By Emil Favila, Reporter
When I first played Resident Evil on Playstation One in 1996, it was one of the most terrifying video game experiences next to Silent Hill. I can remember playing as Jill Valentine and not knowing what kind of environment my character would be walking into in each room. Perhaps it was the limited camera angle, due to the design of the game or the door entrance loading time. Either way, it worked out perfectly because it only added to the scare factor, along having limited inventory and saves. When I started college in 2002, I picked up the Nintendo Gamecube version of the classic survival horror. The graphics were cleaned up and enhanced keeping par with the cut time cinema. Resident Evil HD Remaster is a remake of that remake and the results are outstanding.
For the sake of this review, I played through the PS3 remaster of the game. What better way to truly appreciate the new updated rendition of the game than the company who brought Resident Evil to the masses in the first place. I’m certain the new updated graphics are just as miraculous on the PS4, XBox One, and XBox 360 consoles. As you can tell in the comparison photos above and below, the textures are less grainy and the details are smoother.
Controls are now set to the current next-gen consoles. You can now control your character with the left and right joysticks. Before you would need to press the up and down arrows while pressing down a button to make your character move. This time Jill or Chris can move freely around with just the joystick. However, for those who are used to the old style game play, the original inverted controls are thrown in as an option before and during the game. I personally prefer the new control schematic, as I could never get used to the inverted control scheme.
The graphics on the new HD version are simply stunning. I was already impressed with Resident Evil on the Gamecube but I never knew it could get better than this. Character movements are fluid, dark corners are illuminated, and harsh character and environment lines are polished. Overall, it is a great improvement to the classic survival horror game.
For those new to the franchise, Resident Evil HD Remaster is a great introduction. Fans who only started to play the series on it’s 4th iteration may find the old school game play cumbersome. They may not be well adjusted to the over the shoulder camera angles. Resident Evil 4 has paved the way for such games as Gears Of War, Dead Space, and most recently, The Evil Within with it’s improved camera framing. There’s no denying the beautiful visuals though, which are anything but outdated. I recommend picking up Resident Evil HD Remaster on Amazon if you are new to the franchise or love nostalgia!
Rating: 
ComicsOnline gives Resident Evil HD Remaster 5 out of 5 teeth marks.
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