Another great and suspenseful Resident Evil game that answers a lot of questions about the origins of the series.
THE GOOD
-Superb story
-Creepy atmosphere that enhances the gameplay
-Great audio
-Tag team system is a neat idea
THE BAD
-Controls are frustrating
-Rebecca is useless alone
OVERVIEW
Resident Evil 0 is the prequel to the hit Resident Evil series. Everything for the series starts with this game. The game takes place in the rural area of the Arklay Mountains, outside of Raccoon City. The year is 1998 and the Special Tactics And Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S) Bravo Team was sent to investigate a series of murders. Rebecca Chambers, the new combat medic recruit, and the rest of the Bravo Team fly into the Arklay Mountains, in a helicopter, when it suddenly malfunctions and crashes.
When the team emerges from the wreck, Rebecca finds a stopped train that is infested with zombies. After fighting off a few zombies Rebecca meets up with Billy Coen, a former marine who is about to be executed for a crime he didn't commit (or so he says). Rebecca and Billy quickly realize that there are these poisonous leeches that might be the key to understanding what is going on. Upon crashing the "out of control" train into the Umbrella training facility, Rebecca and Billy start to piece together the truth behind the zombies and leeches and this is where their nightmare begins.
The story and characters for RE0 are excellent. You learn a lot about each character and the exciting plot twists will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire time.
GAMEPLAY
Resident Evil 0 has the same terrifying story, confusing puzzles and unfortunately, crumby controls. In RE0 you play as Rebecca and Billy either together or alone. The unique tag team system gives you the ability to control both characters at once. As you control one character the A.I. controls the other with your customizable settings like if you want them to be aggressive or passive in the presents of enemies. Another great feature about the tag system is that you can split your team up and have each character explore separately to advance the game quicker. However, there is one flaw to this system. Just like the first Resident Evil game, there is an abundance of zombies but the ammo for your weapons is few and far between. So, the team system can prove to waste ammo if you aren't careful.
Also, keep in mind that Billy and Rebecca have different physical traits. Billy is a lot tougher than Rebecca so he can take more hits. Rebecca is a little faster than Billy and since she has medical training she has the ability to enhance your restorative items. Even though Rebecca has her medical training you're going to want to use Billy alone throughout most of the game because he can take more hits. Otherwise, you'll just be wasting the few restorative items in your possession.
RE0 definitely has plenty of suspenseful moments that will make you jump. This along with the fixed camera angles really creates a terrifying but awesome experience. It can seem like you're watching a movie with all the great special effects. This is a trademark thing for the Resident Evil series and definitely enhances the gameplay. Along with fighting zombies and other mutations, Rebecca and Billy have plenty of puzzles to solve along the way. Just like the other RE games, the puzzles prove to be a challenge and nice break from the running and shooting. There are also some extras upon the completion of the main game that are fun too.
One thing that has irked many fans of the Resident Evil series is the controls. Resident Evil 0 uses the same frustrating control scheme but has implemented some improvements. Unfortunately, you still have to suffer with the awkward controls which usually results in taking needless damage from enemies or missing targets you are shooting. However, there are some improvements to the formula which makes the experience less frustrating. You now have the ability to turn 180 degrees and the select aiming feature lets your character aim and change targets more effectively.
GRAPHICS & SOUND
For the GameCube, the visuals for Resident Evil 0 are awesome. From the detail in the characters to the amazing cut-scenes to the environments the gameplay is greatly increased and helps create an eerie feeling.
The music is great. It has just enough suspenseful tones to scare even the most unafraid person. Plus, the music really fits the setting of the game. The sound effects are equally as great, especially the sound of the shotgun blowing off a zombie's head.
CONCLUSION
Resident Evil 0 doesn't stray too far from the Resident Evil series formula which makes it a great game to play. If you can bare the controls then you'll have a good gaming experience. I would definitely recommend this game to any Resident Evil fan because it explains the origins of the entire series. So, if you are ready to be scared out of you mind and play a great game than RE0 is a must have for you.