Nintendo Wii Fanboy

We've all been as restless as the walking dead waiting for the first original Resident Evil game on the Wii, wondering if the new gun game will manage to outshine the previous Gun Survivor games and provide both a faithful Resident Evil experience and an awesome light-gun game. Now that reviewers have torn into the title, we can find out if Umbrella Chronicles was the Master of Unlocking ... their hearts.

Gametrailers -- 83%: This isn't really a summation of the review, nor is it representative of the whole review, but we just wanted to post it, to point out the kinds of things video game reviewers have to think about: "While Umbrella Chronicles is fantastic overall, there are a few gripes. Annoyances like leeches and small spiders jump at the screen, forcing you to mindlessly shake the remote until you've sliced through them all. Slashing at a creature that's presumably on your face breaks the sense of immersion. Also, the vomit that some zombies spew at you can be quickly shot out of the sky, which doesn't make much sense."

1UP -- 75%: 1UP's review finds the game slower-paced and more involved than the average gun game, and loaded with Resident Evil series references: "The files, notes, and diaries you'll often attain while doing so are just one example of the copious fan service that seems to be the true driving force behind the entire experience. Whether you're playing from new perspectives in old scenarios or filling in story gaps with cut-scenes or entire levels, there's a ridiculous amount of information and background for Resident Evil nuts to absorb. The convoluted, poorly acted narrative is as dismissive to newcomers as ever, but they'll be in it for different reasons anyhow (zombies + guns = fun)."

GamePro -- 85%: GamePro's reviewer decided to tease another console's upcoming game in the review for this one, presumably just to be mean: "It combines the atmospheric charm of the ResEvil series with awesome light-gun gameplay, then throws in a wealth of bonus material to unlock and discover. It's the perfect way to prepare yourself for the upcoming Resident Evil 5."

CVG recently posted a pair of trailers for the upcoming Obscure II. These trailers are for the PC version of the game, so the graphics could be different on the Wii, but the gameplay should translate over relatively unchanged. And, based on these new trailers, the game is going to be fairly action-packed and dark. Like the last trailer we showcased, it provides a glimpse at some co-op fun in the game.

There's got to be someone out there waiting to get their hands on Eidos' Escape from Bug Island-- someone very weird who either doesn't care about the quality of their games or, perhaps, collects awful games. That's cool with us; we can support weirdness.

After having to put up with a delay, Bug Island die-hards are getting a small reward in the form of a pre-release price drop. Escape from Bug Island will be priced at $30 when (and if) it finally comes out on the 24th. Europe has to wait until September 14th, but at least the game will be the same price.

[European news via GoNintendo]

[Update 1: fixed the name of the DS game. Thanks, SnesR0X, and no thanks to the many similar DS-game subtitles!]

It's been a while since we had a directed blurry-Famitsu-picture staredown, and this one is, as usual, totally worth staring at. Famitsu printed a long-awaited look at Capcom's Resident Evil Umbrella Chronicles, the Wii-exclusive RE-series-spanning game.

According to the article, it's a first-person gun shooting game with playable characters from past REs including Chris, Jill, Wesker, and others. Whether it's a true FPS or an on-rails affair like Resident Evil: Dead Aim remains to be seen.

Also in Famitsu was confirmation that Resident Evil 4 is getting an enhanced Wii release. Rumor has it that all the PS2 extras will be included, but the only definite is an added Wiimote-controlled knife mode. Sounds like RE Deadly Silence on the DS.

[Thanks, zshadow!]