Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles | |
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Developer(s) | |
Publisher(s) | Capcom |
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Series | Resident Evil |
Platform(s) | Wii, PlayStation 3 [1] |
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Genre(s) | Rail shooter, light gun shooter |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles [lower-alpha 1] is an on-rails light gun shooter video game developed by Capcom and Cavia as part of the Resident Evil series. The game was released for the Wii on November 13, 2007, in North America; November 15, 2007, in Japan; and on November 30, 2007, in Europe, excluding Germany, where the game is not available due to the refusal of a USK rating [5] and its subsequent inclusion in the index. [6] It was followed by Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles . [7] Both Chronicles games are included on the Resident Evil Chronicles HD Collection for the PlayStation 3.
The game exposes the Umbrella Corporation's meddling throughout the Resident Evil series through narration from Albert Wesker, a former Umbrella scientist, and hidden documents pertaining to the organization's secret motives and actions. The game is composed of five scenarios that recapitulate the events of Resident Evil Zero , the Resident Evil remake, and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis , as well as new material pertaining to the Umbrella Corporation's downfall.
The Umbrella Chronicles is an on-rails shooter. Players can use their Wii remote to target and shoot like they would in a light gun shooter. The game is also compatible with the Wii Zapper. Players follow a pre-set path, shooting enemies and picking up optional weapons and health items, occasionally choosing between multiple paths. Using the analog stick or the nunchuk, players can look around in a limited manner. In some cases, the Wii Remote can be used to activate melee weapons against enemies where the camera shifts to a third-person view, or use timed button presses in certain cutscenes to evade traps and enemy attacks. Each stage is split into individual chapters and contains save checkpoints at the end of each chapter. Stars are obtained at the end of each stage, based on the player's performance, which can be used to upgrade weapons. To unlock some levels and sublevels, the player needs a certain ranking, "S" being the best. The amount of destroyed items, obtained objects, files, critical hits and clear time affects this.
Upon beating Hunk's "4th Survivor" mission, co-operative mode will be unlocked for the single-player missions. When selecting characters, an option will appear on the screen to select co-op mode. Both players will play as the same character, but each player will have their own aiming reticle.
The Umbrella Chronicles encompasses several scenarios, which are based on various plot elements from the Resident Evil series. The game's first three scenarios, "Train Derailment", "The Mansion Incident", and "Raccoon's Destruction", are set within Raccoon City, or its surrounding area, in 1998. The final scenario, which is based on new material, is set in Russia, taking place in 2003. The game features nine playable characters from previous Resident Evil games, including Rebecca Chambers, Billy Coen, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Carlos Oliveira, Albert Wesker, Ada Wong, Richard Aiken, and Hunk.
The game's first scenario, based on the events of Resident Evil Zero , follows STARS operative Rebecca Chambers, and former Marine Billy Coen as they venture through a train that eventually takes them to a derelict training facility. [8] Once within the facility, they discover they are being stalked by James Marcus, co-founder of the Umbrella Corporation and creator of the T-virus, who has managed to resurrect himself with the aid of leech test-subjects. [9] After a confrontation, Marcus mutates into a monstrosity, but is subdued by the duo. Chambers and Coen escape as the facility self-destructs. [9] Another sub-chapter within the scenario traces Wesker's actions, now posing as the leader of STARS' Alpha team, as he attempts to escape the training facility. This chapter also introduces Sergei Vladimir and one of his bodyguard Tyrants, codenamed "IVAN". [10] [11]
The game then proceeds to retell the events of the first Resident Evil . The scenario follows Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, as opposed to the actual Resident Evil game, which features the two splitting up. Redfield and Valentine are forced to battle their way through a mansion full of undead residents before stumbling upon a secret Umbrella Corporation research facility in the mansion's basement. [12] The two then discover the facility's most powerful creation, a Tyrant, and destroy it. [13] The scenario features two different sub-chapters, which reveal Chambers' action between Resident Evil Zero and Resident Evil, [14] as well as Wesker's reanimation and escape after his apparent death. [15]
The next scenario visits Raccoon City during the events of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis . Valentine returns to the game, and is paired with mercenary Carlos Oliveira, as they attempt to survive an outbreak of the T-virus. [16] After defeating several undead citizens, Valentine and Oliveira encounter Nemesis, an upgraded Tyrant, sent to kill Valentine. [16] They defeat Nemesis and escape Raccoon City before it is destroyed by the United States government in a desperate contingency measure. [17] [18] The scenario also features two sub-chapters, detailing Ada Wong and Hunk's background roles during the main scenario's events. [19] [20]
The game's final scenario is composed of new material, which trails Redfield and Valentine as they and other armed anti-bioweapon activists investigate the Umbrella Corporation's final stronghold in Russia. [21] Despite their force sustaining heavy casualties, Redfield and Valentine enter the facility's inner sanctum, only to encounter and destroy the Umbrella Corporation's latest creation, the T-ALOS project. [22] The game's final sub-chapter features Wesker infiltrating the facility in an attempt to recover the Umbrella Corporation's most important files. [23] [24] He is confronted by his long-time nemesis, Sergei Vladimir, whom he defeats. [25] The game's credits reveal that the Umbrella Corporation's secrets have finally been exposed. As a result, the U.S. government succeeds in its legal action against Umbrella's top officials. [26]
The game was co-developed by Capcom and Cavia [27] and produced by Masachika Kawata, who was behind the PlayStation 2 port of Resident Evil 4 . [28] 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 Studio, who created such games as Viewtiful Joe and Ōkami , were called upon to help develop the game. [29]
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 6, 2007, the official Japanese website went live containing an official teaser video. [30] On April 13, 2007, the official Japanese website updated with a second trailer, character profiles and screenshots. [30] A Japan-only release of the game came with a limited edition collector's Biohazard box featuring several items. [31] Christian Svensson, Capcom's senior director of strategic planning and research, stated the game would support 480-progressive scan and 16:9 widescreen resolution. [32] A trailer was included in the Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition , which shows the mansion from the original game and areas of Raccoon City. [33] At its pre-E3 press conference on July 11, 2007, Nintendo announced that the Wii Zapper peripheral will be compatible with the game. [34]
The game was initially going to play similarly to Resident Evil 4. However, in an interview with Famitsu, the game's producer Masachika Kawata revealed the reason for the drastic change in gameplay: according to him, "Wii users like easiness" and that a Resident Evil 4-style game is "too complicated" for Wii users to enjoy. Masachika Kawata then elaborated that "complex operability can be an obstacle for Wii users", and that he purposefully had to "compromise to a lower difficulty level" and "reduce enthusiast-only elements". [35]
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles was released in late 2007. An extensive line of tie-in products was created to promote the release of Capcom's on-rails shooter and to expand its storyline. This includes a graphic novel, several spin-off novels, and an official soundtrack release.
Biohazard: The 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~, lit. "Biohazard Umbrella Chronicles ~Overture to the Collapse~) is a series of two comics published in Akita Shoten's Weekly Shōnen Champion magazine in Japan. The first chapter was released on November 8, 2007, the second on November 15, the same day the game came out in Japan. Masaru Miyazaki wrote the plot for the manga. The illustrations were done by Naotsugu Matsueda. Its story is based on the game, taking place just before the invasion of the Russian Umbrella facility, using a fictional Russian village-like setting. Protagonists Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine are drawn into various strange occurrences in the village, which has been completely infected by the T-virus, before finding the sole survivor, a young girl named Anna, and later face off against Wesker. [36]
Biohazard: The Umbrella Chronicles SIDE A (バイオハザード アンブレラ・クロニクルズ SIDE A) and Biohazard: The Umbrella Chronicles SIDE B (バイオハザード アンブレラ・クロニクルズ SIDE B) written by Osamu Makino are novels based on the events of Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles and direct novelizations of the game. [37] The first one was released in Japan on December 22, 2007. The second one was published in January 2008.
The Resident Evil Shot Blaster, a replacement to the Wii Zapper, was released by Capcom alongside The Umbrella Chronicles. It quickly sold out and Capcom produced a second run of the product, identical to the first, in 2009. [38] [39] The gun comes with a Nunchuk holster which can be detached to make the gun one-handed. The holster also rotates downward to allow easy reloading for in the game. The package includes a decal for the Wii Remote which has a picture of characters from the game, and a Nunchuk joystick grip which has the logo of the Umbrella Corporation on it.
Biohazard: The Umbrella Chronicles Original Soundtrack was composed by Masafumi Takada and Jun Fukuda from Grasshopper Manufacture featuring Ada Wong as the cover. A CD with 49 tracks called Biohazard: The Umbrella Chronicles Original Sound Track was released in Japan on December 19. It was published by Suleputer and was distributed by Sony Music Distribution for 3150 yen. The soundtrack includes a full-color booklet. Initially produced items are limited editions with special sleeve cases.
Aggregator | Score |
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GameRankings | 75.03% (Wii) [40] |
Metacritic | 75% (Wii) [41] |
Publication | Score |
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1Up.com | B+ [42] |
Edge | 7 out of 10 [43] |
Eurogamer | 7 out of 10 [44] |
Famitsu | 32 out of 40 [45] |
Game Informer | 8.25 out of 10 [46] |
GamePro | (4.25/5) [47] |
GameRevolution | B [48] |
GameSpot | 7.0 out of 10 [49] |
GameSpy | [50] |
GamesRadar+ | 7 out of 10 [51] |
IGN | 7.9 out of 10 [52] |
X-Play |
The Wii version of The Umbrella Chronicles has received positive scores from critics. GamePro praised its unlockable secrets and satisfying gameplay, adding that "the only downside to The Umbrella Chronicles is that longevity will be an issue." [47] GameTrailers called it "fantastic overall" and a "superb entry in the genre," praising 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 and added that having the game on rails actually makes it scarier, and that it's "basically a love letter" to fans of the series. [53] IGN praised the game for having "amazingly cool" design but complained 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. [52] GameSpot praised the easy controls and the look and feel of the game, but criticized the music, stating that "it undermines the atmosphere," and that the "on-rails shooter gameplay can still feel restrictive. [49] 1UP.com called it "a surprisingly meaty experience" and "an accessible, mostly satisfying shooter" and 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". [42]
The Wii version of the game has sold over 1.4 million copies worldwide. [54]
On March 8, 2009, Capcom announced they would have new game announcements on March 12 at the Resident Evil 5 launch party in San Francisco. [55] A few days earlier, Capcom's Associate Product Marketing Manager, Matt Dahlgren, said in an interview that "Nintendo Wii fans will be very happy very soon" when asked about getting more Resident Evil on Wii. [56] On March 11, Famitsu confirmed a sequel for Umbrella Chronicles, titled Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles . The game, like its predecessor, has on-rails gameplay. [57]
Resident Evil, known as Biohazard in Japan, is a Japanese horror game series and media franchise created by Capcom. It consists of survival horror, third-person shooter and first-person shooter games, with players typically surviving in environments inhabited by zombies and other mutated creatures. The franchise has expanded into other media, including a live-action film series, animated films, television series, comic books, novels, audiobooks, and merchandise. Resident Evil is the highest-grossing horror franchise.
Resident Evil 2 is a 1998 survival horror video game developed and published by Capcom for the PlayStation. The player controls rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield, who must escape Raccoon City after its citizens are transformed into zombies by a biological weapon two months after the events of the original Resident Evil. The gameplay focuses on exploration, puzzles, and combat; the main difference from its predecessor are the branching paths, with each player character having unique storylines, partners and obstacles.
Jill Valentine is a character in Resident Evil, a survival horror video game series created by the Japanese company Capcom. She was introduced as one of the two player characters in the original Resident Evil (1996), alongside her partner Chris Redfield, as a member of the Raccoon City Police Department's Special Tactics And Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) unit. Jill and Chris fight against the Umbrella Corporation, a pharmaceutical company whose bioterrorism creates zombies and other bio-organic weapons, and later become founding members of the United Nations' Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA).
Albert Wesker is a character in the Resident Evil survival horror video game series created by the Japanese company Capcom. He was first introduced in the original Resident Evil (1996) as the captain of the Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) unit of the Raccoon Police Department. Wesker has been one of the series' main antagonists as a member of the pharmaceutical conglomerate Umbrella Corporation, the primary antagonistic faction, manipulating story events behind the scenes. To further his own plans, Wesker betrays his allies, fakes his death, gains superhuman abilities, and works with both Umbrella's mysterious rival company and their successors in the field of biological weapons development until his ultimate defeat by Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar in Resident Evil 5 (2009).
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Chris Redfield is a character in the Resident Evil survival horror video game series created by the Japanese company Capcom. He was introduced as one of the two playable characters of the original Resident Evil (1996), alongside his partner Jill Valentine, as a member of the Raccoon Police Department's Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.) unit. Vowing to never let any tragedies like Raccoon City happen again, Chris becomes a founding member of the United Nations' Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA).
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis is a 1999 survival horror video game developed and published by Capcom originally for the PlayStation. It is the third game in the Resident Evil series and takes place almost concurrently with the events of Resident Evil 2. The player must control former elite agent Jill Valentine as she escapes from Raccoon City, which has been overrun by zombies. The game uses the same engine as its predecessors and features 3D models over pre-rendered backgrounds with fixed camera angles. Choices through the game affect how the story unfolds and which ending is achieved.
Resident Evil Zero is a survival horror video game developed and published by Capcom for the GameCube in 2002. It is a prequel to Resident Evil (1996), covering the ordeals experienced in the Arklay Mountains by special police force unit, the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team. The story takes place in July 1998 and follows officer Rebecca Chambers as well as convict Billy Coen as they explore an abandoned training facility for employees of the pharmaceutical company Umbrella. The gameplay is similar to other Resident Evil games, but adds the ability to switch between characters to solve puzzles and use unique abilities.
Resident Evil – Code: Veronica is a survival horror video game developed and published by Capcom and originally released for the Dreamcast in 2000. It is the fourth main installment in the Resident Evil series and the first to debut on a separate platform from the PlayStation. The story takes place three months after the events of Resident Evil 2 (1998) and the concurrent destruction of Raccoon City as seen in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999). It follows Claire Redfield and her brother Chris Redfield in their efforts to survive a viral outbreak at a remote prison island in the Southern Ocean and a research facility in Antarctica. The game retains the traditional survival horror controls and gameplay of previous installments; however, unlike the pre-rendered backgrounds of previous games, Code: Veronica uses real-time 3D environments and dynamic camera movement.
The Nemesis, also called the Nemesis-T Type, or the Pursuer in Japan, is a character in the Resident Evil survival horror video game series created by Capcom. Although smaller than other Tyrant models, the creature dwarfs a typical human, and possesses vastly superior intelligence and physical dexterity to its undead peers. It is featured in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999) as a titular main villain before later emerging in other titles and cameo roles. It is also featured on various merchandise and was portrayed by Matthew G. Taylor in the 2004 film Resident Evil: Apocalypse. The character is voiced by Tony Rosato in the original game and Gregg Berger in Operation Raccoon City (2012). In the 2020 remake of Resident Evil 3, the character is voiced by David Cockman, with Neil Newbon providing the motion capture performance. Nemesis has also been featured in several other game franchises, including as a playable character in Marvel vs. Capcom and Dead by Daylight.
Resident Evil: Degeneration, known as Biohazard: Degeneration in Japan, is a 2008 Japanese adult animated biopunk action horror film directed by Makoto Kamiya. It is the first full-length motion capture animation feature in Capcom's Resident Evil franchise. The film was made by Capcom in cooperation with Sony Pictures Entertainment Japan. Degeneration made its premiere at the 2008 Tokyo Game Show and was released theatrically on October 17, 2008.
Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles is an on-rails light gun shooter video game for the Wii developed by Capcom and Cavia as part of the Resident Evil series. The game was released for the Wii on November 17, 2009, in North America. It serves as a prequel to Resident Evil 4, set 2 years before its events. It was released in Europe on November 27, 2009, bundled with the Wii Zapper accessory.
Resident Evil is a biopunk action horror film series based on the Japanese video game franchise by Capcom.
Starting with Biohazard i Survivor in 2001, several mobile games based on the Resident Evil survival horror franchise have been released. The games feature different genres and settings, and were developed by the Japanese and Canadian branches of Capcom.
Resident Evil is a 2002 survival horror game developed and published by Capcom for the GameCube. It is a remake of the 1996 PlayStation game Resident Evil, the first installment in the Resident Evil video game series. The story takes place in 1998 near the fictional Midwestern town of Raccoon City where a series of bizarre murders have taken place. The player takes on the role of either Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine, S.T.A.R.S. officers sent in by the city and the R.P.D. to investigate the murders.
Resident Evil Survivor 2 – Code: Veronica is a light gun shooter video game developed and published by Capcom as part of the Resident Evil series. The arcade version was developed in conjunction with Namco for the arcade machines. The game was released for Sega NAOMI and PlayStation 2. It was released on the PlayStation 2 on November 8, 2001 in Japan and in Europe on March 22, 2002. Whilst the Playstation 2 release is a light gun shooter, the NAOMI arcade release features no lightgun technology whatsoever, instead deferring control of each player entirely to a three-axis joystick in the shape of a gun. The game is the second installment in the Gun Survivor series and the sequel to Resident Evil Survivor. The game is adapted from Resident Evil – Code: Veronica and features enemies and characters from that game, and enemies from Resident Evil 2 and 3. It was followed by Dino Stalker which is a spin-off of Dino Crisis, and has no ties to Resident Evil.
Resident Evil 2 is a 2019 survival horror game developed and published by Capcom. A remake of the 1998 game Resident Evil 2, it was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One in January 2019 and for Amazon Luna, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and Nintendo Switch in 2022. Versions for iOS, iPadOS, and macOS are scheduled to be released in December 2024. Players control the rookie police officer Leon S. Kennedy and the college student Claire Redfield as they attempt to escape Raccoon City during a zombie outbreak.
Resident Evil: Resistance is a 2020 survival horror game developed by NeoBards Entertainment and published by Capcom as the online component for Resident Evil 3. Released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One, it involves four survivor players competing against a mastermind player who can create traps, enemies and other hazards. Resistance is set during the Raccoon City outbreak, featuring some of the characters from Resident Evil 2 and 3. Resident Evil 3 producer Peter Fabiano confirmed that Resistance is non-canon as it is "impossible to fit in the actual timeline". The game received mixed reviews from critics, who criticized the game for being unbalanced, having technical issues and for lacking dedicated servers.
Resident Evil 0 Digest 1: Facing certain death, Rebecca was rescued by the prisoner, Billy Coen. Rebecca was still suspicious of Billy, but realized that they needed to work together if they wanted to survive the nightmare. Shortly after, the train suddenly started to move. It accelerated and was rapidly approaching dangerous speeds. To prevent the imminent derailment, the pair engaged the brake. However, it was too late and the train rolled on its side. The two barely managed to escape the wreck. Nearby was Umbrella's Management Training Facility.
Resident Evil 0 Digest 2: While monitoring Billy and Rebecca's progress, they began to sense a presence bent on Umbrella's destruction and decided to destroy the facility... The pair eventually met with a reanimated Marcus. He told them the startling story of how he was assassinated 10 years ago. The copied Marcus eventually transformed into Queen Leech while the timer began to run down on a bomb that was set to level the facility...
Albert Wesker: It is time for me to abandon the sinking ship that is Umbrella.
Albert Wesker: Wesker Here, I will use the ropeway to return to the training facility, and depart from there.
Resident Evil Digest 1: The survivors – Chris, Jill, Barry and Wesker – resumed the search for Bravo Team, but found that most of them had already been killed by zombies. The mansion was filled with trap doors and strange devices and full of monstrous dogs, crows, spiders and blood-sucking plants.
Resident Evil Digest 2: They discovered Wesker in the cultivation chamber and learned that he was a traitor... The Tyrant pursued Jill and Chris, while in the background a self-destruction mechanism had been initialized. The pair made contact with Brad, Alpha's helicopter pilot, and fled to the helipad to escape.
Rebecca Chambers:After splitting up with Billy, I went to the mansion where Brave Team was rendezvous.
Albert Wesker:The virus that Birkin had created brought me back from the brink of annihilation... I did not have time to enjoy my newfound life. I had something I needed to do. Time to grab the data and get out
Resident Evil 3 Digest 1: One of the U.B.C.S. men was private military contractor Carlos Oliveira. Jill and Carlos began to work together to try and escape the hell on earth Raccoon City had become. A black-coated monster stood between them and their freedom. Nemesis, or the Pursuer, was intent on wiping out every last member of S.T.A.R.S.
Resident Evil 3 Digest 2: In a matter of hours, a missile that had been launched would annihilate all traces of Raccoon City
Eradication Notes: They formulated a plan for the complete eradication of the city. In compliance, on October 1st, 1998, the military launched a new type of strategic missile into the heart of the city. Raccoon City, with its 100,000 inhabitants, was forever wiped from the face of the earth.
Ada Wong: I must escape this town and survive in order to accomplish my objective.
Hunk I have secured 'G'. I m all that is left of Alpha Team. I am en route to the rendezvous point.
Jill Valentine: There's no time to wait for authorization from the Russian Government. That facility is an Umbrella base. /Chris Redfield: Yeah, we can't let them get away with this.
Sergei Vladimir: Introducing the latest Umbrella product line. Codename Talos. A pinnacle of biological weaponry, all controlled by the Red Queen computer. The ultimate weapon.
Albert Wesker: I will use one pawn to eliminate the other, and emerge with the spoils for myself.
Albert Wesker: The summation of Umbrella on one disk. This should come in handy.
Sergei Monster Notes: Sergei transformed into this monster after injecting himself with a virus. The tentacles binding his arms fuse into one large tentacle. At the end of this appendage is a dangerous claw that can be used for movement or attacking.
Umbrella Raccoon City Judgment: After the Raccoon City incident, the U.S. government issued an order for Umbrella to cease and desist all operations.