Hear me out. Whereas it could be thought-about among the many weaker Resi video games, Resident Evil Zero has potential. Its promising story is advised poorly and its fight is missing, however the dual-protagonist gameplay is properly value exploring and its forged deserves a second probability. Whether or not you’re a fan of the final idea of videogame remakes or not, it’s simple to see why a lesser recreation is a greater topic for revival than one which doesn’t want bettering upon. So if Capcom actually needs to remake extra Resi video games, I’d argue Resident Evil Zero is a perfect candidate.
The primary recreation within the collection’ narrative chronology, Resident Evil Zero, is essential to Wesker’s arc, the preliminary publicity to the T-virus, and the historical past of the long-lasting Umbrella analysis facility. It’s quintessentially Resident Evil: set in Raccoon Metropolis, and with myriad puzzles, it options back-and-forth exploration and a badass male-female duo whose relationship grows from distrust to pressured partnership to reliance. Theoretically, it’s nearly every little thing you may need from Resident Evil, however the 2002 zombie recreation simply misses the mark.
The fight and traversal are poor, and the tank controls definitely don’t assist, particularly within the prolonged practice part. Certain, a number of the collection’ greatest zombie interactions happen in slim corridors – these moments when you may hear however can’t see the enemy – however the awkward controls combined with the claustrophobic setting are extra a hindrance than a boon this time round. Even a primary interactive aspect like selecting up objects turns into a chore once they’re positioned so near notes, typewriters, or different objects.
Bosses are an actual low level too. Take Stinger, the enormous scorpion, which requires you to face nonetheless and unload spherical after spherical in its face because it slowly approaches. Then there’s Centurion, a bug that’s extra of a nuisance than a risk. Even the late-game bosses don’t provide a lot of a problem, however there’s potential of their design and in a number of the extra thrilling timed segments.
In our Resident Evil 4 Remake overview, Ed ruminated on how the fight was overhauled from the unique. Our Resi oracle additionally lauds the Resident Evil 3 remake for its constructive tweaks and modifications. Whereas each have been based mostly on already glorious video games, we might nonetheless have one thing particular if we utilized that very same progress to Zero, which has a lot unrealized potential.
It will not be for everyone, however I all the time beloved the dual-character gameplay. Of all of the video games within the collection, solely RE5 and Zero make the most of this as a main mechanic – and neither do it properly. Your bumbling AI companion usually will get in the way in which, and their dialogue outdoors of cutscenes is completely impassive. Zero, nevertheless, presents the perfect alternative to good this idea, because it’s nonetheless lighter on motion and heavier on puzzles than RE5, with the 2 protagonists working collectively to resolve extra complicated and satisfying headscratchers in tandem.
Whereas Zero fails to inform its story properly, it nonetheless has potential because of its general significance to the broader Resi narrative. The Umbrella characters – Wesker, Birkin, Marcus – and their historical past could possibly be fleshed out and reworked. ‘Marcus’ himself, who appears like he’s jumped out of a Last Fantasy recreation, could possibly be improved too.
Then there are our protagonists. Rebecca Chambers deserves to be regarded alongside Jill and Sheva. She’s younger, pushed, robust, and unbiased. Her backchat with Billy within the recreation’s early cutscenes offers her prompt character. She’s not there for intercourse enchantment, and neither is she associated to a different character. She’s her personal particular person, as she reinforces to Billy at any time when he belittles her. Billy himself – an honorable scapegoat wrongly sentenced to demise – has maybe the best backstory of any Resident Evil protagonist, and it’s wasted on one of many collection’ worst video games.
Lastly, there’s the straightforward indisputable fact that Resident Evil Zero takes place in Raccoon Metropolis. Basic Resi begins and, for me, ends with the puzzle and exploration-driven video games set in and round RC. Zero nonetheless could possibly be thought to be a kind of greats. Now it’s as much as Capcom to make it so.
