Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles re-tells the events of Resi 2 and Code Veronica from the personal perspective of those games' protagonists. Like the Umbrella Chronicles before it, the game is an on-rails first person shooter, and like its predecessor, it features class leading graphics for the Wii. But this time around, developer Cavia has been paying even more attention to the graphics, with the result that this may be the best looking Wii game to date.
The developers have worked hard at making the game more frightening, always an important aspect of a Resident Evil game, but also at making the game easier to play, with smoother action. There is an auto-difficulty feature, so the game will become more difficult as you get better. Camera control has been completely removed from the player - this is in the interests of increasing the horror aspect of the game, and creating an atmosphere of dread.
Single players can choose to be either Claire Redfield, or Leon Kennedy, and at certain parts of the game, you'll be required to save your partners life by stepping up and protecting them while they are disabled or disorientated. In two-player mode, both characters can be played co-operatively. Targeting reticules have been made more distinctive to prevent the confusion that some times occurs in two-player gun games. Which is a good thing, because as you would expect there are zombies galore to be dispatched to wherever Zombies go once they finally die. Shooting strategically is still an important part of the gameplay - head shots are good, but shooting the gas tank of a bus, or one of the many petrol tanks that can be found in the level may be more effective.
Where possible actors from the original game have been used, to increase the sense of familiarity for fans of the series, though in some instances - the little girl, Sherry, for example - it has not been possible because the actor has now grown up and sounds different, so they cast a new actor that sounds as much like the original as possible.
Still, Darkside Chronicles should prove as welcome to old time fans of Resi 2 and Code Veronica as it does for those that are new to the classics.