Biohazard

Though the game has been around for years I've never taken interest in Resident Evil until recently. I got the game for dirt cheap and was surprised how good it is. I saw my cousin play the old Playstation version years ago and was unimpressed but for the Gamecube the graphics have been re-rendered to absolute lifelike perfection. The shadows, the sound, the ambiance and those thunderclaps...all highly, highly realistic. Play this with your Gamecube hooked up to your home theatre. And like me, you'll totally jump out of your skin at the scary parts (many of them).

My main hint is conserve your ammo. If you see a zombie, put it down right away (no funny stuff) and burn it. Take care of them one at a time. And if you don't burn them they will soon come back as Crimson Heads-faster, deadlier, scarier.

Much like the Myst series, Resident Evil is one of those games where you have to keep your eyes and ears open. Clues and puzzle pieces are scattered all over the place and you need to pay attention.

Don't be put off by the size of the mansion. After a short while it's easy to get your bearing and find your way through rather easily. Though I will be honest with the fact I did not understand most of the story. I have no idea what Trevor's diary from 1968 had to do with the plot and I really didn't get why Umbrella would create the T-Virus. I know there are various ways to finish and complete the game though. Especially seeing as how there are many clips during the end credits that did not happen in my game play (I did it in just over 8 hours). If you finish it in certain time frames the next one is always different somehow. I only managed to unlock a new outfit for Chris. Wow!

My only gripe is about those boring 'door opening' cut scenes. They really got on my nerves. Still, it's a chilling game that will freak you out if you play alone in the dark. Well worth the time and money.

2002's Resident Evil, a remake of the classic 1996 game, was headed by Shinji Mikami with the goal of replacing the original and realising his true vision for the story and game. And there's no doubt he succeeded.

Having never played the original, this leaves me with no desire to do so after experiencing Mikami's true vision for entering the survival horror. The graphics and visuals are stunning and have a slick, clean and classy flare to them. The direction is at times scary, other times exciting, and sometimes just plain cool. The entire opening cutscene sets the stage perfectly for an atmospheric horror with Hollywood-influences, having expert lighting, sound-design, pacing and camerawork.

The central characters also have an endearing goodness about them which makes them instantly likeable, while the unfolding mystery of Spencer Mansion is constantly engaging.

My first play through as Jill Valentine (which took about 18 hours), was a nerve-wracking and intense experience. Turning every corner and entering every new room was an effectively scary thing. Throughout the run, there is also a consistent amount of new enemies and creepily cool bosses thrown into the mix that kept me on edge. At times, it was hard to see where this was all leading, but the mystery of the Mansion and finding out what would happen next kept me going. As soon as I concluded I felt an urge to play it all again. I wanted to see what the game was like now knowing what it had in store.

And it was on my second playthrough, as Chris Redfield (which took around 10 hours), that the experience truly came together for me. It perfectly clicked as to why there were two playable character experiences in the first place. Knowing what was coming, I was truly able to appreciate how seamlessly the puzzles, discovery and pacing all came together. And it was rewardingly fun to prepare myself for each coming obstacle and overcome the horror. Not to mention, the differences in characters and story here and there that help make it feel like a fresh experience.

It's safe to say this game has a timeless balance of horror, tension, mystery and excitement that make it a truly fulfilling and memorable game. Not to mention a nice ray of hope and heart with its primary characters. Resident Evil deserves its place as a classic video game.

The remake of "Resident Evil" for the Gamecube is a top remake. This is one of the reasons that I purchased a Gamecube.

The graphics are superb, the atmosphere is quite chilling, the gameplay is top notch. There are new areas, enemies, puzzles and gameplay features. The original music is still here with a slightly remixed focus; from the un-nerving mansion corridor tunes to the soft and soothing "Save Room" theme and the delicate "Sigh of Relief".

GRAPHICS - 10/10

Easily the best graphics I have seen on the Gamecube - almost real in parts. Superb shades and lighting. Even better than Resident Evil 4 in my opinion.

CONTROLS - 7.5/10

A little bit fiddly at first but you soon get adapted to them in 30 minutes or so.

LENGTH - 7.5/10

A decent length. First playthrough it will probably take about 5-8 hours to complete depending on how good you are.

I just wish is was a few hours longer than was it is. First time around it will take some beating but after you have completed it you will know the specific routes, item locations etc.

If only there was a piece of programming within the game that randomised all item & enemy locations every time you played to allow for a new challenge.

FEAR FACTOR - 8.5/10

I'll admit that when I first played on this I was a bit nervous going around corners and walking past those "crimson heads" as well as other things.

The camera angles are perfectly placed in that you can't really see where you are going at times and it makes you slightly nervous not knowing what is ahead. As well as that, the graphics and lighting effects make the game superbly eerie with dark hallways and gloomy shadowy rooms. There are also a few other surprises and shocks in the game that just might just make you jump...

SOUND & MUSIC - 9/10

The music from the original is all here but is slightly different and remixed. Excellent for those nostalgic memories from the original.

REPLAY VALUE - 8/10

Extras can be unlocked depending on how you complete the game. These will have you replaying over and over again for some time.

OVERALL - 9.5/10

A superb remake. Great to re-visit the original RE with updated graphics and gameplay.

Here's me hoping for another Resident Evil remake for the PS3 or Wii in the future.

In the city of Raccoon City, strange murders have occurred with reports of families and some folks getting eaten by creatures. The Raccoon Police City department sends out the S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team of Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Albert Wesker, Barry Burton and formerly Joseph Frost are sent to investigate a large mansion in the outskirts of the city. But what they don't know is that inside the place there's dangers galore with zombies, giant snakes and other weird monsters just waiting to have their blood as they must complete their investigation of what is behind the weird killings and the creatures.

A wonderful and absolutely brilliant remake that manages to be better then the original! it stays clear of the cheesy dialog that some fans of the series thought the original game's dialog was stiff that it needed to be improvised but you still can play as either Jill or Chris. It also improves on the original's live-action opening with actors who are just plain bad. The graphics and game-play are really outstanding as it gives us a bigger look at the Mansion and even some brand new puzzles. Here in this new version there's even a Nemesis-esquire female creature named Lisa whom is a true abomination of a creature beyond anything in your nightmares.

The music score for this remake is terrific as it used a remixed version of the original soundtrack score. The game also uses new plot element that enhances the original in every way and it's one hell of a scary and gory video game that will scare the crap out of you.

This game is a solid winner all the ways! strongly a must play.

The original Resident Evil for Playstation in 1996 was, and still remains classic. Now, pretty much every aspect of the old game has been updated, redone and improved into this very well-made and highly entertaining game.

The graphics are some of the best out there for GameCube, mainly because of the static camera angles (which are annoying to some, but helps keep the scare factor and dark atmosphere). Different kinds of shadows dance along the walls, water drips onto the ground, and characters move both fluidly and realistically.

The gameplay has been improved also; there is now these so-called "defense items", which can prove to be very useful in deadly situations. The controls remain mainly the same, for the better, or for the worse. There are also different types of puzzles in the game, some of which will have you thinking for a while. It's also a pretty long game. It took me about 10 hours to complete the first time through.

If you played the original Resident Evil back in '96 and are curious about this game, don't hesitate to buy it just because "you've already seen it". The experience is totally different, with plenty of new rooms added, some edited, and a plethora of all-new cutscenes and scenarios.

In conclusion, it is a very good game, including both suspense and nerve-wrecking terror all in one game. If you played the original and want to relive the adventure starring Chris and Jill, or if you simply like horror games, this is the one to buy. Several different unlockable weapons and game modes will keep you playing for a very long time.