KMGR of "Resident Evil: Degeneration"

Image by MagnusK via FlickrLatest Resident Evil to hit the mobile scene is a 3d shooter, that tries to emulate Metal Gear Solid mobile, and comes across as "not bad, but could be better".

Resident Evil: Degeneration (RED) is set 5 years after the Raccoon City incident. A terrorist group has unleashed T-virus on an airliner. They thought they'd unleash mayhem, but they have NO IDEA what they started... As zombies started to spread throughout the airport, infecting passengers, workers, and first responders alike. Special agent Leon S. Kennedy is sent in to rescue some VIPs, and to keep the situation from escalating.

As you can imagine, it's a mess. One of the planes overran by zombies crashed into the terminal and wrecked a lot of places. You'll be moving throughout the airport trying to contain the crisis, and fight a few mutated "bosses" as well.

The game is presented in full 3D, powered by the IdeaWorks 3D engine, and while the texture is a bit thin, it is full 3D. You assume a 3rd person viewpoint just behind Leon, and you can move, or switch to aim mode. When you're in aim mode, you can't move, except to aim. Fortunately, all the guns you have has a aim laser, allowing to aim for the head of zombies. To move, you need to exit aim mode. It's workable, but somewhat frustrating interface.

The zombies need a bit more texture work in such low-res environment to look scary, but they shamble and drag-feet enough to look evil. And as in the RE lore, aim for the head puts them down faster. If you got bitten, there are "herbs" you can find scattered throughout that will heal or even expand your max health.

You start with a trusty pistol, and later you'll find shotgun, SMG, rifle, and more. Each gun is also upgradeable in damage, reload speed, and mag capacity in 3 levels, if you get enough money and trade with the mercenaries that have taken up residence in the airport to make a quick buck. There are also grenades, and if you need it, the trusty knife that never runs out of ammo.

The game is divided up to several chapters, and makes use of the existing levels, but often in new ways, such as forcing you to take a different path through, backwards, and so on. It's basically one "Fedex" quest after another. You need to get into VIP lounge, but the people who knows the password are not responding, so you need to go find them. Once you found one, he said the other one went to another area, so you need to go find him. Once you found HIM, he said there's another threat you need to take care of first, like a full infected plane that may be taking off on autopilot... You get the idea.

There is a PDA with overhead map that tells you where you are and where you need to go, so you can't get lost. You're even told where the merchants, and if you bought the treasure map, the treasures, are.

The controls are slightly twitchy, and walking through the levels aren't as creepy as they should be in a game of this type. Sound effects are sorely lacking in subtlety, which can be difficult on a mobile phone, but it IS lacking. Gun barks are horrendous and lacks difference in different types of guns, which range from 9mm to magnum to SMG to rifle to shotgun, but they all sound about the same.

The story is involved enough to keep you interested, as you need to make your way through the terminal, lounge, baggage area, interior of a plane, and so on. And the levels are quite detailed, with the appropriate signage and objects of the area.

The bosses are extremely hard and some areas feature "close-range" zombies that takes a few bites out of you before you can "shake" them off, and there really isn't a "proximity detector" that tells you they're close... If you fight one and kill one, you still have to check if there are others that are about to attack.

Other than this "mobile turret" control issue, the game is quite well done and lasted many hours of play. If you like the zombie genre, you should at least try RE:D.

Overall rating: 8.5 out of 10
Pros: full 3D game that does last a while, upgradeable weapons
Cons: one-path only like marionette, either move or shoot but not both