Resident Evil
PlayStation * Capcom

Review by Michael Vafeas
9.4

What?!?! Capcom can actually make a game that isn't Street Fighter or Mega Man? The answer is a very enthusiastic "yes," because Capcom's first adventure into the realm of 3-D games has been an overwhelming success. For many people who didn't purchase a PlayStation before the holiday season, Resident Evil was the reason to buy the system, and in many ways, I must agree.

Resident Evil fits nicely in the genre of third-person action/adventure. As in Alone in the Dark, 3-D characters move around in a static environment with camera angles that change according to your location. Although it is impossible to choose the angle from which you are able to view the action, the ‘cameras' were very intelligently placed and aside from some awkward instances, there is no need to change view. As one of the two playable characters, Jill or Chris, you must search a mansion which is filled with biological freaks of nature in order to find out, among other things, how the creatures came into existence. You wander from room to room and pick up keys, weapons and tools, solve puzzles and progress further all while trying to avoid the monsters which seem to be annoyed by your presence. Since these creatures appear to have no intention of letting you wander around their mansion, you must slice, shoot, blast, kick, or step on anything that tries to bite, scratch, eat, crush, or decapitate you, or else you will face the dreaded "you're dead" screen, which adequately replaces the typical "game over."

The static backgrounds are beautifully rendered and add greatly to the overall aesthetic appearance of the game. The characters and enemies are made up of nicely texture-mapped polygons and interact with the backgrounds almost seamlessly. These are easily some of the most beautiful graphics that have graced the PlayStation. While music is not abundant, it is present in certain key points and adds to the eerie atmosphere that makes you jump out of your seat occasionally. The sound effects are excellent, and much attention was paid to details such as the different sounds of footsteps when walking on marble or wood. Although it isn't very important, I must say that Resident Evil has the worst acting that I have ever experienced in a video game. Not only do all the characters make gestures like Michael Jackson when telling a story, but their voices are so stiff and emotionless that the game might have fared a bit better if subtitles were used instead. The dialogue can, for the most part, be described as stupid and unnecessary. "You're here? Yes, you're here too?" This certainly doesn't ruin the game, it's just a detail that could have been a little bit better, but hey, that's what sequels are for, and who knows sequels better than Capcom?

Although the control takes a little getting used to, it's very responsive. You can run and fire your weapons with accuracy, and you will have to in order to survive. The puzzles in Resident Evil are a bit on the difficult side for those who are not accustomed to RPG-style secrets and muses. It is not difficult to get stuck at any particular point. This is one particular game in which the players guide is almost every bit as popular as the game itself, a testament to the game's difficulty or the players' impatience. Either way, you won't find yourself whizzing through Resident Evil the first time you pick it up, which is a good thing in many respects. In addition, I found the game saving mechanism a bit awkward. In order to save your progress, it is necessary to locate ink ribbons and bring them to a typewriter at which you can record your game. The problem lies in the fact that the typewriters are scattered a bit too far away from each other, and it is easy to die while looking for another typewriter instead of making your way back to where the last one was. Also, the inventory restrictions are a bit too much. I had enough trouble having Jill carry a maximum of eight items at a time, and Chris' max at six is just ridiculous. While it is true that you can place some items in bins, it is often necessary to leave some important elements (such as herbs) behind so that you can pick up things on your way. This could have been corrected by offering a little more to be carried at a time, but it's not a big deal.

In all, inside the little Resident Evil box (which is now even smaller since it is packaged in a standard jewel case) is an adventure that is not easily forgotten. A lengthy, intelligent, action-packed quest awaits those who have the nerve to play Resident Evil. I would not recommend this game to the overly squeamish, but I would to everyone else. This is one of those games that is going to be in virtually everyone's PlayStation at some time or other, and it deserves to be.


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