There is no doubting that Resident Evil 5 was one of the best games released last year. Capcom continues to reinvent the franchise and make it relevant to the current generation. Over the next month the company is also hoping to lure fans back into the mix with a series of downloadable content that not only extends the online portion, but also adds two new chapters to the story mode that should really draw fans back in. The first of these two is now available and has two of our favorite characters taking a stroll into a mansion, which resembles a blast from the past.
Lost in Nightmares is definitely for fans of the original series. Capcom has done a nice job of recreating a mansion that bears several resemblances to the one found in Raccoon City that it is almost eerie. There are also several hidden Easter eggs and dialogue snippets that poke fun at the original games such as Chris’ reference to an obsession with cranks, and even a chance to play the entire DLC from the original camera angles, tank controls and all. It is hard not to get nostalgic when playing through this DLC, especially if you are like me and have conquered every iteration of the original game over the past ten years.
Anyone who completed RE5 will be familiar with this chapter. The cut scene where Jill and Chris are investigating the mansion can be found within RE5, and now we finally get to find out what happened that fateful night when Jill disappeared. The content only lasts a little over an hour, but what is here is definitely worth checking out for fans. The latter half of the content also nods back to the survival horror roots of the series by stripping you of your weapons, and forcing you to think on your toes for some intense encounters with a brand new enemy.
That is probably my biggest gripe is just how few enemies there are in this chapter. The new enemy shows up multiple times and there are some shock moments where enemies will grab you, but this DLC definitely focuses more on the puzzle-solving and exploration aspect of the original games. There are also a new set of emblems to find and even score multipliers to beef up your leaderboard score. Fear not Achievement and Trophy hunters as a selection of new virtual rewards are available, and they are definitely going to challenge you, especially beating the DLC on professional.
In addition to the standard single player experience this first package also comes with the return of Mercenaries mode. This outing brings two familiar faces to the mix with fan-favorite Barry Burton and the latest villain in the franchise Excella Gionne. This mode once again allows players to face off against waves of zombies in either local or online co-op and of course solo if you so prefer. There are leaderboards and support for future DLC built in, but this small taste is definitely enough to get your appetite wet. Once all is said and done this round of DLC is sure to bring fans of the series back time and time again.
Lost in Nightmares is a great start and it was fun getting back into RE5 after so much time away from last year’s game. I look forward to the next chapter and hope the price point is just as nice. For five bucks it is hard to argue some new Resident Evil content even if it is only an hour. If you don’t still own the RE5 disc you may want to wait for the Gold Edition which is due to hit mid-March which will contain all the current DLC and the original game all on one Blu-Ray for PS3 owners or as DLC for 360 gamers. It is great to get back into the swing of RE5, and I definitely recommend picking this up if you love the series as much as I do. It truly makes you want a remake of the original trilogy with this new engine.
Review copy provided by publisher.
