THE DEAD TIMES

RATING:

ZOMBIE RATING:

DESCRIPTION:

In 1996 Resident Evil, a classic of the survival horror genre, shocked the world, starting a franchise that continues to this day - spawning sequels, spin-offs, books and movies. This remake of the stunning original, gives the dated masterpiece a new lease of life with updated graphics and new gameplay elements. The story remains unchanged: a shady organisation known as Umbrella performs ungodly biotech experiments in the sleepy town of Racoon City. When reports of attacks in the city outskirts come in, an elite group of special forces known as S. T. A. R. S. is sent in to investigate. When contact with the squad is lost, a second team is sent in. You play as Chis Redfield or Jill Valentine, a member of this second team.

MY VERDICT:

This is survival horror done at its best - ammunition is scarce, enemies are relentless, and health is severely limited. Every location is rendered in stunning detail, dripping with tension and mystery - the game's introduction cutscene is a wonderful example of the amazing care the developers went to. Throughout the rest of the game, the quality never drops. The Zombies are excellent, vivid portrayals of slow-moving horrors that often start face-down, on the floor, rising slowly and horribly only when they sense fresh meat. Other enemies exist too but Zombies are definitely the main course, lizard-men Hunters and infected dogs forming the side-dish to keep the gameplay varied. It may look and feel dated (awkward controls only add to the sense of fear) but, for epic fear-inducing horror wrapped up with entertaining gameplay and an intriguing story, this game has never been bettered. "Pure terror cubed" - it says it all.