The original Resident Evil will be remembered fondly by many as the game that started the survival horror genre. Even today, Resident Evil is still a strong, popular and active game series with a loyal fanbase. Today, we will be reviewing Capcom’s remaster of the classic which has released on the PS4 and Xbox One.
Resident Evil HD takes the GameCube release of the game from 1996 and presents it in HD with remastered textures, rendering and cutscenes. Of course, anyone who played the original game will find playing this remaster a nostalgic experience. This release of the game is certainly the best currently available. If you have never played the original Resident Evil, this release is the best opportunity to experience how the series began.
Of course, this version of Resident Evil, being a remaster of the GameCube edition, contains the cutscenes included in the GameCube edition, rather than the original live action cutscenes. A revised control scheme is enabled by default, rather than the cumbersome original control scheme which made the game difficult to play. This is certainly a good thing, as movement is a lot easier now and doesn’t cause headaches. Also, combat items (such as knives) will now be automatically used when the player is attacked from the front. Again, this makes the game more accessible to new players and brings the controls and mechanics up to modern standards.
Resident Evil HD is by far the best version of the game visually. The character models have also been updated to add the new versions of Jill and Chris. However, you are still able to choose to adopt the original models over the updated ones if you require extra nostalgia. Overall, all of the settings in the game look fantastic and the updated textures truly improve the experience.
There are three levels of difficulty available for players when first starting the game. While some experienced players may enjoy going straight for the highest level of difficulty, new players who have no experience with the layout and story will thank the easy mode for allowing them to enjoy their first playthrough, rather than causing them to give up due to frustration. The save system has not changed, you must have an ink ribbon in your inventory in order to use a typewriter to save the game. While some new players may not agree with this, I believe that Capcom made the correct decision in keeping this element of the game. Trying to rush to a typewriter without dying after completing an important task adds to the tension of the game. The only negative is the fact that the loading times between rooms has not been improved. Each time you walk through a door, you will still see the short cutscene of the door opening, meaning that you must wait a few seconds between rooms. While it is not a major hindrance, it can get a little irritating.
Overall, this remaster is certainly worth the asking price. With amazing visuals and a huge amount of potential content across various endings, Resident Evil HD is an essential return to a classic and is a must-play for both new and experienced players of the Resident Evil series!