The real shame of the Nintendo Wii is that it is incapable of running the more technologically advanced games of the current generation. "Resident Evil 4," one of the top games of the last generation, was originally a GameCube exclusive. Yet this generation's Nintendo system can't handle "Resident Evil 5," which will appear on both the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. In order to compensate for this travesty, Capcom has released a Wii-exclusive "Resident Evil" game: "Umbrella Chronicles." Although this game cannot possibly compare with a powerhouse like "Resident Evil 5," it presents a fun and mostly satisfying experience that lives up to the "Resident Evil" (RE) tradition.
The scenarios in "Umbrella Chronicles" are recreations of the stories of three other "RE" games: the original, "RE3," and "RE0." This may sound unappealing if you have played those games before, but the game handles very differently from other games in the series. "Umbrella Chronicles" is an on-rails shooter, which means that the game moves the characters for you. Imagine a typical arcade game with gun peripherals, and that is what you have with "Umbrella Chronicles." Everything takes place from a first-person perspective except for occasional reflex tests, a staple of the series seen through cut scenes. Most of the time, however, the game is all about pointing and shooting.
On the whole, the on-rails aspect works very well. The motion controls that the Wii provides makes the game feel exactly like an arcade shooter, which is a lot of fun. The only complaint I have is that sometimes enemies will appear on-screen, but the rail system dictates that the characters run from the enemies rather than fight. It may just be my sadistic side, but there were numerous times when I was itching to stand there and battle a crowd of zombies. Another small problem is that often there is a very small window of opportunity to pick up the ammo and health strewn about the area, but this is more a problem of learning the levels than poor game design. The game also forces you to use health pickups immediately rather than preserving them in a storage system, but again this is more about ramping up the difficulty than anything else.
One of the best features of "Umbrella Chronicles" is that it provides a two-player co-op mode. This is a real treat because it is the first "Resident Evil" game that provides such an option. Each player is also allowed to pick a specialty weapon to go along with the standard pistol at the start of each stage, so good strategy dictates that one player might pick a shotgun for close quarters situations while the partner chooses a grenade launcher to mow down hordes of zombies. Also, these weapons can be upgraded over the course of the game by using points earned based on the grade you receive at the end of each level.
"Umbrella Chronicles" also provides much fan service for "Resident Evil" buffs. Since all the stages are re-creations of past "RE" games, there is a nostalgia factor that comes into play. One of the keys to the game is that there are secret files hidden throughout the stages, often in very obscure locations. Shooting out a light or knocking a picture off the wall might reveal a hidden file that fans of the series will love reading. These files provide a lot of background information on the series' characters and events. In this way, "Umbrella Chronicles" acts as a sort of "RE" encyclopedia.
When all is said and done, "Umbrella Chronicles" will be overshadowed by a technological force like "Resident Evil 5," but Capcom has done a nice job of creating a game that lives up to the "Resident Evil" name and is, most importantly, very fun while it lasts.