Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles Reviews

• It Should've Been So Much More

  
  By A29BQ6B90Y1R5F on 2007-11-16
  The Resident Evil games outside of the main series haven't really done too well. Especially the first person shooter ones such as Resident Evil: Survivor or Resident Evil: Dead Aim. And they performed poorly with good reason. It's nice to say that Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles isn't bad, but it would've been so much better to say it was good.
  
  Umbrella Chronicles is not entirely a new game. It only serves to show you the downfall of Umbrella. You'll play through Resident Evil 0, Resident Evil 1 and Resident Evil 3. It's a shame that the classic Resident Evil 2 isn't included in this package, though. As it is one of the best games in the series. Still, you're getting quite an adventure and a nice trip down memory lane. A lot of the game is narrated nicely by Albert Wesker as you plow through the game.
  
  You'll have your stock of weapons and ammunition as you go through the game. Your standard handgun has infinite ammo and can be used to take down most of your basic enemies. You'll also pick up other weapons which do have ammunition in limited supply. Most enemies can be taken down quite easily. Every enemy also has a weak spot you can shoot that results in a one-hit kill. Unfortunately, it's not easy to hit these spots.
  
  Like the Wii Edition of Resident Evil 4, Umbrella Chronicles feels natural for the Wii. It's no problem getting acquainted to the controls. You can look around a little with the nunchuck, and you'll use the wii remote to aim and shoot at your foes. The game is also compatible with the wii zapper. In addition to blasting your enemies you'll also be able to use your knife by swinging the wii remote. In short, Umbrella Chronicles is easy to pick up and play. The overall adventure isn't too hard either.
  
  You'll have some fun with the game because its really simple stuff, but it feels a lot like the House of the Dead arcade shooters. In a sense, it feels very empty at times. You have enemies coming at you left and right, but the gameplay eventually turns into something repetitive. Throughout the adventure it just feels like something more could've been done with the game. More variety in the gameplay would've been nice. It's fun at first but there's just not enough thrown at you. There are moments where you're reflexes will be tested and you'll have to shake the wii remote or press certain buttons. This'll keep you on your toes, but it's still not enough to drive past the fact that the game grows repetitive really fast.
  
  Perhaps the most striking aspect of Umbrella Chronicles is that it simply could've been a better looking game. The environments have the look of Resident Evil, but the textures are not all that smooth. It doesn't look bad, but it certainly needed a bit of a polish to make it look better.
  
  The music is a little strange. It's this aspect that doesn't make the game feel like Resident Evil. The music doesn't carry that eerie tone. It's not bad, though. For the most part it has a good soundtrack but you can't help but think that you're playing a game that looks like Resident Evil but feels like something else.
  
  Umbrella Chronicles isn't a bad game by any means. But it sure isn't good either. Die-hard Resident Evil fans might like it, but it would probably be better to wait until the list price comes down for a game that would've fared better in the arcade rather than the home console.
  
  Pros:
  
  +Relive some of the best moments of the Resident Evil series
  +Simplistic and easy gameplay to grasp
  +Nice voice work
  
  Cons:
  
  -Not enough variety in the gameplay
  -Graphics could've used a polish
  -Doesn't include Resident Evil 2
  
  

• behind the times

  
  By ANX9NJ0JTLRDZ on 2007-11-14
  I love first person shooters (particularly on the Wii) and am a fan of the RE series so I figured this game would be amazing. Unfortunatley I feel that the rail sytem ruins the game. It reminds me of House of the Dead where little creatures jump at you and you have to shoot them out of the air. It is moderatley fun, but strikes me as a game that was made 10 years ago. If you are at all interested in the game, rent it or wait a month or two when the price drops....it definitely is not fun enough to justify spending $50
  
  

• Fun re-invention of the RE/light gun formula

  
  By AJKWF4W7QD4NS on 2007-11-15
  Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles marks Capcom's long running horror series' return to the light gun shooter formula. For those that remember the series' first foray into the genre, the less than enjoyable Resident Evil: Survivor for the PS1, have no fear that Umbrella Chronicles improves on the formula in nearly every which way. With environments and characters straight out of previous games in the series (including the classic mansion and Raccoon City), long time fans of the series will be rejoicing at all the nostalgiac touches that populate most of The Umbrella Chronicles. The shooting action is more than solid, and the Wii controls are quite good as well for the most part. What hurts The Umbrella Chronicles are the repetitive moments that also populate the game, as well as graphical and character animation glitches. It won't take you long to see a majority of the enemies the game has to offer, and as far as light gun shooters as a whole go, Umbrella Chronicles doesn't offer anything new. Despite that though, there's still a lot to admire. The music score is spooky, the side quests are fun with extra content to unlock, and the boss fight with Nemesis is worth the price of admission alone. All in all, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is a fun re-working of the RE/light gun formula, and is worth picking up for light gun shooter and Resident Evil fans alike.
  
  

• The reason I purchased a Wii

  
  By A3158Z5E4GL6D8 on 2007-11-16
  With the obvious exception of the big name Nintendo series' such as Mario, Zelda, and Metroid, Resident Evil is the only thing I believe that Nintendo has going for it.
  
  Now, for starters I only want to give this game about 4 stars, but I'm giving it 5 to help balance the reviewers who didn't do their homework. They obviously have this wonderful piece of technology called the internet, and for them not to find out that it was a first person rail shooter before buying it is just ridiculous.
  
  I'm an avid Resident Evil fan, so this game was a must for me - most simply because of the name, "Umbrella Chronicles". The Resident Evil Series has one of the most confusing plots - especially when concerning the character of Albert Wesker. This game does a nice job of filling in the gaps and plotholes that have existed for years in between the RE games that have been released, which is a nice thing to have before playing Resident Evil 5 (hopefully to be released in 2008), where I think Chris and Wesker will have a showdown (probably a final one).
  
  The game itself is fun. It's the first rail shooter that I've ever played. It's appropriately named though, since it's like you're on fun house ride where you can't control where you're going, which does add a bit more tension. There's certainly no running away or getting into positions of your choice in this one. You also have to be very quick and aware or else you'll miss items that you, of course, cannot go back and get.
  
  They did a nice job recreating the scenarios from the older games in this. As another reviewer put it - it's nostalgiac fun. It goes further than being just a recreation of the older games though. You also get to play as characters that you didn't get to before (Wesker, Richard, Ada, and Hunk) in scenarios that you didn't see before. Some have complained about not being able to play Leon in any Resident Evil 2 / 4 scenarios, but I honestly didn't care since I already know what happened to him during and between those games. Besides, it would have been annoying to have the view on the right side of your screen obstructed by overlong bangs.
  
  The replay value is quite high, since there are many unlockables. There's a ratings system in this game, just like all of the other games, and it's based on things like shooting accuracy / percentage. I did pretty terrible on the first level, since I wasn't familiar with the controls and gameplay, but I've sort of mastered it now. Just don't go for headshots all of the time. The enemies like to fall back with their heads bent slightly out of sight when you get the first head shot, so don't go for a second one right away. You have to be quick in taking them out too, or else they like to jump on you, which is frustrating. You should also always be on the look out for explosive barrells and stuff, because it's really hard to take out a large group of enemies otherwise. My favorite part of the gameplay is taken right out of Resident Evil 4, where you have to press buttons as they appear on the screen at certain points to avoid death. All of that together keeps you on your toes / on the edge of your seat - as it should. All of it is also complimented nicely by great settings / atmospheres, and the same kind of unsettling music that can be found in it's predecessors.
  
  Right now I'm waiting for the Wii Zapper before I replay it. Hopefully the zapper will not be a piece of crap like so many other Wii accessories before.
  
  If you're a Resident Evil nut like me, then pick this up (or at least rent it). Exclusives like this and the Mario/Zelda games are the only reason for owning a Wii right now. Other than that you have multiplatform games (which are always inferior on the Wii) and Foo Foo kiddie games.
  
  
  
  

• crappy game

  
  By A6OM3OQ513NO8 on 2007-11-15
  this is one terrible game. they took away the ability to walk around and explore your enviroment and replaced it with a arcade shooter. this is compleatly diffrent from all other resident evil games. i was so excited to get this now i just want to throw it away.
  
  
• Nostalgic fun!
  By A3T3USBHXZ5Q7F on 2007-11-14
  Having loved the RE games of the past, this was like a speedy violent trip down memory lane. As a first person shooter, it's extrememly fun and unexpected. All types of monsters, locations from RE 0, 1, 3 (and a brand new level), this game is a must have!
  
  
• Waste of Money
  By AK0LF5QC5YTMZ on 2007-11-15
  It is a waste of money if you are expecting anything like the older games. I have been looking forward to this for some time now, and to have it spoiled by them changing the whole game disappoints me! Why try to fix something that wasn't broken in the first place??? Save your money and wait for something better to come out.
  
  
• Capcom, you blew it big time.
  By A1TNBRLLLINEUR on 2008-04-14
  Coming off of RE4 to this is going to be a shock to anyone who enjoys the RE franchise.
  
  My recommendation: Skip this game. It is beyond pathetic and its sole purpose is to generate revenue for Capcom. I can not believe over 1 million copies of this game were sold, but given how I was duped, I can see why.
  
  People who don't read reviews are going to hate themselves for it later.
  
  This game is on "rails" which means you don't move your character, it moves for you. Expect to see the "You are dead" message so often, you'll think it's a character in the game.
  
  This game has a good concept, but lacks execution. One of the biggest problems is not being able to dodge. This alone is what kills your character as creatures often spit/throw/jump so often and the weapon can't take them all, especially since you MUST reload (or suffer a penalty of "load delay").
  
  I wish I could meet the developers of this game, not only to demand my money back, but to put them on rails out of town to never develop a game again.
  
  For shame, Capcom. For shame.
  
  
• Great Shooting Game Almost Like The Shooting Arcades
  By AFV2584U13XP3 on 2007-11-15
  I bought this game from EBgames a few days ago and have not been disappointed with it.The game starts off with RE0 through RE2 with some extras added in the first player though is the only one who can control to some extent the camera angles the 2player just points and shoots.The video and audio quality are also great as well as the lighting effects when inside buildings.The game greatly reminds me of the shooting arcades like house of the dead 4 so that being said if you don't like first-person shooters or not being able to really control the direction you want to really go this game will not be for you.The wii zapper is also coming out soon and if you have a few more first-person shooters I say try it out also Amazon is selling it for $20 that's not a bad price.That all said if you're a resident evil fan I definitely say get the game
  
  
• Like shooters, like RE, this is the game you gotta have!
  By ACHXKXO31T92I on 2007-12-01
  This game is much more than your normal shooting gallery game. It adds elements from the RE series and it uses the Wii very efficiently. Let me give you an example: Instead of just shooting bosses, your reflexes are tested when the boss attacks you have to respond in different ways. You can shake the nunchuk, press the B button, press Z (if you have it on zapper mode), or press both; you have a split second to make the right choice and to tell you the truth I already died many times due to the fact I could not make the right choice in time. The only reason I ever stoped to play the game was because my hand was killing me from doing all that shooting motion.
  If you like RE and the lightgun type games you are gonna love this one.
  
  
• Complete Deparature from Everything Good in Resident Evil series
  By A3RJU0OWZCKAX7 on 2007-12-15
  We were so excited to buy this game we bought it the day it came out without reading any reviews. Big mistake! We had loved all the other Resident Evil games so much that we had faith this one would also be great. You cannot even control the characters in the game and it's basically just target practice for you and your Wii controller. None of the story line is new. It's all scenes from previous games. Our favorite aspect of previous Resident Evil games is the puzzle-like quality where you need to collect things and figure out how to use them later on in the game. This game required no thinking whatsoever. Very disappointing. $50 down the drain for 15 minutes of disappointment.
  
  
• resident evil meets the thrillville rollercoaster!!!!!!!!! embarasing!!!!
  By A1XFLX693BX6ZB on 2007-12-21
  rails, rails, and more rails, all we need is loops!!!!!!!!!! i dont remember touching the directional stick at all....just enjoy the ride and shoot..!!!! if you die, no problem.......get ready to shoot the same zombies, over and over and over..round and round we go..IT SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!! i got ripped-off and now i have to sell this garbage...its unbalanced, boring, its really like testing your own coaster in thrillville...pretty much automatic, just let the computer take you, yes your'e in cruise control baby!!!!!!!!!! and the looser award goes to UMBRELLA COASTER CHRONICLES!!!!!!!! if you still feel inspired to buy this game after this review, just give me the 50 dollars..i need a new pair of shoes.........
  
  
• A Must Buy for some reasons
  By AVRZBE7SBZBZF on 2007-11-21
  I am glad that I bought this game from familyvideo.com. Totally worthy!
  
  As a huge fan of RE series, I previewed plenty of trailers prior to the release date. Judging from these trailers, definitely, UC appears to be a recycled product which contain a number of RE series such as zero, RE1, and RE3. If you are a RE fan, I am sure you will be touched by some classical scenarios, figures, monsters, and X files about Umbrella.
  
  This game doesn't fit the needs of those people who gave negative reviews because they shouldn't compare UC to any RE series which players can control the movement nearly every moment. However, if you like first person shooting or shooting games directed by the trail system, this game would be a wonderful alternative.
  
  I give two thumbs up as my highest recommendation.
  
  
  
• Awful Game, Boring, Complete Waste of Money
  By A1R9QOPV6HVEKF on 2007-12-12
  After getting a Wii, the next step was to pick up a few games, one of which was Resident Evil. It just came out, it's $50 bucks, it's on the Wii, must be pretty good, right? Dead wrong. This game is terrible, don't rent it and definitely don't buy it - but if you really want it I'll sell you mine.
  
  The graphics are decent but there is NOTHING to the game. You can't control your character, monsters just pop up on the screen and you shoot them. That was great in the days of Atari and Coleco Vision when you were the talk of the neighborhood just because you had a game system other than Pong. It doesn't take advantage of the Wii system in any way. In addition to shooting monster you can shake the Wii controler to fend off attacks but there is really no strategy, no interaction, it just sucks. If you must try it, rent it somewhere but it's not worth your hard earned cash to buy it.
  
  
  
• Unecessary Evil
  By A15NWJIY7VRMTN on 2007-12-15
  THis game had me going crazy when I heard the concept of it. I just bought and played the game and my hopes have been dashed. The game plays like an arcade Area 51 rip-off. You basically just look around and shoot at the enemies the computer lets you engage. If you don't have a zapper gun be prepared to lose signal every 20 seconds. If you use the nunchuk make sure you are fully charged and swap battery packs after ten minutes. The sensor bar chooses to ignore the buttons at random and the game really is not that exciting to make you want to play it. THey really missed the mark with this title and I wish it could have been a third person title like every other R.E. and allowed for use of the Wii or GCN controller instead of a zapper or inconsistant nunchuk configuration.
  
  
• Fans of Rail shooters, rejoice!
  By APJRHDYDW9BE5 on 2008-01-21
  If you like lightgun games or the Resident Evil series, this game is for you. Although a bit rough around the edges at times, this game is tremendous fun either by yourself or with a friend (just make sure your partner can aim...)
  
  The game would be a great introduction to the RE world, recapping the stories of RE0, RE, RE2, and I assume RE3 although I am not yet there.
  
  All in all, a fun game; it is probably going to be a 'game to own' for fans of the Wii Zapper.
  
  
• A Good Quick Story
  By A13FBTED4VLIUU on 2008-03-29
  When I was reading these reviews I thought 'wow do people understand the words rail shooter?' The answer to this is NO. Most of the reviews that have been written that are one stars are by people that didn't understand this concept.
  For those of you that don't understand what a rail shooter is: this is a game that is like time crisis or house of the dead. You don't move your character you are on a "rail". With this in mind a person can't expect any new breakthroughs in game play. Even on the Wii this game doesn't bring anything breakthrough.
  I also found people that said you can't go anywhere and it's the same every time...WRONG. In every level you get to choose one of 2 or 3 ways or paths at some point. So you do get some choice, but this is minimal. I want you to understand that there are some options.
  So what does this game have to offer? First RE4 was amazing and on the Wii it was better. Most people were introduced to Resident Evil through RE4. So think of it this way, Capcom wanted to introduce the story for those that haven't play through RE0, 1, and 3, the major story lines. Lets face is RE2 and 3 is really expensive on the GameCube, and not everyone wants to fork over 60 dollars to play those games.
  I would suggest Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles to someone that hasn't played any of the RE games before, if you really want to know and don't mind a watered down story. If you don't know what the words "rail shooter" mean, don't.
  
  
• Resident Shooter not complete
  By A3BC4EEX4VBKOO on 2007-11-14
  I am a huge R.E fan and have all the games except Gun Survivor 2. This game is better than Gun Survivor and Dead Aim. I like going back to these games and revisit the storyline which this game is all about. It brings me back to the first time I played the originals. Even though I haven't played the game all the way through I do feel a little disappointed.
  
  Negatives:
  
  I have mixed feelings about the movement of the game. You do not control the movement of your character (I mean walking or running).
  
  I am also disappointed the game didn't include coverage of RE 2 (my favorite of the series besides RE4) and Code Veronica the last game of the true RE Umbrella storyline. They call this the "Umbrella Chronicles" but it is missing two important chapters in their history.
  
  The game is a little pricey at $50.00. The game is not entirely new and could have gone for $29.99 or $39.99.
  
  I do not like the character voice of Rebecca Chambers. Way to young if you ask me.
  
  Also there is the easy factor expect it does it harder as the storyline continues
  
  Positives:
  
  The game is two players which is cool. I always wanted to play a two player RE game besides outbreak.
  
  Another positive: it is for the Wii and I am looking forward to the zapper which hopefully will improve the game play.
  
  It does unlock Umbrella secrets for us hardcore fans which is another positive.
  
  It seems easy which can be a positive.
  
  Lastly, it is a new Resident Evil game which is nice until RE5 comes out.
  
  Overall, the game is descent with a retelling of the classic Resident Evil Series I just wish it was at a lower price and included those missing chapters. If you like the RE series and love first person arcade style shooters this is for you. If you don't then you won't like this game at all.
  
  
  
• Great FSP and it's RE so can't go wrong.
  By A30BYUJLCLCVQU on 2007-11-15
  I think the other reviews that are giving this game bad reviews were expecting something entirely different when they bought this game. They seemed to be expecting the adventure/shooter a la RE4 whereas this game is a 1st person rail shooter much like House of the Dead or Time crisis.
  
  I personally love this game because i love 1st person shooters. I loved time crisis and take pride in my ability to get the highest score possible by improving accuracy and getting through the game without losing any life. Rail shooters may be an "old style" game but it is a genre that is fun with it's own positive. No, there aren't any puzzles or real "adventure" in the game but that's not what it's meant for. It's meant for shooting, shooting and more shooting.
  
  Another reviewer commented on the easiness of the game. There is a difficulty setting that can be turned up, which makes the game much more difficult to complete. For me, as a rail shooter, this game is awesome. ANd the fact that it's RE makes it even better.
  
  Bottom line: if you want adventure, puzzles and freedom of movement. This game is not for you. If you enjoy rail shooters like time crisis and house of the dead, this game will keep you entertained time and time again. Plus it's great with a partner! I'm also looking forward to how the zapper will improve play.
  
  
• Getting what's expected isn't necessarily a bad thing.
  By A1KJPDPM4J2CQH on 2007-11-18
  We all already knew what type of game this was going to be, a rail shooter, and yet so many people gave this thing a negative score without seeing the obvious: it's not survival horror. Those who say it's a terrible game because it's a huge leap down from Resident Evil 4 aren't seeing this game as it's suppose to be seen, which is an arcade type shoot-em game. I have played Resident Evil 0-4, including Code Veronica, and I can honestly say Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is still a great game, even though it is not in the same genre as the others. I haven't found the controls to be difficult, it did take some getting use to, but once I got use to it those critical hit numbers started increasing in my favor. Graphics wise the game is decent. The graphics won't blow your mind away, but that doesn't mean they aren't good. Then again, I didn't have so much time to bash on the graphics as I was too busy shooting the zombies that were coming towards me. The game itself, replay value considered, is up there. However I did notice that by myself, though the game was fun and all it still got slow at times, meaning I needed to take a break to get back into the habit. This was not the case when I was doing Co-op though. When doing co-op it gives the game new life, it doesn't really seem to drag because you are having fun blasting away with the some help from the person next to you. It would have been nice however to see some online play. Playing this game with a friend online would have been a great bonus, alas we weren't so lucky this time around. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles is a great game, not amazing, but it's still a good game. This isn't a survival horror game so don't expect puzzles, free roam, management of items (though you can customize your guns which is a nice bonus), and don't bash it because it's not a survival horror game. Remember it's a rail shooter, and the game is doing exactly that.
  
  
• No Title
  By A1PPOI55JO8VU1 on 2007-12-12
  This has gotta be the game I've been most scared of in this year. not because of the horror aspect of the game, but I wasen't sure if Capcom could pull off a mainstream on the rails(acrade style, the wii moves for you) game. Thank God they did(almost).
  Umbrella Chronicals is real close to what I want in a arcade shooter. Slow paced exploration of haunting mansions, plenty of weapon selections, (rpgs + zombies = fun), and ton of levels, great learning curve. Capcom takes you through 3 previous RE games, and if you've never played RE before, they give you a run-through of each game's story.
  But on the flip side, the missions are so SHORT! On average, each level takes 10-15 minutes to complete, so it's real dumb when there's only 20ish levels. On co-op, it is great light up the undead with a partner, but it's to easy, the boss' go by in less than 3 min. Even though this is resident evil, there is ZERO horror! You hear zombies coming a mile away with there lathargic groans. Deffinitly not like RE 4.
  Fine game to rent, but not to buy, you'll honestly finish this within the 3 day rental.
  
  
• Fun, but limited for long-term playability
  By A1YV7ZFN17D8SO on 2007-12-20
  This game is a basic first-person shooter on rails, meaning you can't control where your character travels.
  
  It works very well with the Wii Zapper, which I highly recommend purchasing for this and similar games. But you can also use the regular Wii remote/nunchuck combination.
  
  Most players will breeze through the easy setting, but find that normal is quite difficult. Some of the bosses, through repetitive, are very tough and require multiple attempts to beat.
  
  If you're a fan of shooting zombies -- and who isn't really -- and own the Zapper, give this game a look.
  
  
• disappointing
  By AAODZG2Z8V209 on 2008-01-21
  Well I never knew what a "shooter on rails" was until i got this game. Its not as much fun to play as the previous one because you only aim and shoot. YOu don't control where your character goes. It gets old quick too. I'm not sure I would recommend it even for a rental and the graphics are not too impressive but its a wii game so that goes without saying.
  
  
• Underrated
  By A1P1T3QI3GOGH2 on 2007-11-20
  Well, I was a tad skeptical about buying this game, but I'm glad I went through with it. People need to understand that this is not RE5; meaning that you shouldn't compare it to RE4. This is more along the lines of a Time Crisis mixed with a House of the Dead. You do not control the movements, but that doesn't necessarily make it a bad thing. There is plenty of Resident Evil background from the previous games, so for hardcore fans, this is a must. There's only one major downside I can say about this game: Not enough playing time. I was hooked to this, so of course I finished the game in the span of two and a half games. There is good amount of replay value, however.
  4.5 Stars.
  
  
• Big Dissapointment
  By A2D13A1W78TV7Q on 2007-12-03
  After waiting for the game for some time, i am very dissapointed with what i have seen. The arcade style, where you don't have much control over you're character is very annoying. Compared to RE4 this is a very bad game. The only thing that would make me play it is that i love Resident Evil. Unless you are a big fan of resident evil or enjoy playing arcade games; don't consider this game.
  
  
• Addictive and easy to get used to
  By A1FWQS1UBMT6MZ on 2007-12-07
  Ive had my love and hate with the RE series, most notably I really only enjoy the first game and the gamecube remake of it.This, however, fills me in on portions of the other games in a way that is extremely entertaining to me.
  
  By not relying on accuracy as a scoring system, your allowed to go gung-ho all you want.In fact, the more you break, the better.Reserving your ammo is smart, but your starting gun is unlimited, break everything with this so you dont waste ammo on precious shotguns and the like.By doing so you can find files, more ammo,health bonus items, and new weapons.Also, this increases the creepy level by knocking out most lights.
  
  The graphics are well done, I cant complain.You might notice pieces and chunks coming off of zombies but no noticeable real time damage, but since for the most part your rushing to kill to survive this wont bother you.
  
  Controls are so simple, and a very good use of the wiimote.The only thing wrong here is that you scroll through your empty weapons before you can get to your full weapons, and this will get you into some bad situations.Aiming is easy, actions are easy, and theres the occasional dodge/attack special moment where you have to hit certain buttons at specific times.All rather easy, the only problem here is the use of the critical hit-by hitting an enemy in a certain spot, they will be dealt more damage or, complete with blood spewing decapitations, die instantly.Due to enemy movement, these are pretty hard to come by, but you will find yourself doing random runs of three or more.
  
  Weapons can be upgraded,increasing ammo and damage, which adds replay value for me to go back to earlier missions and rip them up all over again.In fact I often go back to old missions to gain new points to upgrade again before going into new missions.
  
  If you like shooting games, Resident Evil, or preferably both, youll probably get a kick out of this.Its fun to pick up and play for about a half hour-that can be two or three missions-so I tend to do a few runs after work.Not having to commit myself to a giant game that the resident series usually provides is in itself worth the buy for me.The intense moments that make me shoot recklessly and start speaking out loud waiting for reloads,the joy of killing another giant snake, it makes this one of the few wii titles for the older group that isnt a simple port with ackward waggle controls. I have yet to play co-op, but the fact that I can grab a machine gun and my friend a grenade launcher before a mission starts makes me think of the choas that could be had.Love it.
  
  update- I have played multiplayer mode and can say it has a way of making it easier and harder to get through a level.At first, having two people take down enemy after enemy is very useful.Once guns start popping up in backrounds, it gets competitive.Both players go for the same weapons, sometimes out of habit I would take the lions share before my friend even knew what was going on.Once both players are used to a level they can easily call dibs though, we began doing this pretty quickly.
  
  Another part that makes it more difficult is the dodge commands-Both players have to get it right or you suffer, as you share the same lifebar.It also was slightly confusing when special commands would pop up to shake a zombie off.
  
  On the plus side, grabbing the heavy weapons before starting the match proved to make single player moments of desperation become nothing more then a one shot victory.Two grenade launchers provides excellent "crowd control", while someone having a rocket launcher can destroy boss characters in an instant.Saves time and ups kills, making both players scores go higher.In fact making different combos was part of the thrill.A magnum for the sharpshooter, and a shotgun for close quarters can make a round feel completely different then going solo and choosing a submachine gun for the simple fact that it can keep things at a safe distance.
  
  
• I expected a lot more
  By A1GSS6W2LG26MO on 2007-12-11
  
  I'm a bit disappointed at the quality of wii titles lately. I think I should got the xbox360 as I'm a hardcore gamer. The wii is fun to play with mates but if you play alone most of the time well... whatever back to the review:
  
  The game is a shooter arcade style with killer shooting action it`s loads of fun actually but in the other hand as someone already said the movements of the character you can`t control and are pretty annoying as sometimes you would like to move faster. I don`t see the need of the camera either actually you don`t get much out of it anyways but maybe a little advantage on some fights.
  
  The game is pretty easy overall but it lacks the intrigue of the previous resident evil games and the thinking!! if you guys get me.
  
  This is a very light resident evil but the boss fights are kinda cool.
  
  Anyway it`s a good game but nothing spectacular.
  
  
  
  
  
• Solid RE Fun
  By A3N594NXW8JX6H on 2007-12-24
  Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles is solid fun for fans of arcade shooters and/or the Resident Evil series of games.
  
  pros:
  -Atmosphere: graphics are both creepy and in keeping with the RE series feel.
  -Mechanics: the weapons feel good, with the exception of the grenade launchers which are a little floaty and require some forethought. The sound effects are satisfying when you fire a weapon, the the hit detection is good overall. Its satisfying to whip a zombie around by shooting him in the shoulder or side of the head just before he swats you. Head shots, knee shots, and critical hits are consistent and become lots of fun (especially since they increase your rating.)
  -Replay: The file system (files hidden in background items) and the ranking system make the replay good-to-excellent, depending on how badly you want an S rank. The ability to level up weapons, the variety of weapons, and the unlockable sub-missions all make casual replaying satisfying.
  Dificulty: with 3 modes and a natural ramp-up in enemy types and amounts as you progress, there's always more challenges.
  
  Cons:
  -enemy variety: unfortunately you will experience most of the enemies, except bosses, in the first missions (with a few exceptions like hunters and plant 43's.)
  -level variety: while it is nice that the levels keep with the RE feel, new levels tend to feel like the old levels, and in the cases of sub missions, are often the old levels with a different route through them.
  
  
  I was very satisfied with this game, and after putting through 30+ hours and an S level ranking on Hard, I still enjoy playing through the game again, either for fun, to find the last few hidden files, or to continue leveling up the weapons. I'd love to see a RE: UC 2 that includes more action from RE 2, RE: Veronica, and perhaps some content from the ill fated spin-offs like Survivor and Dead Aim (I liked Dead Aim!)
  
  
  
  
• It was just dissapointing...
  By A3UDGNQRE1B690 on 2007-12-28
  I would be lying if I said that I was a RE fan, my first game was RE 4. I loved RE 4, was fascinated by it and understood why RE was so successful. Umbrella Chronicles was a MAJOR disappointment. The fact that I don't control the character is annoying; I save that when I go to the arcades and play House of the Dead, which is fun but it's an arcade game. I paid 50 dollars + tax to play a game that would make me think. This game is so mindless that I feel my brain cells dying. It was just a waste of my time. Since I first started that game I just didn't like it.I gave it a chance and lost hours of my lifetime that I'll never get back. Don't buy this game. I would only suggest it if you have absolutely nothing to do, and when I say nothing I mean NOTHING.
  
  
• Funner with friends
  By A1KWGHYT39PWI2 on 2008-01-12
  This game follows hot on the heels of Resident Evil 4's success and tries to keep with the frantic pace that 4 introduced with its gameplay. Changing the series rather into a 'on-the-rails' shooter similar to House of the Dead series, but does it with more finesse. Its extremely satisfying to blast zombies and monsters with your shotgun in this game. The Wii zapper, although optional, does make it feel more real, despite reloading with it being a bit awkward. But after your first playthrough (on any skill level), it slowly starts to get boring. However, bring in a friend to help kill monsters with you and for some strange reason, it never ceases to be entertaining. So one major suggestion, keep it a nice party game with those who love to shoot stuff up. The story of the game is interesting but overall not the main focal point of the game, the focus is actually on the gameplay and about shooting things up. Never forget that when going in to play it.
  
  

• Electronic Gaming Monthly
• Play
• Tips & Tricks Magazine

• Wii Zapper with Link's Crossbow Training
• Wii Perfect Shot Gun
• Resident Evil 4
• Ghost Squad
• Super Smash Bros. Brawl