Resident Evil 0

"REØ is incredible, but still lacks those few nit picky must haves..."

''Before the mansion, Before the disaster, EVIL IS BORN.''
Finally, Resident Evil Ø is released. I have been anxiously awaiting its release since its rumored October 31st set date (which would have been a way cooler date to up the scare factor on this game but with a game like this and a fan like me; we take 'em as we can get 'em). I am quite proud to say that Resident Evil ZERØ meets and beats any and all expectations one may have on it. But myself? I think even when I'm completely satisfied I still nit-pick and *sigh* this is one of those times. But before I go any further, I give you the golden rule of any and all video games: ''TRY BEFORE YOU BUY''. My review(s) are simply for influential purposes to persaude you to rent and maybe someday buy the game if you like it, I'm not saying cash out your college savings and go get it right now. I'm not making you buy it...I'm just the messenger. And my message is that Capcom has Produced yet another survival-horror hit. Let's move on to the breakdown as to why this game is so cool shall we? (all categories are rated on a scale of 1 to 10 and then averaged for an overall score at the end of the review)
1.The Pitch (Story/Plotline)
2.The Feel (Gameplay)
3.The Look (Graphics)
4.The Sound (Sound Effects)
5.The Music (Background Music)
6.The REplay Factor (Replayability)
7.The Omega (Overall Score)

1./ THE PITCH - 9
Resident Evil ZERØ is a prequel to the pilot of the Resident Evil franchise (either the original Playstation release in 1996 or the REmake in 2002 for GameCube-take your pick) and centers around the secondary character in the first Resident Evil Chapter, Rebecca Chambers. Apparently before she ended up as the lone survivor of her team sent in to investigate the murders in the Arkley mountains just outside of Raccoon City, Rebecca was involved in the first breakout of the Umbrella Corporation's deadly biogenetic experiments unknown to everyone, including us the fans of the series. She searches through the forest with her team and the next thing Rebecca knows, she is trapped on a train heading for an unknown destination with an convicted killer, Billy Coen, of over 20 people and the living dead. But what on earth happened on the train? Where was it taking them? Could she trust the convict or was there no solace to the nightmare of things to come?
Not bad at all if you ask me. It's something that is very rarely done in video games; prequels. But like movies you have to wonder if they actually work? The answer, as far as Resident Evil ZERØ goes, is yes. While I had a few slight nit-picks about the end (no I'm not a *Spoiler*), the story works out brilliantly. No loose ends or loopholes or gaps in the story. Perhaps Capcom had been planning Rebecca's adventure ever since planning the first Resident Evil? Or maybe they were lucky enough to stumble onto this idea and have enough time in the first RE storyline to do so without having to worry about inconsistencies? Whatever the answer the story rides well throughout the game with fourth-and-third-to-last 2 bosses shocker that no one will see coming (or at least I didn't :)
2./ THE FEEL - 9
The gameplay works incredibly well. Somehow I didn't believe that the much talked about ''partner-zapping'' system would work without some kind of complication but Capcom managed to produce a kink-free system. One push of a button and you switch to your other character no matter where they are. I was terribly worried about some sort of notification if the unplayed character was being attacked and Capcom managed to cover that base. If your unplayed character (the character you're not currently controlling) is attacked, then they shout for help over a walkie-talkie. However, if they are being held or cannot break free of the enemy's grasp, then you cannot switch to that character which means you either have to wait until they are possibly released or you must take your main character to them for a rescue. I could be wrong because I've only played easy mode but the zombies also seemed alot easier to defeat. 3-4 handgun shots rather than 8-9, 1-2 shots from the shotgun, and still plenty of gruesome exploding heads. I did however enjoy the lack of transition animations on staircases in the REmake of RE1 where your character simply climbed a staircase rather than starting a staircase, showing staircase transition animation and then showing your character at the top of the stairs but again, I'm a nit-pick.
3./ THE LOOK - 10
Graphics in this game are so fluid it could make you sick trying to absorb the whole screen in at once. Sure there are some choppy games that make you sick because the controls are too ick making the environments swing around like a fair ride but ZERØ's movements and animations are solid and smooth at the same time. The cut-animation scenes are simply wondrous. The only nit-pick in this category is that in the REmake of RE1, the characters themselves seemed biteless. The lines along their skin were smooth and fine not showing a hint of graphical creation (adding the the game's realistic gameplay), but that elements seems partially removed in ZERØ. the body outlines can sometimes show a bit too much graphic influence and this could be because Capcom was in a hurry to RE ZERØ out on the market or because there is simply too much going on with the partner-zapping work to keep up with character appearance and development. I also felt that maybe a few of the creatures you battle in this game could have used more detail to them. There is a huge scorpion that looks awesome and scary (think of that scary monstrosity in 'Honey I Shrunk the Kids'). But there are other animals they try to use such as a centipede, apes, bats, and frogs that could have been mutated more and made more grotesque as that adds to Resident Evils scare factor. However, the environments totally makeup for that as they are some of the most detailed and complex scenes you may ever see in a game. There are also a few revisits to old scenes from previous Resident Evil games (no I am not spoiling it by naming them) that make me wish Capcom would invest there time into REcreating the 2nd, 3rd, and Veronica Installments of the series.
4./ THE SOUND - 10
As good as the first and even better. What more can you say about sound effects. Capcom always manages to break the barriers on them in gaming (such as the awesome effects in the succesful Street Fighter franchise) and they continue to do so here. And the fleshy rotten sounds are as fluid and vomit inducing as ever especially in the first few and last animation scenes of the game.
5./ THE MUSIC - 10
I do have to nit-pick here but sirst let me say that the music in this game is awesome. Every track is perfectly placed in the right parts to induce a sense of fear of what's to come, or what's already occuring. Some of the enemies even have their own them everytime you face them. There are even points such as in the REmake of RE1 where music isn't provided at all and the silence alone can be nerve-racking. And the opening title track is one of the most beat pumping and prepare yourself for terror tunes I have ever heard in a Resident Evil game. A combination of an electronica/techno type beat backed by eerie orchestra strings in between that got me ever so ready to play this game. My only nit-pick? That's the only track like that in the game. I was so hoping after hearing that opening track that maybe Capcom would venture into combing horrifying orchestra for scary moments with techno/electronica beats for action sequences (such as the horror movies ''Thir13en Ghosts'', ''Ghost Ship'', or even the movie of Resident Evil itself) for a change of pace as the opening track shows but alas, they did not. Sometimes, when I play the REmake or other Resident Evil chapters, I'll turn down the Background music under the options menu, leave the sound effects up, and supply some awesome tracks from The Crystal Method or even the action heavy metal from the ''Resident Evil'' movie soundtrack just to induce a little more action in blowing the undead apart. I could only hope Capcom might consider this for the 4th installment or online edition of Resident Evil.
6./ THE REPLAY FACTOR - 10
Let me keep this simple; The easy mode took me 12 hours, 18 saves, and I'm pretty sure I won't remember my way around or where all the items and parts to puzzles are again on the second play. That's not to mention the normal and hard modes where the numbers of enemies escalate and the number of health items diminish. There is also a bonus game as usual and plenty of prizes to unlock and ofcourse, fastest finish times with your friends. This one may actually hold you out until the release of Resident Evil Ønline.
7./ THE ØMEGA - 10
Resident Evil ZERØ contains so few flaws that even nit-picks like me barely have anything to gripe about. A must have for true fans of the series and a must try even if you've never played any of the games before. And if you haven't, consider yourself now having the greatest and earliest place to start. Rembember the golden rule of gaming however and ''TRY BEFORE YOU BUY''...but if you happen to put it on your wishlist and get it for free from a relative and do or don't like it then it's not your money lost, but plenty Resident Evil horror and action to gain. I'm out kids. See you on my next review. Until then,
PLAY ØN!

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 11/18/02, Updated 11/18/02