Even though many fans would not want to admit it, Resident Evil hasn’t always been survival
horror. Years before Resident Evil 5 came along and turned many people’s beloved series
into a steroid infused shooting fest, there were clear indications that the series has
always wanted to move into a more action oriented direction. A clear example is the Gun Survivor
side series, and its entry on the Playstation 2, Resident Evil: Dead Aim. This is a game
that tries to hold ties to its survival horror roots while also moving the series in a new
direction, kinda like what Resident Evil 6 tried to do.
The game starts a couple years after Raccoon City and on board an Umbrella owned ship which
has seen its own situation involving the T-Virus. Most of the people onboard the ship have been
infected, leaving you in a tricky situation. You play as Bruce, a member of an anti-Umbrella
organization, sent in to investigate the illegal activities of Umbrella. You soon met up with
a Chinese operative and try to complete your mission while also staying alive.
The most interesting part of the game is clearly the gameplay. It is easy to see the beginnings
of ideas that would go on to help define Resident Evil 4. The game is played for the most part
from a third person perspective. Your camera will stay behind Bruce as you explore the
large ship. There are simple puzzles and situations you have to solve such as finding keys and
figuring out where to go next. But things really take a shift when you engage in combat.
The game will then shift to a first person view and play like a light-gun shooter. Obviously
you have to stay still so you can aim with the right analog stick as the zombies moans
and groan their way towards you and you have to shoot them. You will go back to third person
when you move, so you can easily back up and escape. It seems like a complicated system
but it actually works fairly well and will become second nature to you.
The game does have a great atmosphere, with narrow corridors that are both dark and creepy.
It gives a good reminder of old Resident Evil games but it is clearly more concerned with
the action. There is more than enough ammo laying around that you won’t have to worry
about that, so feel free to shoot to your hearts content.
Resident Evil: Dead Aim made steps for the series that would stay around, such as a new
behind the back camera and a bigger focus on action. But it is a worthwhile game, with
the right amount of thrills and chills to keep any fan happy.
