Resident Evil HD Remastered Edition(PC)

 

Resident Evil HD Remaster

PC, PS4, XBOX ONE

1/20/15

4/5 Stars

 

        After a none too interesting release of the last full Resident Evil game(Resident Evil 6).  Capcom has decided to go back in time to the very first Resident Evil and bring us an HD remastered version that has the content of the Gamecube version from 2002.  However, the game has a significant graphically and audio update since that version.  The game has lost none of it’s original challenge.  While allowing the player to choose from original tank controllers or the more modern alternate control scheme which is more similar to more recent Resident Evil games.

         The very interesting thing about this game is not its’ remade status or being able to play this old game again.  But with the graphical fidelity and the smoothness of some of the animations it could be easy to mistake the game for a modern release if not for one thing.  Every time in the previous game there would be a cutscene or a major change in the camera this game simply freezes for a second or two.  It looks absolutely terrible and makes me wonder why they allowed this to stick.  No matter how good the game looks or how beautiful the textures on the characters or enemies are; the game has this one glaring flaw that assures that you never forget you’re playing a ported, remastered version.

        For people who have never played Resident Evil before this might quite a nice starting point.  There are tons of walkthroughs and hints online so that the games’ puzzle elements are quite pared down if that is how you want to play it.  The game consists completely of jump scares but they aren’t repetitive or wear out their welcome too much.  But if you have played Resident Evil in the past, even if this is the “Definitive Version” of the game.  I don’t know that it is worth the money to pick it up.  Unless, of course, you love the series; then you probably already own it.

      I never much cared for Resident Evil.  I felt like Resident Evil 4 and 5 were the best of the lot and while I do appreciate this game and all that it has meant to people over the years; that doesn’t mean I like playing it.  But a game can be important even if it isn’t necessarily fun and this game was definitely EXTREMELY important back when it came out originally.  I think it might also be important now, for people to understand how survival horror began and what made it important to people at the time and even some people now.  The game can be a lot of fun if you have never been through it before.  For the people who love nostalgia, they will LOVE this Resident Evil because the shiny rosy red glasses of how we think about an old game are definitely working just fine here(with a ton of work to make it that way).

       Oh and if anyone has any red herb, I need it…  I’m not feeling that great right now…