Resident Evil Zero has always seemed to be a lone wolf within the long-running Resident Evil franchise. Released in late 2002 on the heels of the incredibly constructed remake of the original game (affectionately dubbed REmake), it’s often forgotten that it was the final main title to retain the traditional fixed-camera perspective that defined the series to the industry. While years on the battle to be the most pertinent of the traditional titles frequents between the original and Resident Evil 2, Zero sits almost completely forgotten on the sideline.
Nearly 14 years later, the change to an action-focused approach for the series alongside the still-ongoing war to be the most loved of the old crop has boiled a reworked HD version of both REmake and Zero to the surface for the legacy fans to sink their teeth into.
How the ‘Arklay Incident’ Began
Released at the tail end of the franchise’s telling of the Raccoon City saga, Zero serves as a prequel to give insight on how the events in the first game came to transpire as well as what exactly happened to the first team sent into the mountains.
You are put in the shoes of Rebecca Chambers, a rookie member of the S.T.A.R.S (Special Tactics and Rescue Service) Bravo team whom players of REmake will be familiar with as “that medic in Chris’ story”. Starting one day before the events of the first game, you join Bravo team as they investigate a series of homicides reported in the Arklay Mountains.
Shortly after landing the team finds an overturned vehicle with it’s driver dead. Inside they find documents explaining that the vehicle was en-route with a prisoner sentenced to be executed, charged with mass murder. With the prisoner potentially still in the area, the team splits up in an effort to find them. Officer Chambers comes across a halted train while exploring, entering while rain starts to coat the area. This is where you are given control.
The Power of Teamwork
In the games prior, any form of companionship between characters is short-lived, usually due to inserting a contrived reason to not stay together. While leading to an isolated feeling, in the whole scale of each plot it felt like there was no proper character development taking place. Every survivor leaves with the same demeanor that they entered with, albeit breathing a bit heavier. The developers must have realised this at some point, prompting the introduction of a new player character with an unknown backstory, that character being Billy Coen.
Zero brings a handful of things to the table when compared to the previous titles. Standing as the most present of these is the Partner system. For the vast majority of the game you will be playing between Rebecca and Billy, wise enough to not separate. The basic breakdown between differences is pretty simple. Billy has better vitality than Rebecca, being able to tank more damage, which poises him as a go-to lead for most of your endeavour. While Rebecca is weaker, she has her own role to play between the two, carrying a Mixing Set that allows the combination of any herbs you might find as well as a few other chemicals. This sets up a basic Lead/Support dynamic between the two characters while you play.
Along with the dynamics between the two comes the scrapping of a long-held mechanic for the series. The item boxes are now gone, replaced with an intense game of item management, with the ability to drop items anywhere. Juggling weapons and key items between each character’s 6-slot inventory will be a large portion of the general meta of the game. It allows more freedom in organization and planning, along with making retaining healing items something you need to dedicate yourself to, as you never know at what point you’ll need to bring it out.
With the Partner system and the new style of inventory management stacking up alongside the same mechanics present in REmake, you end up with a more mechanically interesting game. Though it can be a burden at times, the extra things to pay attention to will eventually make the pace much less start and stop than previous games. You will center yourself on home-points, preferably with a save typewriter present, keeping an eye on reserves at all times, balancing out the risk reward nature of less weapons and healing for more key items to solve puzzles.
For the most part the puzzling aspect of the game is strong, outside of a few of your typical ‘put key item X in scenery Y’ jobs. The ability to swap characters is taken into account in the design of each puzzle, prompting some very interesting concepts. As usual though, the puzzles sit as checkpoints between each area, making you gather all you have and brainstorm the solution.
Shine Bright and Sound Scary
One thing you might notice immediately is that the backgrounds and pieces of scenery in Resident Evil Zero are much better looking in comparison to it’s counterpart in REmake. The fact that they remain so in 2016 by merely upscaling the game is a testament to how much of a graphical powerhouse this game was for the Nintendo Gamecube all the way back in 2002.
Further bolstering this is an increase in variety of locales. You will go from a claustrophobic train ride to a dimly lit, lived-in training facility. The scale of the second location in itself is impressive, connecting through underground passageways and rooftop plazas. Further on you will go through a spree of laboratory and factory settings. The game doesn’t let you linger for too long in visually similar environments, each offshoot room and study having it’s own distinct visual design which makes the game an absolute joy to explore thoroughly.
Packed with the great graphical assets is one of the most dramatic soundtracks the franchise has. There is no moment more audibly intense and panic-inducing than turning a corner to be faced with a Leech Marcus, the orchestra absolutely exploding in a way that will immediately make you slip up and take the situation in a more dire fashion (which you should, they can kill you remarkably fast). Boss themes carry a war-like tone that stands much closer to the front as you fight, instilling a great atmosphere within the big encounters of the game.
Companionship That Matters
I mentioned earlier the way the story is set up. This is the very beginning of the Resident Evil story, as well as Rebecca Chambers’ first mission as part of S.T.A.R.S. She remains much more emotive than any character you’ve played as through the original series, demonstrated by her defiance to work with Billy. Although her naivete is what left her in a duo with Billy in the first place, her character actively grows as the game goes on. Questioning what got him where he was, you receive Coen’s backstory as the two mutually bond, eventually leaving them in a state of camaraderie where they work and act as a unit.
This has a much better sense of progression than other RE teams, going from distrust and reluctant teamwork to multiple sequences where you rush against the clock to save the other. It makes it feel like there is actually a bond there, which I never felt with a Jill/Chris team or a Leon/Claire team. The concept of character growth has never been a strong suit of the series, even to this day with the modern titles. It’s nice to see it highlighted and taken seriously in this instance.
Strength Under Scrutiny
With the HD version you get an exclusive bonus not present in the Gamecube original, Wesker Mode. In this outrageously silly mode, you can play as the series’ prominent villain, Albert Wesker. Unique functions include absurdly overpowered psychic killing powers and possibly the goofiest looking run function I’ve ever seen in my life. While novel, you’ll definitely be sticking to the main game as your default mode if you ever return to replay the story again.
At the end of the day Resident Evil Zero stands exactly as tall as I remember it standing. A very solid game and by opinion of yours truly, the very best that the traditional Resident Evil formula has to offer. It all sits with variety. Scenery, weapons, puzzles, enemies. Everything about this game feels progressive in nature, constantly putting new obstacles in your way to overcome, instead of letting you get comfortable with the tricks the game has shown you.
Every bit as enjoyable as it was when I played it 14 years ago, it has weathered the test of time superbly. For anyone who has even a passing enjoyment of classic Resident Evil and/or Survival Horror, I’d implore that you pick this title up, it will show you new things in a very positive way, keep you in a tense state of paranoia at times and even make you feel a sense of companionship that hadn’t been present before and hasn’t appeared since.
VERDICT: 9/10
Pros: Fantastic Visuals, Comprehensive Level Design, Well Crafted Atmosphere, Notable Character Development
Cons: Throwaway HD Exclusive Mode
Glitching Is Art 
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