Almost 13 years since the original GameCube release and a little over half a decade for the Wii port, Capcom has released REmake in the form of an HD remaster on the PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and PC. Despite more recent Resident Evil games aiming for a more action-oriented gameplay approach, REmaster is a rerelease of a game showcasing the series’ roots in survival horror. REmaster is more than just a port of a remake though, as Capcom has done a lot to touch up not only the game’s visuals but also its controls.
One of the most striking, and positive, changes is the ability to toggle between the original tank controls and a more modernly adapted “alternative” style. Alternative works closer to more modern third-person shooters, where holding a direction on the analog stick or D-pad causes your character to walk in that direction instead of rotate like in older Resident Evil games. It’s a nice option for newer players, but you can’t beat the precise control that the classic tank-style offers when it comes to baiting zombies and dodging enemies.
The game also comes in the original 4:3 resolution and a new 16:9 widescreen. Both look nice, but it feels like there is no reason to not go with the widescreen. You can swap between the aspect ratios and change your control types on the fly, so if you don’t like one you can immediately shift to the other. You can also shift your controls between 4 different pre-set variables as well as toggle the use of defensive items, get out of trouble free-cards exclusive to REmake, to either be automatic or manual. The ability to map your own buttons would have been nice, but there’s probably at least one pre-set you’ll be comfortable with.
The PC version of REmaster runs at a smooth 60fps, with its only faults being an odd looking water drain and single door loading screen that look like they didn’t get the revamp treatment before the game launched. To go with the increase in fps, Capcom updated the lighting, and it looks fantastic and adds a lot of dramatic tension. REmake on the GameCube was already a pretty game and REmaster upholds its legacy well.
Capcom added two new costumes for Chris and Jill, based on their appearances in Resident Evil 5. You can unlock the other alternate costumes from the original REmake by beating the game in under a certain amount of time. There are four costumes in total for both characters and they all look great.
The game’s biggest flaw is its online leaderboards. A few weeks after the game’s release the top scores on every version became dominated by cheaters and hackers. Capcom seems to have little interest and removing these scores so there’s a bunch a 1 second runs vying for the top spot. In reality though, the leaderboards have very little to do with how the game plays or feels. If you really care about being the fastest at REmaster, there’s a place for that.
Being a rerelease, there isn’t much to talk about on the story or gameplay front. S.T.A.R.S. Alpha goes to investigate a series of crimes out in the woods, they get jumped by dog-monsters, and find themselves stuck in a mansion overrun by zombies. That’s the gist of it, but most of the background information in the story is delivered through the use of documents scattered about the mansion and surrounding areas. The game still revolves around item management and passive play to avoid wasting precious ammo needed for unavoidable encounters and boss fights.
Overall, REmaster is just a rerelease of an already near, if not, perfect game. REmake received countless amounts of praise from fans and critics alike when it came out, but stumbled on turning big numbers from being limited by the poor sales of the GameCube. Hopefully REmaster will sell better by being released on so many platforms, because it certainly deserves it. Fans of more action-oriented games like Resident Evil 4 or Revelations might have their qualms with REmaster’s playstyle, but if you’re looking for a good old-fashioned survival horror, then this game is it.