14 DAY TRIAL // Capcom has begun to spread around its "Lost in Nightmare," the first DLC for Resident Evil 5, and 1up was one of the lucky ones that got a copy of it handed down to. And from what it could tell, it's all we could have ever wanted out of an RE5 downloadable content, and that is to make it feel like it's less like the fifth installment in the series and more like any other. According to 1up, Lost in Nightmares "feels like an HD version of the original Resident Evil."
The story in the DLC has Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine exploring the Spencer Mansion, which is the setting of the first Resident Evil, so the feeling is well founded. But the deja-vu comes from much more than just the setting, that is mainly from the gameplay. While the graphics undoubtedly unmasked it as being part of RE5, the gameplay isn't the same one that shattered the horror feeling for the title. Players are no longer flooded by endless waves of enemies, ammo is once again scarce and the gameplay pace no longer encourages us to charge at our enemies and bludgeon them to more than the squishy pulp that the zombies already are.
1up's experience with the DLC wasn't riddled with combat, but with exploring and finding items that opened up secret areas of the mansion. As for the times the combat was a focus, one thing that stood out to a certain degree was a new Majini, one somewhat similar to the Executioner Makini from RE5, but with a giant axe and a serious skin problem on his back.
Lost in Nightmares will also add new characters to the Mercenaries mode, with only Excella Gionne and Josh Stone confirmed at the present time. Costume packs will also be released for the Xbox 360 for Chris and Sheva. As for the actual playtime provided, played together with the second DLC, Desperate Escape, the DLC experience should take us to around two hours of extra zombie-mashing fun. RE5: LN will be out on February 17 on Xbox Live, for 400 Microsoft Points and on the 18 on the PSN for $4.99. Desperate Escape will follow two weeks later, on March 3.