I picked up ‘The Umbrella Conspiracy (Resident Evil, #1)’ by S.D. Perry, for my next read of the year.
I’ve loved the ‘Resident Evil’ games since my older brother got ‘Resident Evil 3: Nemesis’ in the early 2000s. I’ve since devoured every game. With ‘Resident Evil 3’ day at the end of last month, I wanted to delve back into Raccoon City. But I didn’t have the time to replay the games. So I thought, ‘Why not try the novels?’ I’ve heard other fans talking about them in horror circles, and I’m a big fan of trashy books and B-movie horror.
The book follows – surprise, surprise – the S.T.A.R.S. members as they investigate trouble in Raccoon Forest. People have been disappearing, sometimes turning up eaten. Perry opens the novel with the S.T.A.R.S.’s Bravo team going missing, leaving the Alpha team to investigate. It doesn’t take long until a zombie shambles onto the page, and from there, the book follows the game’s beats. We even get P.O.V.s from Jill and Chris – the first game’s two playable characters – along with the rest of the cast.
The book follows the game’s story much more than its silver-screen counterparts. It might do too well, describing the maze-like corridors and endless puzzles. But I understand that Capcom must’ve insisted Perry do this. This adherence might also be a plus for those who felt the movies should have stuck to the source material.
I went in expecting it to be enjoyable but flawed – after all, I have a soft spot for the movies – but it turned out decent. It’s not ‘The Shining’ or anything, but who would expect that from a video game novelisation? The characters are as we remember them, with some embellishment. The settings are all there, and the atmosphere is suitable. The puzzles fit into the story, and all the monsters appear – even if killed “off-screen”.
Perry’s book scratches the itch (itchy, tasty) well if you want to return to the Spencer Mansion.
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