A part of a deal with Nintendo made at the turn of the century, Capcom agreed to release three games in the Resident Evil franchise exclusively for the new Nintendo Gamecube console. Two of these titles were original games, one was a prequel to the original game in the series, and the other a sequel taking place after the last game released. Alongside these, ports of the existing core titles in the franchise were also released, starting with Resident Evil 2. However, the original game wouldn’t see a port released for the Gamecube, with the third game in the exclusivity deal instead being a remake of Resident Evil created from scratch.
RESIDENT EVIL (REmake) – 2002
The decision to remake Resident Evil instead of simply porting the original game was down to the director of both versions of the game, Shinji Mikami, feeling that the old version had not aged well. Mikami felt the original game would not appeal to modern gamers who had not played the first game before, as its graphics, controls and story were at a disadvantage when compared to similar horror games available, including other games in the Resident Evil franchise. Mikami felt the new Nintendo console had the capability to allow him to create the game he had envisioned from the beginning.
Resident Evil, or REmake as it would become known unofficially, began development in 2001, and would take just over one year to complete. It was originally intended to use the modern technology available to render the games environments entirely in 3D, but this would use too much processing and hardware capacity to create a realistic world. Therefore, the team returned to the method used in Resident Evil and its sequels and used pre-rendered backgrounds with 3D models over the top of them. The inclusion of additional effects such as full motion video layers and particle effects to create the illusion of swaying tree branches or swarms of insects near light sources heightened the realism of the environments to never before seen levels, allowing the developers to create truly intimidating and terrifying locations. Most areas in the game were straight recreations of those seen in the original Resident Evil, albeit with some cosmetic changes. For instance, the Main Hall the player starts in is recognisable to fans of the series, but has additional features to create a new feeling. Personally, I found this to be incredibly effective, as the slight changes from the very first room gave a sense that despite having played the original Resident Evil many times, I was in for a different experience and shouldn’t approach the upcoming experience thinking I was well prepared. Entering a totally new area would also cause a sense of dread and uncertainty, such as the path from the garage to the abandoned shack outside. That whole section still sticks in my mind, as the fear of the unknown alongside the effective visuals, with zombies suddenly being illuminated in the shadows by lightning or other light sources, created an incredible atmosphere other horror games have a hard time achieving.
The visuals weren’t the only aspect of the game to be changed. Whilst the gameplay was essentially the same as before, complete with tank controls (although this could be changed in the options), limited game saving opportunities and the ability to only hold a few items in your inventory, new features were added to help players during their trip through the mansion. The addition of defense items was a welcome one, with players able to prevent an enemy taking a bite out of them with a handy knife or taser shot. These items would be kept separate from the main inventory, as would a player specific item (Jill’s lock pick or Chris’s lighter).
Another gameplay change would create a new sense of fear, which was the inclusion of the Crimson Heads. These new enemies were zombies that the player had killed earlier, but after some time had passed, would return to life when the player returned to the area. These new versions were considerably faster, able to sprint towards the player and take them by surprise, and dealt much more damage if they caught you. They also took a lot more ammo to take down, but running away often would result in a bite to the back. As there was no real way to predict how long a defeated zombie would take to turn into a Crimson Head, returning to areas with the bodies of fallen enemies would often be more tense than entering one with regular zombies, especially when approaching a corpse not knowing what would happen. Crimson Heads could be prevented by destroying the head of a zombie, with a well placed shotgun blast or a lucky pistol shot, or by burning the body with kerosene and a lighter. Kerosene is limited, however, so the player would be unable to burn every zombie in the game. The decision to clear zombies from the room or leave them would no longer be down to limited ammo, but on whether the player felt the potential Crimson Head encounter was worth the risk later in the game. This also meant you would have to plan your route through the mansion carefully in order to minimise dangerous encounters.
Another enemy added to REmake was Lisa Trevor, a mutated woman new to the story. The daughter of George Trevor, the architect of the mansion featured in the game, she was subjected to horrifying experiments for 30 years after her father discovered the secret research facility hidden under the mansion. Both her father and mother are murdered by Umbrella, but the experiments render Lisa nearly immortal. Having lost her mind, and her humanity, the only link to her past self was her obsession with finding her mother. REmake also retconned events so that William Birkin’s G-Virus was created using samples taken from Lisa Trevor. Throughout the game, Lisa’s presence is made known by her distinctive wailing heard echoing through the corridors of the mansion, with her few appearances made all the more intense not just by her deformed features, but the fact she could not be killed, no matter how many bullets were pumped into her.
Besides the Lisa Trevor subplot, the story for REmake was essentially the same as the one seen in Resident Evil. Minor differences were down to the story additions, and the much improved dialogue and acting. The performances from the cast this time around were far superior to the original, adding to the feel of playing a horror movie, something that Mikami wanted to achieve with the original game. The familiar set-pieces all returned, such as the giant snake Yawn, the piano scene, and the helipad showdown with the Tyrant. One major improvement is Rebecca Chambers, as her actress is able to create a character you want to rescue, rather than one you would rather leave behind to get blown up in the mansion’s destruction for being a major annoyance. That might just be me, though. If you’re interested in my opinion of the original Rebecca, along with the rest of the original Resident Evil, you can check out a play-through me and a friend did Here.
Overall, I think that REmake is an incredible achievement. The original Resident Evil is still one of my favourite games of all time, yet this newer version manages to surpass it in virtually every single aspect. From the CGI introduction cutscene to the multiple endings, the first time I played this version of the game was something special. Most remakes in the gaming industry tend to miss something that made the original version great, but REmake nailed everything for me. The game kept the same feel of the original, but heightened the tension massively. The new additions complemented the game brilliantly, and the Crimson Heads still scare the piss out of me, and that’s a good thing. Resident Evil was always meant to be the gaming equivalent of a zombie horror movie, and REmake achieves this in a way the original couldn’t due to the limited technology available at the time. Graphically, you would be hard pressed to find a game from the same generation on the same level, even games from following generations would be unable to reach the kind of visual magnificence found in REmake. For those unable to play the original Gamecube version, REmake was re-released in HD for PS3, Xbox 360, and later PC, PS4 and Xbox One. These versions allowed players to use a new control system with the analogue sticks rather than tank controls, but are practically the same. So if you don’t have a Gamecube or Wii, and haven’t played this masterpiece before, I urge you to grab it right now, especially with Resident Evil VII just around the corner. Hell, just writing this has made me start playing it again right now, and it still amazes me how good it is. Capcom recently announced a remake of Resident Evil 2, but time will tell if it will be on par with this remake, which perfectly blended the old elements that made Resident Evil great, and incorporated new technology and ideas to improve the experience.
So, yeah, REmake is amazing. It also fits well with fellow Gamecube instalment Resident Evil Zero, and both games would later make up another Nintendo offering, Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles, so I’ll take a look at that and it’s sequel The Darkside Chronicles in the next instalment to these lengthy Retrospective series.
