While Alone in the Dark is remembered for being the forefather of survival horror games, Resident Evil is considered one of the best founding titles of the genre; the game is highly revered across the world, and it has spawned many successors which have turned one game into a complete franchise. The original Resident Evil made its debut on the first Playstation console in early 1996, and since then the series of games have captivated audiences with the unique approach to zombies, complex story line, and array of well-rounded characters. Not to mention, the opening live action sequence to the primordial release is absolutely hilarious. The remake of this classic title made its first appearance on Gamecube back in 2002, and that is the version that qualified for this high-definition upgrade that was released in early 2015.
The game takes place within a giant mansion on the outskirts of Raccoon City. At the beginning of the game, you are allowed to pick between two main characters to play as; either former-US military pilot Chris Redfield, or explosives expert Jill Valentine. At this time in the series, both characters belong to Raccoon City's own special force, S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Service). The player will experience a mildly different set of events depending on which character is chosen, and there is added replay value in going through the game at least a second time with the opposite person. The gamer will then explore the many corridors, rooms, and hallways of the massive mansion, all the while solving puzzles, fending off grotesque abominations, and managing a tight inventory space.
Seeing as this is the first Resident Evil title, the story line is pretty bare bones in comparison to later games. You will find out about the T-Virus and the wretched enemies that have spawned from it, along with a small glimpse into who and what makes up Umbrella Corporation. Going into this game without the knowledge from prequel Resident Evil 0, some questions are left unanswered; which is expected, if a game is expecting a sequel. There are also only three major bosses and a handful of enemies, and this might seem lazy for a game made in 2002. However, we must remember that the remake was based off of the 1996 game, and the limitations of data storage on a disc were much more confined back then. Rather than having a large number of enemies, the main focus of the original Resident Evil is exploration and survival rather than fighting many battles.
With the basics out of the way, we can now discuss the actual Resident Evil HD Remaster. Capcom have done an amazing job with bringing the 2002 version of Resident Evil to life in brilliant high-definition. The character models are crisp and sharp, the spotless floors of the mansion gleam, water has outstanding reflection, the backgrounds are clear, and the monsters look great. The atmosphere in the game breeds death and decay, the fog in some areas is so thick and pronounced that you can almost feel it soaking your skin. Likewise, the audio is completely immersive and crystal clear, the 5.1 surround sound breathes incredible life into the title. To boot, the game itself does not suffer from any glitches, bugs, frame rate issues, or crashes; at least in my experience.
I've never seen Resident Evil so deliciously alive as it is in this HD Remaster. From the aesthetic character model visuals, to new high resolution textures, atmospheric development, and completely immersive 5.1 surround sound audio, everything is overwhelmingly stunning. One thing that may put some people off is that Capcom decided to leave in the door animations; for those that are unfamiliar with early Resident Evil games, each time a door is opened a small cutscene plays showing the door opening. This also goes for some elevators and ladders. Originally, these were used in lieu of boring loading screens, and while it would be a nice option to be able to toggle this feature on and off, the inclusion keeps the dark, cult-classic vibe of the game within the HD Remaster. If you're a fan of Resident Evil, or even if you're new to the series or have been interested in playing it, I highly suggest picking up this HD Remaster; for $20 CAD, you really can't go wrong. I do also highly suggest picking up Resident Evil 0 and playing it prior to this game.
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