Hands-on with Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles for Wii
by Jared Rea 
{ Apr 13th 2007 at 8:00PM }
When we originally saw Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, it wasn't hard to figure out that it was an on-rails shooter, even without having to touch it. Now that we've finally gotten the Wii remote and the nunchuk in our hands, we can confirm, once again, that it is an on-rails shooter. A particularly boring one at that.
Umbrella Chronicles earned it's new moniker, House of the Resident Evil, by feeling like just that. Our demo of the title had us going through the mansion from the original Resident Evil, only at turbo speed. The Wii remote was used to aim a cursor on the screen, while the nunchuk was largely useless, used only to look around. Inexplicably, reloading is done by waggling the remote, thus becoming a nuisance during hectic scenes. You know, because it's not like the nunchuk doesn't have motion sensors or anything.
Umbrella Chronicles earned it's new moniker, House of the Resident Evil, by feeling like just that. Our demo of the title had us going through the mansion from the original Resident Evil, only at turbo speed. The Wii remote was used to aim a cursor on the screen, while the nunchuk was largely useless, used only to look around. Inexplicably, reloading is done by waggling the remote, thus becoming a nuisance during hectic scenes. You know, because it's not like the nunchuk doesn't have motion sensors or anything.
It's safe to say that Umbrella Chronicles is a step above the short-lived Gun Survivor series, but that can't really be considered praise either. It largely consists of zombies and other Resident Evil favorites scrambling into view while you shoot, reload and shoot some more. Items are picked up in the light-gun tradition of shooting at them, at which point you then keep shooting. Not contained to just the mansion, Umbrella Chronicles will take players to locations last seen in in RE0, RE2 and RE3, which makes it a fanboy rodeo but no more interesting.
The reason why you don't see many people talking about how "awesome" the latest Time Crisis is (did you realize they're up to four? Probably not.) is because the genre has failed to evolved into anything worth mentioning and unfortunately, replacing a plastic toy gun with a remote doesn't change anything in the slightest. Umbrella Chronicles comes off like an excuse to sell ridiculous plastic shells which, hilariously enough, wouldn't function properly with their control setup.
There is currently no release date in sight for Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ian Von Porter @ Apr 13th 2007 8:07PM
Simply, NintenLame... nothing else to say.
PS3/360 get proper RE games, while Wii gets a remake and this throwback to the 90's.. with 90's graphics to boot.
bm @ Apr 14th 2007 7:14AM
I'm going to be honest and say I don't know whether that "Nintenlame" comment was an attempt at self-deprecating humor, or whether that guy actually thought it was funny. I mean, by all means it should be the former, but with the level of intelligence regularly exhibited by fanboys on here, I'm not sure anymore! Oh well.
About this game: I hope that all the negative feedback will cause them to scrap the whole game concept completely, and start over. Capcom have done it before. Three times even, if I'm not mistaken.
Borat @ Apr 13th 2007 8:29PM
The graphics aren't bad, but damn looks like a really lame game.
"I bet it's mouth isn't so tough."
Good God.
Apoklypse @ Apr 13th 2007 8:33PM
You are so right IVP... it is totally "NintenLame's" fault that Crapcom took the easy way out. Very astute of you.
And definitely 90's graphics... looks like PS1. amirite?? Oh wait, is my monitor smothered in vaseline??
CD @ Apr 13th 2007 8:53PM
Capcom saw the Wiimote and said "Ooh, light gun game" completely ignoring the fact that the previous RE shooters failed miserably. But I guess for anyone who's still into light gun games this could stil be fun. Anybody? Anybody? Don't all speak up at once.
Dan @ Apr 13th 2007 9:24PM
Survival horror is always scarier in first-person. =D Am I the only one who thinks this looks pretty cool?
.....
Hey look, it's a bird! *Runs and hides behind a tree*
Jeremy @ Apr 13th 2007 9:27PM
I am looking forward to this game 100%! I am one of the few who still love light gun games. In fact, it's one of the things I was looking forward to with the Wii.
Nathaniel N. @ Apr 13th 2007 9:46PM
I'm actually pretty psyched for this game. Even today, which I mean without exaggeration as of 2 hours ago, I still go to the arcades. Maybe it's the atmosphere, or it's that weird perpetual carpeted smell. Umbrella Chronicles looks like a Wii title tailor made for my tastes, and I'll be picking this up on release date.
Sidepocket @ Apr 13th 2007 10:20PM
It looks very good and it has some nice base play, however that this one sided report dose not mention is that its only 30% compleat and that they want to add more stuff into it. Primaraly, it seems that the demo was set on eazy so people would not throw the controlers at the TV. There will (hopefully) be alot more fast action and alot more enemies on screen.
hvnlysoldr @ Apr 13th 2007 9:59PM
House of the Mansion has sold me. And finally pick up RE:4
RageOverdose @ Apr 13th 2007 10:01PM
The game doesn't look bad at all. I would say I'm disappointed that its not a more traditional RE game, like Capcom seemed to have been leaning to, but I won't say it isn't exciting.
In fact, the game looks like it could be mindless fun. Just the clips were entertaining, the atmosphere seems nice, and the game looks like it could get intense. As long as there are some unlocks and it isn't too easy, I really think I'll like it.
But I'd rather have a true sequel, but they want all the next gen of the other two consoles for that...Oh well.
Crushed @ Apr 16th 2007 8:55PM
...Uh, this game actually LOOKS fun to play.
Almost all of the impressions I've heard from 1UP and IGN and Wired say that the game IS fun to play, and that it's way above the Survivor series.
It also has pretty damn good graphics, considering that none of that is pre-rendered. Seriously, Joystiq really likes to exaggerate crap just to look "different."
Capt. Castellanos @ Apr 13th 2007 10:23PM
graphics are pretty nice.
gameplay looks alright.
i might pick it up.
i'm not one really for first person shooters.
looks groovy.
hvnlysoldr @ Apr 13th 2007 10:26PM
I messed that up. I meant to say Mansion of the Dead. Tank controls for the previous RE games would have taken me too far out of the game but I totally loved the House of the Dead, Time Crisis II, and that Carnival game. Oh and Terminator II light gun game.
Chris @ Apr 13th 2007 10:46PM
Remember how RE4 was the first RE game that most people DIDN'T hate?! You know, there weren't any complaints, and people thought it was the best game of the year... Why would you go in a completely different direction?! All I wanted was another RE game that was like RE4! This looks like maybe an okay rental, but you had a good thing going! Why Capcom?!
LaughingTarget @ Apr 13th 2007 10:52PM
Is the person in that video on a caffine high or are the controls that wobbly?
Rich @ Apr 13th 2007 11:02PM
I watched the second trailer for this and I think it looks great. The graphics look pretty slick (from all the talk, I was expecting Manhunt quality). I loved the House of the Dead games. I actually hope they port those over to VC. It'd be cool if we got those old Jurassic Park arcade games too.
chenry @ Apr 13th 2007 11:16PM
Well, on the one hand, I like shooters like time crisis and stuff. On the other hand... uhm. I forget.
Looks like it might be worth a rental, but I probably wouldn't pick it up as soon as it came out.
The voice overs are really ass-tastic though.
Rob Accomando @ Apr 13th 2007 11:23PM
Yup, looks sweet to me. I love arcade on-rails gun games. (House of the Dead 2,3 and 4)
I wasn't expecting a full RE sequel on the Wii right now anyway.
Yourself @ Apr 13th 2007 11:32PM
I love light gun games, the shooting gallery in Rayman kicked major ass. I'm really looking forward to this game, although I'm not crazy about the idea of shaking the Wiimote to reload.
So in conclusion, yes, rail-shooter fans still exist. And Joystiq sure loves to fucking bitch. Other previews of this game are positive, and the vid certainly looks nice.
mmxzero @ Apr 13th 2007 11:43PM
hvnlysoldr, are you talking about CarnEvil? lol, I remember that, they had it a a movie theater near me.
Anyhow, I think RE:UC could turn out pretty good, I mean the Joystiq impressions are the only negative ones Ive read so far. Because its so unreasonable to have to move your aiming hand at all to reload your weapon.
Derek @ Apr 14th 2007 11:33AM
Why even bother with the nunchuk? Do you really need to look around if the whole game is on rails?
michael h. @ Apr 14th 2007 12:35AM
i like light gun games ok and this looks kinda good the part that pisses me off is that we aren't going to get a good resident evil game in a long time if ever on the wii. Now if I'm wrong and there is one in say a year or so, I won't mind. But if this is all we get then I'll be very dissapointed.
Borat @ Apr 14th 2007 12:52AM
The problem with this is that it's not *actually* a light-gun game. You are not actually aiming at the screen like House Of The Dead or Time Crisis. Just moving the wiimote around is not that fun.
The main reason people liked HOTD/TC is because of the gun.
Skwurl @ Apr 14th 2007 1:08AM
Guys...I love Nintendo, but come on.
A fucking on rails shooter?
This does not bode well.
The Wii remote is a terrific controller with hundreds of possibilities - but it seems that the only developer using the controller properly is Nintendo.
What's up with that?
Here's hoping that 3'rd party devs get their shit together and start DEVELOPING games for the Wii, instead of porting some lame ass PS2 game and tacking on motion controls.
Fuck.
Ken @ Apr 14th 2007 2:19AM
Skwurl,
I don't think this game fits either option you noted. It's not a PS2 port nor is the controls "tacked" on.
On a side not I will be picking this game up. I hope it has 2 players, then it will be complete. I've always wanted a "house of the dead"esque game in my house (I couldn't find a decent gun for the dreamcast).
And this'll be my chance. :) Thank you capcom! :)
s256 @ Apr 14th 2007 2:52AM
"OMG Capcom is making an ON-RAILS SHOOTER!?? MAN I HATE NINTENDO!!"
Does anybody realize how RETARDED that sounds?
Rubang B @ Apr 14th 2007 5:30AM
Hahahhaa, hvnlysoldr said House of the Mansion. That sold me on this game. I will play this game because of his typo.
You know, if this game is actually fun, it might make the Wii a safe haven for arcade light gun games, similar to the way the DS has become a safe haven for text-based adventure games. I haven't played a good on-rails shooter in years, and it could be fun to do so without pumping in quarters. I don't see any replay value without co-op though. Co-op is a must.
pirahna @ Apr 14th 2007 10:39AM
I think it looks pretty cool, I'll definatly pick it up.
Voice acting is terrible, but it is a RE game, I expect no less. Only thing that puts a taste in my mouth is the ammo conservation of the past games is thrown out the window, but once again, I expect no less in a shooter.
t_m @ Apr 14th 2007 10:50AM
looks kinda fun. I used to love lightgun games.
Seems they've expanded on gameslike HOTD by adding in choice of weapons, and enemies that react a little.
But surely the wiimote setup would allow more innovation?
Shooting items to pick them up? WHy not use the wiimote to pick them up naturally? And wh not some ability to duck, dodge and block attacks?
Tron Knotts @ Apr 14th 2007 11:24AM
Co-op play will make or break this game.
It looks a lot better than I thought it would, and it will be cool to see RE2 and RE3 characters with new graphics.
Nemesis will be great to see again, and would make a awesome secret character.
All the same, I would have prefered a new game with the RE4 engine. I would imagine that Capcom is saving that experience for RE5, which from the looks of the Wii sales so far, they would have to be idiots to not port down to the Wii.
Mr Khan @ Apr 14th 2007 1:51PM
My guess is the sales of this game and of the RE4 port will be capcom's litmus tests to see how well the franchise will roll on the Wii
But this looks awesome, best graphics on system, and its dripping with series fanboy appeal (maybe tied with the like of Sonic)
UltimateWar @ Apr 15th 2007 3:25PM
man, a 20 hour shooter!!! looks like alot of people will be headed to the doctor after their arms fall off.
cjbfromny @ Apr 15th 2007 5:04PM
this game seems good to buy and people still play rails shooter
Alex @ Apr 15th 2007 8:29PM
This game doesn't really interest me in the least but in its defense it makes sense that aiming and reloading would both take place on the remote since I assume it represents the gun. I imagine it's pretty hard to aim, fire and reload a real gun simultaneously in real life.
John @ Apr 15th 2007 10:46PM
I never play these type of games, but I would... if...
Why is it mostly in black and white? I have no problem with black and white, if it's stylish, but this looks like someone forgot the color pallette.
I like that it looks pretty easy, I have no problem with the fact that it might parallel older games (which I have not played).
But there is no music to speak of, and as another commenter pointed out, the voice-overs are simply crap.
This game could have been WAY better, not changing any thing but the voice-overs and the sound ambience.
This is f**k-up on a major scale. When you have a playable zombie-shooter, but you screw up because all you can offer players are gun shots, groans, and some of the worst dialogue (well, not ever...) almost ever?
All they had to do was get someone with brains to oversee this, instead, they had a bunch of great programmers and a zombie producer.
Shoot that zombie in the head, already.
stacy @ Jun 19th 2007 9:17AM
you're right number 36. the game really does look fun to play and all the fav characters like Billy, Rebecca, and Jill are back. u get so tired of hearing about RE4 that now that UC coming soon i am actually looking forward to buying it!