Resident Evil: Deadly Silence (DS)

I’m a sucker for Resident Evil. We’ve already established that, more than once. So it’s only right that I should wax lyrical and enthuse A LOT about a handheld version.

Deadly Silence has two modes. The first is a straight port of the PS1 version (i.e. the original) and the second, Deadly Silence, is a remix with more zombies and some DS specific things (i.e. a first person stylus-controlled face-stabbing mode and some stylus specific puzzles). Overall, though, it’s the same old resident evil that we know and love. EXCEPT IT’S HANDHELD!

Some things worth mentioning – first off, initially at least, the graphics are horrible. Once the initial nausea passes and you discover that the atrocious voice acting is, if anything, worse than the PS1 version, you get used to the look and – well, they’re actually pretty good when they’re in motion. I’m sure the DS could do better, but would it really suit the rest of the game? Don’t think so.

Second thing worth mentioning – it still managed to make me jump three feet – even while playing on two tiny little screens in the middle of a busy bus in broad daylight.

Thirdly – having the map always visible on the top screen is perfect.

Lastly – the dreaded controls. The controls in Resident Evil games (excluding four) have always acted as a pansy-foo-foo repellant, ensuring that only cool people in posession of the rudiments of hand-eye coordination are able to play it. In the DS incarnation, the digital controls are spot on. A lot of people have, I suspect, only experience Resident Evil using analogue sticks. Listen carefully: Resident Evil is uncontrollable with sticks. The controls are DIGITAL. Use the D-pad. Sure, you steer like a tank, but you get the hang of it.

So, so far, we’re fairly easy on and haven’t found any bosses yet.