RE5: Desperate Escape DLC Hands-On Impressions

Resident Evil 5’s second DLC offering hit the digital marketplace, but does the new content justify a return to the 2009 title? We stepped into the boots of Jill Valentine and BSAA operative Josh Stone in a frantic attempt to flee Majini-infested Kijuju and bring you the lowdown on this new, action-packed mission.

Diehard Resident Evil fans who chewed RE5 to the bone will find Desperate Struggle to be a satisfying morsel. For you Majini hunters out there who were disappointed in the sluggish pace of the previous DLC, Lost in Nightmares, rest assured that this new mission is oozing with action from start to finish.

Desperate Escape runs you 400 MS Points ($5.00) on XBLA and $4.99 on the PlayStation Network (out tomorrow). The new mission offers about an hour of new, action-packed gameplay. The Mercenaries minigame-obsessed gamers also have two awesome characters to rack up the kill combos with: Rebecca Chambers and Josh Stone. Want to know the best and worst aspects of the new DLC? Check below.


Desperate Escape is best enjoyed with a human co-op buddy versus the A.I.

What I liked

• Immediate Action: The best bits of Resident Evil 5 are when you blast through an overwhelming horde of enemies by the skin of your teeth. Desperate Escape recaptures the chaotic nature of the main game’s best stages. Every area is packed with enemies firing rockets at you, executioner mini-bosses, and an endless stream of ferocious fodder. In fact, Desperate Escape is so frenzied that at times it feels like a Left 4 Dead zombie attack.
• Mandatory Teamwork: If Jill and Josh split up for more than a minute, you’re going to die. Even on normal difficulty, the likelihood of being mobbed by enemies is so high that backup fire is constantly necessary. Each herb and first aid spray is a godsend, creating a fantastic sense of dread when things start getting hairy. By contrast, ammo never proved to be too scarce. In fact, I had so many items at certain points that inventory management became necessary. Don’t plan on rummaging through your belongings without cover fire, though.
• New Gun For Hire: I wasn’t nearly as obsessed with RE5’s The Mercenaries minigame as I was with RE4’s, but after playing with Rebecca Chambers and Josh Stone, I’m going to revisit the intense game mode. Rebecca’s loadout is a combo powerhouse; her two first sprays, high-powered auto-shotgun, and machine gun make maintaining kill-chains a snap. Rebecca’s melee attacks don’t involve elaborate acrobatics like other characters. Instead she issues characteristically wimpy punches and flame spray. If you’ve been eager to see Bravo Team’s medic back in action, here is the perfect chance.
• Timed Survival: Often when games force you to defend yourself within a set time limit, frustration ensues. A perfect balance of manageably difficult enemies and honed teamwork keeps Desperate Escape’s climactic helicopter countdown entertaining. During the final battle of the new DLC players are rewarded for hoarding their most deadly weaponry and finally unleashing it against the never-ending stream of beefed-up bad guys

Did you know the BSAA sends their agents to the WrestleMania for combat training?

What I didn’t like

• Quick Escape: Desperate Escape is shorter than the Lost in Nightmares DLC by about a half hour. An extra 30 minutes of action would have brought the new mission up to an ideal length. Just as soon as I settled back into my Majini-murdering groove, the mission was over.
• Truncated Story: Resident Evil 5’s story was ridiculous and asinine, but I’ve loved everything about the series’ plot since the very beginning. Sure, finding out what happened to Jill and Josh between the time she was rescued up the dramatic volcano scene is neat, but Capcom could have done more with it. A cameo by an old Resident Evil alumnus or a clever twist would have sufficed.
• Weapons Relocked: Remember all those weapons you spent hours unlocking and upgrading? Well you can’t use them here. I understand if Capcom wants players to experience the tense and tight combat with their prescribed weapon loadout, but to not allow us to unlock all our weapons after completing the mission? Not allowing dedicated Resident Evil 5 fans to use their hard-earned items is a good way to turn people off.
•  Josh: He just doesn’t do it for me. Playing as Jill with all her wacky kick-moves was fun, but Mr. Stone leaves something to be desired as both a protagonist and a playable character. His pro wrestling-inspired melee attacks can’t make up for his wimpy mercenary weapon loadout. I’d rather play as Steve Burnside…

I never got sick of Jill's over-the-top melee attacks.

The Verdict
If you played Resident Evil 5 into the dirt like I did, you’re probably jumping at the idea of fresh content. Desperate Escape does a great job of revisiting the pure, high-stakes action of the main game, but it fizzles to a close just when it starts to get good. I absolutely recommend this new DLC for those fans that unlocked everything in RE5. If you only had a passing interest in the game and played through it once, this mission probably isn’t for you.