Resident Evil 0 Review

Resident Evil 0 is the installment in that franchise that precedes all. Referred to as RE0 for the rest of this review, this game is the one that tells the story of how the whole thing got started. RE0 tells us how the T-Virus was created and how Umbrella was involved with it. It tells us how it was initially spread and who was responsible for it.

It is the year 1998, and several “unusual” murder cases have been reported in Raccoon City, a small midwest suburban town. Sadly, members of Raccoon City police have done nothing but return reports of spotting groups of “people-eating” monsters who are maliciously attacking civilian houses without provocation. The order has been given, send in the S.T.A.R.S. team to investigate these happenings!

S.T.A.R.S. stands for Special Tactics and Rescue Service. It is composed of Bravo team and Alpha team. Bravo team is the first to go in for this mission, but unfortunately due to some inexplicable engine failure, they have to make an emergency landing. This landing causes them to end up in the middle of a deep, dense and dark forest.

The story of RE0 involves two unfortunate people. One is Rebecca Chambers, a rookie S.T.A.R.S. Bravo team agent. She is in fact the newest member of that team and a gifted young woman who was able to speed through her education. She graduated from her university at the age of 18. She is also highly organized and is able to handle herself calmly in most pressure situations.

The other is Billy Coen. This middle aged man is an ex-Marine who was convicted on the deaths of 23 different people based on circumstantial evidence. This conviction caused him to be sentenced to death. However, on the way to his execution, his transport crashed and he managed to escape. While on his run, he just happens to bump into Rebecca…..they are forced to cooperate with each other.

RE0 is just one of those games that sets the mood IMMEDIATELY. Meaning, this game will let you know you should be ready to be frightened at just about any given moment! The whole atmosphere with watching the forest sequence and finally beginning the story on that train in a sudden storm really can do a number on your nerves. Depending on just how easily scared you get will determine how you feel throughout the rest of the game. Some people really never get afraid at all in this game or any RE game for that matter simply because that’s their nature. But some people will get spooked quite a lot in this game, and the start of this one is only the beginning of that!

Since RE0 is one of the oldest installments in the franchise, many may view the gameplay mechanics featured in this game as nothing more than “archaic.” Many may actually compare it to the controls in Resident Evil 4 because of how different they really are. But in the end, that truly isn’t fair, because Resident Evil 4 and the other games in the franchise simply aren’t the same. RE0 and many other games in this franchise approach the whole “survival horror” theme with very unique movement controls coupled with predetermined fixed point camera angles. The point of both is to simply increase the level of fear and suspense in the player, and that’s just what they do!

Yes it would be safe to say that it’s a little strange during most of the game when you have to push the control stick away from you in order to make your character move forward, but in all honesty, you get used to it pretty quickly. Whether you’ve never played a RE game before or you’re playing this one after RE4, it’s really not as difficult to learn the control scheme as many may try to make you believe. Sure you might ask yourself what you got yourself into at first, but just like any other game that has a unique gameplay setup like this one does, all it takes is a little patience in a little practice.

In a given 2-3 hours, you should be well in tune with how the game controls and feels with relation to the controller and the character you’re controlling. It’s really all relative to the individual person who plays this game because the learning rate will vary. Some will get easily frustrated, yes, but some will learn the controls without too much difficulty and be able to press on beautifully. So if you’re willing to give it a shot and experience a truly great game, RE0 is indeed for you!

The name of the game for each installment of Resident Evil is simple, SURVIVAL HORROR. Well of course with that theme, you would expect the graphics, animations and special effects to show that off wouldn’t you? RE0 does that incredibly well, even if it does have its few faults. But the faults are very minor, which make the overall presentation of RE0 graphically truly eye opening!

During the beginning of the game, you will be treated to a FMV that tells a brief overview of the game’s story and a sequence with the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo team helicopter. With Rebecca inside this very helicopter, you witness the team en route to its destination. Eventually something happens to one of the engines on the chopper and they are forced to make an emergency landing right in the middle of this already creepy looking forest!

The events that happen next are truly spine chilling. Rebecca is one of the first to spot the overturned jeep that traps 2 dead military officers underneath. She eventually finds a clipboard that holds part of Billy Coen’s file explaining his conviction and sentenced execution. This causes the team commander to order a full alert status to everyone since the man has been deemed armed and EXTREMELY dangerous. Unfortunately since the forest they are in is so vast, the team members are forced to separate, making Rebecca go her own way.

Well she eventually comes upon a seemingly abandoned train, and then the true nightmare begins. She boards the train, shouting out to anyone that may be onboard and alive along with her status and full name. Well, unfortunately this didn’t mean squat because only seconds later, she sees a horribly decayed and disfigured man sitting next to a window, and then takes a harder look around, only noticing more people in the exact same condition! Then to her extreme shock, the first man she saw actually gets up, begins growling and groaning while slowly moving towards her!