A remake of the game that revolutionized and created a genre...
- Great Graphics
- Superb Story and Twists
- Very open and non-linear gameplay
- Great action and gameplay for bosses
- Scary as $h!t!!!!
Cons:
- Learning curve on controls
- Bad scripting on dialogue
- Lacks a finite aiming mechanism
- Poor voice scripting
- Certain points of the game became long and winded due to back-tracking
Background: Capcom released this game with relatively no idea how it would do. They felt they had a great concept and overall game in Resident Evil, and eventually this game would erupt into a whole new genre we didn't know we could live without until we experienced it. While few were actually in the know of this game (it was released prior to website hype and overall hoopla), it was watched by the few who had an idea of what it could be if executed in the manner we hoped. The release came and went, and it ended up selling millions of copies across various platforms. For those of you too young to realize the game that started it all... I would say this: only the brave played this game in the dark the first time through!!!!
Review: Truly one of the great masterpieces (of many) on the original Playstation, this game embodied everything that horror movies were not - unpredictable and fun. The game starts off with a group of police officers and tactical support (STARS) coming in from the Raccoon City PD. We know not everyone made it to the mansion with the exception of Chris Redfield, Barry (last name escaping me), Jill Valentine (Chris' partner), and Albert Wesker. Everyone else only made it onto the mansion property where the reported "incident" occurred.
From the initial cut scene to the opening credits and gameplay, you can pick whether to rough it (As Chris), or go through the easy way (as Jill). Each character offers a unique but ultimately equal experience and a variety of challenges. Things worth noting of this game are it was the first true game to offer counter attacks (knees, elbows, stomps, etc.) to get your enemies off you as quickly as you could hit the counter buttons. Second, it offered a new type of story - a horror story that was based purely on your survival of the game.
Armed initially with a knife and limited bullets, you cannot blast your way through this game. You must run, shoot, solve puzzles, and ultimately outsmart the undead/living to get through the story and figure out what is really at the root of the incident you were called to save the people of Raccoon City. There were a total of 4 stages that each were located on the property of the Umbrella Corporation on a single research facility (posed as a mansion). Each new location offers new challenges, new enemies, and more importantly... new story and terrors!!!!
The AI in the game was new for the time it was released and was relentless (much like zombies tend to be). However, they would also coordinate as a group and pose new issues for you depending on your ammo situation, which proved to be a nice twist on the typical game. While there was nothing new and/great in terms of the AI... it did not matter if you shot a zombie's legs off, as in order to kill it we all know the head is where the action is.
The game offered a crude up and down aiming system to allow you to aim for the legs, midsection, and head. Each weapon would have a different result depending on proximity and overall power of the weapon. While leg shots proved to be satisfying (especially with a shotgun), the zombie would then army crawl to you and try to eat you from your ankle up. This proved to be more of a challenge if you were trying to conserve ammo as well... head shots with the magnum or shotgun proved to be the all powerful and were reserved for well placed crowds and shots that needed to be made. Your handgun was the typical weapon and proved to be the most useful, except on the later enemies and bosses. The knife was in fact for those who had a death wish and a last resort.
One of the major downfalls of the game proved to be the camera angles... which were fixed and unable to be manipulated by the player with the exception of progressing through the level, hall, or room. It made some fights difficult and also added to the suspense of the new locations you advanced to (the first time you encounter the hunters in the hallway when you could only hear the clicking of its claws on the tile floor???). However, this was never enough to make the game a real sloppy execution of what Capcom had to offer. There was also a new control scheme, which took about 1-2 hours to really get used to and to be able to operate your character in a way that was both efficient and overall fun to use. Some people hated this, but it eventually evolved into the control schematics we know today in the RE series.
You could also now stockpile weapons, ammo, and items in a storage locker for later use and pick up (typically in the save rooms). This allowed you to feel like you did not need to carry around 5 guns with crazy amounts of ammo (which you could not do because of the limited inventory you now have). While some saw this as a glaring flaw, I embraced it as a necessary evil to keep the game both tense and realistic. I mean, how many people can carry around 8 boxes of ammo, a hand gun, a shotgun, a magnum, a bazooka, and every item to heal themselves? You'd look like a hunch-back and and be even less effective than most Van-Damme movies.
The game boasts a really well written story about deceit, back-stabbing, and teamwork. Sprinkle in some very interesting enemies, and boss fights that really revolutionized the way bosses were created (snakes, plants, etc.) and you have a game that even when you thought you had it figured out could not be contained or predicted by a single player. Every time you walked into a new room you would think "what could possibly be in here????" - then you would somehow convince yourself you had it all figured out, only to be wrong and utterly surprised at what was in the room or around the corner. From surprise attacks, to general tense moments that come out of nowhere, this game really proved to keep you on the edge of your seat (or couch) until the game ended. Even at that point, I was expecting some crazy twist to throw me right back into the fray and prolong the experience for another good hour to two.
This was also one of the games that first introduced full voice acting into a full script. While I can say both the overall sound and quality of the voice acting were phenomenal... you cannot always say the same for the script they were given. It leads to comedic interpretations of what should have actually been said - mostly Barry treating Jill like a little sister and boasting he "had this" and pointed to his magnum. Well Barry... we all know how that ended up for you... but thanks for letting us get a bit further than you did. I found this to be a very "human" part of the game and despite the overall appeal of this first try, Capcom used it as a way to pull people into the story... to give the heroes and characters a "voice" in the game. I liked it despite the overall cheesey and generic application (at times).
By the time you get to the end of the game you realize what you have just experienced was something that you have never seen before... in fact, this game created a genre we all know and love today. From this perspective, the game really shines and proves to be a venture into the human nature from all aspects, but challenges the player to choose based on sheer emotion and gut. It does not allow a time to sit back and analyze the situation unless you are solving one of the various puzzles or trying to figure out where to go next (as most of us would do in real life). This is where you feel like you are in the game, and truly living off the story and horrors that the characters are experiencing.
One of the best parts of the game was playing through the second time as a different character and really experimenting with the differences and the interface with the enemies. From stomping zombie heads to really over-killing enemies, the game only got more fun as you got more creative as the mastermind behind the STARS operative. Acid rounds in the bazooka, magnum shots on zombies, and listening to the same ridiculous lines fed to you from your co-workers and nemeses... this is really where the game shone the second time around.
If you were too young, or too scared to really try this game... you should go back and pick it up on the PSN or through a used game retailer. You will truly understand why this was a game that created a genre that we have all grown to love and respect through companies following an equation that equalled an entertaining, majestic, and overall spooky experience. Again, like I said... the first time you play through... try it in the dark, you may really find yourself reaching for the lights before you finish the game.