Not just Zhang Yi, but all players who had Cleared the Game in Resident Evil were extremely surprised when they saw these two subsequent DLCs.
At first, they thought it might be something terrifying, and they were inclined to refuse.
Moreover, these DLCs didn't offer any Double Eleven or Halloween rewards.
But many players reconsideredâafter all, they'd already survived a day trip to the Baker family's farm. What was there left to fear?
Since they were already playing, they might as well finish the game. After all, that would make the experience complete.
The ending cinematic dialogue between Ethan and Mia from the main game had also felt somewhat eerie, hinting that it might tie into the DLC content.
For various reasons, many players decided to dive into these two DLCs.
And then, they were instantly hooked.
In Zoe's Ending, players controlled an old man named Joe Baker, the younger brother of Jack Baker (the infamous "father-in-law" from the main game).
This old man embodied the definition of a badassâfighting his way through with iron fists, smashing the skulls of Fungal Beasts and even crocodiles.
Later in the story, players could even acquire a literal pair of iron fists.
Wooden planks? Smashed. Iron doors? Obliterated. Fungal Beasts? One-punch head explosions. It was pure, unadulterated bliss.
The once-terrifying monsters became nothing more than punching bags. Some players even complained that there weren't enough Fungal Beasts to beat up.
As for the other DLC, Not a Hero, players took control of Chris Redfield, the man who appeared briefly at the end of the main game.
Like Joe Baker, Chris was an absolute beast, delivering an exhilarating experience.
If hand-to-hand combat techniques could be quantified, Chris would be a straight MAX.
Except for gunfire, monster vomit, and the bombs set by Ethan's brother-in-law Lucas, every attack could be countered with a Parry and execution.
Just like the hidden blade counters in Assassin's Creed, Chris could block an attack, shove the monster away, and finish it off with a single strike.
However, compared to Joe Baker's rampage, Chris's journey wasn't as smooth.
Well, "not smooth" mostly applied to his teammatesâmuch to the dismay of players.
Right from the start, three teammates went missing. The first one was found, only to be killed right in front of Chris within minutes.
The second teammate lasted longer but still ended up dead.
The third teammate had it worstâjust as he muttered "Thank God, I thought you'd abandoned me," he followed his brothers to the grave.
Many players couldn't help but pity these poor Tool-man teammates.
But then again, wasn't this Mr. Chen's way of showing mercy? In a typical horror game, the protagonist, heroine, or major supporting characters would have to die to hit players hard.
But if only minor characters bit the dust, players wouldn't feel as devastated!
This cathartic DLC experience thrilled countless players. After being tormented for so long, it was finally their turn to torment the Fungal Beasts!
"Old Song, have you played the Resident Evil DLCs yet? Absolutely exhilarating! Punching Fungal Beasts, kicking the brother-in-lawâone word: Satisfying!" Zhang Yi laughed heartily as he opened a call with Song Ren.
On the other end, Song Ren sounded bewildered.
He had already sealed the game awayâwasn't this supposed to be a horror game?
What did "satisfying" even mean here?
"Damn it, this is Resident Evil?!" Song Ren was stunned after seeing the screenshot Zhang Yi sent.
It was ultra-violent! Stomping Fungal Beast heads, punching them into oblivionânothing like the Resident Evil he remembered!
"Exactly! Highly recommend you try it. Super stress-relieving, and no jump scares either." Zhang Yi chuckled.
"Say no more, I'm logging in right now!" Song Ren's interest was piqued.
The setting was still dark, and the enemies were still Fungal Beasts, but the feeling of hunting them down instead of being hunted was entirely different!
He hung up immediately, leaving Zhang Yi momentarily speechless.
"Ah... I forgot to tell Old Song that you have to Clear the Game to unlock the DLCs." Zhang Yi scratched his head, staring at the blackened phone screen.
Returning to the Baker family's farm, Song Ren found himself in an awkward situation.
After scouring the UI interface, he couldn't find the DLC entrances Zhang Yi mentioned. A quick search online revealed the truth:
You had to Clear the Game first?!
He hadn't even met the brother-in-law yet in his playthrough!
Of course, he wasn't the only one struggling. Many players were caught in the same dilemma.
Most weren't expecting rewardsâthose had been snapped up within six hours of the game's launch.
The remaining players were either curious or aiming for the guaranteed three-game reward bundle, which was a decent perk if redeemed on the VR platform.
But many had also quit halfway, too scared to continue.
Yet giving up now felt like a waste!
According to those who had Cleared the Game, Resident Evil was truly a masterpiece.
And after finishing it, players could turn the tables and beat up Fungal Beasts.
But these DLCs were locked behind the Cleared the Game requirement.
So... maybe endure a little longer?
With this mindset, many players gritted their teeth and pressed onâthough whether they'd succeed was another matter.
Mr. Chen, however, suspected not many would make it.
Based on backend data, the game's Clear Rate was abysmal.
On the PC platform, only 31.7% of players had earned the Cleared the Game achievement.
On VR, that number plummeted to a pitiful 5.1%.
Chen Xu couldn't help but sigh at the figures.
Though few players had personally Cleared the Game, many were still deeply invested in the lore.
Sharp-eyed players noticed subtle world-building details in Chris's DLC, hinting at Resident Evil's expansive worldview.
For instance, Chris belonged to an organization called BSAA, while his teammates were from Umbrella Corporation, identifiable by its blue umbrella logo.
Yet, Chris clearly distrusted Umbrella.
Dialogue suggested Umbrella had once caused a catastrophic disaster, leading to a restructuring that stripped them of armed forces. Now, they outsourced biohazard containment to BSAA, with Chris as the liaison.
Chris even remarked that the Baker family incident barely ranked among the horrors he'd faced.
Combined with the post-credits scene after defeating Evelyn, players realized Resident Evil wasnât just a Halloween "surprise" from Mr. Chen.
It felt like the setup for a much larger narrative!
Online, alongside terrified players, many were dissecting Resident Evil's deeper themes.
What kind of company was The Alliance Corporation? What was BSAA? What had Umbrella done to earn Chris's distrust?
And what was the true fate of Ethan and Mia?
These unanswered questions gnawed at players, and the more they dug, the more huge traps they uncovered!
(End of Chapter) <