The Tri-Lite

Issue date: 3/28/08 Section: Entertainment

When playing games on the Wii, it is easy to assume that it is a console for kids. There are many child-friendly games available for purchase to play on Wii, and you'll certainly love many of them; I like many of the games that are appropriate for children. However, the game I am will speak of is not for children; it is for those of you who don't mind shooting massive hordes of zombies and other abominations that charge at you with the intent of ending your life. This game is called Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles, and it is a game you'll definitely enjoy if you enjoy firing at terrifying monsters.

Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles for Wii, rated M, was released in November. My apologies for the delay in discussing it, but I only recently picked up this title. If you're even slightly familiar with Resident Evil, then you may have an appreciation for this game, which is a recap of four previous Resident Evil games: Resident Evil Zero through 3. It is in this game that you see all the key points and moments of each game, as well as the story of Umbrella, the company that was responsible for all of the monsters in all of the games listed above. The game allows you to go through old settings as well as new ones. The game has plenty of levels with most of them being for two player. This means you and a pal can fight the living dead together on trains, in mansions, and through the streets.

This game will have you shooting the undead like an old arcade game at the mall or movie theater. The technical term for this is an "On-Rails Shooter" game, because you don't control the movement of your character. All you do is shoot, throw grenades, swing a knife, etc. The game relieves you of the worrying of where to go, and instead lets you worry about the zombie that is about to chomp down on your neck. This may sound bad, but it is probably much better without having to move. It makes the game more accessible, less confusing, and a bit more scary.

One of the things that makes this game so special is that it was the first game to fully utilize the Wii Zapper, which is a Wii peripheral that combines the Wii Remote and Wii Nunchuck. The Zapper, retailing somewhere around $20, was supposed to get players more into the experience by letting them hold a gun-like controller. I don't own one myself, but I have used it, and let me tell you, it is not worth the money, people. While it comes with a small game to help you learn to aim it, the controller is small and feels rather odd to hold up at the screen. It is easier, and probably more fun, to simply use the Wii Remote.

All in all, this game is a good title for fans of shooting games. There are plenty of levels, along with many things to unlock. I have had some good times playing this game on Wii, so I completely recommend it. The game costs about $50, so if you don't mind spending the cash, then I say go for it. Shooting zombies doesn't get much better than this.

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