Why I Love Resident Evil and Can't Wait for the HD Remake

Capcom recently stopped by the GameSpot office to demo the HD version of the 2002 remake of Resident Evil, and the new version seems to be the best yet, with redone HD textures and modern, non-tank controls. If I'm honest, one hour wasn't enough; I wish I could have played it for an entire day. So, I decided to boot up the original PlayStation version to see how far Spencer Mansion has come in the last 18 years, and it struck me that I still enjoy playing the original just as much as the new HD version. There's something special about the game that's absent from the series in today's post Resident Evil 4 world, and even though the graphics and the format have changed a lot over the years, the soul of the original version persists, and is just as great today as it was in 1996.

Resident Evil was one of my first PlayStation games, and as much as I hate to admit it, 11-year-old me was too scared to play it alone. It was the silence of the trap-laden and monster-infested Spencer mansion, for one, that racked my brain. The auditory void and infrequent threats provided a false sense of tranquility, but in the back of my mind, I knew that I was walking headlong into possible danger. I felt at odds with my capable and confident avatar, and I was always far more tense and nervous than the brave Jill or Chris ever were.

There was also the matter of the fixed cameras. You couldn’t see what was around a corner until you took the plunge, and sometimes you’d be standing nose-to-gaping-maw with a bloodthirsty, vomiting zombie. There are always people ready to criticize Resident Evil's fixed cameras as a crutch used by the developers to get around the limitations of 32-bit consoles, but the restricted line of sight made the game scarier than it would have been otherwise, I think. You have to wonder: did the development team plan from the start to limit your view and only then opt for pre-rendered backgrounds, or, was it the other way around? Either way, the end result works, and while some people call it archaic, I have a fondness for fixed camera systems because of how well it was utilized in Resident Evil.

When the game was remade for GameCube in 2002, I was cognizant enough to play “scary” games without buying into virtual fear tactics, and was ready to give Spencer mansion another look. Capcom stuck with the fixed camera system, which preserved the feel of the original version and once again allowed the developers to devote a hefty amount of system resources to 3D models and lighting effects.

..while some people call it archaic, I have a fondness for fixed camera systems because of how well it was utilized in Resident Evil.

With the increased power of expression at its fingertips, the development team crafted what I believe to be the best looking game on the GameCube. The character models were astounding for a console game of its time, and non-descript scenes from the 32-bit version were updated with experimental camera angles and thoughtful applications of light and darkness. Seeing your shadow inch down the wall of a corridor towards the shadows of objects or zombies that lie ahead was a subtle yet powerful way to encapsulate the suspense you were experiencing in a visual form. You couldn't see what was ahead, but you were being fed information that would let your imagination run wild.

Capcom's currently reviving the GameCube remake in HD for PC and modern consoles for a release in Q1 2015, and while many HD ports are simply the same game rendered at a higher resolution, Capcom's updating and creating new in-game assets that, based on the impressive demo I saw, will stand up to the test of HD displays. While some things such as the opening cutscene components were preserved and are easily updated, a lot of assets that are being remade from scratch. Though the version I played is still a work in progress, it already looks great despite a few objects that give away the game's SD roots, though Capcom representatives noted that those particular assets in the process of being updated.

Capcom's also added a widescreen mode to the game. It uses a pan-and-scan system to create a widescreen frame from within the original 4:3 window, which is a bit odd at first blush. To prevent certain elements from being cut out from the scene, they've added a slight swaying motion to the camera. However, I got used to it after a few minutes and it wasn't distracting in the end. For anyone who feels at odds with the camera's motion, there's an option to enable the original 4:3 presentation.

There's the misconception that Capcom's making an HD remake of an HD remake, but let's put that to rest: the GameCube didn't output video at HD resolutions. It's been a while since I played the original remake, or the port that landed on the Wii for that matter, so with the fog of time and Resident Evil's fresh coat of paint, the early PlayStation 4 version I played felt new all over again. Obviously only some of it's new, but I don't care. The hour I played was an absolute tease and I can't wait to explore the depths of Spencer mansion in HD next year.