2002 Capcom
When the original Resident Evil was released on the first Playstation console it created quite a stir. Gamers everywhere were being scared into next week, and they liked every second of it. Today, we see the rebirth of the first game on GameCube in all its next-generation glory. The game is now visually upgraded and even has some major changes from the last game in the series. There are a number of interesting features in the game that are bound to set it apart from its original release. Some of those features are as follows:
Features
- Upgraded graphics
- New mansion design
- New weapons
- 3 different control schemes
- Tons of extras
Jason N: Let me start by saying that I have never played the first game on the Playstation. That being said, this was a completely new experience for me. Never have I been scared so much that I have had to actually go take a breather and walk around a bit. Never have I jumped clear off the couch as if being airborne like this. To me, it is that scary. Some parts are clearly things that come out of peoples worst nightmares, almost akin to the Blair Witch Project.
One thing that adds to this spook effect is the atmosphere. This atmosphere is comprised of some ridiculously beautiful graphics, and the excellent sounds that accompany it. If you play for long enough, you will notice how much life your surroundings have been given. Especially in some of the more animated parts, you can stop and almost be scared by how real your surroundings are. If you aren't careful your mind will begin to tell you that what you are watching is real.
Thankfully I found that the graphics are not the meat of the product. I soon realized how fun being scared actually is. Shinji Mikamis team has really tried to perfect the scare factor, and even made it really fun while doing so. Even the controls seem to have been given some care (even though most publications disagree). I only play with type-C controls and I find it to handle perfectly. You can almost imagine it like driving a human car. R for gas and left and right is your steering wheel.
All in all, I think if you have the heart for it then this is a great game to pick up. Just be warned that it is a surprisingly challenging title. However you will be delighted to hear that it is surprisingly expansive at the same time. After I had played 4 hours into the game, I didnt even know, but I had barely scratched the surface. Thats a great feeling for those who need value.
Josh: Like Jason, I've never experienced the original Resident Evil prior to playing the GameCube version. Whether that makes me more or less qualified to write a review on the game is up to you to decide, but for those who are paying attention, I will say this: Resident Evil is incredible.
Jason mentioned this above, but I feel that it's a point that absolutely needs to be stressed: this game is scary. As in, frightening. I always try to play it in my darkened basement for maximum effect, but last night, I was forced to turn the lights on -- the suspense was simply too great for me. I don't scare easily, and if you would've told me a month ago that I'd be so apprehensive about what was around the next corner in Resident Evil that I'd be forced to turn on the lights, I would've laughed in your face. But here I sit nonetheless, humbled and impressed. No game before Resident Evil has had this kind of immersive effect on me.
Of course, said immersion receives a boost from the incredible graphics. Aside from some minor aliasing and animation problems, the graphics in Resident Evil can go toe-to-toe with FMV sequences with ease. The optical delights in the game are almost too numerous too count: the prerendered backgrounds are artistic and technological triumphs and an absolute joy to look at; texturing of both the main characters and enemies is crisp and varied; character models lack angular edges and are near-seemless; particle effects are used tastefully and effectively; details like insects crawling on the walls of the kitchen are brilliant in execution; et cetera, et cetera, et cetera. Capcom's official press release proclaims the game to be the best-looking to date on any console, and though I was skeptical of this somewhat outlandish claim initially, I'd have to agree.
The sound is no slouch, either; audiophiles could complain about the lack of Dolby Pro Logic II, but most won't notice after hearing the game's audio delights, which are on par with the graphical quality, even if they are in plain old stereo. One particular aural event that sticks out in my mind is a certain part in the game where one of your teammates is playing a piano. I exited the room, expecting the sound to stop, but to my surprise it continued to play -- but muffled, just as it should have sounded to someone outside of the room. As I walked down the hallway, the sound continued to fade appropriately, and when I descended a stairwell at the end of the hallway, the piano -- though very faint at this point -- echoed and bounced down the stairs. Such meticulous details are exceedingly commendable, and go a long way towards boosting the game's immersiveness even further.
But I couldn't possibly in good conscience conclude my discussion of the game's sound without mentioning the zombies. Initially, they are equipped with standard Hollywood-esque moans and groans as they shuffle after you; the result is creepy, to be sure, but nothing horrifying. However, stick with the game for an hour or two, and you'll soon discover that zombies you've killed before can sometimes come back in the form of "Crimson" zombies (a feature, I should note, that is new to the GameCube version). These zombies run after you at a speed that matches -- and occasionally even exceeds -- your own, and as they chase you, they bellow furious roars that are enough to pale the skin of even the bravest of gamers. You can deny all you want that this won't apply to you -- you're much too brave for that sort of rubbish, after all -- but trust me, when you're one hit away from dying and you haven't saved in a while, the snarl of a Crimson will make your heart drop down in the vicinity of your small intenstine.
Now then, to the question that is undoubtedly on many people's minds: what about the controls? My main beef with the control in Resident Evil is that it is still stuck in the pre-analouge age. You cannot aim in any direction you want, despite the fact that you are using an analouge stick to do so; you can aim straight ahead of you, below you, or above you. Similarly, you cannot move at several different analouge speeds, such as the control in Super Mario 64 allowed for, but rather two different speeds: running and walking. In 1996, on a console that had not yet been acquainted with the Dual Shock controller, these shortcomings were acceptable; in 2002 when every next-gen console has two analouge control sticks, digital control should be a thing of the past.
Luckily, the control -- provided you choose setup "C" -- will not cause any trouble other than the aforementioned digital mis-steps. After a brief and uncomfortable period of running your hapless character into tables, walls, and anything else even remotely near you, you'll slip neatly into the control scheme. I would've liked a feature that enabled complete button mapping options, but for most gamers, setup "C" is intuitive enough to suit its purpose.
Nitpicking complaints aside, however, Resident Evil comes damn near to achieving gaming perfection. Eye-popping graphics, incredible sound, and a scary-as-hell adventure that will challenge all but the most grizzled of STARS veterans make this a must-have for any GameCube owner brave enough to face it all. This is Resident Evil as it should have been.
Eric: While I will probably just be preaching gospel here, I too must add my praise to this incredible game. Truly this is the best Resident Evil to date, how ironic that its also a remake of the first one, as I myself thought that was the best game in the series before this gem hit.
Resident Evil has been a series that revolves around one word, atmosphere. And this game truly has the best atmosphere of "fear" of a survival horror series. Unlike other games such as Silent Hill and Eternal Darkness which rely more on psychological trickery to immerse the gamer, Resident Evil has always been about placing you in the role of trying to simply stay alive. The story here is almost identical to the original, fighting through a creepy mansion and its suroundings, you face off against some really creepy monsters with not that much in the way of weapons to start with. However, it is told in a different way, and there are new details to it and even some references to the sequels.
Of course, the graphics are going to be the highlight of this game. After all, in a survival horror game, sights and sounds are what create the experience. Using some impressive pre-rendered backgrounds and FMV animated images, this game truly is the best looking console game out there. The characters are rendered in incredible detail (although still prone to slight jerking animation), and the monsters are an ugly (in a good way) sight to behold.
The sound like previous games is more ambiance based and fits the mood of the game nicely, though a little more variety in the music wouldn't have hurt much (I still contend the best RE theme is in Resident Evil 2 in the Police HQ Lobby). The sound effects though are truly exceptional, from the thunder rumbling outside to the groans and growls of the monsters, these effects plus the visual wonders add up to the great experience that is Resident Evil.
In closing, Resident Evil is indeed a game worthy of being owned, and were it not for the lack of analog control (though Type C still rocks), would be a pretty much perfect game. Definately has the most replay value of any Single Player Gamecube game so far, and a good indication of the quality of games that will be forthcoming for the 2nd half of the year.