The first time I ever played Resident Evil was with my brother Daniel who is a couple of years younger than myself. I remember that he was so terrified during gameplay that he opted to watch me play instead while he hovered under a blanket screaming. When you played games in the nineties it was crucial to set the mood for your titles in order to better enhance the horror presented within them. This rule was especially important for Resident Evil, because it was already a terrifying game on its own but the experience was even better when you waited until late at night to play, engulfed in darkness, with no parental figures awake to ruin the fun!
My survival horror adventure with Resident Evil HD Remastered officially started on January 7, 2015 with the PC version of the game. Since I originally played the console version of the game, I only tested out the PC version for a short time, before revisiting the true horror of the game for the Xbox One on January 12, 2015. While both versions of the game look and play incredible, it was the console version that really brought back my nostalgia for the game, as I laid on my stomach under a cover in my pitch-black bedroom watching the opening credits roll down my television screen.
The experience of Resident Evil was one of pure horror when it released and not the cheap scares that you experience today in video games. While the game doesn't send you into screaming into the next room like it originally did, it is sure to still send a shiver down your spine while evoking sweaty palms and high levels of anxiety! The claustrophobic nature of Resident Evil is what really gives it that terrifying charm since you can not control the limited camera angles presented throughout the game. Players are forced to go further into the dark listening to the scary sounds of creatures lurking ahead and not being able to see what is around that next corner until you are right up on the danger!
The classic mechanics of the game are what keeps the scare tactics in place for Resident Evil but also can lead to frustration for modern-day gamers. The confusing movements of the camera, small inventory and repeated door animations can seem like wasted moments during crucial times of the game. Every decision you make in Resident Evil really creates a scarier environment for the player while learning to master old controls and gameplay. However, the option to use the newer controls can really help modern-day gamers avoid a lot of the frustration experienced during those tense moments of Resident Evil HD Remastered.
In the end, Resident Evil HD Remastered turned out to be a fantastic title oozing of scaryingly-good, classic charm! The storyline, visuals, lighting, animations, character models, and sound effects were dead on for this title! Resident Evil HD Remastered lets fans re-experience that terror they first encountered in 1996 like a vivid, reoccurring nightmare! So what are you waiting for--turn down the lights--and get ready to relive every last detail of Resident Evil in a almost perfect HD Remaster for your consoles and PC.
Capcom has done a great job with the remake of Resident Evil, and I can only hope they continue this with Resident Evil Outbreak one day! Resident Evil HD Remaster will release on PC, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 and PS4 for $19.99 on January 20th. Resident Evil HD Remaster is rated M by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence & Language. For more information or to purchase a copy of Resident Evil HD Remaster, check out the official Capcom website.
Score: 9.5 out of 10
Game Features:
- Single Player
- HD Graphics
- Full 1080p Support
- 3D Models
- Trophy/Achievement Support
Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Capcom
Available for Xbox One (reviewed), Xbox 360, PS3, PS4 and PC (secondary tested)
Release Date: January 20, 2015