Resident Evil (2002)

I try to just forgo throwing in my two cents on well known, well established games, but I really liked this, and i've been playing several remastered classics lately, particularly a few PSX legends. In it's own way, this game is a masterpiece. (and I envy those of you who played the original when it came out.) The journey into my own retronostalgia-i-never had but wish-i-did continues with Resident Evil HD... Like Metal Gear Solid, I didnt experience the glory of this one on the PSX, cause I was too busy having my hard on for Half-Life by banging zombies with my crowbar to care about running out of ammo in Resident Evil :D At the time. It wasnt something I could understand appreciate or knew much about. But gee, this game would have probably been pretty scary to me at the age of 13-16, and left an even deeper impression based on it. The game plays like some kind of haunted house simulator like Uninvited. But goes beyond that era by leaps and bounds with arcade like action, timing, and plenty of other elements. (It along with Metal Gear is another game on PSX that represents a fledging New Game+ concept in it's infancy.) Cool stuff indeed. This game looks great on the PC remaster, The lighting looks really good in some scenes especially. it doesnt have some fancy engine/physics shadows... it's just really good painstakingly done scene by scene details. (It would be nice to see ALL adventure game remakes look exactly like this!) There are a few annoyances with the game that feel a bit clunky but it's still pretty cool. It's atmospheric and has a pretty decent storyline and there emerges some interesting lore (hence the huge amount of games we have today) At heart, it's an adventure game that plays like an investigative mystery. The puzzles are fairly light but engaging and the whole thing manages to provide an experience that is strangely very close in league with that of a role-playing game... Not exactly what I thought i'd get having heard for so long it described as 'survival horror' (which in my mind means FPS but in third person with bad graphics and no missing allowed!)

probably 99% of everyone has played this game... But IF YOU HAVENT, and like the idea of the japanese being inspired by american 80's slasher horror flicks and try to turn it into a a game that is lesss static/boring than interactive fiction, yet maintains the kind of mystery/detecitve feel (kinda like snatcher honestly) yet has cool shots and angles that feel like it is a movie, then play Resident Evil HD, because that is pretty much what the game is! It's a good game and a good remake/Ages well/etc.

It's close, and because of the natural progression of genres and combined elements. (Plus its artsy.) I'm tempted to give RE HD five stars despite some things I didnt like (ammo/resource/inv mangement issues, some silly responses/reactions to some key events on part of the protagonist, a bit TOO MUCH back and forthing) But I won't because most of the things I didnt like I REALLY did not like! Still, the game was pretty awesome, and i liked it a whole lot more than I was expecting. I can only hope that the rest of the series builds off the mystery tone that this one did. Certainly a series I look forward to.