Review of Resident Evil: Shadows of Rose (Shadows of Rose)

The revival of Resident Evil is in full swing. Capcom's reimagining of the franchise in 2017 was a bold move, and the additional shift in perspective to a first-person perspective helped create a powerful claustrophobic effect. The Village sequel featured iconic antagonists who would forever remain in the franchise's tapestry. While more remakes and brand new titles are just around the corner, Winter's Expansion aims to wrap up the Winters family saga with the Shadows of Rose campaign and breathe new life into last year's game with additional content. After almost 18 months, let's see if this add-on lived up to its expectations?

After the events of the original game, life for Ethan's daughter, Rose, becomes unbearable. Because of her incredible abilities, she became a recluse, shunned by society. Rose learns that Miranda has created a cleansing crystal that can remove traces of mold from her body and make her a normal person. Determined, she ventures into the nightmarish consciousness of the metamycelium fragment that holds Miranda's memories. Since the action of the game takes place in the subconscious of the main antagonist of the original, the default horror is built on the mystical component. Rooms instantly change, and enemies have inexplicable characteristics that make Rose quite vulnerable in terms of psychological state. Because of this, the sense of doom and dread persists throughout most of the playthrough, making each next step into an unsettling experience beforehand.

Back to the roots

Throughout the expansion, you follow in the footsteps of Rose's father, Ethan Winters, visiting iconic locations from the main game. Your route is naturally different from the original expedition, as many of the paths are blocked by strange plants made up of some kind of bloody biomass. Despite the presence of familiar locations, the appearance of bloody biomass gives them freshness.

The experience is also changing due to the possible passage with a third-person view. You will see echoes of the past and many references to the previous inhabitants of these places. Rose is weaker and slower than her father, which adds an extra level of danger to the journey, which is enhanced by the incredible sound design. You have access to the franchise's staples such as healing herbs and weapons, however you can also use Rose's supernatural powers. If you focus on the plant cores, you can clear them and open new passages. A little later, the girl has attacking abilities that add even more differences from the original gameplay.

Everywhere there is a mysterious presence of a certain spirit. At certain points, he will support and give advice, supply consumables. His appearance allows Rose to express her emotions, which helps her character development. Although the mystical ghost emphasizes the supernatural aspect of the expansion, it also allows you to establish a connection with the main character.

Shadows of Rose follows the traditional gameplay cycle you'd expect from a Resident Evil game. Puzzles force you to explore the surrounding rooms in search of items, and strange chase sequences keep the tension going. In addition, you need to manage your inventory, look for equipment and typewriters in order to save your progress.

Another perspective

In addition to the relatively short campaign, Winter's Expansion also includes a third-person mode for the original. It works very well and serves as an excellent catalyst for replay. Significant moments look great from a different angle and add an interesting flavor to the campaign.

Fans of the "Mercenaries" mode have something to rejoice at: "Additional orders" have been brought into the game. The expansion adds Heisenberg and Lady Dimitrescu as playable characters with interesting skills and abilities. Although this is unlikely to attract new players, fans of the mode will be delighted with the new additions.

Resident Evil Village : Winter 's _ Expansion includes a wide range of content. Shadows of Rose is a great addition to the family saga, neatly tying the threads of the story to the original. While it follows the conventions of the franchise, the supernatural twist does add a new element that leads to some offshoots of the gaming experience. The inclusion of a third-person mode in the main campaign is a fantastic addition, and the new characters refresh the Mercenaries mode. Although Rose's story seems a bit too short (remember the RE 3 remake, by the way), the expansion offers a few memorable moments and a reason to return to the spooky village.