IGN Resident Evil 0 review

[DarkMaster]

well, it doesnt look like it'll give MP much competition....not according to these scores.

Then of course there are the puzzles. They still don't make sense. They still barely have a place within the game universe. They're still obscure. Yet, they drive the story along in their own special way and, we admit it, there are several puzzles that are very satisfying and thoughtful, if out of place. For example, there is a later puzzle in which you must determine the pecking order for a series of animal based statues and light candles to mimic it. There is a clear sense of accomplishment once it's properly figured out and successfully completed. Still, why do the puzzles have to be so illogical? We could overlook this in the Resident Evil remake as it was just that -- an update to an old game. Since RE0 is a completely new title, though, there's really no excuse.

The second major addition is the ability to drop items whenever you want. As diehard Resident Evil fans can probably attest to, there's no fun in running back and forth between levels to drop spare parts in chests, as the series has traditionally required. So you can imagine the freedom gained with this option. As long time survival horror players ourselves, we almost feel guilty carelessly dropping items at any spot without worry, but wow -- what a difference it makes. That's not to suggest that the system is perfect. The fact remains: there are too many items in Resident Evil 0 -- plain and simple. Rebecca and Billy can never carry enough. Not even close. Be prepared to read the line "You cannot carry this item -- your inventory is full" 100 times over. There's only one solution, and that's to drop one of the items in your inventory to make room. And so an entirely new frustration rears its ugly head. Before long, you'll be asking yourself where you left the hookshot, and what room is the microfilm in, and what happened to the dark statue of evil? Luckily, you can consult your map at any time during the game and look up the locations of the items one by one. The fact that so many items must be dropped and replaced extends the play length of Resident Evil 0 considerably, but it's a trick, it's not exactly fun or strategic -- it's just a means to make the game longer. That said, it's still much better than the chest system of old.

Closing Comments

If you look at our review score, you might conclude that Resident Evil 0 is somehow vastly inferior to the remake. That's not exactly true.

For me, RE0 is really a solid survival horror update complete with beautiful graphics and a moody atmosphere, but it's also a game scarred by several gaping flaws, and I couldn't let that go again, not when Capcom could have easily corrected these issues by now. The game is still scary, and if that's good enough for you then don't bother reading the rest of my comments -- go now and pick it up. You won't be disappointed. But on the other hand, the control, especially with the "Type C" option removed, is clunky, robotic, and clashes with the pace of the game, which often requires quick and precise movements. Frankly, the play mechanics are outdated, and that really puts a hamper on the experience.

The same problems interrupted the pace of the remake. But the remake was essentially an update to a classic game that managed to inspire feelings of nostalgia and still scare the hell out of you. Now, though, we have a completely new outing with the same old problems. In fact, the control is worse and the puzzles are possibly even more stupefied. That's not cool.

If you can live with the drawbacks -- the same ones as always -- you'll probably grow to like or even love the latest in the Resident Evil series. If you're unwilling to brave bad control and poorly executed puzzles in search of the next big scare, though, you might want to rent this game before you get on the train for good.

-- Matt Casamassina


Presentation
Frightening and realistic all around. Some of the menu work is sloppy. 9.0

Graphics
Beautiful. Photo-realistic textures combine with amazing full motion animation backgrounds and foregrounds. Slick animation for monsters, but stiff for hero movement. Not full 3D for real camera. 9.0

Sound
Atmospheric. Nicely done all around. Capcom uses silence at times, too, to scare, which is brilliant. No DPLII support. 9.0

Gameplay
Still scary. Still fun, if you can forgive the clunky controls and stupid puzzles. But definitely dated. 7.0

Lasting Appeal
As usual, there are enough hidden goodies to keep coming back for more. 6.0

OVERALL SCORE (not an average) 8.2

hmmm....looks like Fran had most of the fun reviewing MP. oh well, if you're a fan of the series it should still be a good purchase.

[BlueFire]

Yeouch. I must say, I expected more.

[Crono]

Well, even with those negative comments, I'm still gonna get it. Besides, I'm sure I can adapt to the controls...

[BlueFire]

I adapted qucikly to RE1 Remake controls... donno what was the big fuss. And yeah, I'm still planning to get this game for Christmas. But AC keeps me occupied til then

[DeathsHand]

Originally posted by BLueFire
Yeouch. I must say, I expected more.

Here's how you should look at pretty much every Resident Evil...

If you're a fan of the series, you'll like the new games they put out unless you're getting tired of it because it's getting old... That's how I see it... screw what reviewers say... Especially when they just got done pissing their pants over some other game...

[bobcat]

Originally posted by BLueFire
Yeouch. I must say, I expected more.

I expected less. Seriously RE sucks. No wonder I never played it on the PSX.

I have it on the GC but meh , the graphics are nice but the game is painfully boring. Not to mention bad voice acting.

Just like Onimusha, Devil May Cry etc.

And after playing ED, the controls would do nothing more than annoy the hell out of me.

I was excited that the series was coming to the GC, and it's a good thing I guess for GC to get some violent games to shake off it's kiddy market, but Capcom are not in my good books lately with Adventure games and Survival/Horror. They should stick to what they do best.....fighting games.

Will there ever be a CVS3? Sigh. *waits for Capcom All Stars*

[BlueFire]

I always liked RE games... well, RE3 was the last one I played, and i still need to play RE CV and RE Survivor (Though I doubt I'll play RE Survivor)

[Xantar]

Originally posted by BLueFire
Yeouch. I must say, I expected more.

I didn't. Seriously, this is Capcom we're talking about. They took something like five Megaman X sequels before giving him the ability to duck. I don't even remember how long it took for him to learn how to point his gun upwards.

Capcom is definitely a company who follows the philosophy of "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." When it comes to Capcom games, I personally only buy the first in a series and ignore the rest.

[Jason1]

That control scheme is horrendous by todays standard, its disturbing to me that they didnt change it. They apparently are for RE4, so that one im looking foward to, but im staying away from RE0...

[DeathsHand]

Originally posted by Jason1
That control scheme is horrendous by todays standard, its disturbing to me that they didnt change it. They apparently are for RE4, so that one im looking foward to, but im staying away from RE0...

But they did change it... well, they added a couple other options... and in the RE remake, I think control scheme C feels better on NGC's controller than the normal A setup...

But it's still the "3D" press left and you rotate left control... But meh... I don't think it's that bad...

Really I thought ED's gameplay wasn't all that either... repetitive and such... *shrugs*

[Crono]

I can't believe people are honestly complaining that much about the controls. Part of being a so called "good gamer" is adapting to new control schemes. RE's controls arent that bad at all, and its not that much different from when it was on PSX, and those were quite easy to get used to. I mean, there have been games with much worse controls, I'm sure.

And I still think Capcom is one of the top developers, and it seems that everyone ignores their best series:

Breath Of Fire!!

[Shadow_Link]

Famistsu just gave it a 10,9,9,10 - 38.

[DarkMaster]

oh, i forgot to mention before, control type C was taken out of RE0, so you only have the normal type A. the controls arent that bad, its mainly done because of the pre-rendered backgrounds. its hardly anything to complain this much about, give the game a try. its easy to get used to the controls

[TheGame]

Originally posted by Shadow_Link
Famistsu just gave it a 10,9,9,10 - 38.

:eek:

[Perfect Stu]

never liked RE