Resident Evil: Deadly Silence

"Great game for the DS."

Resident Evil: Deadly Silence is a remake of the original Resident Evil for the DS. It keeps the classic mode, but also allows you to play a mode which has a lot of updated features to the game.

Graphics- 7/10

The graphics are pretty good for the DS. They are not the best I've seen, but they are still good. One of the only problems is the fixed camera angle which can sometimes screw you up, because sometimes the enemies you need to kill are on the other side of the room from where you see them from. With the DS's small screen, it is sometimes hard to see these enemies. Another problem is the game is really dark and can only be played indoors. Playing in the sunlight or even when it is cloudy can result in not seeing half the stuff you want to see.

Audio- 10/10

The game has good music, good sound effects, and even has dialogue! Although the lines are corny, it is still impressive to hear actual voices on the DS.

Controls- 7/10

You have the standard Resident Evil tank-like controls, which aren't bad once you get used to them, but there are quirks. Because of the fixed camera angles, it can be confusing what direction your character is going. You "up" means forward, not the top of the screen. If the camera angles were not fixed it wouldn't be bad, but sometimes you forget this and your character will go in a direction you do not want him or her to go. Another problem camera angles create for this game is that sometimes your character can get behind stuff and be stuck. You will need to keep turning and moving forward to finally get him or her out. Another problem which happens in Rebirth mode, which is the new mode which uses the DS's features, is that sometimes you open a door and automatically go into knife fights without moving. Since the regular controls do not use the stylus, you need to get it out, and since there is no warning, zombies are attacking you by the time you get it out and ready. If you look past these issues, which after a while you get used to them, the controls in this game are not bad at all, but these are a few annoying quirks in the game.

Game Play- 16/20

Except for the issues mentioned above, there are very few game play issues in the game. The game runs smoothly overall. You start out as a special forces unit which investigates problems at Raccoon city. You run into zombies, so you run into a Mansion to get away from them. The only problem is that the Mansion is also overrun with zombies. You start out with a pistol, but you acquire other weapons along the way such as the shotgun and the bazooka. Resident Evil is not much of a shooting game in itself, it is more of a survival game. You are given little ammo and need to use it wisely to survive. You go through the mansion solving puzzles in order to unlock new areas and eventually escape Raccoon City.

Fun Factor- 18/20

The game is pretty fun if you look past the somewhat minor issues in this game.

Game Length / Replay Value- 17/20

The first time through, it took me 9 hours to beat. However, I did not do very well at solving the puzzles so if you are good at solving puzzles or come here for help, you will probably beat it faster. It is also worth it to run through the game several times playing the different modes and using the two different characters.

Difficulty / Learning Curve- 7/10

The game is not horribly difficult, but it takes a while to get used to it due to the controls and other game play dynamics. Sometimes you will get stuck on a puzzle and wander around the Mansion for hours trying to figure out what you are missing. Some of the puzzles are rather easy, but some are difficult.

Overall- 85/100

Overall, this game is worth picking up, especially if you are a fan of the Resident Evil series. It is a good portable zombie game and one of the better DS games in my opinion. If you are like me and sick of all the gimmicky games for DS, try this.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 08/13/07