The infamous Resident Evil 8 DLC, teased shortly after the game released in 2021, was one of those anticipated releases that kept me obsessively monitoring every gaming news platform for months. The prospect of a DLC that expanded upon some aspect of a game I held dear to me was extremely exciting. However, as news completely fell silent months...and then a year....after release, the concept of a DLC actually being created became an inside joke.
Cut to a Capcom showcase in July 2022, where the concept was finally released. The DLC follows Ethan and Mia Winters' daughter, Rose, 16 years after the events of Resident Evil 8. As someone who was petitioning for DLC relating to the lords, I was slightly disappointed, but still happy for an expansion on the Winters saga nonetheless.
This release marked my first ever preorder of a Playstation game, and I was practically vibrating with excitement waiting for the clock to hit 12 AM and the DLC to be released into my eager hands. After painfully waiting for it to download, I equipped my preorder exclusive outfit (subtle flex, no big deal) and got started.
This DLC was, in the simplest of terms, insanity.
The Castle Dimitrescu section was a little lacklustre in my opinion. It was a great place to kick off the DLC, and it is by far the strongest area in the main game, but I couldn't wait to get out to explore what else the DLC had to offer. The small hallways and confusing amount of doors made the horror aspect increase, but also the sheer annoyance. I played Shadows of Rose on normal difficulty, therefore with generally limited resources.... and you can only run into 4 face eaters in a hallway with zero ammo so many times before you quickly lose your mind. The drawn out death/damage animations were debilitating in this section and were by far my biggest annoyance throughout the DLC as a whole.
Prematurely relieved after finally leaving the castle, I cannot begin to describe the feeling that shockwaved throughout my body when I recognized the woods surrounding the Beneviento house as the next area. I think a majority of players, including myself, were traumatized by the first rendition of the Beneviento house, but this installment somehow built upon this and objectively created one of the most horrific sections of a video game I have ever played. Mannequins are one of my biggest fears in horror games, and I was completely paralyzed with fear the entire ‘don’t let mommy catch you’ section. I have played a fair amount of horror games, but none have made me pause and cry before this section in the DLC (RE2 remake with Mr. X was VERY close). I got extremely lucky, failing to trigger certain mannequins due to my complete inability to look away from the initial mannequin out of terror. It was slightly easier on the second playthrough, but it was extremely refreshing to have a game that terrified me again. I LOVE HORROR!
Immediately following this was one of the most emotional sections in the franchise, which was... slightly jarring. The reveal of Michael being Ethan was one I predicted, but I was still so elated to see and hear him again. Ethan is one of my favourite protagonists in Resident Evil, so it was very emotional to see him protecting his daughter even as his consciousness is absorbed into the megamycete. The highlight of this final section was the very brief gameplay with Ethan as a companion running around with you, I freaked out kind of a lot. The final boss fight with Miranda was lacklustre, which SUCKED considering the new magical powers you were able to use. Miranda's forms were recycled along with some of her voice lines, and it didn't last very long at all. My favourite part was running past Ethan sitting against a rock and going "hi dad :)" every time I saw him.
Overall, I think Shadows of Rose was a worthy conclusion to the Winters' Saga--though I am disappointed it's ending. Capcom is notorious for introducing characters with so much potential and abandoning their storylines, which is sadly what I think happened with Rose. I love her and I'm sad to see her go, but maybe she'll make another appearance? Still praying to the gods for that all female RE game.
I LOVE YOU WINTERS FAMILY!!
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