Resident Evil 5: Desperate Escape is the second Downloadable Content adventure for the game after last week’s Lost in Nightmares. While Nightmares was more of a throwback to classic Resident Evil of the late 1990s this is a throwback to only a few years ago of 2005's Resident Evil 4. The action is instant and as the name suggests Josh and Jill are escaping from where players last saw Jill Valentine prior to the ending of Resident Evil 5.
The DLC fills in the gaps of story telling how Jill suddenly ends up with Josh on a helicopter in the game's ending. Josh finds Jill collapsed after she parted with Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar, they both need to escape and want to support the pair by catching up to them. On the way though Jill informs Josh she needs to send a message to Chris that is key to his survival.
Once again players’ inventories are scrapped and the lack of save system is still present, although checkpoints remain. What is instantly noticeable is that ammo isn't as scarce as Lost in Nightmares. In fact ammo can be downright plentiful in comparison and with the use of Grenade Turrets in the second area of three you never feel the panic of being outgunned.
The panic sets in with clever design having players scramble to unlock doors in the first area, survive the hail of fire arrows in the second area and simply survive everything the game can throw at you in the final area. That final area being an 8 minute standoff on the roof of a helipad in rather tight quarters with lovely Chainsaw Majini and welcoming Gatling Gun Majini for your pleasure.
While Jill was a huge focus in Lost in Nightmares and still is in this DLC, Josh is playable for the first time and is rather crazy to play as like most of the cast. Josh is built like Chris Redfield but uses more wrestling style suplexs and ground pounds to melee his opponents than Chris' standard punches.
In terms of difficulty Desperate Escape is a grueling affair that even on normal can lead to many deaths, players need to work very close to each other in order to survive. The separating that could be used as a tactic in Nightmares only serves as a Game Over screen in this adventure. The AI in turn will know what to do but as expected sometimes does run off into traffic smiling, naively.
Once again gamers who simply played Resident Evil 5 will be a little out of their element but not as much as they would be in Lost in Nightmares. Resident Evil 4's style is all over Desperate Escape but in turn that's very similar to Resident Evil 5's. This DLC will run you $5 (400 Microsoft Points) and brings the DLC episode and Josh for Mercenaries Reunion mode. While difficult and punishing, Desperate Escape is the sound off Resident Evil 5 needed and a closure almost a full year after release.
Graphics | Audio | Gameplay | Replay | Genre | Final |
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