Resident Evil 5: Lost in Nightmares

As well as being, at best, racial insensitive, Resident Evil 5 took substantial critical knocks for piling on action at the expense of suspense. Capcom responds with this second slice of DLC. Lost in Nightmares strands STARS stalwarts Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield in a déjá vu Spencer Mansion, brimming with crank traps and deathless pursuit terrors. Action beats are in the minority and armaments are limited or lost; Nightmares trades instead on co-op fleeing. Enemies are likewise limited to anchor dragging mutations and a bullying obstacle Boss, leaving players feeling distinctly underpowered. Nightmares has been enthusiastically received by fans pining for a return to the series' survival-horror roots. The more optimistic hoping that this renewed emphasis on player fragility can provide a play model for the inevitable Resident Evil 6. While it's encouraging to see puzzles woven back into the form, especially those that rely on specific roles for each player, bullet sponge clods with one-hit death attacks feel dismissive and anachronistic. Lost in Nightmares is a short, punchy addition to Resident Evil 5. It's the backfooting downtime the main game never managed.