Resident Evil: Caliban Cove by S.D. Perry [Book Review, book 2]

I have finally finished Caliban Cove, S.D. Perry’s first venture into non-canon original Resident Evil fiction. What is cool about this novel is that it picks up immediately after Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy, and it remains consistent with that story, and how she has written the characters so far. I didn’t expect anything else, but it’s nonetheless something that has to be pointed out. On the general plot of Caliban Cove. I wouldn’t say it’s the most exciting zombie horror drama I have read, but it works as a light, entertaining read, that is saved solely based on being set in an awesome franchise.

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My Top 10 ZOMBIE games on PC

Ah, zombies! The most overused modern monster in any medium. Despite that, I can’t get enough of the zombie apocalypse. However, in my opinion, most creators miss the mark by turning their projects into mindless zombie slaughters, without any of the famous tension or civilization-ending dread from the Romero days. Yet, there are some titles that headshot their way to great atmosphere and storytelling!

So, here are my Top 10 Zombie Games for PC.

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Animated Resident Evil 2 in the works (fan project!)

I came across this trailer that is about a year old now, and what can I say? The animations and the visuals are pretty darn good, and it has that charming jank I love about machinimas of the past. Like many of the more intriguing Resident Evil fan projects out in the wild, the creator Atlier is making sure the atmosphere of the old PS1 & PS2 games is maintained in his vision of Resident Evil 2. What is also interesting here (going by the trailer) is that there are scenes from at least two other games in it: Resident Evil 3 and Resident Evil: Outbreak. Both of which take place during the chaos of Raccoon City. I’m curious how he will incorporate these two games (if that is the plan) into one full length movie. Ambitious, but cool!

The video is a year old now, thus, it’s fair to think the animated film is dead in the water. However, it’s not his latest video – that’s only 6 months old. So, I got faith in it, and I’m hoping it will be as good as the trailer indicates. Check it out after the jump!

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First-Person Resident Evil 2 demo

Here is something unusual. A first-person demo of Resident Evil 2 (1998 version), which retains almost everything from the original third-person experience – from atmosphere to gameplay. It’s fascinating to see the game from this viewpoint, without it having been updated to make it feel and look like a modern title. Now, this demo is not new. Yet, it’s a first for me, and it left an impression. Meaning: I had to share. I have not downloaded and tried it for myself, as the video down below is enough for me. However, I’m always amazed what hobbyists mod and game-makers create out there in the world for us to enjoy! Take a look for yourself. The YouTuber HeyDudeitsMosh provides the video. If you want to try it yourself, you can find the creator Perro Autonomo over at itch.io with links.

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Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy by S.D. Perry [Book Review, book 1]

As many of you know, the Resident Evil canon, and its lore is a tangled mess of epic proportions. Especially since every baseline game is getting a remake nowadays, which obfuscates the established canon even further. The book by S.D. Perry, which is essentially a retelling of the first game, is way out of date for the current timeline, since it was written all the way back in 1998. However, as I see it, it’s one of its strengths too. It builds upon the first Resident Evil title, way before the mess that exists now. That to me, makes it more pure in a way.

What is also interesting is that S.D. Perry didn’t just write this book. She wrote a novelization for all six of the initial games, with two titles that expand on the lore as original stories. So, while most of the books follow the games, there is also a lot of additional content here. Stories that I can best describe as an alternative timeline in the Resident Evil universe, which I definitely get a kick out of. It should be noted that these novels also provide a self-contained narrative that doesn’t require players to juggle multiple versions of the same events.

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