Resident Evil 0 (GC)
By Susie Vee

PLATFORM: GameCube

PUBLISHER: Capcom

DEVELOPER: Flagship

GENRE: Survival Horor

ESRB: Mature

SCORE:

Finally, after various remakes and ports, here’s a brand-new Resident Evil game. The first new story since Code Veronica on the Dreamcast actually takes place before the very first game – hence the “0” moniker.

Like all Resident Evil games, you’ve got two protagonists to play as, one male, one female. This time around, instead of two separate stories, you’ll play both characters at the same time, switching between them on the fly. It’s actually a pretty neat addition, and gives you the added help of having a secondary character along with you for much of the game.

Graphically, this game looks even nicer than the GameCube Resident Evil remake. The backgrounds, while still pre-rendered, are positively alive with details and movement. There are some scenes on a moving train that just have to be seen to be believed.

While we’re always hungry to take another swipe at a few zombies, there are signs that this aging franchise needs an infusion of new blood. The controls, universally reviled, are virtually unchanged from the first game (although we’ve never had a big problem with them). And there are still lots of incidents of characters getting caught on corners while trying to flee impending doom.

The story and puzzles are new, but seem so familiar that we can almost mouth the words along with the characters. And, after a very nice section at the beginning of the game on a runaway train, where do we end up? In a giant “training facility” that looks an awful lot like a certain mansion in Raccoon City, complete with a large main foyer with a giant staircase in the middle. Sound familiar? If we never see that mansion again, it’ll be too soon for us.

But can’t help it, we’re tried-and-true Resident Evil fans. So if you are, too, then you’ll find a lot to like in Resident Evil 0. If you’re new to the survival horror genre, then this game is about as slick and playable an introduction as you’re likely to get, and with a tough female main character to boot. But, if shooting flesh-eating zombies in the head isn’t exactly your cup of tea, than maybe you should stick with The Sims.