• Posted March 19th, 2009 at 16:13 EDT by Mike Harradence
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(continued from previous page) ...Leonardo DiCaprio. Code: Veronica X was eventually ported to Nintendo GameCube in 2004.


Resident Evil (a.k.a. Biohazard)
Release Date: March 22, 2002 (Japan), April 30, 2002 (North America), September 13, 2002 (Europe)
Platform: Nintendo GameCube
Global Sales: 1,350,000

Officially unveiled on September 13, 2001 as part of Capcom’s newly announced exclusivity contract with Nintendo, Resident Evil for GameCube - colloquially known as REmake - signaled a complete overhaul for the original survival horror classic, coinciding with the franchise's sixth anniversary in March 2002.

Helmed by series mastermind Shinji Mikami, REmake reverted back to the static, pre-rendered shenanigans of past games, which, thanks largely to the GameCube’s graphical muscle, resulted in one of the most visually stunning games ever conceived. Backgrounds are meticulously realized and lack the staleness of past iterations thanks to the layers of FMV thrown in to simulate effects such as rushing water and swaying tree branches in the wind, while characters models are an equally sumptuous visual feast, with both enemies and humans alike casting ominous shadows across the game’s dark, decrepit environments. Nintendo’s purple box also facilitated dynamic particle affects such as blood, water and fire, with the near indiscernible line between pre-rendered and real-time a fine testament to the raw talent emanating from the Capcom code house.

Obstinately, Mikami and his team decided not to subject this updated horror fest to any significant changes, instead relying on the tired and tested formula of old, though the general consensus among hardcore fans was of unanimous praise despite some criticism from the mainstream press. REmake wasn’t completely devoid of tweaks, though, and the developers attempted to cater to those fed up with the series stagnant control scheme by way of an alternate way of manipulating your characters using the shoulder buttons of the Cube’s pad. Elsewhere, the introduction of defensive weapons was also employed for the first – and to date, only – time in the Survival Horror franchise, allowing players to tackle assailants with a variety of weapons in close proximity.

Aside from a major visual overhaul, the game also boasted several new areas to explore (graveyards, estate rooms, and an eerie stroll through Raccoon Forest) while existing locations received noticeable decor adjustments. The narrative also saw a completely new sub-plot in the form of the mournful tale of Lisa Trevor (daughter of the architect responsible for the construction of the Mansion) who was subjected to a variety of horrific experiments at the hands of Arklay researches since the late 1960s, eventually leading to the discovery of the G-Virus.

Furthermore, standard zombies would mutate into a fiercer, deadlier form of undead known as a Crimson Head unless properly disposed of, forcing you to either burn or decapitate the lumbering fiends. Meanwhile, although the core layout of the mansion and its grounds is largely unchanged, the puzzles were completely redesigned, adding a flavor of ambiguity to the brainteasers in comparison to their PlayStation counterparts. Aurally, Capcom tossed in a plethora of new sound effects and eerie compositions serving as the perfectly compliment to an already terrifying package, with a raging storm now taking place outside, punctuating the action with growls of thunder and eye-opening flashes of lightning. In typical fashion the dialogue remains inherently dodgy at times, though fortunately, Capcom saw fit to revise the script and hire new voice actors, substantially improving the overall plot making for a far more compelling tale. Capcom ported the game over to the Wii in late 2008 for Japanese audiences, with a North American release confirmed for 2009.


Resident Evil Zero (a.k.a. Biohazard Zero)
Release Date: November 21, 2002 (Japan), November 10, 2002 (North America), March 7, 2003 (Europe)
Platform: Nintendo GameCube
Global Sales: 1,250,000

Originally penciled in for release on Nintendo 64 in 2000 (though rumored as far back as the late 90s), Resident Evil Zero quickly jumped ship to the GameCube after it became abundantly clear that the cartridge-based N64 was rapidly losing steam in the on-going console war as the millennium rolled by. After a lengthy hiatus, Capcom reiterated that the project would arrive on ... (continued on next page)

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