Probably the best version of the original Resident Evil to date. This was a labor of love from everyone involved and it's surreal to see Capcom put so much effort into this yet not port the game to any modern platforms. Deadly Silence comes jam-packed with content, containing not only the original RE1 with its two campaigns but also a Rebirth mode that features revamped balancing, difficulty, and puzzles that take advantage of the DS's hardware. The new balancing provides more ammo and more enemies, making it a more action-heavy experience, which is different but not unwelcome. The new puzzles are all reasonably gimmicky but it is shocking how well they fit the tone of the game without feeling too out of place. There are occasional first-person knifing segments which are probably the most gimmicky aspect of the port, but still provide a surprising amount of fun and challenge. It even has a Mercenaries-style side mode which, while I didn't dive into it that much, seems to be a fun distraction for a while.

Something you'd think wouldn't have improved is the graphics, which Capcom has rather tastefully updated. 3D models have been overhauled to have better points of articulation and generally more detail, providing a moderate boost to realism but without clashing with the unchanged pre-rendered backgrounds. Speaking of presentation, it's impressive how much of RE1 remains in this port fairly uncompromised. Audio quality is naturally compressed (especially noticeable when playing with a nice pair of headphones) but sounds reasonably well most of the time, except for a stray voice line here and there. The FMVs are all here and accounted for, and while compressed to the point of ugliness (a black and white sequence early on even has unintentionally added color due to the compression!) I think it's impressive that they managed to include all of them. It's a shame, however, that the intro sequence is the censored version, which is an odd choice considering the game is still rated M and the first zombie cutscene is uncensored.

Despite the odd censorship, I think Capcom has done a very admirable job porting RE1 to the DS in what is potentially the best port of the game thus far. I'd highly recommend Deadly Silence to Resident Evil fans who need a new spin on the PS1 classic, as well as DS users who are looking for a horror experience for their classic handheld (just make sure to play on classic mode for a first-time playthrough!)