Now Playing: Resident Evil
Topic: Nintendo Gamecube
Survival horror is a gaming genre that few manufacturers can pull off successfully. Every element of the game has to be spot on for the player to truly be engulfed in the setting, and feel a sense of dread when turning every corner. Back in 1996, Capcom brought us into a dark mansion filled with zombies and other terrifying creatures in the Playstation hit, Resident Evil. In many ways, Resident Evil set the bar of what a survival horror game should be. However, anyone who has played the original recently would agree although a stable to the Playstation consol, is incredibly outdated and blocky. Luckily, there is an excellent alternative for those who want to duel the undead once again. I'm of course talking about the Nintendo Gamecube's remake of Resident Evil.
With the lengthy introduction over with, anyone who owns a Nintendo's little fun square probably has Resident Evil to go along with it. The remake of Resident Evil was one of the most anticipated releases for that system, and with good reason. Being a full remake, we for the first time were able to see that dark spooky mansion and all of its zombie goodness in a light most of us never thought possible. Graphically, it is easily one of the best looking games ever to grace the Gamecube. Even in the year 2009, Resident Evil still holds up and with all of the HD quality graphics on the market that's saying quite a bit. There is an excellent amount of detail that was put into Resident Evil, and it truly helps the player feel drawn into their surroundings. Mix in a dark soundtrack, and you have yourself one heck of a creepy gaming experience.
Being a true remake, many of the themes from the original Playstation hit have carried over to the Gamecube. You pick your path by either playing as S.T.A.R.S members Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine. Although the core of the game is the same, there are variations between the two, not to mention distinct difference in the character's abilities. Chris, being having an extensive military career before joining The S.T.A.R.S-SWAT like unit can take more damage and his shots are more devastating. Jill being a cunningly street smart cop can't take as much damage, but she can pick locks and has more space to carry items. Controls are tight, as were the originals. Any veteran of the Resident Evil franchise will feel comfortable jumping on in. You can also expect all the familiar weaponry from the original to return, such as the 9mm handgun, shotguns, grenade launcher, and of course the trusty combat knife. One major difference is the ability to use defensive attacks when a Zombie, or other creepy critters get their undead paws on you. By using items such as daggers, or grenades to put a halt to their assault was a clever addition to the Resident Evil arsenal, and also added a bit of realism to the experience. I don't know about you, but I'm not about to let a random Zombie just chomp down on my neck...luckily neither will Jill or Chris. Some of the games tricky puzzles have also been revamped or tweaked, but with a little patients aren't overly difficult so the pace of the game will continue to flow fluently.
For the veteran players of Resident Evil, don't expect a lot of new surprises from this adaptation. The game's plot is virtually unchanged, although the voice work has been greatly improved compared to the original release. That doesn't mean all of the voice acting is perfect, some are still on the tacky side, but it's a minor critique that really doesn't take away from the game's fun factor.
There were few true hits to Nintendo's Gamecube. With a barrage of E rated games geared towards the Nerds in training (meaning ages 10 and below), it was a welcome sight to see something dark and ghoulish for the mature crowd. The fact that it was an old favorite just made it all the better. Like the countless zombies you'll slaughter through this game, this remake brought the Resident Evil franchise back from the dead.
Written by RB
Over and Out
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Updated: Wednesday, 3 February 2010 11:31 PM EST
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