Resident Evil Zero infects Wii Dec. 1

This holiday, Capcom is hoping gamers will find time to check out something from the archives--specifically, the Resident Evil Archives. The publisher today announced that the latest installment in the line of Wii rereleases for the survival horror series, Resident Evil Archives: Resident Evil Zero, will launch in North America on December 1.

Originally released on the GameCube in 2002, Resident Evil Zero was the last major installment in the series to use the original control scheme before Resident Evil 4 gave the franchise an action-oriented overhaul. Set just prior to the events of the original Resident Evil, the game gives players a peek at the origins of the franchise's nefarious corporate ne'er-do-well Umbrella, as well as its research that produced the first zombie outbreaks. The game puts players in control of S.T.A.R.S. member Rebecca Chambers and convict Billy Coen, swapping between the pair in mid-battle.

Like the Resident Evil Archives revamp of Resident Evil, the Wii remake of Resident Evil Zero will feature support for the Wii Remote control. Unlike other M-rated games, Capcom's zombie-slaughtering series has multiplied like a highly virulent weaponized plague on Nintendo's console. In addition to the Archives games, the Wii has played host to its own version of Resident Evil 4 and two original on-rails shooters in Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles and the upcoming Resident Evil: Darkside Chronicles.

For more on Resident Evil Zero, check out GameSpot's review of the original GameCube release.