Resident Evil: Deadly Silence

"A worthy addition to the collection"

While it could have been much better, it is quite good for the gamer on the go. Whether you play it in class or play it at home, Resident Evil is worth the money. This review has been given by someone who has beaten the original and every other RE game except for CV and the Japanese titles.

Story: 10

The local police force begins to look into the disappearances of hikers in the Arklay mountains, but as the death toll rises they step it up by sending in part of their elite S.T.A.R.S. Bravo team to investigate. However, communications are abruptly cut off, so the other S.T.A.R.S. unit, Alpha team, is sent in to renew communications with their comrades and get the bottom of the mystery surrounding the Arklay mountains.

YOU, as a member of the Alpha team (Jill or Chris) must go to investigate the whereabouts of Bravo team. Unfortunately, all you find is their crashed helicopter. When you are attacked an about to return, your own chopper flees the scene, so you and the surviving members of Alpha team run into a large mansion. This is where our story begins, and where things REALLY begin to pick up.

I have long been a fan of the series, and the main reason I play the games is becuase of the story. But while the others have been good stories too, I don't think any can compare to the first (And second, actually). This is not some classic washed over story were talking about here, but something worthy of a movie that didn't totally suck (sorry fans of the RE movies, but it just doesn't work for me. If you are a newcomer to the series, or have only played 4, then this game is worth a look, if only for the brilliant story that started it all.

Graphics: 9

Very nice looking for a hand-held. The only reason I didn't give this category a ten was because of the lack of objects. I would often walk into a room that was WAY too bland for my tastes after playing RE2. The backgrounds are close to those on the PS1, but the character models have improved since then. Graphics don't make a game, but they can definitely have an impact on things. It's a key part of something being scary, and I think they have been done well here, though the PSP would have been my first choice of handhelds. The map on the upper screen, while seeming only minor, can really help when you don't want to have to look through the menu every time to see it.

Gameplay: 9

The controls are quirky at first, but once they are gotten used they play pretty well. The only downside to the gameplay in my opinion is the camera angles. Enemies can be difficult to see, but can be heard, and that makes up for it some. The game can be difficult at times, and very tedious unless you know before-hand what to do. Turn all the lights off though, and you'll be surprised at how much the camera angles improve the scares. What makes up for these things are the puzzles, and how fun it is to just try and survive. Surviving in a mansion full of zombies has long been a nightmare of mine.

The new features... Well there aren't that many, but playing through the new mode is a great deal of fun, but lacks the feeling of surviving in a mansion. This is mainly just a port of the original prettied up. It's like when you're at school about to ask someone out, and you're giving yourself a lookover and fixing your hair, and freshening your breath; Not anything to yell about, but welcome all the same.

Sound: 8

I gave the sound a lower score because of the bad voice overs. It took the feeling of the game away for me, and didn't give me the bond with the characters I was looking for. The music makes up for this, though, because of the creepy feeling of walking along the corridors with only the eerie music to listen too. One thing I disliked though, was the ability (or rather lack of) to not be able to change the volume of the SFX and the music in the options menu. The sound effects are good, but can often overshadow the music.

Replay-ability: 8
If you have already beaten the first game, I would still recommend getting it, but less than if you have never played it before. If you haven't ever played it before, go out and get this as soon as possible. It's a great game, and stands the test of time for me. It has things to unlock, and a so-so multiplayer mode. More unlockables would bulk up the score a bit, but hey... We can't have everything.

Overall: 9 out of 10

The game isn't going to be rare, so just pick it up any time you have the money. For veterans this is still a good buy, and a must for die-hard fans.

Note: This is only my opinion, and this game is actually more into the 8.5 regions really, but I rounded it up because it's not much of a difference.

Reviewer's Score: 9/10, Originally Posted: 02/10/06