Resident Evil 5 Lost in Nightmares Review
Resident Evil 5: Lost In Nightmares
Hailing back to the glory days, and hinting at a possible future....
I have been a fan of the Resident Evil series since 1998. You quick thinking readers with good memories will guess that my first title was probably Resident Evil 2. And you would be correct. Give yourself an Emblem.
Needless to say, I have stuck with the franchise through thick and thin. I’ve played the great titles (from Remake to Outbreak), I’ve played the mediocre titles (from Gun Survivor 1 to...well, every other Gun Survivor title), and I’ve played the terrible games (here’s looking at you Gaiden).
Resident Evil 4 and 5 have split the fanbase. This should be well known to most of you; have another Emblem, you’re well on your way to unlocking that hidden door.
So what could Capcom do to bring the fanbase back together? Zombies? Maybe... Wesker returned? Possibly... Actual scares? Quite likely... How about returning it to Survival Horror, but advanced? Yeah, I think it’d be that...
Well, you’re in for some good news readers. Behind that hidden door is Lost In Nightmares, the new piece of DLC available for Resident Evil 5.
I’m certain you are all aware that Lost In Nightmares returns players to the hunt for Ozwell E. Spencer within the Spencer Estate, so I needn’t bore you with too many details on what to expect to get out of this scenario.
In quick summary, Lost In Nightmares takes you back 2 years prior to the events of Resident Evil 5. You play as Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, infiltrating the Spencer Estate in the hunt for Ozwell E. Spencer, founder and last man standing of Umbrella Incorporated. What follows is a short trip through memory lane.
Lost In Nightmares shows players the true potential for the next generation of Resident Evil titles. It has atmosphere by the bucket load, it has a coherent plot that divulges information on events long past, and events yet to unfold, and it hints towards several new plot points for fans to sink their teeth into.
The atmosphere of this piece of DLC is by far the scariest of any scenario that you’ve played out in Resident Evil 5. It harkens back to the glory days of the franchise, as it is replete with enemies hidden around corners, odd sounds coming from the surrounding rooms, and traps set to finish off our dear friends in an instant.
The controls for the game are still the same as always, though the style of gameplay has been mixed around a bit. For the first 30 minutes you’ll be focusing heavily on small puzzles, exploration, and file reading, but the game soon changes its pace to Hunter/Prey system. Guess which one you are...
This style is heavily reminiscent of the original games, hinting at what the series could yet deliver on, combining the action and camera angle of the new games with the puzzling, exploration, atmosphere, and sense of dread from the originals.
Perhaps the only major downfall of this piece of DLC is its length...at most; this will take you just over an hour to complete if you are just running through. If you take your time to explore, it may take you a little longer, but don’t hold out hope for much more than two hours.
Certainly, if you are a fan of the series or of Resident Evil 5, then this DLC is worth the 400 points you are being asked to spend, but you must go in aware that you are only getting a small portion of what could have been a much grander storyline.
The Good
-Feels like the old days, but in a new way –Perfect atmosphere –well designed locations –Same controls as always –lots of extras and hints for old school fans
The Bad
-A bit short –There could have been more files –Doesn’t quite meet its full potential –One particularly odd file placement