Second Great REplay: Resident Evil 5 Lost In Memories
Lost In Nightmares
Accuracy: 63.1% A
Enemies Routed: 6 S
Damage: 10,167 B
Score Item: 14,700 S
Clear Time: 59:55” B
Total Score: 60,111 A
Lost In Memories is something of the perfect blend of the incredible gameplay of RE4/5 and the survival horror aspect from the original titles. It’s also one of the few times we see Chris and Jill actually as a team, and everything from the nostalgic locale to the banter between the two which belies an incredibly close relationship is just spot on.
So the locale which is very reminiscent of the Spencer Mansion is great with some awesome shout-outs to the previous title (and Spencer’s eccentricities) with the awesome “Moonlight Sonata” puzzle returning, and a great lampshade about the numerous cranks used in the series:
<>
Chris: What is it with this man and cranks!?
Jill: He’s a man with refined tastes.
I lol’ed. This is really Jill at her best, IMO. She’s not struggling to survive in a terrified fashion like in RE1/3, and she isn’t terribly worried about Chris like in Revelations. Instead we see her how she probably is normally. Cool, confident, snarky- but playfully so with Chris (who is pretty snarktastic himself) tough, and very much a survivalist (well, the last two are apparent in all her appearances heh).
Her team dynamic with Chris is just so perfect. They very believably sound like the best of friends that the games have built them up to be. One thing I notice that I really like is that Chris- and most of the other characters- never treat her differently because of her gender. They know is just as capable as they are, and in Chris’ case he knows there are things Jill excels at that he cannot do (acrobatics, lock picking, etc) while he tries to strong arm for her. They trust each other completely, and I think it says a lot about Chris, too, that he never worries about her for reasons stating to her gender. In fact, he seems pretty confident that she is one of the strongest people he has ever met. I love this dynamic. (He notably treats Sheva the same way, and Sheva actually mentions that Josh and the others treat her like a “little sister” whereas Chris treats her the same way he would treat anyone else.)
So yeah. Jill at her best. I especially love how she sacrifices herself in the fight with Wesker. There’s no “Chris I lurve him!” or planned out “I must ensure Chris survives!!!one” but instead it’s an instinct. Wesker is going to kill him, and she has just enough time to shout “No!” before tackling him- probably the only thing she can think of doing. She doesn’t think about herself because Chris is her partner, and we all know he would do the same for her. One of my favorite cutscenes in the series. Naysayers can do what they like about RE5, but it really had a pretty awesome storyline.
But yeah. Lost In Memories is the perfect balance of old and new. The only enemies are the Guardians of Insanity, scary Lisa Trevor like abominations that are entirely too difficult to kill. They are freaky as hell, and the end part of the DLC where Chris and Jill loose their weapons and have to traipse around the water-filled basement with them is…unnerving in a way the main campaign for 4/5 couldn’t be.
I’m so glad they made a DLC, because not being able to play one of the most important parts in all of RE lore would have been incredibly disappointing. The boss fight with Wesker is excellent as well, especially with him throwing them into book cases and just…yeowch. I played as Chris and every time he grabbed me you better bet that Jill came to rescue me. It’s was just…perfect. And the fight doesn’t feel forced, and flows seamlessly into the cutscene from the main story without any sudden retcons.
Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine: Partners
Chris and Jill may be the most ambiguous pair in the RE-verse in terms of their relationship. Some fans cry that they are best friends, while others swear they are completely in love with one another. Aside from subtext and hints from Parker (who seems to be mostly grasping at straws) the game never explicitly says one way or the other.
So what is it then? Well, the game uses the word “Partner” a number of times. In fact, when asked by Jessica and Sheva, Chris insists it’s “partner” and denies any romance, at least subtly. But who really knows?
Prior to RE1, we know the two get along really well. They have desks right by each other’s side, and seem to be good friends. Chris saves Jill from the Cerberus when she is shocked as Joseph’s death. A large part of the Mansion Incident is spent trying to locate the other to ensure a safe escape. Notably, in Jill’s ending with Barry (but without Chris) she says she believes he’s “out there somewhere”, showing that she hasn’t given up on him.
When they reunite in-game they hug and quickly try to escape. After their escape they work with Barry to try and expose Umbrella. Chris takes it especially hard. Some people write off Chris as the stereotypical “American Action Hero”, and while I have no doubt that is how he was originally, he has since grown greatly. Chris’ biggest fear is losing those close to him. As I mentioned a few weeks ago in my little write-up on why I like Chris/Richard, Chris is actually quite sensitive. He’s not a wilting flower or weepy uke or anything stupid like that, but he is a man who is not afraid to care about those around them, and he does with all his heart. He’s something of a “big brother” to everyone around him, and when those he cares about are put in danger it really affects him. Just looking at how he reacts to the deaths of Forest and Richard, or how furious he is when Wesker, someone he trusted, betrays him.
He’s a man that wears his emotions on his sleeve, and he’s not afraid to take the hand of another guy (see Richard cutscenes in Remake) even in the pro-brolove 90s. So it makes sense what drives Chris to expose Umbrella. He is seeking revenge for his fallen comrades (this is an important point in Revelations with Parker, as well as it seems to be a defining driving force in RE6 after his unit- save Piers- is slaughtered) Jill and Barry assist, but Chris, driven by his need for revenge, leaves for Europe and leaves the others alone.
After Raccoon City’s destruction, Jill manages to find Chris in Europe and they join the BSAA as two of its founding members. They then take direct part in the fall of Umbrella. They begin working together and they are truly a team that works perfectly with one another. When Jill hears Chris is in danger aboard the Queen Zenobia she rushes to save him. Chris follows suit when it’s revealed that the distress call coming from “Chris” was a trap set for Jill. They end up saving each other a few times throughout their mission, and they work together for a number of years, until their forced separation by Wesker and Jill’s supposed “death”.
Chris never recovers from her death, and refuses to accept that she could be dead. It’s his ultimate failure. Once he receives Intel that she could be alive he jumps at it, and keeps the hope in his heart that he will find her.
Very romantic, isn’t it?
Well…possibly.
There’s no doubt that Jill is probably one of the most important people in his life. Only Claire, and later Sheva, ever reaches that importance to him. (Trailers and pre-release media show Piers may be added to that list, however.) The same goes for Jill, who holds Chris closest to her heart. They feel that in many ways they can’t live without the other, and both throw themselves in the line of fire for the other without any hesitation.
And it goes without saying that a relationship like that could quite easily blossom into a romance. However nothing is ever set in stone. And I think it’s because before they are lovers or friends that are partners, through thick and thin. If they get married, or if they fall in love with others they will always be very close to each other. They have a relationship kind of like Stabler and Benson from Law and Order, a type of closeness that defies comprehension.
As for my personal thoughts? Well, I could go either way. I think Chris and Jill would make a great pairing, but their current relationship is great the way it is. And of course, I can’t help but see Chris as anything but bi, so I tend to ship him with dudes (notably Wesker and Richard) so I can’t really say. But no matter what the series decides to do with them, I think they will always be together.
Because they are partners.
Accuracy: 63.1% A
Enemies Routed: 6 S
Damage: 10,167 B
Score Item: 14,700 S
Clear Time: 59:55” B
Total Score: 60,111 A
Lost In Memories is something of the perfect blend of the incredible gameplay of RE4/5 and the survival horror aspect from the original titles. It’s also one of the few times we see Chris and Jill actually as a team, and everything from the nostalgic locale to the banter between the two which belies an incredibly close relationship is just spot on.
So the locale which is very reminiscent of the Spencer Mansion is great with some awesome shout-outs to the previous title (and Spencer’s eccentricities) with the awesome “Moonlight Sonata” puzzle returning, and a great lampshade about the numerous cranks used in the series:
<>
Chris: What is it with this man and cranks!?
Jill: He’s a man with refined tastes.
I lol’ed. This is really Jill at her best, IMO. She’s not struggling to survive in a terrified fashion like in RE1/3, and she isn’t terribly worried about Chris like in Revelations. Instead we see her how she probably is normally. Cool, confident, snarky- but playfully so with Chris (who is pretty snarktastic himself) tough, and very much a survivalist (well, the last two are apparent in all her appearances heh).
Her team dynamic with Chris is just so perfect. They very believably sound like the best of friends that the games have built them up to be. One thing I notice that I really like is that Chris- and most of the other characters- never treat her differently because of her gender. They know is just as capable as they are, and in Chris’ case he knows there are things Jill excels at that he cannot do (acrobatics, lock picking, etc) while he tries to strong arm for her. They trust each other completely, and I think it says a lot about Chris, too, that he never worries about her for reasons stating to her gender. In fact, he seems pretty confident that she is one of the strongest people he has ever met. I love this dynamic. (He notably treats Sheva the same way, and Sheva actually mentions that Josh and the others treat her like a “little sister” whereas Chris treats her the same way he would treat anyone else.)
So yeah. Jill at her best. I especially love how she sacrifices herself in the fight with Wesker. There’s no “Chris I lurve him!” or planned out “I must ensure Chris survives!!!one” but instead it’s an instinct. Wesker is going to kill him, and she has just enough time to shout “No!” before tackling him- probably the only thing she can think of doing. She doesn’t think about herself because Chris is her partner, and we all know he would do the same for her. One of my favorite cutscenes in the series. Naysayers can do what they like about RE5, but it really had a pretty awesome storyline.
But yeah. Lost In Memories is the perfect balance of old and new. The only enemies are the Guardians of Insanity, scary Lisa Trevor like abominations that are entirely too difficult to kill. They are freaky as hell, and the end part of the DLC where Chris and Jill loose their weapons and have to traipse around the water-filled basement with them is…unnerving in a way the main campaign for 4/5 couldn’t be.
I’m so glad they made a DLC, because not being able to play one of the most important parts in all of RE lore would have been incredibly disappointing. The boss fight with Wesker is excellent as well, especially with him throwing them into book cases and just…yeowch. I played as Chris and every time he grabbed me you better bet that Jill came to rescue me. It’s was just…perfect. And the fight doesn’t feel forced, and flows seamlessly into the cutscene from the main story without any sudden retcons.
Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine: Partners
Chris and Jill may be the most ambiguous pair in the RE-verse in terms of their relationship. Some fans cry that they are best friends, while others swear they are completely in love with one another. Aside from subtext and hints from Parker (who seems to be mostly grasping at straws) the game never explicitly says one way or the other.
So what is it then? Well, the game uses the word “Partner” a number of times. In fact, when asked by Jessica and Sheva, Chris insists it’s “partner” and denies any romance, at least subtly. But who really knows?
Prior to RE1, we know the two get along really well. They have desks right by each other’s side, and seem to be good friends. Chris saves Jill from the Cerberus when she is shocked as Joseph’s death. A large part of the Mansion Incident is spent trying to locate the other to ensure a safe escape. Notably, in Jill’s ending with Barry (but without Chris) she says she believes he’s “out there somewhere”, showing that she hasn’t given up on him.
When they reunite in-game they hug and quickly try to escape. After their escape they work with Barry to try and expose Umbrella. Chris takes it especially hard. Some people write off Chris as the stereotypical “American Action Hero”, and while I have no doubt that is how he was originally, he has since grown greatly. Chris’ biggest fear is losing those close to him. As I mentioned a few weeks ago in my little write-up on why I like Chris/Richard, Chris is actually quite sensitive. He’s not a wilting flower or weepy uke or anything stupid like that, but he is a man who is not afraid to care about those around them, and he does with all his heart. He’s something of a “big brother” to everyone around him, and when those he cares about are put in danger it really affects him. Just looking at how he reacts to the deaths of Forest and Richard, or how furious he is when Wesker, someone he trusted, betrays him.
He’s a man that wears his emotions on his sleeve, and he’s not afraid to take the hand of another guy (see Richard cutscenes in Remake) even in the pro-brolove 90s. So it makes sense what drives Chris to expose Umbrella. He is seeking revenge for his fallen comrades (this is an important point in Revelations with Parker, as well as it seems to be a defining driving force in RE6 after his unit- save Piers- is slaughtered) Jill and Barry assist, but Chris, driven by his need for revenge, leaves for Europe and leaves the others alone.
After Raccoon City’s destruction, Jill manages to find Chris in Europe and they join the BSAA as two of its founding members. They then take direct part in the fall of Umbrella. They begin working together and they are truly a team that works perfectly with one another. When Jill hears Chris is in danger aboard the Queen Zenobia she rushes to save him. Chris follows suit when it’s revealed that the distress call coming from “Chris” was a trap set for Jill. They end up saving each other a few times throughout their mission, and they work together for a number of years, until their forced separation by Wesker and Jill’s supposed “death”.
Chris never recovers from her death, and refuses to accept that she could be dead. It’s his ultimate failure. Once he receives Intel that she could be alive he jumps at it, and keeps the hope in his heart that he will find her.
Very romantic, isn’t it?
Well…possibly.
There’s no doubt that Jill is probably one of the most important people in his life. Only Claire, and later Sheva, ever reaches that importance to him. (Trailers and pre-release media show Piers may be added to that list, however.) The same goes for Jill, who holds Chris closest to her heart. They feel that in many ways they can’t live without the other, and both throw themselves in the line of fire for the other without any hesitation.
And it goes without saying that a relationship like that could quite easily blossom into a romance. However nothing is ever set in stone. And I think it’s because before they are lovers or friends that are partners, through thick and thin. If they get married, or if they fall in love with others they will always be very close to each other. They have a relationship kind of like Stabler and Benson from Law and Order, a type of closeness that defies comprehension.
As for my personal thoughts? Well, I could go either way. I think Chris and Jill would make a great pairing, but their current relationship is great the way it is. And of course, I can’t help but see Chris as anything but bi, so I tend to ship him with dudes (notably Wesker and Richard) so I can’t really say. But no matter what the series decides to do with them, I think they will always be together.
Because they are partners.