Stars and Zombies: Resident Evil Umbrella Conspiracy

Today, a series of violent and gruesome murders stirs the silent mountain town of Raccoon City. To end the rumours surrounding the bizarre attacks, the Special Tactics And Rescue Service are deployed to investigate the mountain community.

Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy is a novel based on the PS1 survivor horror game: Resident Evil. And like the game, the book illustrates the fate of the S.T.A.R.S. team as they try to survive inside a mysterious mansion filled with zombies and deadly puzzles.

Are the S.T.A.R.S. doomed to fail their first mission?

titanbooks.com

A novel based on a video game? Yup. I didn't quite know what to make of it at first too. But being a huge fan of Resident Evil games, I decided to give the book a lurk. What I found within was a surprisingly well-written recreation of the video game in its entirety.

Let's dine on expressive penmanship tonight.

The first Resident Evil game is known for horrific critters, and intense survivalist moments that come from a memorable cast trying to solve a mystery inside a cryptic mansion. The book recreates those settings in great detail:

“It looked abandoned from the outside, the weathered wood and stone of the giant mansion crumbling and dark. The full size of the structure was cloaked by the shadowy, overgrown hedges that surrounded it, isolating it form the forest. A massive outset front porch presented double doors, their only option...”

This descriptive narrative carries through the entirety of the book, dragging you into the dark horrors of a zombie filled opulent mansion. Where each door opened reveals more mystery of a strange T-Virus and the fate of its, aimlessly shambling, flesh-eating creators. Unlike the game where you play with only one chosen character, the novel focuses on several key characters: Chris, Jill, Rebecca, Albert and Barry.

S.D. Perry has crafted a chilling mystery by choosing to write the story through several narratives—mostly Chris, Jill and Rebecca. This first-person account of events allows for character specific commentary, which adds some unexpected deviation from the script set by the video game.

“And if you don't pull your head out of your ass and start being more careful, you're going to join them—another torn and lifeless body crumpled in a cold hallway somewhere, another victim to the insanity of this house.”

classicgames.about.com

I enjoyed reading how each of the characters explored specific parts of the elaborate mansion and its surrounding grounds. This gave the novel a more immediate pace, and took care of the tedious back and fore shuffling in the game.

Also, by describing the horror of the titular residence using the five senses, and inner-monologues, the book adds an extra dimension that complements the video game nicely. When playing the game I never imagined that the house smelled like a putrid, damp, meat locker. Yuck.

If you played the game, you'll undoubtedly smirk at certain parts in the novel. I don't want to give away too much, but if you got flustered with the game's uncanny camera angles and puzzles, and thought they could have been solved by more gun-raging approaches, S.D. Parry has been there along with you and mentioned/fixed it in her narrative.

If you're a newcomer to the world of Resident Evil you may find the book a bit silly. Since the cover has exact replicas of the game's CG characters, it's safe to say the book is marketed to Res Evil fans. If you happen to be in the comforting safety of your abode, I re... Hold on.

I though there was someone lurking outside my window. Never mind. I re...

What! Is someone at the door? I can hear your feet shuffling; I should check if the door is locked. Oh no, the lock is turning! Who are you? Wait wait... (muffled screams).

~~~~~ Four putrid skinless menacing curs out of five.