Dead Aim

GRAPHICS

The graphics are about as good as those seen in Resident Evil. Code Veronica, they are not quite up to the standard of Resident Evil 0 on the GameCube but are certainly respectable for a PS2 title. Whatever enemy gamers face there is a large amount of detail, from the facial expressions to the blood stained coats. Enemies seem to respond much more realistically than in previous games. Although no heads fly off, a heavy blast from the shotgun executed in the right place will send a zombie flying across the room until it is slumped into a corner, likewise a timid shot to the lower leg is going to cause little damage.

Resident Evil: Dead Aim looks at its best when cut scenes kick in. Gamers are treated to re-created areas and characters detailing the droplets that wring from wet hair and the harsh glare of a sunset. When an FMV is about to cut in after facing a boss or particularly nasty enemy the screen will fade to black cinematically. One of the biggest criticisms in Resident Evil games has been the time it takes for the game to load as gamers witness a door opening and closing. Although this arguably creates tension, this feature is not present in Dead Aim so loading is fast from room to room keeping the gamer on their feet at all times.

The game has a constantly dark look about it as gamers parade through dimly lit corridors and isolated areas. If it were not for the absence of a few inches of mist one might believe they had stumbled into Silent Hill and not Raccoon City! Overall graphics are suitably grim adding to the atmosphere that veterans are used to experiencing in Resident Evil.

17/20

SOUND

Most Resident Evil games come complete with a brilliant soundtrack contributing to the fear factor. The music is more relaxing in save rooms, more frantic when confronting a dangerous enemy, and eerie in the background when exploring but there just seems to be something missing. The music does not sound as intense as it has done in previous games. One can probably put this down to Dead Aim not being one of the main Resi games. The theme tune to the game is "Gunshot" by Kize, a rock/nu-metal tune as opposed to the intelligently put together orchestral music we are all used to.

Standard sound effects are all there whether it's the ripple of waves, the groan of a zombie or the clang of metal. Voice acting is not bad either, although again the script does not seem to be as good as past Resident Evil games.

14/20

GAMEPLAY

Rather than following on from the main plot revolving around STARS, Dead Aim, like Survivor, is loosely linked to the rest of the series. Gamers control Bruce McGivern for the majority of the game. He has been sent to infiltrate a hi-jacked ocean liner as it sails across the Atlantic Ocean, and investigates the link it has to Umbrella. While aboard Bruce meets the second playable character - Fongling. As opposed to having the option to play as either character or to zap between the characters the game kicks in when gamers are required to play as Fongling or McGivern after FMV's.

In order to get the most out of Resident Evil: Dead Aim, it is important that gamers own a G-Con 2 rather than a standard controller. Gamers use the direction pad located on the end of the gun to move the character about, then zoom into a first person perspective once the trigger is pulled using the light gun to attack enemies. For fans of Survivor this is an ideal mix of perspectives as gamers can search in the traditional Resident Evil view but then take advantage of a first person view when attacking zombies and other creatures. A small tap on one of the large side buttons of the G-Con 2 can examine objects or can sneak sideways. Sneaking sideways can be particularly useful if the gamer wishes to quickly dodge an attack. If timed correctly the gamer can dodge a zombie sprawled out and ready to attack!

Although this all sounds like fun Dead Aim has its drawbacks. Firstly there is a considerable lack of enemies. Previous titles have seen the inclusion of dogs, lickers, hunters, Tyrant, apes, and a whole host of other malicious fiends. Dead Aim however includes no dogs or lickers, largely consisting of zombies and hunters with a few boss battles. In addition to this there are few puzzles. The nearest to a puzzle is finding the right door to use the newly found key on. It is true that Resident Evil games are largely about action but there could have been at least a few puzzles even if they had been as basic as those seen in Zero.

As most gamers know there are considerable advantages to controlling with an analogue stick as opposed to a d-pad. This means that some gamers may prefer to switch between their control pad and G-Con 2 (which although fiddly is possible as the gun is not plugged into the controller's slot). Gamers should only use the analogue controller for this purpose, for using it to play the game would take away half the fun as the d-pad allows gamers to specifically place the gun on the exact part of the body they wish to shoot, meaning continuous headshots. There are a few jumpy moments in Resident Evil when zombie's trawl from around corners and doors.

In terms of playability this is not the best of the Resident Evil games but is not a complete waste of time as fans of the series will appreciate the game for its best bits. With a few more features this could have been something special as the blend of first and third person perspectives makes for an interesting experience, although the lack of enemies and puzzles puts a dampener on the game.

17/25

LIFESPAN

Dead Aim does not last long at all and can be completed with ease in a rental session. First time through it is possible to complete the game in just over two hours and after this in considerably less time. Capcom have included a save facility on the game to prevent frustration similar to that in Survivor when gamers progressed only to find they had to start over again, but unfortunately there are only seven possible destinations to save in throughout the game! After completing the game once gamers will no doubt repeat the game for a second time if only to see how quickly it can be completed after being amazed at how short the game was originally. There are few incentives to continue playing the game, although there is the bonus that Fongling and McGivern play alternate roles to the ones first time, although the FMVs are still exactly the same meaning as you play as Fongling and get to a certain area an FMV will kick in but turn the main character back into McGivern. This really is not going to last anybody a great amount of time but gamers who do decide to rent the game will at least know that they have got their money's worth.

10/25

ORIGINALITY

Although not the first game to combine House of The Dead style shooting and adventure based searching, Dead Aim is the first title to include two separate perspectives for searching and shooting. Other than this everything in Dead Aim has been seen before, the key collecting, the shooting of zombies, the eating of green herbs, the weapons - it's all been done before!

3/10

OVERALL

Resident Evil: Dead Aim is an enjoyable title while it lasts; the main flaw is that it doesn't last for very long at all. Hardcore fans of the series will undoubtedly purchase the title but others would be advised to rent. It is not a complete letdown but seems to be one of the weakest games in the series, let's hope standards improve in Outbreak and Resident Evil 4.

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