Homage to a classic depends on knowledge of the source material and tends to be forgiving of applicability to newer technology, while porting an older game to a new platform can be done either as nostalgia or as a re-imagining of classic material. Resident Evil is one of the true classics of video gaming and has spawned a very successful series of sequels. Capcom has brought their classic original to the Nintendo DS with Resident Evil: Deadly Silence, offering the original game with some changes made to take advantage of the unique control options available on the handheld. Unfortunately, while the excellence of the original is apparent throughout, some elements that were effective ten years ago fall flat now, and other things that were less effective back then are even more grating and annoying than they used to be.

The classic status of the game was originally earned by an innovative story and presentation combined with challenging and thought-provoking gameplay, all of which are present and successfully implemented in Deadly Silence. Capcom has actually done a wonderful job of bringing the feeling of Resident Evil to the DS - you get the full-motion video cut scenes and lots of creepy moments and tense music … plus well-rendered zombies and plenty of gore! Hardly a moment goes by when your character isn't in peril or witnessing something horrible. While this is not in the league with last year's powerful Resident Evil 4 in terms of realistic horror, it is still very much an experience intended for adults.

For those unfamiliar with the Resident Evil series, the action is viewed from a series of set movie-angle style perspectives, as if the game was being directed like a movie, as you walk around a well laid out 3D mansion. Your primary controls are the D-pad for movement and combination of buttons and shoulder-buttons for shooting, and these generally work well. The game offers two modes - Classic and Rebirth. Classic is simply a retelling of the original game with a few new options introduced, whereas Rebirth mode uses the touch-screen more extensively and offers different challenges and combat modes. New features include an always-ready knife attack and quick turn in both modes, plus a first person knife battle mode to handle the additional zombies that Rebirth mode offers. There is also a use of the microphone to 'blow back' poison from zombies or resuscitate allies, which is gimmicky but works well.

Taken alone, the new control modes work very well, but since most of the game is playable using the standard controls and the combat is real-time, it can be frustrating to stay ready for touch screen control, often resulting in needless damage or death. The directional controls take some getting used to, because they are the same regardless of context - this means that 'up' means forward at all times, even if that translates into moving the on-screen character towards the player, something that happens due to those movie-style camera perspectives I mentioned, which have been retained from the original. If that sounds like a confusing, quick recipe for death in close quarters then that's because this is exactly what happens; you're running from a bunch of zombies and suddenly the camera perspective changes and you run straight back into them and die. Fun stuff.

The camera seems possessed and is one of the biggest frustrations of the game. On the original PSOne version ten years ago it may have added drama to have zombies attacking from an area that is right behind you but hidden from the camera. However, nowadays it is just annoying. Add the lack of contextual direction control and it can occasionally be very irritating, especially given the paucity of health items and ammo. Combined with the tendency to overshoot when surprised, this manipulation will often cause more problems than the enemies themselves.

As mentioned, Capcom did a fantastic job of recreating the original game - but they also went a few steps further. The graphics are pretty much the same as the original, which means that they are occasionally grainy and pixilated, but generally very effective at creating a tense and detailed setting. Extras include adding a map to the upper screen as you explore and the use of the touch screen for puzzles. The map in particular is very useful for keeping you grounded as you search the mansion. One thing that stood out in the original release of the game was the cheesy dialogue and horrid voice acting. What was bad enough to be funny a decade ago is not even funny now. Some of the lines the characters say are almost painful to endure and the delivery is worse. Fortunately, the sound effects and soundtrack help to create a chilling and tense atmosphere.

The single player game doesn't offer much replayability - perhaps you will replay as the other lead character or play the Rebirth mode to enjoy more of a zombie killing-spree, but that is about all. This is because the game is fairly linear, with few options of varying the way the game plays. There is a limited multiplayer mode, featuring co-operative or competitive play, in which you try to escape the mansion by either working together or competing. The problem is that there are only a few maps available and they aren't all that big, so after a few hours with the multiplayer you've exhausted all it has to offer.

Some parents I know believe that Nintendo equals kid-friendly. This is true in many cases, but a mature-rated game is not likely to be kid-friendly for a nine year old. There is also a perception that in the same way that cable television has made things that seemed shocking ten years ago seem quaint now, so do technology changes in gaming over the last decade mean that something scary back then will not be a problem now. One of the parents I know asked me specifically about Resident Evil: Deadly Silence. They had played the original game on the PSOne years ago and remember it as scary, but very pixilated and unrealistic compared with many of the games his kids are playing today. And, of course, one of those kids wants the game for his DS. My advices was that just as a horror movie from twenty years ago is still not for kids, the same is true with Resident Evil.

There are many good elements to Resident Evil: Deadly Silence, but it ultimately fails to excel on the two levels it attempts: it fails as nostalgia because the weaknesses of the original get in the way of the fun, and it fails as a new game because neither the environment nor story translate to a unique or very scary experience anymore. It is still very much a game for adults and retains everything that helped it energise the action-horror genre and inspire hordes of followers. It is full of challenging puzzles and surprising attacks, but also situations that have become clichéd and some of the worst voice acting I've ever experienced in a video game. In that regard, it is unclear who the audience is for the game - those who played the original have little reason to buy this version unless they are die-hard fans looking to experience the new Rebirth mode. Also, unlike truly excellent DS games such as Advance Wars Dual Strike, Resident Evil: Deadly Silence is not likely to win any converts to the genre or game that were not already fans. For those who have heard about or seen the original series, and don't have access to a console to play Resident Evil 4 - or who want to take it handheld - this entry provides several hours of reasonable horror-action fun. Everyone else should be a bit more wary before getting to close - just like with a real zombie!

Reviewed by Michael Anderson for AceGamez (All Rights Reserved).