3RRSS ResEvil

Decayed flesh. Horrible moaning. The blood slowly dripping from your
body. In an instant, it's all over. Also in an instant, came the Resident
Evil series (Biohazard in Japan). And although it didn't create the
survival horror genre it proved that gamers love zombies, and that we
love killing them again and again. The Resident Evil series has found a
home on many systems: from Dreamcast, Game Boy Color, Playstation,
Game Cube, and even the Sega Saturn. Here we have the first game in
the series, in all of its glory. But now that the series has moved so far
in terms of, well everything, does the original even hold a molten
candle to the others? And does the Saturn version offer anything that
the other versions do not? Enter the world of survival horror to find out.

By now the antics of the Umbrella Corporation, the S.T.A.R.S team
members, and the zombies between them, has been well documented.
But this one, featuring that infamous mansion, started it all. Raccoon
City has been getting reports of strange murders: victims are being
eaten. So the S.T.A.R.S. (an elite group of officers) are called upon, and
when the Bravo Team sent to investigate doesn't come back the Alpha
team is sent in to find out why. Led by Albert Wesker, the team
includes Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine. However, what they find will
shake them to the very core. After narrowly escaping death in the
forest after touching down, they find the mansion. Once inside, the real
nightmare begins and the search for truth and survival begins to
unfold.

I love the story of Resident Evil. There are a few plot twists here and
there (of course long time fans know what I'm talking about) and the
characters are great, both the living and dead ones. Once you start
the game you can choose to play as either Chris or Jill (Jill has the
easier game as she gets more ammo, etc.) Both games share most of
the same story, but Chris will meet Rebecca Chambers (later to star in
Resident Evil Zero) while Jill gets to chill with Barry Burton (star of the
Gameboy Color RE). Both stories will ultimately lead to a final
showdown with…well that would spoiling it now wouldn't it? It's a very
cool way to up the replay with two different, yet similar stories. Good
job Capcom.

It's survival horror so that means running around, killing zombies,
conserving ammo, finding green herbs to heal you, and solving puzzles
to get new items that solve the next puzzle. While by today's standards
the game may not seem as impressive, back then this type of game
play was fresh and new. Even today I still really enjoy playing this game
as I don't see much wrong with the formula. You have a variety of
weapons to choose from, and you go around the mansion unlocking
doors, solving puzzles, and killing the undead. Some of the puzzles can
get a little tricky, but most of them aren't too hard. Every once and a
while you will have a vicious boss fight, and these can get nasty. Make
sure you save often. Backtracking is also huge in the Resident Evil
series. It's not rare to get an item from one end of the mansion that
you use on the other end, and then run back to the other end to use
the new item. Good thing there are item boxes to store your items, as
you can only carry so much.

Resident Evil games are also known for their cool door opening
animation loading screens. This one is no exception. Only this time, the
doors can get a little glitchy in that they are not fluid in their
movements as the game is loading what is behind the door. This can
get a little annoying and it looks kind of bad.

Some people have expressed concerns over the control scheme of the
Resident Evil games, but I have never found them a problem. They are
not the most fluid stop-on-a-dime controls, but they get the job done
well. Also there will be parts in this game that you will remember for a
long time. Who can forget the giant snake, the windows, and the
master of unlocking. Some of the enemies later on in the game can get
a bit tough (hello Hunters) but by then you'll have stronger weapons
(meet my shot gun). Other Resident Evil elements in here are the
status screen, pushing crates, combining items, and looking at the
map for help. If you've played other Resident Evil games before this
then you will know what to do, but if this is your first time it won't take
long for you to get it all down.

Now, with a Game Cube remake boasting some of the best video game
graphics ever what can the Saturn do to take the attention back? For
one, the original LIVE ACTION opening is a riot. It plays out like the
Game cube one, except with hilarious actors dressed up as the
characters and great acting jobs. This is one of the best parts of the
game. The other graphics, the in game graphics, are blocky and not
pretty. Back then though, this stuff was pretty good. I just wish there
were more live action bits. The in game cutscenes aren't bad either-
not too grainy. Character models are blocky, but the zombies look cool
enough. The dogs are there, the hunters, crows, zombies, and other
creatures are all here to kill you. Check the back of the box to see the
final boss. Great job Capcom.

You'll also notice that the mansion isn't dark at all in the Saturn
version. So the game cube one looks leaps and bounds better then this
one, but it doesn't have a live-action intro. The Game Cube remake has
a bunch of new areas not in the original so I definitely recommend you
play the remake version, but the original is still worth playing if you
really love the series.

This game has some of the funniest English dubs ever. It's over the top
and hilarious. The voices are just too sweet for words. Those that like
a little humor with their Resident Evil will love it. Of course, then there
are all the great sound effects, like dogs walking on the carpet,
zombies moaning down the hall as they slowly creep towards you, and
the sound of an angry gun mowing them all down. The music is fairly
sparse; there are some pieces of music here and there and nothing
sounds crappy, so that's good.

You can unlock a special shooting mode when you beat the game, and
I believe this is unique to the Saturn version. In this mode you can also
fight "an all new monster" but it's actually just a colored variation of
the big bad boss. Still cool though. Of course you'll want to beat it with
both characters to get the full story. Beating the game could take
anywhere from 5-10 hours depending on how much Resident Evil
experience you have. The live-action intro is also enough cause for
replay on its own.

With a really pretty Game Cube version sitting cheaply on store
shelves, why would anymore want the older, inferior version? You'll
note that the Game Cube one added so much stuff, that this almost
feels like a different game. It is worth playing to see how the series
truly started out, to see the true evolution of where the games have
come and gone. For me, the mansion sets up the game very nicely, and
the first Resident Evil remains one of my favorites. So if you're feeling
nostalgic for some older zombie blood, be sure to give this Resident
Evil a try. It may not be the flashiest game on the planet, but it can still
put you on edge. It is also not very expensive to purchase. My copy
was ten bucks a few years back, and I think the game can still be had
for around that price. Now then, open the door to survival horror.

Review by: Orochi Sonic