Capcom
Resident Evil 0

I don't think enthusiasts need an explanation of what "Resident Evil" is, if not the progenitor of an entire video game genre that has inspired dozens and dozens of productions spanning comics, books, movies, and more. Having become a full-fledged series after the (unexpected) success of the first chapter on PlayStation, several sequels were released, only a few of which are unsuccessful or barely so, among them notably "Resident Evil 0", the prequel to the original "Resident Evil". "Resident Evil 0" was the result of a rather troubled development process: initially, when the other chapters were rampant on PC and PlayStation, Capcom producers thought of starting to work on a new project to transport to Nintendo 64, sensing the technical potential of the console, which would allow them to introduce new features into the classic series gameplay, notably the so-called "partner zapping".

The project, which from a storyline perspective would clarify what happened before the incident of the first, unforgettable and unforgotten, "Resident Evil", was heavily promoted and then shelved for several years, only to be resurrected, following Nintendo's acquisition of the series rights, in 2002, on the Nintendo GameCube. The title, released soon after "Resident Evil Rebirth", presents notable similarities with the latter, especially graphically, despite having a different and varied plot. The protagonists are indeed two, who will work together throughout the game: Billy Coen, a convict awaiting the death penalty, and Rebecca Chambers, a rookie from the famed RPD S.T.A.R.S. Bravo team, already seen in other saga chapters, including the first. The events link directly one day before the incident of the first episode, involving the two in an investigation that will lead them to uncover the secrets of T Virus discoverer, Dr. James Marcus, the true novelty of the game, and, through various settings such as a train, a laboratory, and a mansion, to discover the truth behind the origin of the infection that would later contaminate both the Spencer Mansion and Raccoon City in the second and third episode. A game that, noticing the series of novelties both in terms of plot and gameplay, has certainly attracted a fan of the saga's taste like mine. The ability to swap roles is the great novelty of this chapter; indeed, it will be possible to move through the mansion and other settings in pairs, swapping items and organizing the inventory intelligently compared to the ever so evil enemies to face, and in some sections, it will even be mandatory to change your character to solve the usual and numerous puzzles; but there's more, the two characters, besides having different physical characteristics and abilities (Rebecca does not have a lighter, Billy cannot mix herbs...), will not have the aid of the famous magic box, and will have to simply drop and retrieve items, a real treat, if not for the fact that it will be hard to find scattered items throughout the game amid the tons of monsters trying to kill us.

The cooperation between the characters, initially a bit cumbersome, will later become a routine and it will even be possible to choose how to attack enemies and who should do it at the expense of energy and ammunition. All of this combined with a simple plot intended to whet the appetite of the most die-hard fans makes this game decidedly appealing. And the question spontaneously arises: is "Resident Evil 0" up to the level or not of its successor and the other series chapters? Alas, the answer, unfortunately, is partly no. The now outdated game structure is not enhanced here and does not reach the levels of involvement found, for example, in the remake of the first ("Resident Evil Rebirth", which I consider a masterpiece) and the difficulty, too unbalanced in every mode, reaches very high levels of frustration, especially in the tougher modes. Numerous times you will encounter a large number of enemies without any medical supplies or ammunition, not due to misjudgments or waste, simply because it was impossible otherwise, and trying to beat the final boss, anything but meek, with a simple knife is something that has happened to me more than once. Additionally, longevity is not the game's strong point, both because the adventure will end in very little time (not even 6 hours to complete it) and because the extra modes are perhaps the worst ever seen in a Resident Evil saga, including the mini-game "Leech Hunter", which serves to unlock infinite ammo extra weapons, nothing more than a simple "treasure hunt".

Otherwise, the positive remains that it is a top-notch title from the soundtrack, perhaps the best ever, and the technical/graphic standpoint, as well as playability, which, although inferior to other titles, remains of a high level. Perhaps it's the irresistible curiosity to discover the birth of our favorite series that led us to play (and replay) this title? Well, in summary, absolutely yes, because "Resident Evil 0" loses the comparison with almost all subsequent chapters of the saga under all aspects despite its strengths, ending up being a game without the charisma that distinguishes the first chapter, which will give you hours of fun but just as many of boredom and frustration, so hasty does the work on the gameplay seem. Are we facing the worst title in the series? Definitely, much worse has been done (RE: survivor, outbreak...), but a title of such importance deserved much more than merely juxtaposing old and new, and with regret, especially observing the exquisite work done with RE Rebirth, I can only deem RE 0 a mediocre title.