Resident Evil Zero

Now RE0 has been released, caught in limbo between the remake RE and Capcom's stunning screens of the upcoming Resident Evil 4. Not surprisingly, the game is cut from the same survival/horror mold as the rest of the series, with a heavy emphasis on puzzle-solving and item-placing in addition to battling its ghoulish inhabitants. Yet the pleasing additions to the series (partner-based gameplay and the ability to drop items anywhere) are off-set by some head-scratching omissions (no analog or type-C control and the lack of defensive items found in the RE remake). The final result is that while Resident Evil Zero does not blaze a revolutionary path in the series, it still offers the classic gameplay both fans and adventure junkies can't help falling in love with.

RE0 follows the travails of Rebecca Chambers

 

Admittedly RE0 is a side-story of sorts, one not necessary to understand the key story arc of the RE series. Yet the game fills in tons of key points about Umbrella's creation and development, as well as casting light on much of the in-fighting that took place within the company. If you think the story is simply a tacked-on addition made for a quick buck, think again.

The game is classically reminiscent of traditional RE gameplay. Soon enough, Billy and Rebecca will be cast off the train and stuck exploring an archaic Umbrella mansion as well as a variety of laboratories and factories. Keys must be found to open new doors in the mansion and items must be examined and placed in puzzles to open up hidden passageways. The duo will fight against the usual parade of sluggish zombies and genetically enhanced animals and bugs while clutching to a limited-ammo supply of handguns, rifles, grenade launchers, Molotov cocktails and more. This is nothing new for series veterans; in fact, there isn't much wrong with this classical setup.

The biggest innovation is the addition of partner-based gameplay. Throughout most of the game, Billy and Rebecca can travel together as a team, though you only have full control over one character at a time. The computer AI of your teammate is competent; they will fire when you shoot (and even hold their fire if you stand right in front of them), but they will not avoid enemies or bosses on their own. You can control their movements with the C-stick and move them out of harm's way, but it is very hard to do in the middle of battle.

Capcom has done an excellent job crafting puzzles around this gameplay dynamic. Each character has specific abilities: Billy is stronger and can push heavy objects, while Rebecca, while smaller and weaker, can mix herbs and chemicals. Some sequences will force you to split up the characters (switching with the simple touch of the X button). This really heightens the tension, because you will miss the extra protection in a firefight as well as the ability to readily exchange items in each inventory. This is a fascinating addition and we can only hope Capcom finds ways to squeeze it into other RE games.

 

The other big change is the ability to drop items wherever you want, instead of being forced to leave them in specifically designed "item chests
On one hand, it works beautifully

 

It certainly is no small feat to improve upon the graphics of the RE remake, but RE0 has seemingly done it. The pre-rendered textures are still as crisp as ever, the baroque art direction adds tons of atmosphere and the incredibly-smooth characters are rendered in insane detail (Billy's character design is easily the best of the series, especially with the way the dangling handcuffs float and weave with his every movement). And yet there are improvements. Water and glass reflections sport improved clarity, so you can see both the character's reflection as well as the landscape in the distance. Light-sourcing also has improved