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Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles

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Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles
North American box art
Developer(s)Capcom
Publisher(s)Capcom
Designer(s)Masachika Kawata (Producer)
Platform(s)Wii
ReleaseUnited States November 13 2007[1]
Japan November 15 2007
Europe November 30 2007[2]
Australia December 13 2007 [3]
Genre(s)Rail shooter, Survival horror
Mode(s)Single player, 2 player Co-op

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, known in Japan as Biohazard: Umbrella Chronicles (バイオハザード アンブレラ・クロニクルズ, Baiohazādo Anburera Kuronikuruzu), is an on-rails shooting game and the 7th installment in Capcom's Resident Evil series. The game was released on November 13, 2007 in North America, November 15 in Japan, and will be released on November 30 in Europe, except in Germany, where the game will not be available due to the lack of a USK rating.[5]

Development

The game is being published and developed by Capcom and produced by Masachika Kawata who was behind the PS2 port of Resident Evil 4.[6] At E3 2006, Capcom officially announced that development was already underway for an exclusive Resident Evil game for the Wii and mentioned that it would take advantage of the console's unique Wii Remote controller, giving players a new experience. Members of Capcom's Clover Studios, who created such games as Viewtiful Joe and Ōkami, have been called upon to help develop the game.[7]

During recent trailers, the level designs are reminiscent of the previous including familiar areas such as the Apple Inn from Resident Evil Outbreak. A short clip of the game was shown on the Nintendo World event on November 3 2006, where 2007 was revealed as the release date. On April 6th, 2007, the official Japanese website went live containing an official teaser video.[8] On April 13th, 2007, the official Japanese website updated with a second trailer, character profiles and screenshots.[8] Capcom is planning to release the game with a limited edition collector's Biohazard box featuring several items along with the game itself.[9] Christian Svensson, Capcom's senior director of strategic planning and research, stated the game will support 480-progressive scan and 16:9 widescreen resolution.[10] A trailer was included in the Wii edition of Resident Evil 4, which shows the mansion from the original game and areas of Raccoon City.[11] On July 11th, 2007, Nintendo announced at the pre-E3 press conference that the Wii Zapper peripheral will be compatible with the game.[12]

Development history

In 2006, Capcom revealed that the game will combine the series' trademarks with "the revolutionary control system of the Wii".[13] The April 2007 issue of Famitsu revealed that the game would be an on-rails shooter.[14]

A recent magazine article has revealed that the player will choose two of the available characters when they start a section of the game. It was also revealed that there will be a wide selection of weapons including grenades and rockets to go with more familiar weapons like the handguns.[1]

According to the July edition of Japanese gaming magazine Weekly Famitsu, the game will support a 2-player cooperative mode.[15] In July 2007, the official website was updated with a new trailer showing gameplay of this feature.[8] The game follows the story behind the downfall of the Umbrella Corporation by revisiting scenarios from Resident Evil Zero, Resident Evil, and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. It concludes with an assault upon an Umbrella stronghold maintained by Sergei Vladimir.[16] In total, there are ten playable chapters divided up into twenty two levels. The eight playable characters are Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Rebecca Chambers, Billy Coen, Carlos Oliveira, Ada Wong, HUNK, and Albert Wesker.

On October 31, 2007 it was revealed that Rebecca Chambers would have her own playable scenario in the Arklay Mansion.[17][18]

On November 2, 2007 the website for the Prima Official Strategy Guide of the game leaked extensive information, including new playable characters and scenarios. Prima also revealed that the chapters would be divided into subchapters. Each subchapter would be cut in half by a checkpoint at which the player can save and view their progress.[19].

On November 7, 2007 Ada Wong's playable scenario was revealed, detailing how she survived in Raccoon City and retrieved a piece of tissue from William Birkin s dead body.[20][21]

Gameplay

The gameplay of The Umbrella Chronicles is a light-gun style shooter. Players remain on a pre-set, "on rails" path, shooting enemies and picking up optional weapons and health items, occasionally choosing between multiple paths in each chapter. Using the analog stick on the Wii Nunchuk, players can look around in a limited manner. In some cases, the Wii Remote can be used to activate melee weapons against enemies, such as knives, or use timed button presses in certain cutscenes to stop enemies. Weapons can be changed quickly, but only the handgun has unlimited ammo. Each stage is split into individual "chapters" and contain save checkpoints at the end of each chapter.

Date Chapter Title Levels Game of Origin Playable Characters
1998 Jul. Beginnings 2 Resident Evil Zero Albert Wesker
1998 Jul. Train Derailment 3 Resident Evil Zero Rebecca Chambers, Billy Coen
1998 Jul. Nightmare 2 Resident Evil Rebecca Chambers
1998 Jul. Mansion Incident 3 Resident Evil Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield
1998 Jul. Rebirth 2 Resident Evil Albert Wesker
1998 Sep. Fourth Survivor 1 Resident Evil 2 HUNK
1998 Sep. Death's Door 1 Resident Evil 2 Ada Wong
1998 Sep. Raccoon's Destruction 3 Resident Evil 3: Nemesis Jill Valentine, Carlos Oliveira
2003 Feb. Umbrella's End 3 Original Scenario Jill Valentine, Chris Redfield
2003 Feb. Dark Legacy 2 Original Scenario Albert Wesker

Reception

  • GamePro gave the game a 4.25 out of 5, praising its unlockable secrets and satisfying gameplay. They added that "the only downside to The Umbrella Chronicles is that longevity will be an issue."[22]
  • GameTrailers gave the game an 8.3 out of 10, calling it "fantastic overall" and a "superb entry in the genre". They praised the game for its surprising length and unlockable content, but stated that while the graphics "look good", they were sometimes "a step behind" Resident Evil 4. They added that having the game on rails actually makes it scarier, and that it's "basically a love letter" to fans of the series.[23]
  • IGN gave the game a 7.9 out of 10, praising its "amazingly cool" design but complaining about the lack of representation from Resident Evil 2 and 4 as well as the gameplay, which they felt was too slow. On the other hand, they called the presentation "pretty impressive" and stated that "there’s no denying the fun" they had with it.[24]
  • 1up.com gave the game a 8.0 out of 10, dubbing it "an accessible, mostly satisfying shooter". They praised the depth and strategy offered by the gameplay, but complained about difficult headshots and stated that "it never really amounts to more than its concept". They went on to call it "a surprisingly meaty experience" and praised its "welcome accessibility".
  • Gamespot gave the game a 7.0 out of 10, praising the easy controls and the look and feel of the game. However, Gamespot criticized the music, stating that "it undermines the atmosphere," and that the "on-rails shooter gameplay can still feel restrictive."[25]

Manga

Biohazard Umbrella Chronicles ~Hōkai he no Jokyoku~
Biohazard Umbrella Chronicles ~Hōkai he no Jokyoku~
Chapter #1 Splash Page
AuthorMasaru Miyazaki
Cover artistNaotsugu Matsueda
LanguageJapanese
SeriesResident Evil
SubjectUmbrella's Fall
GenreHorror
PublisherShōnen Champion (Akita Shoten)
Publication date
November 8, 2007

(first chapter)

November 15, 2007 (second chapter)
Publication placeJapan
Media typePrint (Paperback)

Biohazard Umbrella Chronicles ~Hōkai he no Jokyoku~ (バイオハザード アンブレラ・クロニクルズ ～崩壊への序曲～, Baiohazādo Anburera Kuronikuruzu Hōkai he no Jokyoku, lit. "Biohazard Umbrella Chronicles ~Prelude to the Fall~) is a series of two comics published in Akita Shoten's weekly Shōnen Champion magazine in Japan.

The first chapter was released on November 8th 2007, while the second one will be available on November 15th, the same day the game comes out in Japan. Masaru Miyazaki is writing the plot for the manga. The illustrations will be done by Naotsugu Matsueda. Its story is based on the game, using a fictional Russian village as setting. Protagonists Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine will be drawn into various strange occurrences.[26]

Novel

Template:Future book Biohazard Umbrella Chronicles SIDE A (バイオハザード アンブレラ・クロニクルズ ＳＩＤＥ　Ａ, Baiohazādo Anburera Kuronikuruzu Side A) is a novel based on the events of Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.[27] It is slated for release in Japan on December 22, 2007. It will be a direct novelization of the game. It is currently unknown if the book will be released in English.

References

  1. ^ Capcom US - Coming Soon
  2. ^ Q4 Release Update
  3. ^ http://www.aussie-nintendo.com/?v=news&p=17384
  4. ^ "Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles". The Classification Board and Classification Review Board. Retrieved 2007-10-09.
  5. ^ http://wii.nintendo.co.uk/21572.html
  6. ^ IGN, Famitsu Interview with Producer
  7. ^ Eurogamer, Clover vets helping on Resi 5 and Inafune Wii title Retrieved on March 15, 2007
  8. ^ a b c >Capcom.co, The Umbrella Chronicles Official Website (JPN)
  9. ^ Capcom.co, Limted Edition Collector's Box (JPN)
  10. ^ Joystiq.com, Resident Evil Wii will be seen in 480p, 16:9 glory Retrieved on March 29, 2007
  11. ^ IGN: Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, Trailer from RE4 Retrieved on May 31, 2007
  12. ^ IGN, Wii Zapper announced
  13. ^ Kenzo Tsujimoto, CEO of Capcom, Resident Evil, the Survival Horror King, is coming to Nintendo's Wii™!, Press Release, May 10th 2006
  14. ^ Famitsu scan, Scan from Famitsu Retrieved on April 4, 2007
  15. ^ 1up, New Umbrella Chronicles Details Emerge
  16. ^ http://www.jeux-france.com/news21729_resident-evil-tuc-en-images.html
  17. ^ http://i14.tinypic.com/4ms73ir.jpg
  18. ^ http://i13.tinypic.com/52xyx09.jpg
  19. ^ http://www.primagames.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780761558453
  20. ^ http://i21.tinypic.com/652u5v.jpg
  21. ^ http://i22.tinypic.com/wth8ck.jpg
  22. ^ http://www.gamepro.com/nintendo/wii/games/reviews/147348.shtml
  23. ^ http://www.gametrailers.com/player/27764.html
  24. ^ http://wii.ign.com/articles/835/835031p3.html
  25. ^ Davis, Ryan (November 14, 2007). Gamespot. Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles for Wii Review. Retrieved on November 18, 2007.
  26. ^ http://headlines.yahoo.co.jp/hl?a=20071103-00000001-maiall-ent
  27. ^ http://www.kadokawa.co.jp/bunko/bk_detail.php?pcd=200709000273

Official websites

Profile pages

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