Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles

Last week we featured an exclusive video previewing a level within Darkside Chronicles’ RE2 campaign. If watching Leon and Claire traverse through the dark underbelly of Raccoon city wasn’t enough to get you excited, we have also been given the go-ahead to walk you through a level from Darkside Chronicles’ all-new South American adventure.

As a brief recap, like Umbrella Chronicles before it, The Darkside Chronicles is a rail shooter for the Wii that explores abbreviated episodes from previous Resident Evil games. Starring Leon Kennedy, Claire and Chris Redfield, Jack Krauser and Steve Burnside, players are given the chance to relive the nightmare of Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil: Code Veronica and an original South American account titled “Operation Javier.”

The South American level features Leon Kennedy and Krauser on a mission to investigate the relationship between drug lord Javier Hidalgo and Umbrella – an excursion that falls just before the events of Resident Evil 4.

The level marks Kennedy and Krauser’s first mission together, beginning as they hike their way through an undisclosed jungle in South America, Krauser seeming skeptical as to if B.O.W. horrors even exist. Ironic if you recall the fate he suffers in Resident Evil 4. Their mission is to investigate Hidalgo, who appears to have tried contacting Umbrella before disappearing. Not a promising correlation.

Their trek halts as they enter an unassuming village, not a person in sight. The villagers are not the only ones that appear to be absent, however, as the fences lining the streets are plastered with missing posters indicating a rash of disappearances involving young girls. Another bad sign. The game begins in full as a “sick” man staggers towards Krauser, who reaches to aid him, only to be halted by Leon who knows better.

Now all the villagers emerge, zombified shells of their former selves. As the duo negotiates through the village, Leon expresses how the scenario feels all too familiar. They are pitted against the standard infected and other familiar foes, such as variants on mutated frogs and giant spiders. Eventually they stumble across more distinctive infected – shirtless men with large snake tattoos called the Sacred Snakes – who they recognize as Hidalgo’s men. There is no doubt now that Hidalgo has the virus. But why?

Moving to the fringes of the village, narrow planks replace earth and huts hover over water on stilts. Here enormous frogs and mutated piranha flourish, making it a bit tougher to push forward.

After some branching paths and a myriad of objects to shoot for loot and tokens, their journey ends at a church, where they are attacked by a massive and all-new B.O.W. After shooting it and scaring it away, Kennedy and Krauser enter the church. They are greeted by a young girl, eerily singing on the floor, wearing a torn and blood-soaked white dress.

Krauser points to a corner, where the beast that attacked them moments ago lurks, seemingly pacified by the girl’s song. When she notices the intruders she abruptly stops singing and faints.  With the spell broken the beast attacks again. After another skirmish, Krauser and Leon approach the girl, still passed out on the floor. Here Krauser asks to be filled in on all of Leon’s past exploits, seemingly unnerved by what is unfolding around him. 

The level ends, catapulting you right into the RE2 campaign. Our playtime was brief, but set the mood for the rest of the game, which you can pick up when it hits retail November 17.

As an extra treat, Capcom released an official trailer for The Darkside Chronicles early this morning. You can check out in the video tab below.  The new trailer showcases some of the new scenes, characters and baddies highlighted above.  Enjoy!