22nd February 2003, 8:02 PM
The original game from the PS1, completely redone to make it an incredible game, whether your a RE veteran or newbie, you'll love this game. This was the first game I ever played that truly frightened me...got my pulse pounding because you never know if something might come through that window. If I use an Ink Ribbon now, will I have enough when I really need one? <i>What the <b>hell</b> is running towards me!?</i>
The basic premise of the game is some very strange murders have been occuring in Raccoon City. The special force team S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team was sent out to investigate but their helicopter went down in the woods. Nobody was found aboard, alive that is. Alpha Team was sent out to investigate and was forced to enter a deserted mansion. Inside the game heats up. You can play as Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine, each character has differing plotlines so its difficult to say much else. Chris has 6 pockets while Jill has 8. You can put an item in a pocket or occasionally several in one pocket (ex. Ammunition). There are many more items to find than you can hold so you must keep most of them in Item Boxes found in various places around the mansion. They are connected so if you put a herb in one Item Box, you can fetch it from any Item Box. They find zombies roaming the house seeking brains...and occasionally finding them.
The first thing you see and one of the things that makes this game so damn great are its jaw-dropping graphics. Everything in the game is beyond meticulous detail, its a sight to behold and its uses every bit of processing power the little 'Cube can muster. An intriguing saving method is used as well. Save points are typewriters and you must use Ink Ribbons to save, you can find Ribbons peppered around the game. No Ink Ribbons, and you can't save. In a game like this where you never know what's next, saving is very important. Also, there is no getting around it: I don't care how much of a marksman you are, you're going to get chewed a few times. If you happen to have found one of the ultra-handy defense items you'll be out of its grip quicker than you can jam a dagger into a zombies skull. If you aren't that lucky though, you're gonna get bit, and it's gonna hurt. You need to find some Green Herbs or First Aid Spray somewhere in the mansion to treat your wounds. If you don't, you become zombie chow, and must restart where you last saved. I reiterate, saving is VERY IMPORTANT :).
But is it strictly a kill-everything-in-sight bloodfest game? Not in the least. Sure there's lots of blood gore and exploding heads (yes, exploding heads), but it doesn't make the game. There are puzzles to be solved, mysteries to be unlocked, hidden items waiting to be found. You wanna survive in this game, you're going to be using your brain just as much, if not more than your gun. For instance, you better burn that zombie you just took down. Don't believe me? Well go on back in that room in an hour and don't say I didn't warn you. As you progress through this unprecedented two disk GC game, you come to find there is much more going on in this mansion than you could have ever imagined...
But, as with every game, it has it's flaws. The most glaring of which is the odd and occasionally restricting camera angles. It can make battles (or even movement) a bit difficult. Also the controls take a little getting used to. Well actually a LOT of getting used to. Lastly, before every room you must watch a cinema of the door opening while the room loads, it gets a little old. These minor shortcomings notwithstanding, <i>Resident Evil</i> is a monumental game that no GameCube collection should be deprived of.
If you want a light-hearted, upbeat game with ghouls and ghosts, stick with Luigi's Mansion, but if you want to play a game that will really scare you, reach for <i>Resident Evil</i>, you better play this game. I give this game a 9.0, now go buy it before I pull out my Incendiary Rounds.</font></p>
The basic premise of the game is some very strange murders have been occuring in Raccoon City. The special force team S.T.A.R.S. Bravo Team was sent out to investigate but their helicopter went down in the woods. Nobody was found aboard, alive that is. Alpha Team was sent out to investigate and was forced to enter a deserted mansion. Inside the game heats up. You can play as Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine, each character has differing plotlines so its difficult to say much else. Chris has 6 pockets while Jill has 8. You can put an item in a pocket or occasionally several in one pocket (ex. Ammunition). There are many more items to find than you can hold so you must keep most of them in Item Boxes found in various places around the mansion. They are connected so if you put a herb in one Item Box, you can fetch it from any Item Box. They find zombies roaming the house seeking brains...and occasionally finding them.
The first thing you see and one of the things that makes this game so damn great are its jaw-dropping graphics. Everything in the game is beyond meticulous detail, its a sight to behold and its uses every bit of processing power the little 'Cube can muster. An intriguing saving method is used as well. Save points are typewriters and you must use Ink Ribbons to save, you can find Ribbons peppered around the game. No Ink Ribbons, and you can't save. In a game like this where you never know what's next, saving is very important. Also, there is no getting around it: I don't care how much of a marksman you are, you're going to get chewed a few times. If you happen to have found one of the ultra-handy defense items you'll be out of its grip quicker than you can jam a dagger into a zombies skull. If you aren't that lucky though, you're gonna get bit, and it's gonna hurt. You need to find some Green Herbs or First Aid Spray somewhere in the mansion to treat your wounds. If you don't, you become zombie chow, and must restart where you last saved. I reiterate, saving is VERY IMPORTANT :).
But is it strictly a kill-everything-in-sight bloodfest game? Not in the least. Sure there's lots of blood gore and exploding heads (yes, exploding heads), but it doesn't make the game. There are puzzles to be solved, mysteries to be unlocked, hidden items waiting to be found. You wanna survive in this game, you're going to be using your brain just as much, if not more than your gun. For instance, you better burn that zombie you just took down. Don't believe me? Well go on back in that room in an hour and don't say I didn't warn you. As you progress through this unprecedented two disk GC game, you come to find there is much more going on in this mansion than you could have ever imagined...
But, as with every game, it has it's flaws. The most glaring of which is the odd and occasionally restricting camera angles. It can make battles (or even movement) a bit difficult. Also the controls take a little getting used to. Well actually a LOT of getting used to. Lastly, before every room you must watch a cinema of the door opening while the room loads, it gets a little old. These minor shortcomings notwithstanding, <i>Resident Evil</i> is a monumental game that no GameCube collection should be deprived of.
If you want a light-hearted, upbeat game with ghouls and ghosts, stick with Luigi's Mansion, but if you want to play a game that will really scare you, reach for <i>Resident Evil</i>, you better play this game. I give this game a 9.0, now go buy it before I pull out my Incendiary Rounds.</font></p>