The Resident Evil franchise is one of the most beloved zombie franchises in the world. The series launched in 1996 with the first Resident Evil game and has since spawned many sequels as well as comic books, movies, novels, action figures and other merchandise offerings.
The Nintendo DS has its own Resident Evil game, called Resident Evil: Deadly Silence. This game was developed by Capcom Production Studio 4 and published by Virgin Interactive in Europe, with Capcom acting as the primary publisher in the rest of the world.
Multi-Mode Gameplay
Resident Evil: Deadly Silence was ported to the Nintendo DS to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the game. The cover art was produced by Toshiaki Mori, making the game quite collectible among enthusiasts of the series.
The port is not a completely faithful one however. Several new features were added to the DS version, including new first-person knife-fighting sequences and some special touch-control support, such as the ability for the player to “shake off” zombies by using the stylus. If you want to play without these additions, you can play the game in Classic Mode, which is a more faithful (but still not completely so) re-telling of the original game.
Perhaps the most interesting mode is ‘rebirth mode’, which features far more enemies than the other modes and also adds several touch-screen and microphone supporting features to make use of the innovative controls of the DS. For example, instead of simply pressing a button to revive your companions when they are injured, you perform CPR on them by blowing into the handheld’s microphone.
Many people have recently chosen to sell their old Nintendo DS handhelds from the first and second generation in order to upgrade to the newer 3DS. Unfortunately, Resident Evil: Deadly Silence is not a 3D game, but it’s still well worth trying it if you’re a horror fan looking for a good core gaming experience on the DS handheld.
Multiplayer Support
Resident Evil for the Nintendo DS supports four-player wireless LAN multiplayer. There are two multiplayer mods, one co-op and one competitive. Players can choose from nine different characters and play on three different stages: the iconic mansion, the guest house and the laboratory.
Mixed Reviews
When the game was released back in 2006, it got a rather mixed reception. Many players were disappointed that the game was simply a remake of the first Resident Evil. However, the rebirth mode, improved controls and tweaks to the combat system impressed some players, who found that they preferred the game to the earlier Director’s Cut version. The addition of the ability to skip cutscenes and dialogue was also welcomed by many players.
Resident Evil: Deadly Silence was the first DS game to earn an M for Mature rating in America. It was rated 16+ in Europe and BBFC 15 in the UK. There are several different covers, including a Biohazard cover for Japan which is highly sought-after by collectors.