Great for fans, and a real example of the Wii's graphics ability, RE:DC is a fun rail shooter that satisfies.
To be honest, I think I have found my favorite late night snack with Darkside Chronicles. It's a fan's game to be sure, but even non-fans can pick this up and enjoy.
If you have played an on-rails shooter, you'll find nothing really special here. DC has all the bells and whistles of other titles. Guns, blood, exploding heads...check, check, and righteous check.
But what impressed me the most was in fact one of the aspects of this game that annoyed people the most: the shaky camera. Capcom really went out of its way adding a layer of immersion I never would have expected from this kind of game. In comparison, DC's predecessor the Umbrella Chronicles's lack of imerssive elements makes it feel stripped not quite complete. In other words...boring.
Can it distract? Yeah. But is it better than silky smooth camera transitions? Yep.
Also, this is a game that requires a little skill and more than a little clairvoyance. There is very little instruction (...it is after all a one trick pony) and aiming at specific spots on fast moving targets can be rough. And VERY annoying. But in the end, it's rewarding to down Mr. X. Good grief stop moving you reject from a Marilyn Manson video.
But most importantly...this is a game directed to nerds. Yes, if you are a Resident Evil nerd you owe it to yourself to play this game (and UC as well). How do I know this is a giant nerd-gasm?
If you never played RE4, then most of the "story" will make zero sense. If you never played Code:Veronica, you won't appreciate their attention to detail. If you skipped RE2, then you won't even have a clue what the G-Virus is.
But I am a fan of Resident Evil. I loved Darkside Chronicles. It's fun, plain and simple. Games like rail shooters are about in your face action. What it does right is...well, be fun. What it does wrong is (for what it is) not much.
So to sum up: Fun game, zombie killing, Mr. X, monsters, shaky camera cool but erratic...great game.
SO: Why not a 9 or above? The game has one element to it. Point and shoot. Nothing more. Nothing less. Great fun! But not exactly a revolution. Or an evolution. Just...fun.