Resident Evil Dead Aim

Capcom’s Resident Evil series has always been a favorite of mine. Ever since I played the very first one on the Playstation in 1996 I’ve been hooked on the Resident Evil universe. Everything from its story to its intense gameplay has always been evolving with each addition to the franchise. One of the evolutions that took place was integrating a light gun into the series. In 2000 Resident Evil Survivor came out – the rocky start to the Gun Survivor series. Resident Evil Dead Aim is the fourth game in the growing Gun Survivor branch of the Resident Evil universe on the Playstation 2.

Resident Evil Dead Aim improves on the other Gun Survivors a number of ways. The first and most noticeable way is the perspective. Before, all the Gun Survivor games were always in a first-person perspective. Dead Aim uses both third- and first-person perspectives. When players are exploring, the camera pulls out so you can see your character and more of what’s around him. When you run into an enemy, pull the trigger of the Guncon and you’re in a first-person view – ready to kick some zombie butt.

The Gun Survivor series has not been received very well. The second one didn’t even come out in America. The problem has been that they haven’t displayed much of what the Resident Evil series is known for. Gun Survivor games have almost no puzzle solving elements whatsoever. The lack of thinking has plagued the Gun Survivor series since its beginnings, and Dead Aim is no exception. No puzzles means no thinking.

Another problem Dead Aim has is its graphics. For some reason the longer, deeper Resident Evils have better graphics than the shorter, less involving ones. At least if there’s going to be less than good graphics they could make a more interactive background. The ability to cause damage to your surroundings would cause me to forget about the boring halls and rooms. One improvement I did notice, however, was the variety animations the enemies had…especially the zombies. The way they stumble and lurch in Dead Aim is like nothing I’ve seen before in the series. Sometimes you can even get a critical hit and send them flying.

It just wouldn’t be Resident Evil without the hordes of T-virus hosts. Dead Aim brings back many favorites like zombies and Hunters, along with new enemies such as a giant cockroach thing and new variations on the Tyrant. No need to worry, you’re not restricted to a measly pistol to fight them off. Weapons include a shotgun, assault rifle, grenade launcher, magnum, and more.

Maneuvering the infected cruise ship in Dead Aim can be very awkward at first. Using the Guncon takes some getting used, but becomes just as easy as a controller after awhile. The menus are easy to navigate with separate columns for weapons, ammo, and healing items. There is no limit to your inventory, except for ammo; you can only carry six boxes of ammo total. You hardly ever run out of ammo, though, since save rooms have an infinite supply. Ribbons aren’t required for saving either, so you can save as often as you need.

The only other thing that really bothered me besides the graphics were the sound and story. Resident Evil has always had a really creepy soundtrack, but the music in Dead Aim did not meet Resident Evil standards in my book. The voice acting was also quite bad, and it told an even worse story. The story was not one bit relevant to the series as a whole, which was a pretty big disappointment.

Resident Evil Dead Aim is a pretty big improvement on the other Gun Survivor games, but it doesn’t quite make it. I’d just like to see a relevant story, better graphics, and maybe more environment interaction. Even though Dead Aim isn’t a great game, it’s still a lot of fun. It still has the suspense and eerie feeling of a Resident Evil title with your fair share of startling moments. Resident Evil Dead Aim makes a great rental title; I beat it in under two hours my first time through.

Gameplay: 7.6
The controls in Dead Aim are very poor – even worse than other Resident Evils. If you’re using a Dual Shock, you’ll be just fine. The Guncon’s directional pad works, but it takes some getting used to. Classic elements of Resident Evil like shotguns, magnums, zombies, Hunters, and edge-of-your-seat suspense are all there.

Graphics: 6.8 
The gameplay graphics are okay at best. The environments are pretty bland compared to other RE titles. The cut scenes look like they belong on Playstation, but character animation is pretty good. Zombies have a variety of death animations and movements that add a lot to the combat, keeping it from getting boring.

Sound: 6
Sadly the soundtrack isn’t nearly as good as the rest of the series. The zombie moans are still scary, but the music and voice acting just didn’t do it for me. During a lot of cut scenes you can’t even hear what the characters are saying, so turning on the subtitles is a must.

Difficulty: Medium
Overall Dead Aim is a fairly easy game, but it has its tough parts. The controls can also make it difficult when you’re in tight areas and surrounded by enemies. Later on enemies will be faster and dodge more often, testing your sharp shooting skills.

Concept: 8 
I love the fact that you can explore and then use the Guncon in combat. It’s not the first time it’s been done – Dead Aim is the fourth iteration in the Gun Survivor series. Capcom’s got a killer idea, they just need to beef up the graphics and create a relevant story.

Overall: 7.5
Personally, I have fun with the Gun Survivor series. I like the freedom of being able to move my character around combined with the light gun shooting. I am also a fan of Resident Evil. For anyone else, though, it’s not a very deep game. The controls are clunky, the graphics are below average, and the story is plain. The best things about Dead Aim are its concept and entertainment factor. Combining Resident Evil’s exploration with light gun action makes for some fun, mindless zombie killin’.