The gameplay is rather simply. You hold a gun, you shoot, you reload, you shoot again. The characters will lead you through the story and as you move along, you will find little easter eggs that gives you more insight to the characters, the “before” story, the creatures, etc. You do have to be a weapon of mass destruction and shoot everything in sight. Tables, chairs, windows, plants. If it’s breakable … shoot it.

I chose to use the Zapper Mode as the control configuration for this game. Before you cry blue murder, I was simply using the NYKO Perfect Shot, with the Nunchuk attached to its base. As compared to using the Zapper, trust me, it frees my arms up more for ballistic actions.

With this mode, it gets way more realistic. In my right hand, I have a gun, and in my left, the nunchuk acts as a knife when I press the “Z” button and shake it around as vulgar as I can. When the going gets tough, the sweat starts breaking.

Besides the gun, you will also pick up other ammunition along the way, such as more grenades, a submachine gun, a rifle, a grenade launcher, etc. All of which can be customized to make you totally insanely untouchable. Ok, maybe not.

What’s nice about the game is how chapter one starts off with a tutorial for you to learn all the basic commands of the game. Instructions are given on what to press and what to do. So there’s not much of a need to read the instructions manual … ok, admit it, quite a number of us don’t do that anyway no matter the game.

If you’re expecting a fast paced game with a storyline that unfolds like you’re turning the pages of the three little pigs, I’m afraid you’ll just have to read as fast as the turtle and the hare. The story moves along really, really, and I do mean really, slowly. Don’t expect a hit and run storyline (although you do run quite a bit in the game), but the action is much slower as compared to House of the Dead. Good thing though, is that there is a good storyline for you to follow and no cheesy script.

Playing it as a 2P gets more exciting, especially when my brother has to yell GRENADE loud enough for my neighbours to hear. But the game is good too as a 1P, where you get to boast to everyone about how you completed the game on your own. This ain’t a game where you can do tomb raider style, ala 1P with 2 guns, as you do require the use nunchuk if you want to survive.

As its a dark game, and I do mean that cos the graphics ain’t all happy happy joy joy, do play this at night. The thrill factor goes up even higher.

Really fun stuff overall. If you enjoy stuff like Ghost Squad, House of the Dead, or even the upcoming Target: Terror, you’ll enjoy this as well.

Gameplay: 9
Fun-level: 8
Graphics: 8
Music: 8 (typical horror stuff, dark, minor keyed)
Replayability: 8
Online quality: N.A.
Overall score: 9.5

Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles (RE:UC) is the shoot’em up for the Resident Evil series. This game is mainly about the story behind the RE series, which is interesting but isn’t really the main point of any shoot’em up game.

The gameplay is basically like any arcade shoot’em up with a slight twist. The nunchuk allows for camera control, but only slightly (think turning your head with a neck brace). Note that the game can easily be completed without using this feature. It just allows users to move the camera angle to obtain certain items that they have missed otherwise.
Like most wii games, the aiming is done with the use of the aiming crosshair on the screen. Weapon selection is easy, using C button or up/down button. Grenades can be thrown by pressing A+B, whereas knife use is done by holding A & swinging the wiimote. Both are useful for all sorts of purposes throughout the game, particularly mobs and small creatures respectively.
During the gameplay, there may be scenarios which call for “action”. This is shown by a green symbol on your side of the screen. Actions range from shaking the wiimote, mashing A/B or just squeeze A&B together. These actions are seen the most often during Boss fights. Failure to complete the action may lead to loss of health or in some cases, instant death.

This game has rather good replayability like most shoot’em ups. However, there is a lack of alternate routes or endings which leads to repetitive gameplay. Upgradeable weapons make late game gameplay easier (max lvl 4). However, later bosses are still a pain in the ass.

No online play whatsoever, but most missions are able to take 2P co-op mode. The life guage for 2P mode is a shared life guage, whereby damage taken by P1 or P2 is subtracted from that life guage. So there will not be a chance when P1 died but P2 is still struggling. If you ask me, I’d rather struggle. Certain missions are 1P only, however this needs to be completed to unlock the final chapter.

On to collectables. There are plenty of files which contain info about the RE characters and the storyline. However, this calls for destruction of as much as possible in order to find them. I recall playing this game with my GF until the environment we’re traveling in was completely pitch black and we couldn’t see anything. Worst of all, we didn’t find any files in those doors/corridors.

Overall, this game is a fun shoot’em up with a long enough gameplay. However, the replayability is limited. Decent game for Wii parties.

Note: My gameplay is done entirely on Wiimote+Nunchuk. No zapper or lightgun involved.

Gameplay: 8.0 (a bit slow paced, poor camera control)
Fun-level: 9.5 (zombie blasting is always fun)
Graphics: 8.0
Music: 7.0 (poor music, good commentary)
Replayability: 7.5 (+ upgradeable weapons, – boss fights)
Online quality: N.A.
Overall score: 8.0