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[fart town usa]

With 'The Evil Within' almost upon us and the announcements of Revelaitons 2 and HD REmake, I've been wholly obsessed with revisiting the old school Resident Evil's. I play through the original Resident Evil at least once a month, it's easily my favorite game of all time and my favorite in the series.

What I hope to accomplish with this thread is to have a retrospective of sorts for those who are huge fans like myself and maybe those who aren't too familiar with the games and want to play them but haven't because they feel these games are intimidating.

I will say this before diving in,

The "tank controls" and fixed camera angles DO NOT hold these titles back whatsoever. It's annoying for me to read old reviews and forum posts in which people bash these elements of the game. These portions of the games have been stigmatized to no end and there's really no reason for it. Yes, there is a slight learning curve but really, it's not a big deal. These 2 elements are key in providing the type of gameplay experience that the "classic" Resident Evil games offer. My advice, save often if you're new to the series, remember enemy locations (they aren't randomized), and plan your attack in advance. Eventually you'll be dodging enemies with the best of us, and ultimately, surviving the horror that awaits you...

Now on to the games I've completed so far and the systems I've been playing them on.

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RESIDENT EVIL - Sega Saturn

Coming back to this game, on the Saturn specifically, after having played the PSX version and Deadly Silence (DS) for the last few years was really a treat. I would strongly argue that the Saturn version boasts better character models. I would also argue that the Saturn version is the superior version in regards to the original console releases. It's not without it's problems, there are slight hiccups with the door load screens and the backgrounds aren't as vibrant but I dunno, I feel like the Saturn version does look superior overall. I have to point out too that I played it on a Sony Trinitron with S-Video, something that I can't do with the PSX version. However, I am able to play Director's Cut via the PSPgo with component cables on my Trinitron. I still prefer the Saturn version though.

What an absolute classic game. For those who've never played it before, I strongly urge you to find a copy, I'm sure one of your friends has it. The sense of mystery that surrounds the mansion and how the story slowly unfolds is such a unique experience given the awkward voice acting and files that are scattered throughout the various environments/rooms.

Also, it's key to remember the numerous routes that can be taken because I feel that the other "classic" games didn't offer as many options,

As Jill, do you listen to Barry and stick to exploring the first floor or do you want to head to the second floor? Do you trust Barry to cover you in the catacombs or do you want to stay in the rear? These simple choices can have deadly results. It's really rewarding to play through multiple times and experiment with the options that are available.

I could go on and on about how brilliant and downright fun this game is but it's something that is best experienced by yourself, in the dark, at night, alone...

RESIDENT EVIL 2 - PSN/GCN

As much as I love the original Resident Evil, I can't deny that RE2 is leaps and bounds better than the first. New weapons, brilliant locales and puzzles, vastly improved voice acting (and my preferred voice of Leon), new interesting characters and the holy grail of survival horror mechanics; the ZAP system.

You can either play as Leon S. Kennedy or Claire Redfield, each has an A scenario and a B scenario.

It works like this, If you start the game as Leon and complete it, you'll be offered a new save file, Scenario B_Claire. Upon loading this file you'll start the game as Claire and see everything that happened throughout the events in RE2 but from Claire's point-of-view. At times in scenario A there will be 2 really great items, do you take them both or do you leave one for the other character? It goes further than that though because scenario B is wildly different (at times) from scenario A. It's almost 4 games in one and to my knowledge, hasn't been replicated since. Although there are similar features present in Code: Veronica.

RESIDENT EVIL 3 Nemesis - PSN/GCN

Honestly, I can't comment too much on this title. I played through it for the first time in years a few months back but I need to go back to it before I give it an updated and honest impression. I will say this though, I have few, if any, issues with it. It's a great game. Lot's of new features and really action heavy.

RESIDENT EVIL Code: Veronica X - PS2

I recently completed this game for the first time since I bought it way back in 10th grade when it was initially released for the PS2, DMC demo and all. I had played through the first half a few times so going back to it I was familiar with Claire's section of the game. Having completed it the other night though I can say that I definitely prefer Chris's section of the game. It seemed like the difficulty ramped up considerably (lots of

Spoiler

hunters

) and I had completely forgotten about a classic setting revisited towards the end of the game.

I will say this though, IMO, Code: Veronica is where CAPCOM jumped the shark and brought about the insinuation of the series being "stale" in the eyes of the gaming press. The dialog between Claire and Chris when they finally meet up is borderline incestual. The Alfred/Alexia plotline is outright dumb. Steve Burnside is easily one of the worst, pathetic, annoying, and unlikable videogame characters ever. To top it all off, the results screen when you finish the game shows Claire and Chris linking arms, with Chris sporting a ridiculously large green shirt. It's also the game that brought back Wesker, which, I think it's fair to say was a huge mistake in the long run. [cue maniacal laughter]

While I do have lots of issues with the game, I can't deny that it is a solid experience and has some great puzzles. It played extremely well and the graphics looked great on the Trinitron with component cables. However, the lack of pre-rendered backgrounds definitely took me out of the experience. It just wasn't scary whatsoever because everything looked like a videogame. If that makes sense. I think it also looks vastly dated, even compared to RE, RE2, and RE3.

RESIDENT EVIL (2002) REmake/REbirth - GCN

THIS is what I'm currently playing and I'm ashamed to admit it but I've beaten this game a mere one time and it was with the grenade launcher glitch. For shame...

Not this time though, I'm playing on Mountain Climber (normal/hard mode), as Jill, and I am loving the ever-living shit out of this game. HOLY SMOKES. From the onset, the game just comes at you with a nasty difficulty spike. I learned fast that I need to save often and play it safe and smart. I'm currently at 9 saves, lol, and I'm just about to exit the mansion and head towards the greenhouse. What an exhilarating experience though.

It brings back so many memories of when I played the original on the PSX in 7th grade. Plotting my course within the serene environment of the save rooms, being scared shitless of the zombie infested halls, cursing myself when a single bullet is wasted, the satisfaction when a pistol headshot happens,

Spoiler

"fuck yea!!"

. It's so incredibly awesome and I truly feel like REmake provides a one-of-a-kind experience. YES, the game can be incredibly brutal and unforgiving but if you've never played it and want to, I beg you to see it through, it's absolutely incredible.

RESIDENT EVIL ZERO - GCN

I haven't jumped on this one yet, and it is the only classic Resident Evil that I never beat. I've made it to the 2nd disc in the past but I feel like this game is easily one of the most difficult, if not the most difficult entry in the series, classic or modern. I feel like this game receives the short end of the stick but I have fond memories of it and am looking forward to diving in once I'm done with REmake.

__________________________________________________

I could expand on more elements within the games but I mostly just wanted to share my absolute excitement and joy I get from playing these games. I really hope that some younger gamers who have never played through these titles really give it an honest effort. I mean, these games are absolute CLASSICS through and through and they still hold up, especially 1-3 and REmake.
________________________________________

It's officially Fall, the days are getting shorter and the Halloween season is almost upon us. What better way to spend the season than by playing some classic survival horror games?

On a side note, here's a great RE retrospective from the wonderful people at 8-4. I'm sure many of you have listened to it before but it's still great. It's spoiler laden though so if you've never played the games, but want to, I'd recommend listening to it after you finish the game(s)
http://8-4.jp/blog/?p=478
___________________________________

Here's a link to CVXfreak's gamefaqs profile in case you get stuck on a puzzle
http://www.gamefaqs.com/users/CVFREAK/contributions/faqs

And lastly, for what it's worth, here's my collection

 

[Death Metalist]

Pretty much the only RE games that I simply adore. To me Veronica X showed that Capcom was still able to keep RE to it's roots while being fuly 3D, weather the story sucks or not is another matter but the gameplay and identity of the series was there, that's what I loved most about despite all the other crazy shit that happens in the game.

EDIT: Here are my thoughts on the classic series from the REmake HD thread.

I love it to but eh, to me atleast, the original trilogy is still better simple for the fact of atmosphere, tension, sense of progression, puzzle solving, reading notes that give hints/references to future puzzles or items that you picked up as you play, mood, SOUNDTRACK and how at any time you could be at the brink of danger even if you just thought you were out of it a minute ago. I even prefer Code Veronica over RE4. Actually, Code veronica proved that Capcom was still able to keep RE's identity while it being fully 3D and while the other half of the game is backtracking, I thought they were creative in how you explored the same familiar ground yet everything looked/felt different as you went into new and old places where with Claire you didn't/couldn't. Which surprises me why Capcom's other game DMC4 has such lazy backtracking when you play with the other character with absolutely nothing new and the same fucking boss fights.

I think the best thing about the original RE's for me is that you start out in such a simple place or setting but it turns into a much bigger and complex thing. Mansion, Police Station, Jail Cell,Streets.etc after exploring and progressing you reminisce about the places you were in as you find/found the key that may take you someplace that is not something familiar and way outside where you spend most of your time playing, exploring and going through. Like who would have thought in RE1, you'd go through a mansion that has

Spoiler

a big ass underground lab? or how about in RE2, you go through a police station that ends up with you being in a sewer which leads to a secret lab that has a train station for an escape.

I may sound crazy but the original style RE's always manages to make me miss the place where I was because I spent so much time exploring, unlocking doors, doing puzzles, going through notes, defeated bosses, listening to the fantastic score of that place.etc that when I finally reach to the point of progressing without returning to the place I was makes me sad but also gives such a sense of progression that no RE except the original style was able to capture.

With 4 you are mostly going forward during the entire game. You are not given the time to grow into your environment and surroundings, infact the whole pace of RE4 is faster then all of the other RE's combined. In the original RE's you psychologically felt stronger without the need of upgrading weapons because you got used to your surroundings and learned everything by heart which gives you the sense of progression and satisfaction that RE4 and above just doesn't, imo, Unlike in RE4 where you upgrade weapons and such. All you did in the original style of RE games was gain new weapons and even then they weren't much help at all because good luck managing places for your items, herbs and other weapons so you'll have to make a choice by what to keep in the safe box and what not. You won't use the new weapons you got because of them having low ammo most of the time, most of the time you will be relying on your trusty handgun and even then you got to manage your ammo so you most likely not have to shoot everything in sight but try running away and collecting ammo as much as you can.

I agree with Jawmuncher though, both styles cannot be compared, at all. I'm just stating why I adore the previous style of RE games. A couple of years ago, I played 1 - 3 and just this month I finished RE:Code Veronica. Still amazing, amazing games. We may never get anything like it again but I am glad we have the originals to experience them. Edit: Another thing I love about the original style of RE games is that the camera angles always feel like someone is watching over you. Just the whole camera angle gives such a sense of depth, perspective, mood and atmosphere that TPS doesn't cover.

They use the environment in such a smart way that you start off not knowing anything to then learning everything by heart which helps when you want to head to places from point A to B. Not to mention each place has it's own piece of music so you'll find yourself humming the music as you go from door to door. The save room themes are enough to call the OST's of RE 1 - Veronica X GOAT. I like to compare the original style of RE games to metroidvania games. In the sense you start out in one place but then slowly get stronger and progress through the game which also makes you reminisce about the old places you were in because you spent so much time there and really grew as a character except here you psychologically grow as a character by learning the ins and outs of where you are plus what is the fastest way from going to point A to point B after having the needed item to open a door lets say. Which is why I say that this sense of progression reminds me of baby birds that learn to leave their nest after sometime. RE4 and above just don't have that sense of progression, satisfaction or growth as a player because they are not designed for you to be in one place and slowly you open up new places as you flourish in the environment, It doesn't give you the time to do so since it is designed in a way that you are, for the most part, always moving forward. In any case, I can't wait for RE: Remake HD, going to play the shit out of it.

 

[loaf of bread]

I loved the classic games and didn't really enjoy the RE4 style. I didn't even really love RE4.
I cringe when people say RE4 is the best, because it's not resident evil. I freaking despise the whole parasite mutant junk.


Also there's nothing wrong with tank controls.

 

[fart town usa]

I loved the classic games and didn't really enjoy the RE4 style. I didn't even really love RE4.
I cringe when people say RE4 is the best, because it's not resident evil. I freaking despise the whole parasite mutant junk.


Also there's nothing wrong with tank controls.

Yea, I like RE4 but I was playing through it, for the first time in years, last month and I eventually got bored and stopped. I made it to the mine cart section and i thought, "you know, I'm tired of just blasting away at enemies, this is getting old"

It's a great action game but I dunno, there's countless games where I can blast away at fools.


^^^^^
Great write up on your feelings concerning the classic games Death Metalist. I feel the the same.

Ha, I hope this thread doesn't immediately die, I really wanna see what fans of the classic series have to say.

 

[Polioliolio]

Resident Evil 4 is fantastic, but it shits all over the previous games in terms of gameplay, story, etc etc. It's a totally different package. I still think it should have been called something else, or maybe even been a reboot with new characters.

Ideally, it would have bud into a brand new franchise for them, alongside a creepier, scarier, and more classic Resident Evil than what we get today.

 

[SURGEdude]

I will never forget my glee play CV on Dreamcast and arrive at the second locale to find I was only halfway through when I was expecting it start scrolling the credits. But they are all great experiences. Ok maybe not Zero, but still worth a playthrough.

 

[Åesop]

fixed camera played a huge role in terms of atmosphere. Still waiting for RE to bring it back instead of going for the COD audience