When Capcom announced that they were to remaster the awesome Resident Evil remake it was met with applause, as it was a much loved classic that Resi fans wanted to relive and it was a chance for those that missed the initial release in 2002 to see what all the fuss is about.  In that same year Resident Evil 0 also graced the Nintendo Gamecube, but somehow wasn’t held in quite the same regard as it predecessor, marking the prequel title as an underrated gem.  So with Capcom fully embracing the remaster trend, they have revisited the year 2002 by first releasing Resident Evil HD Remaster in 2015 and now with the Resident Evil 0 HD Remaster in early 2016.

To bring you quickly up to speed with the plot of Resident Evil 0, here are the details.  Set directly before the events taking place in the Spencer mansion of July, 1998, S.T.A.R.S are sent to investigate cannibalistic murders in the outskirts of Raccoon City located in the Arklay Mountains (sounds familiar, right?).  Rebecca Chambers, the young upstart and medic with her fellow S.T.A.R.S team members of Bravo Team make a sinister discovery on the Umbrella owned train, the Ecliptic Events.  Returning fans will obviously know what lies in store, but for any newcomers experiencing Resident Evil 0 for the very first time, let’s just say that you will have more than just the sound of dragging zombie feet to worry about.  It is here that our heroine Rebecca must form an unlikely partnership with former Marine and convict Billy Coen, who has been sentenced to death for the murder of 23 innocents.

 

Resident Evil 0 will require you to take control of both Rebecca and Billy.  On the original Gamecube version each character would be controlled with each of the analogue sticks, yet on this updated release, you can switch who you control by pressing the Triangle button (Y on Xbox), but you can still utilise both analogue sticks if you wish.  One of the biggest changes to Resident Evil 0 at the time was that there were no longer Inventory Boxes to store your in-game items, so here instead you must share items carried by both characters.  This can cause a mini-headache as you juggle what to carry and what not to.  However, with the lack of Inventory Box, you can now drop items wherever you wish (just try to remember where you place certain items).

You can’t go dumping all unwanted items in a single room, as each room can store is restricted.  It can be easy to forget where some items were placed, so I tried to place most items in a more memorable room, such as a main hall and if that room had reached its limit, I place items beyond the nearest door.  Also, I made it a habit to leave all Ink Ribbons to save my progress next to a Type Writer, so it will always be there when you need it and it’s not like it’s an item you always need to carry with you at all times.

Resident Evil 0 makes good use of its puzzles by utilising both characters, with some requiring you to be in the same location and some requiring you to split-up.  If you’re not a fan of computer A.I controlled companions however, then this might be somewhat of a nightmare for you (and I’m not just talking about the undead).  In the most part the A.I will take care of themselves without much of an issue, but then sometimes they may idly block your way or worse, literally run straight into trouble, resulting in their untimely demise.

 

Whether it’s you or the A.I, when one character is dead, then you’re both dead and you’ll be praying to the heavens that you saved your progress very recently.  For example, I finished the early train section without the need to save, but when I made it to the Training Facility, Billy for no apparent reason ran into a horde of zombies and seemingly lost his ability to shoot and he was soon made into Zombie Takeout food.  To say this pissed me off is a mere understatement.  So remember, keep an eye on your A.I partner and save whenever you can (especially if it’s the first playthrough).  For me, it’s just a shame that Capcom couldn’t find a way to introduce co-op into this remaster.  I know it may not have been possible on the same screen locally, but it would have been fantastic to a co-op feature to the campaign when playing with a friend online.

Just like the Resident Evil HD Remaster, Capcom for the most part have done a great job in making a game that is nearly 14 years old hold its own by today’s visual standards.  Once again you can have the choice of the original 4:3 ratio or the new widescreen 16:9, whichever one you choose will be in glorious 1080p.  And it’s not just the visuals that have been improved; because once again, you can enjoy Resident Evil 0 in 5.1 surround sound with its remastered audio, which sounds fantastic on a quality gaming headset.  If I was going to have a gripe with Resident Evil 0’s visuals, it would be that once again it seems that many of the FMV cutscenes have not been re-rendered in 1080p, but we are instead greeted with the blurry visuals that were seen in the original 2002 release.  This seems to be a recurring trend with Capcom, I first noticed it with the original Devil May Cry in the DMC HD Collection and then also last year with the Resident Evil HD Remaster.  So with that in mind, Capcom in future please remaster those old school FMV’s, because it’s a minor let down in what it’s a well-worked remaster.

 

As expected by completing the campaign of Resident Evil 0, you will be gifted with various wacky outfits and weapons, but as with the original release you will unlock Leech Hunter mode (which also offers its own rewards).  Also by beating the campaign you will unlock Wesker Mode, which is exclusive to this remaster.  In Wesker Mode, the smooth talking villain will take the place of Billy Coen in accompany Rebecca Chambers, only Wesker will be equipped with super speed, laser eyes and other over the top super powers to tip the surviving odds firmly in your favour. 

Many HD remasters tend to be a fan service to veteran fans with not much appeal to newcomers.  However, Capcom do go the extra mile once more in updating the control system, which not only welcomes newcomers, but also attends to returning fans that weren’t that keen on the Tank Controls to begin with.  But if you want to play Resident Evil 0 in its original form, you still have the option of playing with the Tank Controls, as well as the original 4:3 aspect ratio.

While Resident Evil 0 did receive mostly positive praise, with it releasing in the same year as the original Resident Evil remake, it was arguably under its shadow in 2002.  It may not have hit the dizzying heights of the remake classic, dodgy A.I aside; this for me will always be one of my fondest memories in the long running series.  It has everything you want from a survival horror title from Resident Evil, limited resources, tough enemies, arguably a better standard of puzzle segments, an unforgiving manual save and zombie monkeys!  Yes…zombie monkeys!  What more do you need?  Whether you’re a returning fan or new to the series, Resident Evil 0 makes for an ideal entry point into the series with its prequel setting and offers enough improvements to satisfy veterans of the series.  This is without a doubt one of the best entries in the game that revolutionised the survival horror genre.

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