resident evil 5 dlc

PLATFORM: PS3, XBox 360
RELEASE DATE: RE5 March 2009, DLC February 2010
ESRB RATING: M

PUBLISHER: CAPCOM

DLC Progress: 60% at time of posting

Capcom proves more of the same can be great.

Anyone who gets excited about horror movies, good or bad, should be playing Capcom's 2009 release Resident Evil 5 (RE5). This game was made for you. Now a year after it's first release this legendary video game series shows it can always find new ways to deliver fresh zombies for us to consume with its newly available download content (DLC): Lost In Nightmares and Desperate Escape. These latest editions to the survival horror third-person game are available as DLC or on the new disk based re-release RE5 Gold Edition.

These new level packs are perfect examples of quality DLC. From the score below you will see that I recommend them. However, an informed gamer would note the pros and cons to releasing DLC.

Pros: Fans of the game have new content to plow through even if they have beaten the game and with the download option you don’t have to make the trip to the store. New costume sets also help make the game feel fresh again.

Cons: Coughing up more money for a game you already bought. Many fans are outraged by these practices, feeling cheated for buying the game right away and skeptical about possibly missing new content, and maybe some overall improvements. One has to ask was this content really developed after the first release or was this Capcom’s grand plan all along?

The nostalgic Lost in Shadows finds Chris and Jill back in a (slightly reworked) mansion, reminiscent of RE1. I played co-op with an off-line friend. It proved very challenging. I must say that I'm having some trouble connecting for co-op play but this is to be expected for a new release. My biggest problem with the game is the constant slamming of the door in your partner's face. Some how it wasn't designed for two players to go through a door at once.

Desperate Escape ties directly into the storyline of RE5. What ever did happen to Jill when we left her behind? Our buddy Josh came by to lend her a hand and a sniper rifle. I've played through about half of this with the same off-line co-op partner and it was great. The scenes were exciting and there was more than enough undead to kill.

UPDATE

Playing the DLC in online co-op mode must be done on the game start up screen, not from within Home. You choose the online option at the DLC menu: Solo, Co-Op (Online), Co-Op (Offline).

B+

Bottom line: Great purchase. If you have the funds why not complete your RE5 collection.