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That is the classic opening sound to most of the Resident Evil games; a dark, almost growling voice announcing the game's title. You must love it.
Resident Evil first appeared in 1996 and set the rules for a new genre of video games; the Survival Horror. The game begins explaining a strage series of brutal cannibilistic murders on the outskirts of a small city known as Racoon. Your a member of the special unit team known as STARS and you are sent into a forest to hunt down the killers only to become stuck in a nightmare turned reality. It seems like the forest, and the mansion in which you seek shelter in are hoists to a bio-logical experiment that has gotten loose. Playing as the nimble Jill Valintine or the strong Chris Redfield, your goal is to survive the horros of the Spencer Mansion where you face Zombies, Killer Crows and genetic experiments gone wrong.
First released on the Playstation, it wasn't long until Resident Evil gained popularity in the United States. The combination of suspense, scare factors, and everyone's favorite; "This game contains graphic violence and gore" warning screen captivated audiences.
In 1997, the sequel, Resident Evil 2, was introduced. In this classic game, you return to the dreaded Racoon to face terrors never before seen. This time, you play as either Claire Redfield who is on the hunt for her missing brother and STARS member, Chris, or Leon Kennedy, a new recruit to the Racoon Police Dept who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. In this game you meet up with the familier faces of the crows, zombies, and spiders and a new foe; Lickers [RE-3s are their project code]. You also meet up with two people who delve deeper into the psychoticness that is the Resident Evil storyline; Dr. Birken and the indestructable Mr. X [Tyrant].
Resident Evil 2 was considered one of the best in the series; with the creation of differnt looking zombies of both sexes, a massive city to explore, and a deeper, darker storyline, it was hard to think of a way to beat it. Capcom did with the third Resident Evil of the series; Nemesis.
Released in 1999, Nemesis at first confuses the average player when it comes to storylining. It takes place literally the same day and time of Resident Evil 2. It starts out before RE2, then during it, then the day after it. Like the two before it, RE3 carried the normal characteristics; zombies, puzzles, new monsters [I HATE those brain drainer things, ya' know those huge preying mantis-spider thingies] and a whole new issue to deal with; the Nemesis.
As mentioned, RE3 takes place roughly the same time period as RE2. It actually begins the game before RE2, with the town slowly being infected and taken over by zombies and a special unit team made up of Mercenaries are hired to try and contain the mess Umbrella caused. They fail leaving only about 4 members alive but hidden inside the city lies one girl who is determined to escape; Jill Valantine. The rest of the STARS members had already fled Racoon City, she and Brad (the coward chopter pilot of RE1) being the last ones but as they try and escape the hell hole, Umbrella decides to throw a wrench into their plans. Meet Nemesis; a super tyrant. Unlike the Tyrants of RE1 and RE2 (Mr. X), this bad motha' is intelligent, fast, and is increadibly ugly. He is extremnly difficult to knock out and dont think that by running out of the room would do any good for this guy will literally break through the doors (or walls) and come chasing you like a mad bull. The whole game basically revolves around trying to get out of Racoon and avoiding this guy. Personally, I'd rather be stuck in a room of Hunters with nothing but a knife than face him alone. Unlike the previous REs, you only get to play Jill (Except in a few scenarios where you can play as one of the Mercenaries) but that doesn't really deprive the game one bit.
Let's see...so many Resident Evils...so little web space. I'm going to skip Resident Evil Survivor. I don't consider that part of the series. Instead, let's move along to the only Resident Evil I got bored playing; Resident Evil: Code Veronica.
Now please, this is a great game, an awesome game, a very well done game, but I just played through as Claire and died so many times that it just grew boring redoing everything over and over and over. I got to play as chris maybe twice before I moved onto my Final Fantasy 9 game. Anyways, on with the review!
This baby was released in 2000 on the Dreamcast. One of the only games worth buying for the Sega system I might add, House of the Dead 2 being another. You take the role as Claire Redfield. Having joined the STARS team but still hunting down Chris, Claire tries to invade one of Umbrella's labs but gets captured and taken to a prison island where...you guessed it! The T-Virus has gotten loose and zombies run amuck...[pause for dramitic music] but there is a twist! Instead of carelessness, the Virus is released due to a conspiricy against one of the leading Presidents of the Umbrella Corperation; Alex and Alexandria Reinford (I need to double check the last name). It seems that a new virus; Virus - Code Veronica [need to check that too >.<] has been created but not handed over to the Umbrella team. So what do they do? Bomb those mothers and send in a one man army to get the virus himself...Poor Claire however, is let go after the bombing to try and escape the contaminated island. Lots of escapping in these games...weird.
Well, like RE3, you are limited to only playing Claire for the first half of the game with some minor rolls as the Leo-lookalike Steve until the 2nd half of the game where you play Chris. The baddies really haven't changed; spiders, dogs, zombies, but their are those who are a PAIN IN THE ASS! For example; Bandoliers (need to check spelling) have huge arms and can cave your skull in, Hunters are back with a vengence, and there are more bosses to worry about. On the other hand, you get awesome weapons; crossbows, sniper rifles, machine guns and they are always fun to watch go boom. Heh ^.^ With a new Tyrant, multiple levels involving HUGE maps and deadly puzzles, Veronica has to be the hardest of the series...
Or is it?
2001 was the birth of the Nintendo's Gamecube and with that, a whole new level of graphics and games. With a quick pimp slap in the face to Sony, Nintendo bought the rights to Resident Evil and began making a total remake of RE1. I got mine the day it came out ^.^v (<~~ happy face with peace sign)
2002 is when it was released and I must say, it is the defination of beautiful. The graphics are flawless making the characters as real as Final Fantasy the movie's. The sounds have been tweaked up to the point of hearing the groaning of floorboards to the distant cries of crows. OH and the lightning...by the gods have you ever seen such art? I remember walking through the dining room only to have a bolt of lightning light up the room exposing a zombie's shadow against the balcony's walls. Shadows move in sinque with swaying shandoliers and flickering candles...oh I could just go on and on but I'll spare you.
Now you are saying, okay, so it looks good but is it scary?
The answer my friends is YES YES YES! Where Code Veronica lacked in suspense, RE1; remake makes up for times ten. Okay, still don't understand? Let me put it this way; Resident Evil one was considered the scariest out of the whole series. Take the original, add the directors cut, and then multiply it by ten. That's RE: Remake. Now mind you, this isn't a prissy wissy remake involving better graphics and sound. No, this has new rooms, differnt enemies and enemy locations, new bosses, new additions to the storylines, new EVERYTHING.
Want examples? All right, let's discuss enviroments. Not only are you treated to an eye-candy opening that makes you drool with pleasure, but the mansion has evolved into something most demonic. If you would be so kind as to go to the 2nd story, you'd notice a door has been added above the stairs. Hm, curious. You walk inside and BAM you are on an outside balcony forest-type place littered with open graves, tombstones, and the stench of decay. A cementary. You return back to the house and decide to go looking for keys when you meet up what I call the Knight Room. Now, I have yet to beat the original, but I dare can say I do not remember a puzzle like this. There are five knights and it is clear by the HUGE spikes on one of them and small passage on the ground that there is definatly a trap here. You find a key located conviently in the middle of the tracks. Hm...now you could do one of two things; Leave quickly while the hair on the back of your neck still stands, or grab the key and try to solve the puzzle. You see people; its atmosphere. You know there are traps, you know they will kill you, but what you never know is what shall trigger them and what will stop them.
Now enemies...how do you improve the walking undead? Well, for starters give them a huge makeover. These zombies rarely resemble each other in this version. Some have their cheeks missing, others limp, some are fat, some skinny, some rotting away. Add those cool features with Resident Evil 1's style of power (meaning that they take mucho ammo to kill) and you got a nice killing machine. Still not good enough? Try this: Each zombie type I've met have different strengths (hit points) While I was able to blow the head off of one with a single well aimed shot (I still have no clue how I did that), it would take around ten bullets kill a tubby one while another only needs 5 shots. Oh, you can forget bout the knife. It's useless unless you are somewhere where you can attack the zombies and they cannot attack you (See Hints). Let's see..you are sitll not convinced are you? Well, I will tell you about a new type of zombie I have only heard hissing in the hallways but not yet seen: Crimson Heads. These bad boys are mutated versions of your old friends and have long claws and bloody faces. Oh, yeah, they can run too. Fun!
Hey calm down, there are still ways to kill these guys. Meet up with your three new friends; Knives, Grenades and Tazers. Yes, you heard me right. Hidden throughout the Spencer estate are Knives, Grenades and Tazer batteries. Chris is able to use the flash grenades while Jill sticks to tazers and both can use the knives. You see, a zombie grabs your shoulders and you have a knife equipped in the 2ndary weapons slot. Chris or Jill will pull it out and shove it into the cranium of their enemy allowing them time to run off or shoot them dead. This cuts most baddies hit points in half but are hard to find. I haven't been able to find grenades of the tazer batteris yet but I heard they have bloody results.
Resident Evil the remake is anything less than awesome. Ever since Silent Hill 2, I've beek seeking a game that makes me sweat in fear and this is it. The music, graphics and whole style of the game is awesome. Unfortunatly, every game has its downfalls and this one is like any other game. CAPCOM IF YOU READ THIS! CHANGE THE DAMNED CONTROLS! The lifting the arms to shoot while making the character unable to move is getting old. Since playing Devil May Cry, I'm dying for the walk and shoot style to be brought over to Resident Evil. I don't mind the camera angels, I'm used to them already, but the controls...are annoying. But it is a small price to pay for the greatness of Resident Evil.
Four out of Four Stars for Resident Evil.
Game Tips:
There is a very easy way to dispose of the two zombies within the graveyard. Stand on the second of third step that leads into the boiler room and use your knife when they get near you. It'll take you a few tries to get the positioning just right so that you can injure the zombies and yet they cannot injure you. Don't worry bout torching them either; they do not become Crimson Heads. (Not that I've seen yet.)