Resident Evil die-hards get a treat this week in the Resident Evil Origins Collection, which pairs HD remasters of a pair of the best games in the series — the original Resident Evil and its beloved prequel, Resident Evil Zero — for a nostalgia-packed bundle that harkens back to the series’ glory days. Those looking to spice up their favorite shooters, and with a big budget to blow, can try out the Rail Gun Controller, which makes it seem like you’re mowing down enemies with an actual gun. We also catch up with Just Dance 2016, which is a better deal now that its price has been slashed.
Just Dance 2016
(Xbox One, PS4, Wii U, Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, $30, Everyone 10+)
The motion-controlled dance game fad no longer burns brightly, but Just Dance games continue to be some of the most effective ways to work some exercise into your gaming routine. A price drop from $50 to $30 makes the game a more attractive purchase, but you’ll need the Kinect or PlayStation Move controller to get the most out of the game on current systems.
The all-pop track list is a mix of current hits and songs that hogged radio play over the last half decade, with artists including Jason Derulo, Meghan Trainor, Selena Gomez, Lady Gaga and the Black Eyed Peas. Game modes are ample and varied, with a main campaign, workout-focused Sweat mode, one-off single-play songs and group performances. Just about all the modes snap photos of you to capture how ridiculous you look.
Rail Gun Controller
(Xbox One, PS4, PS3, $199)
Something of a throwback to the days of the NES Zapper and the Super Scope 16 for the SNES, this Kickstarter-launched device is a metallic attachment that fits onto Airsoft guns, transforming them into light gun-style controllers that work well in first-person shooters such as games from the Call of Duty, Battlefront and Halo series. Thanks to the buttons on the side of the controller, the Rail Gun works for just about about all games.
As you’d expect with a controller this expensive, the button loadouts are customizable. There are also toggles that let you adjust the sensitivity of the trigger, directional controls and buttons. While not as heavy as a real gun of its size, the controller is bulky enough to tire you out during extended play sessions, which can be a liability during competitive online play. The feel you get from lining up headshots is more viscerally satisfying than what you get when moving your cursor around. This is a showpiece you get to wow visitors rather than a functional device that will enhance your skills.
Order the Rail Gun Controller here.
Resident Evil Origins Collection
(Xbox One, PS4, $40, Mature)
The original Resident Evil, which was released last year in a remastered HD edition, is packaged up with a similarly rejiggered Resident Evil Zero, a 2002 GameCube series prequel hailed by old-school fans as one of the best entries in the series. Time has been kind to the game, which is invested deeply in the survival horror roots of the series — before it veered off into Call of Duty-style action with a convoluted story — but isn’t hindered by the stiff controls and cinematics of the early games.
It’s Zero, which is also available as an individual $20 download, that’s the star here. In the days before the viral outbreak that unleashed zombie-like terrors, you play as a special ops team deployed to Raccoon City to investigate a series of grisly murders. You investigate the backdrop of what led to the deadly mansion in the first game. All the textures in the backgrounds have been ravamped and upgraded. The time and care taken with the game matches the treatment given to the original Resident Evil, and grants new life to the O.G. days of the series. If you’re into Resident Evil games and missed out on Zero, this is the best form of the game to make your introduction.
