GCN:
E3 and so forth
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GCN:
E3 and so forth
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Resident Evil (GC)
09.05.02
Cali_Love
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Flash back to 1996: As retailers receive Resident Evil (PS version) in the October month of its release, they open the boxes to find the RE copies covered with fake cob-webs and spiders, helping to create the mood. Retailers however are very skeptical that this game will sell. Of course, we know the rest is history. With Resident Evil selling millions of copies and setting off the whole survivor-horror genre. Fast forward to May 2002: The latest version to Capcom’s survival-horror series, Resident Evil, has finally been released. Many gamers were shocked even before the game was released after hearing the RE series would be a GameCube exclusive. Many gamers doubted what Capcom was doing; wondering if this is the correct direction for the series. Not only were gamers fearful of this game landing on GC (a system labeled as “kiddy”), but they also said it was just “a rehashed game, not worth another $50”. While others complained the controller scheme still sucks (which makes me wonder how can these people complain when they haven’t played the game yet?). Well the game has been out for about a week now, how does the game actually do in gamers' hands? Will gamers embrace it? Or will they dismiss it as some rehashed Resident Evil remake? Well if you’ve read other reviews on other gaming sites, then you probably already know the game more then excels in all aspects of a survival-horror game, hell this game really defined the genre. It may not have been the first. (Editor's Note: The first being of course the Alone in the Dark series.) However, it made this type of game playing popular. Now read on, and face your fears that lurk in the dark… Your mission is to find the lost S.T.A.R.S. Bravo team. The team has crashed their helicopter in a mountain/forest area. Flying in you see an ominous fog hanging above the trees. Could this be a prelude to what is almost upon our team members? Now this is where the action begins... Stepping away from the helicopter, S.T.A.R.S. member Joe is attacked by a pack of crazed dogs. Soon after Joe dies the rest of the team runs off into a huge mansion in the horizon. As you enter the mansion, your first task at hand is to investigate a mysterious shot that has been fired. The story takes off from here…. Control wise, the game hasn’t changed much. However, why mess with something that isn’t broken? Yea Capcom has advanced in the control area in the later games of the series, but the control really isn’t all that bad. It’s nowhere near as bad as people make it out to be. I have talked to many kids at school and checked many message forums and I’ve found most people don’t have any real gripes with the control scheme. Most said it took on average about 30 minutes to an hour to really get used to controlling the characters, and once you're used to the controls, they become second nature. It took me about half an hour to get used to them, and now I have no problem with Capcom leaving the control alone. They did however add a quick 180 turn, simply press down on the direction pad or analog stick and then tap B and your character does an about-face. The cameras in the RE series have always been still, meaning they don’t move with the character. They are pre-positioned when a character turns a corner or enters a new room. The majority of the camera angels are fine. I haven’t had the problem with cameras being zoomed out too far, like others have complained of. The problem with the camera angels however is sometimes you can’t see around corners and such. Capcom could’ve done this to help the scary element…not knowing what’s around the corner makes you creep up to the corner in fear of what’s around it. However, it's frustrating that there’s a zombie right around the bend and you may not be able to avoid it because you couldn’t see around the corner. The other problem is searching for items; some angels you just can't see what’s around the room because of how the developer placed the cameras. Again I know they did this to make it more difficult to find items, but it’s still frustrating knowing there’s something there but you cant reach it because you can't see it. The new defensive moves add a whole lot more to RE. Now if you're stuck in a spot and there’s just no way out, get ready to bust out your defensive weapon. Jill and Chris both have a knife. Once grabbed onto it looks like they will be bitten, however, they whip out their knives and jam it into the eye of the zombie, giving you a chance to fill it with lead or run off. There is also a battery (Jill). This makes the Zombie dance once the amps are flowing thru it, or Chris sticks a grenade in the mouth of a zombie. Watch the fireworks as you run to safety (damn that will leave a mess). You can set the defensive moves to automatic or manual. The reinvented zombies are scary as hell. Not only are they scary, but also they are about 20 times worse than a normal zombie. They run quicker (faster than both our heroes), and their claw swipes take a big chunk of your health, 3 swipes and you're dead. Not only are there new zombies, but also now zombies can bust through doors. Leave a room without dispatching the zombie(s) inside and they might come out for a little playtime. Zombies can also follow you up and down stairs, so your safe hiding places may not be so safe anymore. The mansion has also been changed, not just graphically either. Some rooms are totally altered, as in new puzzles inside them, or they may totally be changed in there position in the mansion. This may be a remake, but Capcom did a lot to make this game different then its original form. The graphics have been put on steroids for this latest outing. Still images really don’t do this game justice, simple as that. I’m not going to rant on about the graphics because I’m sure you’ve read all about them on other gaming sites. What the graphics truly do is set the atmosphere. The dingy looking and dark corridors get you prepared for a zombie attack. This game is very much improved over the PS version because the more muted colors definitely fits into the horror theme when its darker. The dust that flaps up from running along the floors is enough to make me want to sneeze. The lighting outside lights up the entire room, making you jump the first time you see it flash across the screen. The other really cool thing is how the cracking of the lighting doesn’t come right away; you can actually count the seconds before the crackling sound hits…6 miles away… The in-game cinema’s are done nicely. However, the first one you witness is considerablely choppy, it almost made me want to up-chuck (I’m not talking about the CGI movies). I don’t know why it’s like this. Capcom should’ve taken more time to clean the movies up and made them smoother. I know this isn’t a GC problem; the developer didn’t fix this up before releasing the game. The rest of the movies are a lot smoother, and are enjoyable to watch and really help progress the game forward with the movies trying to help you answer questions on why this mansion is so F’ed up. When you hear the music flowing through your speakers, you know there’s an enemy around. During most of the game, it’s fairly quiet. However, when you enter a new room and you hear the music become louder and faster, you know something is about to jump out at you. The music is nicely done. The voice acting is very good. I don’t cringe every time I hear their voices like I do in other games. In other words, the voice acting isn’t at the level as let's say MGS, but the voices are at a much higher level then most other games are held at. The scraping of zombie feet across the floor is enough to make you winch in horror, knowing the zombies are coming! And once you hear the running of the zombies you know a crimson head is on the way. Needless to say the music and sound doesn’t just give your ears something to listen to, it gives you valuable clues to what may be around the corner. Are you the type of player that can’t put a game down till you complete everything the game has to offer? Well RE is right up your alley. The original offered 8 different endings, but now there are a total of 10! Not only are there multiple endings, but there are altered versions of the game depending on which character you're using. What happens in the story and the cut scene are different depending on what character you have. There is also 2 other modes of play (that I know of) that are unlocked if you beat the game. Each offers a new experience playing the game, such as invisible characters or playing in the mansion with one of the deceased S.T.A.R.S member (turn into a zombie, you’ll find his body in the mansion, and no it's not Kenneth). Except the catch is he has explosives all around him, so you cant shoot him. So you must run around him. Modes like these keep this game from getting stale too fast. New player or old, I highly recommend this to all. The new rookies will get their taste of the series, while veterans will love the updates in this latest version. To those that doubt this game, and dismiss it as just a remake without at least renting it…“Appreciate, don’t playa hate, congratulate.”
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