"A major disappointment in the Resident Evil saga."

After several years of waiting. The once exclusive Nintendo 64 game now gets the treatment of a life time. Resident Evil Zero, the long awaited prequel to the first Resident Evil has finally hit home on the Gamecube.

Resident Evil Zero's plot takes place 24 hours before the mansion incident. But it plays out more as a side-story than an actual tell-all prequel. Something Capcom's famous for. Most of the story revolves around an Umbrella scientist who was obsessed with studying the effects of the T-virus on leeches. For crying out loud. END THE BLOODY SERIES! It has become so confusing and so drawn out that soon, no one will care what happens. It does happen to fill in the plot hole as to what happened to the Bravo teams second pilot, Kevin Dewey. Too bad it doesn't fill in more of the gapping plot holes from the other previous games.

Visually, Resident Evil Zero has that creepy atmosphere that made the first one so memorable. Featuring a lot of locals from previous Resident Evil titles. The best demonstration of how beautiful Resident Evil Zero's graphics are is during the first part on the train. The candelabras sway as the train barrels down through the forest. Objects roll around on the floor and tables. Bottles rattle on the shelves to an awesome part where you are on top of certain parts of the train. Best of all, there is no stuttering in the cameras during the cut-scenes. This is another crowning achievement, including those brilliant lighting effects. The more subtle improvement to the game is the room layout. Everything is more convenient this time around and short cuts appear when you need to do some serious back tracking.

Sound wise, well, it's Resident Evil. Most of the time you're in complete silence, up until something happens. The score gives you that all creepy feeling in the pit of your stomach as you wonder around and the voice acting is above par. I wonder what the game would be like if they released it for the Nintendo 64, bad voice acting and all? Scary.

I found gameplay to be all too familiar been-there-done that gameplay from the days of when it was cool to like professional wrestling. Granted, the new ''zapping'' system offers an inventive twist to how the game is played. Something the series so badly needs. Swapping items when you and your partner are close by, fighting side by side with the press of a start button. It makes close combat a little more easier. It also makes for some creative and unique puzzles. Too bad that Capcom didn't throw defensive weapons (maybe they should have used the napalm grenades and the tazer) as they did in the first one. Pity.

I noticed Capcom did throw in a few new weapons like the Molotov cocktails that add a refreshing new way to dispatch those leeches and zombies. The best part in any case is that you no longer have to backtrack and waste time on the item box, you can just drop off an item somewhere and pick it up somewhere down the line when you need it.

As for difficulty, lack of ammo and health items for both main characters you have to take care of make RE: Zero a very good challenge on Normal (It's about as difficult as the Remake.) Easy is available from the start this time around for those who got sick and tired of seeing the ''YOU DIED!'' screen all the time.

What really gets under my skin is that Capcom is just trying to mask the fact that they have used the same type of fetching item to be used a hundred miles away for the last 6 years. They use just about everything from the count down timer during the last boss to the killer mutant animals (frogs, bah? What about Lickers? Or using the other Hunter types, rather then recycling the same types over and over again?). The ''wow'' factor is basically gone. Resident Evil 4 needs a definite gameplay make over if it's going to attract new gamers.

As far as replay value goes, it's a major disappointment. After you beat the game there is just a leech hunter mini-game, a few unlockable costumes. That's it.

Graphics: 10

Without a doubt, the best looking Resident Evil. The chilling atmosphere will leave you tense and un easy throughout the whole ordeal. It's arguably the creepiest one yet.

Sound: 8

The creepy score and above-par voice acting really help you get into the game.

Gameplay: 4

The only saving grace to this recycled and played out engine is the zapping system. But the gameplay largely too formulaic for it's own good. But I guess Capcom can do it better then anyone. But it sure won't win over new gamers.

Replay Value: 3

It's Resident Evil. You beat the game within a certain time limit you get the standards (costumes and a rocket launcher). What were you expecting? A plot outline? Maybe a movie reel?

Final Thoughts: I ultimately find Resident Evil Zero to be a disappointment. The zapping system gives the Resident Evil series a refreshing twist that the series so badly needs. After all the hype that this series has been getting since Capcom signed on with Nintendo to make Resident Evil exclusive to the Gamecube, I'm getting kind of sick of it all. This isn't the best survival/horror game out there. It's one of the more disappointing ones. Gee, I wonder when they will bring out Resident Evil -1? Give it a rental from Blockbuster, you won't be surprised. But I'm praying that Resident Evil 4 others something different then the all to formulaic and obsolete gameplay. You never know.

Reviewer's Score: 4/10, Originally Posted: 12/20/02, Updated 01/21/03