi 5, and has better AI than Resi 5. Overall, if this were a full game, it would own RE5 in every single aspect.
But that's not to say that this short downloadable content doesn't come packed with it's own drawbacks. True, it may be better than the main-game but, as far as this review goes, it's only limited to that comparison.
Yes, I'm smarter and cooler looking than those pathetic Executioner Majinis!
- Brings back the beloved feel of past Resident Evil games
- Classical Resident Evil gameplay
- Much more intense than Resident Evil 5
- Cheap scare tactics
- Greatness is short-lived
Resident Evil 5 was brought upon the next generation, or the current generation (whatever), with much hype. This hype did the game good as it met with mixed critical reactions. The game had given up on survival horror and taken up action/adventure as it's norm. Some critics praised the gameplay and the graphics, stating that the flaws were forgiveable. Whilst others booed it for not living up to it's hard-to-live-upto predecessor, Resident Evil 4 (what a game!).
Though it was disappointing that the game didn't stay true to the franchise's purpose, it was still a great standalone title. Those who really wanted the magical feel of past Resident Evil games need to look no further than Lost in Nightmares! This downloadable content, if increased in size, would actually have the potential to surpass the main game in every possible way. It has a better co-op partner than Resi 5, it has a better setting than Resi 5, it's co-op works better than Resi 5, it's much more intense than Resi 5, and has better AI than Resi 5. Overall, if this were a full game, it would own RE5 in every single aspect.
But that's not to say that this short downloadable content doesn't come packed with it's own drawbacks. True, it may be better than the main-game but, as far as this review goes, it's only limited to that comparison.
Yes, I'm smarter and cooler looking than those pathetic Executioner Majinis!
Lost in Nightmares puts you in control of Chris Redfield during your first playthrough. It's based entirely off the first Resident Evil game and has Chris and Jill Valentine searching for Albert Wesker in the Spencer Estate. So, on the story side there isn't much new to expect, and for long-time Resi fans, it's actually predictable. But that's all good, and can easily be forgiveable, as we all knew the story wasn't going to be the selling point of this DLC. It's based off Resi 1, a teeny-tiny remake of the original game, we know what happens, we just want it in glorious HD. And that's exactly what we got.
During the second playthrough you can opt to play as Jill. Personally, I found it more fun playing as Jill mainly because of her melee and knife animations. Yes, those reasons may be silly, but an opinion is an opinion. I may also be tired of playing as Chris because Sheva wasn't really an enjoyable character to play as in Resi 5.
Ah... the Moonlight Sonata.
During the second playthrough you can opt to play as Jill. Personally, I found it more fun playing as Jill mainly because of her melee and knife animations. Yes, those reasons may be silly, but an opinion is an opinion. I may also be tired of playing as Chris because Sheva wasn't really an enjoyable character to play as in Resi 5.
Ah... the Moonlight Sonata.
As you play through the game in Normal mode and then switch to Veteran mode after game completion, you'll notice that the game isn't entirely the same as before. No, you cannot memorise the game's patterns in easier difficulties so that harder ones will be a breeze. The enemy's patterns and locations change in harder modes. For example, on Easy you'll find your first Guardian of Insanity where you would normally find your second on Veteran. Also, the game has a degree of randomisation which allows for a wee-bit replay value. An example would be that during your first playthrough you picked up a Magnum from a particular location but in your second you'll find yourself picking up a Shotgun instead.
There isn't much variation when it comes to enemy types, but the Guardians of Insanity do a much better job than Resi 5's Executioner Majinis. In the main-game you could easily run through the Majini's left or right side if you're cornered. In Lost in Nightmares, if you happen to be cornered, running through the Guardian's side won't work. They'll just grab you in a chokeslam-esque fashion. Plus, if you're partner happens to arrive reasonably late, then it's gameover for you. The Guardians do not take it easy on you unlike the Majinis.
They are also harder to kill than their African counterparts. You'll be pumping around three to four handgun clips on their weak spot and they'll still stand strong. In the main game you could easily bring down the Majini for a melee execution by simply pumping one to two clips or less. The Executioners will manage to intensify the game for the first few minutes. But you'll easily understand the enemy and the next time you meet, it'll be so damn easy! The Guardians, on the other hand, never fail to lose their intensity and always present themselves in an oh-shit! manner.
We never wanted Africa or daylight! Narrow hallways ftw!
There isn't much variation when it comes to enemy types, but the Guardians of Insanity do a much better job than Resi 5's Executioner Majinis. In the main-game you could easily run through the Majini's left or right side if you're cornered. In Lost in Nightmares, if you happen to be cornered, running through the Guardian's side won't work. They'll just grab you in a chokeslam-esque fashion. Plus, if you're partner happens to arrive reasonably late, then it's gameover for you. The Guardians do not take it easy on you unlike the Majinis.
They are also harder to kill than their African counterparts. You'll be pumping around three to four handgun clips on their weak spot and they'll still stand strong. In the main game you could easily bring down the Majini for a melee execution by simply pumping one to two clips or less. The Executioners will manage to intensify the game for the first few minutes. But you'll easily understand the enemy and the next time you meet, it'll be so damn easy! The Guardians, on the other hand, never fail to lose their intensity and always present themselves in an oh-shit! manner.
We never wanted Africa or daylight! Narrow hallways ftw!
Lost in Nightmares will give you that Resident Evil feel we all expected from Resi 5, but it still fails to make you crap your pants. The game includes cheap scare tactics, and I mean really cheap! To further elaborate myself I'll provide with two examples. During the start of the game I was walking up the stairs of the Spencer Estate when, suddenly, a corpse falls down followed by a quick thunder and lightening! But guess what? It didn't scare me. Instead, I was hoping that that was the only time the game "scared" me in such a way. But I was wrong. When I was running through a narrow hallway, hoping to get genuinely scared, I was, instead, treated to a window shattering right beside me with a bat entering the house. And boy did that scare me... not! Maybe that was Capcom's way of saying, "Hello! We have lost our touch! Thank you, goodbye!"
At a certain point during the game, when I was wading through knee-length waters in a sewer, I was startled by a zombie quickly appearing out of nowhere and grabbing me. After tapping Circle did the zombie leave me alone. That, however, didn't last long. Capcom thought it was a good idea to rinse and repeat a good idea. But it's not. The first time the zombie managed to scare me. The second time, it did not. The third time, it got annoyingly repetitive. So, scratch that 'horror' bit from the 'survival horror,' as this game successfully fails to accomplish the latter.
But, cons aside, the thing I really liked about Lost in Nightmares was how it paid homage to the past. For example, when you open doors in the mansion area, the camera suddenly switches to a first-person perspective view of the door opening, in homage to the classic loading screens from the earlier games. Also, the Keeper's Diary from the original Resident Evil can be located in the upstairs bedroom, next to one of the passcodes. The file is identical to the one seen in Resi 1.
Sadly, this great game is short-lived. You should be able to complete the game on your first run-through in about an hour. It took me 1 hour and 9 minutes to complete it on Easy when I first played it. Playing it again on Normal this time, it took me 24 minutes to beat the game. And that was on a harder difficulty too!
Replay value is in the form of randomisation of weapons and the leader board. You'll have to search for Score Stars to increase your points and rank up your position in the global leader boards. We are also treated with two new playable characters in the highly loved Mercenaries mode. Namely, these are Excella Gionni and Barry Burton. It doesn't bring something new to the Mercenaries mode, but that isn't necessary. The mode is highly enjoyable and has brought me back again and again!
Value/Worth: 5.0/10
An hour long experience, which will surely be shorter the second time you play it, Lost in Nightmares doesn't bring much in terms of post game-completion content. Mercenaries has two new skins, but nothing else has changed.
Graphics: 9.0/10
The graphics aren't any different from the main-game, but they don't really need an improvement.
Sound: 9.0/10
Sound effects are superb and the soundtrack will bring nostalgia to long-time Resi fans (REmake, anyone?).
Gameplay: 8.5/10
No major, or minor, change in the way you play. Jill's melee and knife animations are something new, but not much to bring up the rating. Still, you're unable to move while you aim.
Multiplayer: 9.5/10
Probably the best aspect of this game! I had a lot of fun playing Professional mode again and again with an online co-op partner, and Mercenaries is certainly a lot of fun when playing with someone else.
Overall: 8.3/10
There isn't much replay value, but the co-op will be your main focus after the first playthrough.
At a certain point during the game, when I was wading through knee-length waters in a sewer, I was startled by a zombie quickly appearing out of nowhere and grabbing me. After tapping Circle did the zombie leave me alone. That, however, didn't last long. Capcom thought it was a good idea to rinse and repeat a good idea. But it's not. The first time the zombie managed to scare me. The second time, it did not. The third time, it got annoyingly repetitive. So, scratch that 'horror' bit from the 'survival horror,' as this game successfully fails to accomplish the latter.
But, cons aside, the thing I really liked about Lost in Nightmares was how it paid homage to the past. For example, when you open doors in the mansion area, the camera suddenly switches to a first-person perspective view of the door opening, in homage to the classic loading screens from the earlier games. Also, the Keeper's Diary from the original Resident Evil can be located in the upstairs bedroom, next to one of the passcodes. The file is identical to the one seen in Resi 1.
Sadly, this great game is short-lived. You should be able to complete the game on your first run-through in about an hour. It took me 1 hour and 9 minutes to complete it on Easy when I first played it. Playing it again on Normal this time, it took me 24 minutes to beat the game. And that was on a harder difficulty too!
Replay value is in the form of randomisation of weapons and the leader board. You'll have to search for Score Stars to increase your points and rank up your position in the global leader boards. We are also treated with two new playable characters in the highly loved Mercenaries mode. Namely, these are Excella Gionni and Barry Burton. It doesn't bring something new to the Mercenaries mode, but that isn't necessary. The mode is highly enjoyable and has brought me back again and again!
Value/Worth: 5.0/10
An hour long experience, which will surely be shorter the second time you play it, Lost in Nightmares doesn't bring much in terms of post game-completion content. Mercenaries has two new skins, but nothing else has changed.
Graphics: 9.0/10
The graphics aren't any different from the main-game, but they don't really need an improvement.
Sound: 9.0/10
Sound effects are superb and the soundtrack will bring nostalgia to long-time Resi fans (REmake, anyone?).
Gameplay: 8.5/10
No major, or minor, change in the way you play. Jill's melee and knife animations are something new, but not much to bring up the rating. Still, you're unable to move while you aim.
Multiplayer: 9.5/10
Probably the best aspect of this game! I had a lot of fun playing Professional mode again and again with an online co-op partner, and Mercenaries is certainly a lot of fun when playing with someone else.
Overall: 8.3/10
There isn't much replay value, but the co-op will be your main focus after the first playthrough.
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