I know that the original prequel video game Resident Evil Zero came out in 2002, but the version I fully played was the video game Resident Evil Zero HD Remaster that came out fourteen years later in 2016 after the original; so, I am just going to give my thoughts on only this version since I have not played the original with the weaker graphics, also because this version is just the original game just with better looking high-definition graphics. The prequel game Resident Evil Zero HD Remaster (2016) was enjoyable to play with likable characters, good gameplay mechanics, nice looking graphics, and an investing on its own story that connects to the events of the first game very well; the only thing that can be issues is that occasionally the camera work can make moving around the locations difficult when maneuvering past zombies or solving puzzles.
You get to play as/switch between two characters who is S. T. A. R. S officer Rebecca Chambers, and escaped convict Billy Coen who each have certain abilities to solve puzzles and progress in the story; Rebecca Chambers is a likable character who wants to learn more about the Umbrella Corporation and must find a way out of a Umbrella training facility, having to work with Billy to get out but she also bonds with him after learning more about him. The second character Billy Coen becomes more of an interesting character once you learn more about him and how he became an escaped convict, throughout the game you start to grow a liking for him like Rebecca does; Rebecca and Billy both worked well together, and I liked playing as them in many scenarios and puzzles. I will lastly add that there are not that many other characters other than the antagonist does have a big reveal to him I will not spoil, and he is just the main cause of everything happening to you throughout the game.
The game mechanics are a bit different involving switching characters, switching items between characters, and having the characters interact off each other, but other than that, it is like how the first game worked and it gets easy to control and know how everything works once you get the hang of it; the issue is the same issue I had with the first game, and that the fixed camera angles in every area or room makes it hard to see where some things are, like things to pick up or zombies/mutants around the corner near you. It still has the option to save at typewriters like usual, but there are no item boxes to put your stuff in, so you must leave the stuff you do not need or need later right onto the floor in a room you can remember to look in again; it only bothers me a little bit that there were no item boxes to make it easier to store items, but it is not that big of an issue with the game.
I know this game has mixed opinions from Resident Evil fans, some do like this game, and some do not care for it, but I do think this game is underrated because I had an enjoyable but fun time playing it; it has some small issues, but it has likable playable characters, nice looking graphics, good mechanics, an investing story that connects to the first game, and difficult but possible to solve puzzles. Lastly, I will just say that the prequel Resident Evil Zero HD Remaster (2016) is worth playing, though not the best in the Resident Evil video game franchise, I still had an enjoyable playing this game.
