Grim's Game Reviews

[Grimoire Lenin]

Alone In The Dark​

Original Console: DOS, 3DO

Released: 1992

Original Developer: Infogrames

Plot: Jeremy Hartwood, noted artist and owner of the infamous Louisianian Derceto Manor, has committed suicide by hanging. Whilst suspicious, the police close the case quickly and it is rapidly forgotten. Many people believe the suicide to have been due to the purported "hauntings" of the mansion. Edward Carnby, a tough and down-on-his-luck private investigator is hired to retrieve a piano from the mansion for an antique dealer. At the same time, Hartwood's niece, Emily, goes to the mansion in search of a potential note left by Jeremy to explain his suicide. Either one arrives and is immediately trapped inside Derceto before ascending to the loft, where the piano is located. They must now find a way to escape the mansion whilst also searching for the answers to the mystery of Derceto. 8/10

Gameplay: Alone In The Dark is the original third person survival horror game and almost singlehandily the influence for Resident Evil four years later (I say "almost", it would be complete were it not for Sweet Home (the entire reason Resident Evil was made in the first place)). Playing very much like Resident Evil, Alone in the Dark utilized the divisive tank controls that worked like their namesake. Pushing the forward key moves your character forward irregardless the direction of either the camera and Carnby/Emily. The left and right keys change the direction of the character you control, be that Edward or Emily.

Many of the conventions of the survival horror genre were birthed from Alone In The Dark; conventions such as: limited inventory space, an array of different puzzles, very little health and health items, instant kill traps, and of course staggeringly antiquated combat. Yes, I will admit, playing it again has been both a joy and a disappointment; the game is definitely innovative and there are still gameplay elements that are fun, but one of them is not the combat, which is tricky to control at first. Holding space while using the fight mode allows you to get in your fisticuffs stance (or ready to fight with whatever weapon you have), pressing any of the direction keys allows for an attack. Once you get into a rhythm, however, it isn't so bad; the problem lies in once an enemy hits you, they can just keep wailing on you whilst you try to recover, leading to an inevitably quick death. It's stuff like that that makes the game arbitrarily difficult. The puzzles on the other hand are actually not too bad to figure out, and they're quick and help move the game along. The main story of the game is mostly told, much like Resident Evil, through manuscripts and memos left scattered throughout the house. Some of these notes are pretty provocative and intense, even by today's standards, very much written in line with the Cthulhu Mythos, the universe in which this game is set.

Along with the limited inventory space, there is a way to rid yourself of items. Once a key or other items have been used, you do not automatically get rid of them. You have the ability to drop or throw them, however. Also in line with Resident Evil, you can push large items. There is one last segment that requires, of all things, platforming. You read that right, there's a segment that requires you to jump between several platforms, and if you miss, you land in a lagoon below. It's absolutely terrible and there was no reason for it to even be in the game, but alas, there it is. Another final thing would be all the instant kill traps; not even three rooms into the game and there is a trap that will kill you instantly if you don't notice it, and that is all over the game. Is it frustrating sometimes? Yeah, it is, but as long as you're careful and observant, you shouldn't die; remember, Resident Evil has them too.

My biggest complaint overall would have to be how poorly the game has aged, which is no surprise. Unlike Diablo, however, this game is still greatly playable and a ton of fun despite not aging so well. It could take some time to get used to the controls and the menu, but if you're keen for old school and innovative gameplay, this is right up your alley. The minor problems set it back a bit, however, with combat being ridiculously hard, a bad platforming segment, and some instant kill traps that are, for better or worse, cheap. 6/10

Visuals: Here's where Alone In The Dark ends up dropping the ball, with those visuals not aging as well as one would expect. For 1992, these are some brand-spanking new looks and absolutely innovative for its time. However, even playing ten years ago, it didn't look so well. Carnby and Emily look goofy and the enemies look more like geeks than freaks, to be honest. This was the failing of many games that attempted 3D in this time period; there was almost a guarantee that the graphics would improve with time. As bias as it would sound, sprites just seemed to age much better. Ultimately, you'll be looking at a lot of green and quite a bit of putrid brown when all is said and done. The palette for Alone In The Dark does not differentiate that far, other than maybe some purples thrown in there as well. It is not visually stimulating, but for a horror game, the atmosphere is on point. It's not meant to look pleasant and that's what they're going for. I for one enjoy the atmosphere, but not exactly the graphics. 5/10

Audio: The audio in this game is actually pretty good. There are some spooky noises and some spot on sound effects for the mansion and monsters. Not only that, this actually has some pretty good voice work, I especially like Carnby's voice. A lot of the voices come from the books and papers you find, and they help add to the maddening atmosphere of a Cthulhu Mythos type game.

The music is also pretty good, although there are a limited amount of songs and they tend to cut in and out a lot of the time. The main music is pretty atmospheric and helps add to the game, the other music also work considering how short and repetitive they can get though. Overall, the audio quality for Alone In The Dark is "meh", good sound effects and voiceover is marred by a somewhat forgetful soundtrack that is actually incredibly fitting for the game itself. 8/10







TL/DR Thoughts: An innovative game that is still somewhat playable, but marred by it's pratfalls. I, however, would still argue that it is a must play for anyone looking to find the origins of the Survival Horror game and aren't afraid to get your hands dirty with some hard combat and older looking 3D perspectives. The trilogy is currently purchaseable on GOG.com, so go ahead and purchase them post-haste, the first game is well worth it. The other two are just a neat bonus.

Final Grade: 7/10

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Demon's Crest
(Demon's Blazon)

Original Console: SNES

Original Release Date: October 21, 1994

Developer: Capcom

Plot: The Demon World is separated from the human world, and it is in strife. There are 6 crests, which if gathered together, the Crest of Infinity appears. Firebrand has defeated the Demon Dragon, and has collected the last of the crests... however, as he leaves to tend his wounds, he is attacked by fellow demon Phalanx. Firebrand loses all the crests, and is locked in an amphitheater, left to fight the zombified Demon Dragon once again. He escapes, and now is on the hunt to getting back every crest again from Phalanx. 8/10

Gameplay: Demon's Crest combines elements of RPG's and Platforming into one fun mix. Once pressing start, the game just throws you into it; no bullshit, no tutorial. Just you, the Demon Dragon, and your controller. Once you start to get more of a grasp of the controls, the game throws more mechanics at you faster than an automatic baseball pitcher.

Oh, I also forgot to mention. Demon's Crest is actually the final game in the Gargoyle's Quest series, a series that is actually a spin-off of Ghosts N' Goblins!!! How's that for some fun trivia! The first Gargoyle's Quest was a Game Boy exclusive, and Gargoyle's Quest 2, which maybe many of you NES players have taken a run through perhaps, were both good games for their exclusive systems. But Demon's Crest on the SNES... just breathtakingly above anything Capcom has done before.

The implementation of the crests are very interestingly designed. There are 6 crests you can earn throughout the game, the first being the Fire Crest, which Firebrand has right away. One crest allows you to swim underwater, another lets you fly, and another makes your attacks stronger and use ground attacks. There's so much variety, and the level designs allow you to accommodate for each crest. You'll need to get as many crests as you can, buddy.

One biiiiig problem with this game is how floppy the bosses are. It's completely wonky. Sometimes you'll come across a boss that unrelentingly hard, and then later on, you get a crest in a different level (which I do give credit to Demon's Crest for, non-linear play), the bosses become laughably easy. Just a damn shame how much they screwed up the bosses.

Another big problem is item placement. Before I go into further detail, I just want to say that there are in fact multiple endings, and what are the conditions? How many crests and items you gain by the end of the game. Now, isn't that just a little buttfuck? Not to mention, all the items are SOOOOOOOO obscure at times, it's as if Capcom had a meeting and the topic was, "How do we piss off customers when they go and buy Demon's Crest?" The answer? Just randomly place essential items in places no one would even THINK of looking. If you played this game as a youth and had a strategy guide for it, you'll know what I mean.

The third nail in the coffin is simply the slowdown this game suffers, and really, it's a very minor negative, but also a very huge positive in terms of graphics and sound. When there's too much of something on the screen, the game sadly tends to drop in frame-rate, but it doesn't make it unplayable, just slightly slower than usual.

Now then, after I just bashed the game for it's negative points, I'm going to accentuate it's positives. The game's control scheme is perhaps ingenious, and the way you control Firebrand makes you feel like a bad ass, and makes you feel in control. You feel like you could go into the game and actually BE Firebrand because the controls are just so lusciously great! Yeah, there's some problems with the game, but it doesn't detract from the experience of having a great time with it, and ultimately that's what makes Demon's Crest stand out from many of it's contemporaries, and I haven't gotten to the over-world, which I'll just describe in a brief sentence. You fly around, and get to choose what levels you take, what shops you want to go to, etc. etc. In short, the gameplay isn't the problem, it's the choices that Capcom decided with the game is why it is just shy of being an irrefutable classic. 7/10

Visuals: Same with the audio, Demon's Crest's visuals are beyond beauty. It's very obvious that Capcom went all out with this game, and because of the slowdown, you can tell they went waaay too above and beyond the call of duty to make this game shine above many of it's similar games... which is sad considering it was a financial flop.

Firebrand looks bad ass, the enemies are beautifully drawn, and the environment looks like something right out of real life. The only thing that can truly be said about the visuals, is that it is the peak of aesthetics, concerning the SNES. 10/10

Audio: You want music that could rival Super CastleVania IV? You got it buddy. You've got one of the best soundtracks in the SNES library just at your fingertips. The medieval feel with the organ in this game is just gorgeous. There really is nothing like Demon's Crest's articulate and well constructed flux of sound. It mustn't be described, it must be experienced. Perhaps the best song in the entire soundtrack is "Beyond the Colosseum", which in my opinion is probably a perfect example of the SNES's sound capabilities. 10/10







TL/DR Thoughts: Demon's Crest is a game before its time. Demon's Crest is a game that because of its problems, will never be seen in the light as one of the greatest games of all time. Demon's Crest is a damn good time, and should have been utilized more by gamers. It is one of those obscure games, that will live on, as the peak of graphics on the SNES forever. This game is worth your money, and your time, and your collection.

Final Grade: 9/10

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Misao

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Original Console: Windows

Original Release Date: May 26, 2011 (Version 1)
October 14, 2011 (Version 2)
June 25, 2014 (Version 3)
October 25, 2017 (Definitive Version)

Developer: Sen

Plot: 3 months ago, a student by the name of Misao disappeared. Aki didn't know her very well, but it was well known that she was picked on a lot by other students. Rumors say that a curse has been laid down upon those who tormented her before her disappearance. However, Aki has been suffering from strange dreams, in which Misao is calling out to him/her to find her. One fateful morning, during class, an earthquake erupts, creating havoc. When Aki awakes, the school is in a completely different dimension, otherwise known as the Other World. The Student Body President, Onigawara, explains to Aki that she/he must find pieces of Misao's clothing to end the curse, while saving the others.. if she/he can.. 8/10

Gameplay: Misao is a unique style of game that had reached the peak of its popularity in 2013-2015, with games like Corpse Party, Witch's House, Mad Father, The Crooked Man, and Ib getting into the radars of a lot of people, and with good reason. These games are fantastically done! Essentially, the game plays like an RPG, but without leveling up or fighting, just walking around, puzzle solving and picking up items. Simplistic enough but still fun to play. These games have some fairly difficult puzzles though, and they are ones you'll never figure out your first way through without help. That's the fun in the game, though.

The main goal of the game is to collect pieces of clothing belonging to Misao (in the free version, it is body parts... yeah). While also taking part in several cutscenes and watching your friends get mutilated in all sorts of ways. Indeed, the path to freedom from this hell-hole won't be easy.

Since it's a horror game, expect a few jump-scares here or there, though it's none that'll really get you jumping (very unlike Witch's House). The real hook of this game has to be the story. I kept it as basic as possible so you get the gist of it, but there is just a lot to go over, and it is some serious material it trudges into; a bit like Corpse Party actually.

The puzzles are actually rather varied, which is a nice thing to see. One requires salt to get rid of an angry spirit in a hallway, another requires you to actually stay PERFECTLY STILL. I can't give away the others, but you fucking up shouldn't be a problem as long as you quicksave before doing anything. (Quicksaving only temporarily resets you back where you saved. You need to hard save in certain spots to be able to play later).

The game has one of two endings, and, well, neither of them are very "good". One is a very clear bad ending, and the other is just... sad. Very depressing, in fact. After completing what can only be described as the "good" ending, there is a second scenario available to the player for more of the story, if you're really willing to delve back into this heap of sadness.

Not a single character in the game is particularly likeable either; for the most part, they're all reprehensible for their behavior as the game reveals more of what they did. For starters, Yoshino bullied Misao relentlessly, Saotome is a jealous bitch, Kudoh abandoned Misao in her time of need, and Tohma is an idiot that toyed with her. Last but not least, fuck Mr. Sohta. None of these characters exactly deserve sympathy, but none of them deserve to die either (Yoshino possibly excepted, since... ugh).

Misao is just one of those games that is fun to play, but... not fun to watch. The gameplay is great, the gallows humor is genuinely funny, and it has a myriad of fun death scenes, but that story is depressing as fuck. It's a mixed bag of a game, and I can totally understand it not being anyone's cup of tea. 7/10

Visuals: Blood and guts mixed with a match of hilarious death scenes probably best describes this game. It is really nice and appealing to look at especially considering its basis in Anime and Manga art. It has a dark atmosphere that seems nearly realistic, though still managing to remain in the confines of the game, and the light colors are only used when in a safe zone, which adds another level of depth to the psyche in this game. So, suffice to say, the visuals are pretty good. 8/10

Audio: The music and sound effects for this game are really good, perfect for horror really. Some music is upbeat, most of it is grim and foreboding. It's very nice to be able to have some more atmosphere here and the music it great for it. The sound effects are also fantastic, bangs, booms, screams, moans, laughter, just the common mish-mash of horror sound tropes in this. 7/10






TL/DR Thoughts: Misao is a really good RPG Horror game among a list of them. While I wouldn't say it's the best of its genre, I'd argue it's probably the easiest of them to pick up and get into, if you can get past the fact the story is somewhat of a downer. I definitely seem to enjoy it more than I do the sequel "Mad Father".

Final Grade: 8.5/10

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Final Fantasy III
(Final Fantasy VI)

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Original Console: Super Nintendo

Original Release Date: April 2nd, 1994

Developer: Square

Plot: 1,000 years have passed since the great War of the Magi, a destructive conflict that saw magic lay waste to the entirety of earth. Since then, gunpowder, steam engines, railroads, and science; magic had all but been forgotten and became myth. That is until the Empire of Gestahl came into power, through ruthlessness and dictatorial power. The Empire discovered "Magitek", a way to infuse magic with the technology of the day. With the use of mechanized infantry and magitek, The Empire is now looking to discover the hidden world of Espers, humans infused with magic by the Warring Triad, three magic deities that fought against one another, in order to dominate the earth.

One girl, Terra Branford, a slave to the empire, is brought to the small town of Narshe alongside two other soldiers to find a hidden Esper. Through a mysterious happening, Terra is the only one left alive; she is broken free of her mind control and rescued by Locke Cole, a member of the resistance movement known as The Returners. Terra may not realize it, but she is perhaps the most important person to the world... 10/10

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Gameplay: It's been a long time coming but it's a great day to get to talk about Final Fantasy VI, in my opinion the best game in the series. Final Fantasy VI is the last of the classical RPGs of the series before the games went fully 3D. It is a story-driven RPG with a massive overworld and many places to go. You can control up to 4 characters at a time, but a maximum of 14 fully playable characters to mix and match at any time. Perhaps my favorite characters are Terra, Celes (best girl), Locke, and Sabin. These characters all have interesting backstories with very personal arcs throughout the game.

​

The battle system for Final Fanasy VI utilized three battle modes: traditional turn-based battle, time-based battle, and a mixture of the two. The two battle modes essentially turn the combat into a different style of play depending on which mode you're using. Each character has their own set of abilities and special tactics. Perhaps the most famous of those would be Sabin's suplex, which can be used to literally suplex a train.

The combat in the game is fluid and feels great nonetheless. Some enemies have a particular strategy to defeating them, and early on in the game that is displayed quickly, so one should keep their wits about them at all times. Final Fantasy VI is certainly a victim of Random Battle Syndrome, as with most RPGs of the day; however many enemies are nicely designed and are just generally fun to wail on. That doesn't mean they aren't dangerous themselves, but compared to some of the bosses, they tend to be fodder for beat downs.

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I'm personally a great fan of the setting of the story, a world that has finally discovered the technology of the real world 2nd Industrial Revolution, and thus it's not nearly as modern as say Final Fantasy VII, but not as primitive as earlier titles (excluding II/IV). Villages are simplistic and it's a neat mix of the classic fantasy aesthetic alongside the technological aspect of everything. Trains exist in this world, and the last known airship (which I believe is probably a reference to Final Fantasy II/IV)

I must also mention the incredible scenery and places that the adventure takes you. From a northern wintry mining town, to a dead forest, to an opera hall, and finally through the depths of a dead planet, Final Fantasy VI never ceases to amaze. Each character's personal arc can also be tied to a place in time, such as Cyan, who's whole arc is about accepting that not every parent can protect their child, originating from when Kefka poisons an entire city's water supply and kills Cyan's wife and child in the process. Another one is Locke, as his obsession with protecting women comes from being unable to save the one he loved. Edgar and Sabin grapple with the weight of being the successor to their father's throne, with a coin flip of fate deciding who would stay and rule, and who would go and follow their own path. Everyone has a story to tell and they remain compelling characters throughout the story as they react and are paramount to events surrounding them.

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Speaking of memorable characters, it is no spoiler that arguably the greatest villain in all of Final Fantasy history, Kefka, is maddeningly unlikeable. You love to hate the mad clown. When he first appears, he comes off as bumbling and comedy fodder; the further the game goes on, you realize just how demented and crazy this jester of the Empire is. An early indicator that this man hates life and everything is when he (as pointed out earlier) poisons an entire city's water supply just so he can watch everyone die. Kefka does what he does because he hates life and everything in-between. Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII comes across as very tame and frankly, uninteresting, compared to the blatant camp and fanciful nihilism of Kefka Palazzo.

The gameplay may feel pretty standard as far as Final Fantasy games are concerned, but the minor additions such as a new battle mode, the incredible story, and the feeling that each character is important enough to warrant their own story, is what makes Final Fantasy VI arguably the best of the classic games in the series. It is a perfect concoction of story and gameplay and the game is also chock full of great humor. For an SNES game, this is what I think is the perfect game. 10/10

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Visuals: Final Fantasy VI is one of the best looking games of all time in my opinion. This and Chrono Trigger have a very timeless look and considering both are from 1994-1995 and by the same company, it makes it all the more impressive. The settings are gorgeous, the characters are well designed, the enemies are great looking. These are some of the best visuals in all of video games. 10/10

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Audio: There are many incredible SNES soundtracks throughout the history of the system, but perhaps none are so iconic, nor as incredible, as Nobuo Uematsu's masterclass soundtrack for Final Fantasy VI. Throughout the entire game, the music is beyond compare, possibly only matched by Chrono Trigger. Not only this, I boast that it has arguably the most iconic battle and victory themes in the entire franchise (this battle theme is very closely followed by II/IV, V, VII, and II (JP)). Some of my favorite tracks include, "Mines of Narshe", "Locke's Theme", "Kefka", "Terra", and "Mt. Koltz", to name a few, but honestly, almost 3/4 of the soundtrack is memorable and has its own innate charm. Not to mention that Final Fantasy VI boasts simply the greatest piece of music produced on the system, and definitely the greatest final boss music in video game history: "Dancing Mad", an over 17-minute piece that seamlessly transitions to the next movement as the fight continues. Without a doubt, this is Nobuo Uematsu's single greatest achievement in the conducting world; this soundtrack stands as a testament to his will. 10/10

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TL/DR Thoughts: Final Fantasy VI is simply one of the greatest JRPG games of all time, if not one of the greatest RPGs ever. The story is classic, the characters are memorable, the visuals and the music are all-time greatest tier. This would be the last traditional JRPG that Square would release (outside of Chrono Trigger). I'm almost fairly certain it is the only game that I've reviewed that I have given a completely perfect score across the board. That should tell one the testament of this game.

Final Grade: 10/10

 

[Kiffy Lube]

The music sure is awesome. It wouldn't be able to keep my interest but that just means that game isn't for me. I'm glad ya got to enjoy it though.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Shrek 2
​

Original Console: All of Gen 6

Original Release Date: April 28, 2004

Developer: Luxoflux

Plot: Shrek and Fiona have been living the good life in Shrek's swamp for some time, but trouble is brewing. It's time for Shrek to meet Fiona's parents: the King and Queen of Far Far Away. A plot is conceived by dark forces (Prince Charming and the Fairy Godmother) to take Fiona away from Shrek somehow. Donkey is along for the ride, and what do you know, the Gingerbread Man has crumbled his way to the swamp to help Shrek and Fiona as well! Together, they've got to prepare their way towards Far Far Away. Throughout their adventures, they'll meet several other characters and complete several side-quests that ultimately have nothing to do with their main quest. Something like that. 6/10

Gameplay: Shrek 2 is a beat-em-up game developed by Luxoflux: a company I have literally never heard of before today. The only other games they're famous for are Vigilante 8 and two games in the True Crime series (Streets of LA and New York City). As you can tell, we're in for some fun. Shrek 2 is multiplayer, bringing up to four players at once for all your frustration and leisurely ass-kickery of cartoon chickens-- and enemies, enemies too. Mostly chickens though. Speaking of chickens, our chicken kickers themselves, the playable characters! It's Shrek, Donkey, Fiona, Gingerbread Man, Lil' Red, Puss in Boots, Big Bad Wolf, A Pixie... Shrek and Donkey in their human forms... Help me out here? Anyways, every character has a special ability. Shrek can carry things, Fiona can slow down time, Donkey has a special kick, So yeah.

Each level has a different style to it, and most of it practically consists of either platforming, collect-a-thon-ing, and kicking the crap out of enemies (and chickens). There's the swamp, a creepy forest, the Kingdom-town of Far Far Away. Ya know, actual places in the movies. Each consists of interesting set-pieces and references to previous movies, as well as collectable stuff that doesn't really affect the rest of the game. There's the Seven Dwarves that need rescuing, magic beans for a beanstalk, and other things. Does my disdain for this game that I shockingly still have in my collection come across yet?

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There's a bunch of side-quests that actually aren't side-quests and are imperative to continuing the game, but honestly, they don't affect the game in the slightest. They're just dumb. Let me get back to beating the shit out of chickens please. At the end of each level, there's a mini-game that's specific to one character. It really just consists of Simon Says or similar to jobs from Urbz: Sims in the City. You know what I'm talking about, hitting a specific button pattern. Pretty simplistic considering this game was made for children (and the gullible).

Overall, there's just enough to not make the game completely boring, but unless you're at a party and you happen to be one of those friends who pressures others into playing this, it's not fun. Oh well, at least Lil' Red is cool (read: the only good character). Hell, I don't know why I'm even talking about it other than some sick, twisted sense of humor. You know the drill, anyways. Gameplay is mediocre, a sin worst than death. 5/10

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Visuals: We're in the low end of Gamecube graphics. They've aged about as well as milk from 2004. Speaking of, I found some Cheese from June 2020 at work just hiding in the back of a cooler. It was the absolute worst looking thing I've ever seen. That's what Shrek 2 looks like. I imagine it was mediocre looking back in 2004, but sweet Jesus is it ugly to look at now. Resident Evil this is not. Hell, this could be slightly confused for a PlayStation 1 game. Yeesh. So yeah, that's what I think about the visuals of the game. Why must I be tortured so? 5/10

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Audio: Okay fine, I'll be nice and at least give some positives to the game. The music is... generic, if not hilariously tonally dissonant at times. I mean, who the hell uses a cliche 70's guitar theme in a Shrek game of all things. I laugh at the arrogance of these developers to do this. Another thing, they didn't even get Mike Myers or Eddie Murphy. Blasphemous if you ask me. Anyways, I'll be nice and give it a generous rating because my fury knows no bounds. That and I find it too funny. 7/10

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TL/DR Thoughts: It's a mediocre game based on an okay movie during the mid-2000's licensed gaming boon. It's not very memorable, it's not very good, and it's not even very fun to play alone. That said, it would make a perfect prank gift for your mortal enemy. After all, a mediocre game is worse than a bad game. In my opinion at least.

Final Grade: 6/10

 

[Chris]

You sure did beat the game fast

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Resident Evil
(BioHazard)​

Original Console: Sony PlayStation

Original Release Date: March 22, 1996

Developer: Capcom

Plot: July 10, 1996: Raccoon City's special forces team S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team is combing through the Arklay Forest in search of Bravo Team, who went missing the night before. Grisly murders had been popping up all throughout the outskirts of the city, and Bravo Team had been sent in to locate the hideout of these vicious cannibal killers. Upon locating the crash landed helicopter of Bravo Team, they landed in search of survivors. Unfortunately, the helicopter was a derelict and all the equipment was missing inside. Going by foot, the team continues their search through the forest and shortly afterwards Joseph Frost is attacked and killed by a pack of dogs. The rest of the team make a beeline for the helicopter, but Brad Vickers (known as Chicken Heart to the rest of the crew), flies off without them, leaving them stranded. They manage to escape into a mysterious mansion that they happen to come across, and it is here where the real nightmare begins. 7/10

Gameplay: The history of the original Resident Evil is an interesting tale that one must divert to before one talks about the gameplay. Resident Evil was birthed from the ashes of a previous game that one Tokuro Fujiwara had directed in 1989: Sweet Home. Fujiwara's pedigree in the gaming community is well tried and true by this point, having helped make Ghosts & Goblins, Bionic Commando, and the first few Mega Man games. By early 1995, with the release of the PlayStation and the advent of 3D graphics, Fujiwara wanted to revisit Sweet Home and remake it for modern audiences. The man he hired to direct the project was a bit of an odd choice, as his only work of note were the licensed Disney games for Capcom: Shinji Mikami.

Fujiwara chose Mikami specifically because he hated being scared; as Fujiwara once quoted, "You can't make a horror game if you can't be scared." Work went underway by mid-1995, and the group in charge of the new project became known as Studio 4. They were well known for their stairwell shouting matches and competitive nature within the company. The team drew inspiration from several Western sources as the project went on and strayed from the origins of Sweet Home, such as The Shining, George A. Romero's Dead series, and the 1992 Horror-Adventure game Alone in the Dark.

Resident Evil was to be designed with a First-Person perspective in mind, but in 1995, it proved too difficult for the extremely early 3D era. The team settled on the Alone in the Dark style fixed camera angles and settled on pre-rendered backgrounds for the rooms of the mansion. By early 1996, the beta of what would become the final game had several gameplay elements that were removed from the game, such as bloody notes on the walls, a graveyard that would show up in REmake, and real-time weapon changing.

The name Resident Evil was an in-house suggestion due to the circumstances of the Japanese name "Biohazard" being nearly impossible to copyright in the US. Due to this, the name "Resident Evil" was selected as a replacement. The name is notable for being a pun based on the events in the game: Resident due to the mansion setting, and Evil because of the monsters and nebulous corporation behind the events. Resident Evil released in July of 1996 and became a smash hit immediately. It was the best selling game on the PlayStation until Final Fantasy VII and went on to spawn one of the biggest gaming franchises of all time.

With all that out of the way, allow us to discuss the game itself. The game plays in tank controls. What this means is that the forward button will push your character in the direction he/she is facing, and of course, the left and right buttons will move them into different directions. The game plays with fixed camera angles, much like another game, Alone In The Dark. The purpose of this is meant to create a claustrophobic and enclosed atmosphere for the player and their character; the idea that you don't know what is lurking around every corner can be terrifying.

Throughout the course of the game, ammo-preservation and item utilization are key to survival. Of the possible 72 zombies, plus other enemies you'll encounter, you have only enough ammo to dispatch of perhaps half of them effectively. This puts a crunch and focus on pre-planning and over-caution if one goes into the game blind. It is entirely possible to bypass several zombies without harming them and sometimes pacifism is the better part of valor. With your limited inventory, you also have to juggle between ink-ribbons, which allow you to save the game, healing items, ammunition, weapons, and story items needed to progress the game. Thankfully, item boxes are universal and are necessary to store items for later on in the game; by universal, any item you put in one item box will appear in another item box at a different location. In the original beta, this feature was not present, and in REmake, it is added as a gameplay mode for extra challenge.

A major gameplay change of note is that there is no auto-aim in Resident Evil; in fact, it is only available in the Dualshock version, and in BioHazard, the Japanese version of the game. The reason behind this was financially motivated: Capcom wanted to reap as much sales from rentals in North America as possible. Renting games is a banned practice in Japan and so having an auto-aim wasn't a problem in Capcom's native region; in the North America and PAL regions, they wanted to make it artificially more difficult so that rentals would be higher. Thus, because of this decision, the game is actually much harder than it should have been. Enemies are able to reel in massive damage to you since you cannot quickly aim their way to stop them. This leads to a lot of health item usage, and since there's really a limited amount, it puts quite a bit of pressure to try and prevent from getting yourself in highly populated areas (of which there are many).

Enemies in Resident Evil can deal a good amount of damage even with the lowest types. Zombies are the most common but due to a gameplay flaw, if you are crowded by more than one zombie, you can be endlessly stuck in a bitten animation and can't heal. Zombie dogs are probably the easiest to deal with since once shot can knock them down for a time, but they are surprisingly agile and quick. Hunters are arguably the most terrifying thing in this game since they have a one hit kill attack on you if you're in yellow health or lower, making aiming a tense experience. Chimeras however are the most annoying enemy type to deal with; they can climb the ceiling, attack with tremendous ferocity, and don't die easily. Preparation is key, however, and being well prepared is a great counterbalance to the enemies, and knowing their locations helps out immensely. Zombies can be dealt with by a single shotgun blow to the head, and it works effectively with groups of two or three. Zombie dogs can be taken out with a simple handgun. Hunters and Chimeras are trickier but the shotgun does the trick.

There is no difficulty option, in the definitive sense of the word. There is only two modes of difficulty, normal and hard; both of which are chosen by picking Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield, respectively. Their stories (and gameplay) play out in a slightly diverged narrative. For example: with Jill, you have Barry Burton as a buddy; Chris has Rebecca Chambers as his buddy. Jill Valentine is arguably the better playthrough overall through her two extra inventory spaces, access to the uber-reliable Bazooka (which with flame rounds are especially good against Hunters and Chimeras), and overall easier difficulty; however, it's noted that Jill overall is more capable. She can play the piano, has a lock-pick to open doors that Chris can't right away, and knows how to mix chemicals. This isn't taking away anything from Chris's campaign, as his version of events is meant to be different and more difficult, with Jill's lockpick being replaced by the Sword Key, and Rebecca serving as the piano-player and chemist in Chris's campaign. It depends on what kind of game you're looking for in regards to character, but there's no mistaking that Jill's campaign is generally beloved by all players, mostly due to Barry Burton and his hilarious dialogue.

The original game and its subsequent re-releases have a few marked differences. Director's Cut and DC Dualshock have different play modes to mess around with as well. DC and Dualshock have two extra modes, Arrange and Beginner. Arrange changes both the locations of items and enemies. Beginner is exactly how it sounds; it's a beginners mode that makes enemies incredibly easy to kill and doubles the amount of ammo you find. Not only that, DC and Dualshock also have brand new outfits that the characters wear at the beginning of the game, which is a neat little bonus.

Another thing to note is the radical difference between the original PlayStation version and the Saturn and Windows version. The Sega Saturn version is perhaps one most unique of the three. It contains a whole new enemy, a re-skinned Hunter nicknamed a Tick because of its brown coloration. Not only that, with the addition of a Battle Mode, in which you kill as many enemies as you can with the weapons you're given, you have two completely unique enemies: a zombified version of Albert Wesker, and a Gold Tyrant!!! Another little feature are extra outfits for Jill and Chris. This is just more bang for your buck in what is already a pretty good game!

In the Windows version, the censorship that the game suffered has been completely circumvented, showing the intro in complete form (and in color!), and showing the complete Kenneth death scene. The Windows version also has two exclusive weapons that the others don't have: a Mac-10 for Jill and an FN-Minimi for Chris. There are also some new unlockable outfits. The graphics in the Windows version is actually much sharper than the other games as well. Overall, I think the Saturn version is probably the best out of the trio, but if you're looking for an uncensored version with some extra stuff, the rare Windows version is for you.

Rating these games are going to be somewhat of a challenge, so I'll simply rate them separately based on features and what not, so gameplay ratings will look something like this:

PlayStation Original: 6/10
Director's Cut: 7/10
Director's Cut Dualshock: 7/10
Sega Saturn: 8/10
Microsoft Windows: 7/10

Visuals: Now, the game has aged about as well as Alone In The Dark, and that is not all that well. However, I will say that the backgrounds still look somewhat presentable and some of the enemy designs still hold up. The character designs and the zombie designs however are pretty blocky and pretty bad looking in comparison. The Saturn, DC, and Dualshock versions are comparable (Saturn looks slightly more blocky), with the Windows looking slightly better, but still fairly the same. Overall the animations aren't too bad, but there are also the FMV scenes which are "neat", if that's your sort of thing. They're poorly acted, but we'll get to that in a bit. It's also incredible considering the difference between Resident Evil 1 and 2, which are like night and day. 6/10

Audio: Here's where we get into some pretty treacherous territory. The music for the original, DC, Saturn, and Windows versions are absolutely incredible and really memorable soundtracks with great songs interspersed. The Dualshock version is a fucking dumpster fire of awful shit. It should be noted, the Dualshock version was credited as being composed by the "Japanese Beethoven" Mamura Samuragochi, whom in 2014 revealed he neither was deaf, and had written his own works of music. Essentially, the Dualshock version of Resident Evil's music was ghostwritten and credited to a fraudulent musician; if that doesn't say anything about how I feel about the music, then I have no words for you.

And speaking of awful things, the voice acting is beyond legendary for how bad it is. It is currently in the Guinness Book of World Records for "Worst Video Game Dialogue", which is hilarious. One of the voice actors, Barry Gjerde (whom also played a character in another PlayStation classic: Clock Tower), is infamous in this game for his vocalization of Barry Burton, and the famous "Jill sandwich" line. Indeed, the voice acting is awful, but at the same time, I can't help but love it. You have to experience it for yourself if you can. So, with some great music (bar the Dualshock edition), but some hilarious acting jobs, the audio for the game could have been perfect, but falls short of the mark.

Dualshock: 4/10
Others: 7/10













TL/DR Summary: Resident Evil is still a classic and worth re-playing every once in a while! However, if you want my advice, any one of these versions are not the ones you want. At most, you'd find the most enjoyment out of either the Director's Cut, Sega Saturn, or Windows version of this classic. However, the best version is yet to come...

Final Grade:

PlayStation: 6.5/10
Director's Cut: 7/10
Director's Cut Dualshock: 6/10
Sega Saturn: 7/10
Microsoft Windows: 7/10

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Resident Evil 2
(BioHazard 2)​

Original Release Date: January 21, 1998

Console: PlayStation

Developer: Capcom

Plot: 2 months have passed since what has been collectively known as, The Mansion Incident. STARS is ruined, Umbrella has gotten away scot-free from their horrific misdeeds. Leon S. Kennedy is late to his first day as a rookie in the Raccoon City Police Department, the RPD. However, on arrival, the city is in turmoil, as it seems the dead have begun to walk. There, he meets up with Claire Redfield, brother of former STARS member, Chris Redfield. Together, they must escape the city, while also meeting an assortment of monsters, and characters along the way. Can they survive what once was Raccoon City...? 10/10

Gameplay: A month after the release of Resident Evil in 1996, Capcom demanded that work into a sequel to the hit game commence the following year, bringing back Shinji Mikami to produce the next entry into their hit IP. Shinji Mikami decided to bring in a trusted associate, Hideki Kamiya, to direct the project. Snapshots of the new Resident Evil 2 were shown to the public at the V Jump 1996 Festival in July. Originally, the story would revolve around Leon Kennedy and professional biker Elza Walker as they run through diverging stories in the doomed town of Raccoon City. This build of the game had a modern flair to it, taking place in a modern police station of sorts.

This new game also displayed some interesting mechanics that would slightly follow in later games. Enemies lost body parts when shot off, characters showed visible injury, and equipment could be used to better defend the player character. Enemies were of lower quality, allowing for more zombies in one room. All in all, it was an interesting take on the original game's formula.

However, Shinji Mikami was not pleased. He felt the game was of lower quality, and outright more boring than what it could be. In May of 1997, following the original release date of Resident Evil, Mikami, Hideki Kamiya, and Capcom agreed to scrap the current assets and redo the project from scratch.

Hideki Kamiya leaned heavily into his zeal for cinematic flair with the new project underway. Instead of a slow, creeping atmosphere, the new game would be action-packed, filled with tension and scares. Scenes would be animated via Full-Motion Video, and the cast and crew would be far more professionally done than the first game. Still keeping several assets that felt unique and good to what became known as Resident Evil 1.5, this new Resident Evil 2 would be better, faster-paced, and more memorable.

Resident Evil 2 released in January of 1998 and for seven long years was the biggest selling Resident Evil game of all time; it is still the 6th best-selling game in the franchise. The incredible success of the game helped launch Capcom's new franchise into one to stay for a long time. Resident Evil 2 has become remembered as a classic fan-favorite of the series and is generally considered the best game in the franchise.

Borrowing the tank controls of Resident Evil, Resident Evil 2 re-introduces itself in a newer light. Instead of beginning the game inside a mansion where the impetus is to explore the dark hallways and destroy the undead denizens, Resident Evil 2 is far more forthcoming with the type of game it will be. Your game now starts in a high-stakes race to the Raccoon City Police Department, filled with enemies to dodge and escape from. It's such a good way to differentiate itself from the predecessor that I don't think it's ever been done so well since.

The return of two separate character campaigns is present, but different in a sense. You play as Claire Redfield, younger sister of Chris Redfield in search of him, or as Leon S. Kennedy, a rookie cop who just walked into the worst first day of anyone's career. Along the way, they come across two other survivors, Sherry Birkin, a little girl hiding in the police station, and Ada Wong, a mysterious woman searching for her boyfriend John.

With the addition of different characters, there are also different ways the campaigns play out. Not only that, there are two back-to-back campaigns! Once you finish the game as one character, you play the other character's B campaign, which coincides with the first one. Confusing right? So say you choose Claire for the first campaign, as soon as you finish her campaign, you can do Leon's second campaign (Which is the canon way to go, apparently). It's a great way to add replayability to the game, and I think it's probably the best example of "more bang for your buck".

Not only that, depending on which system you're on, there are two/three extra modes as well. One mode is "The Fourth Survivor" where you control an Umbrella Soldier named HUNK, on his mission to make it to the helipad of the RPD. Another, harder version of this, is "Tofu Mode", where you literally control the player hitbox (in the form of white tofu), with only a knife, but an insane amount of health. Another addition is "Extreme Battle" Mode, similar to what we modern-day Resident Evil fans know as, Mercenaries. Essentially, choose a character, go through certain missions, different stages, with a default loadout.

On the Nintendo 64 version, there is a mode called Randomizer, which is exactly what it sounds like. Ammunition and herbs are placed in randomized locations in the game, leading to quite a unique experience. Thankfully it does not move around story items to soft-lock you out of the game if you just happen to be unlucky. In addition, there's a mode called "Arrange", and well... it's easy mode. By easy, the game starts you off with an unlimited ammo Submachine Gun, Gatling Gun, and Rocket Launcher at your disposal from the get-go. It is mostly meant to help newer players get a feel for the game before bumping up to Normal or Hard difficulty.

In addition to new gameplay modes, there is also a new menagerie of enemies. Each one brings their own form of danger and weakness within themselves. Not returning from the original game are Chimeras and Hunters, thankfully.

-Lickers/Super Lickers: Lickers are the game's analog to Hunters, these guys are an evolved form of the Zombie, and can climb walls, leap at ya, and lick ya throat out! Super Lickers are faster and stronger, but nothing a good few shotgun blasts won't clear up.

-Ivy/Poison Ivy: Plant creatures that are slow as hell, but pack quite a wallop. Poison Ivies spit poison, but that's nothing a good blue herb can't clear up.

-G: William Birkin, a product of the G-Virus, this guy acts as the main enemy of campaign A, and evolves through different stages. Good god is he a tough SOB.

-Tyrant T-103: Ah yes, "Mr. X", the main enemy of Campaign B, this Tyrant is stoic, tall, and will crush you in an instant. Nothing a little grenade launcher can't handle, Claire.

Resident Evil 2 gives a far quicker experience compared to the very atmospheric one of the first game; that doesn't mean it doesn't deliver the goods when necessary. The drive towards a more action-oriented and narrative-driven game helps bring a greatly satisfactory and memorable experience for all those who play it. 10/10

Visuals: The visuals of Resident Evil 2 The polygonal count on character models has improved leaps and bounds and even in spite of that, several enemies can be on screen at once and not cause any significant slowdown. The FMV can look a little dated, though I don't believe it takes away from the experience. 9/10

Audio: The audio still is amazing, with the orchestrated music that still sounds really good today, it's a nice soundtrack to pick up and listen to today, especially in the Police Station areas. Memorable, scary, and chilling, the soundtrack to Resident Evil 2 is one of the most environmental out there. Not to mention that voice acting has improved to an incredibly respectable level! They seem more like real people instead of that sort of Hitchcockian stilted speech where you can tell something is wrong with them, just not sure how. 10/10







TL/DR Summary: For a 23-year old game, it's still incredibly impressive. It plays well, has very good voice acting, and some fantastic environments. The gameplay, depending on the version you get, is incredibly varied and has so much replay value, not to mention four campaigns and extra modes for extra fun. It's perhaps the best out of the original Resident Evil trilogy.

Final Rating: 10/10

 

[Wang Chung]

I had this game on the N64 and sold it along time ago and am now upset since it is apparently rare and worth more money now.

 

[Kiffy Lube]

Fuck, I missed a lot in this thread. I wanna see more of the World of Horror game, I wonder if anyone I watch on Youtube has played it. We need more games like that, well not too many, just good ones.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
(BioHazard 3: Last Escape)​

Original Release Date: September 22, 1999

Original Consoles: PlayStation

Developer: Capcom

Plot: September 28: Raccoon City, a town run by Umbrella, is overtaken by zombies of the T-Virus, a biological weapon that turns its hosts into flesh-eating monsters. The Racoon Police Department makes one last stand to combat the horde of walking dead coming towards them. A mercenary service known as the Umbrella Biohazard Countermeasure Service is also dropped into the city to help maintain control. With the city in turmoil, former STARS member Jill Valentine makes it her mission to escape the horrors of the city. Along the way she meets Carlos Oliveira, a member of the UBCS, and from there, they team up to escape. They encounter several characters and monsters along the way, but can they survive against the stalker? 9/10

Gameplay: Following the release of Resident Evil 2, the series grew to new heights as the sequel became among one of the more highly touted games of 1998, alongside Metal Gear Solid, Half-Life, StarCraft, and LoZ. Production towards yet another Hideki Kamiya-directed sequel started shortly afterward. However, due to the announcement of the upcoming PlayStation 2, that original production was canceled in favor of two concurrent productions, one a new mainline game on the Sega Dreamcast (which came out in November 1998 in the US), and another a side-story for the PlayStation. Due to legal shenanigans with Sony, this side-story was chosen to carry the legacy of the numbered titles under the leadership of director Kazuhiro Aoyama.

Originally, the story would involve a new character attempting to escape Raccoon City before the events of Resident Evil 2, but it was scrapped in favor of bringing back fan-favorite Jill Valentine. The game was also set to have experimental features, some modified in later Resident Evil games, and others wholly borrowed in the two recent remakes. Following its release, it did moderately well and was praised for its gameplay features, but was considered a disappointment in comparison to its predecessor Resident Evil 2. Resident Evil 3 has later gone on to develop a cult following and is generally believed to be one of the best in the series.

Resident Evil 3 is more of the same as Capcom's Resident Evil series; there is inherently more done to allow creative freedom from the player though and the gameplay is, in my opinion at least, far more polished than in games past. The most consequential of Resident Evil 3's features was the implementation of a 180-degree quick turn. It is arguably Resident Evil 3's greatest legacy within the series. Walking backward and pressing the run button allows your character to turn around and face the opposite direction. It is useful for escaping from trouble and creating a little distance from enemies to unload on.

Another gameplay feature was the first appearance of gun-powder and a reloading tool, which meant you can make your own type of ammunition. You can find either A or B powder, and by combining the two, you get C powder. You can create several different types of ammunition by mixing and matching each kind. For example, A powder produces handgun bullets, B powder produces shotgun shells, and C powder produces grenade rounds. Mixing A, B, and C rounds with other C rounds produces different types of grenade rounds, and mixing three C powder produces magnum bullets. A general rule of thumb is to only mix powders when you need to or if you're planning on fighting bosses.

The more you actually use the reloading tool, the better you become and the more ammo you acquire. If you utilize the A powder for handgun bullets enough, you will eventually create enhanced handgun ammo, which deals more damage overall. The gunpowder feature is one of Resident Evil 3's most unique features and when it came out, it was 20 years ahead of its time. It is a welcome addition that induces an extra helping of planning and thought going into the late game. Do you use all the A ammo for pistol bullets, or do you save it to mix with the B ammo to make grenade rounds? It's an extra layer of strategy that Resident Evil always should welcome and creates an aura of creativity within the player.

Resident Evil 3's more controversial feature was the addition of a quick dodge mechanic. Before getting attacked by an enemy, it is possible to press the aim button (or the A/X button if aiming already) to dodge an attack and either move out of the way or push an enemy back without taking any damage. It is somewhat inconsistent in when it activates, and at times can be activated accidentally. If surrounded by a pack of enemies, it also does not serve well to escape damage as they can immediately grab or attack after the dodging animation finishes. The dodge feature is perhaps best when against bosses or singular enemies. Getting the timing down is one of the most frustrating experiences for speedrunners and other hardy players of the game.

Quick-time events are another added feature, where certain events will present you with an option for a certain scenario. These don't necessarily do much save for a few key moments that will change the course of the story. There is also a branching path in the story that is dependent on the actions of the player earlier in the game. For example, there is a point in the game where you are introduced to a new character in one of two locales, but to continue the game, a story item is located in the opposite locale, dependent on where you met the character. It creates a sort of wondrous replayability for the game and allows the player to choose their own story if they wish.

Items also tend to randomize their location throughout the game. The third weapon you'll find is either the magnum or the grenade launcher since they both spawn in one of two locations, the police station or the power station. It is generally a rule of thumb for speedrunning Resident Evil 3 that getting the magnum at the police station is a dead run and should be restarted. Gun powder will also randomly appear or disappear from locations. Much of this is predetermined at the start of the game irrespective of what the player does. It allows for a bit of unpredictability and something new for each game.

There is a cornucopia of new enemies involved in the game as well. Lickers are lacking within the game, but the addition of nearly six new enemies brings more bang for your buck in terms of what you're up against in this game. There are two insectoid types: the Drain Deimos and Brain Sucker (both are simply variants of one another, one being poison). Hunters return in two forms as well, beta and gamma. Beta Hunters are similar to the creatures from the original game but are blind and respondent to sound. Gamma hunters are more amphibian-based and are a nuisance to the player. Even regular zombies have new behavior, such as a tendency to lunge and even run towards the player; this type of behavior is randomized and can happen at any time, which can be a real annoyance to speedrunners.

Finally, saving the best for last, there is the reason the game is so memorable, NEMESIS himself. NEMESIS is a looming force of monstrous proportions. He is the main antagonist of the game and a major headache for many a speed-runner. What sets NEMESIS apart from many other bosses in the Resident Evil franchise at the time was that NEMESIS will follow players throughout rooms and chase them down. He also can be seen to wield a Rocket Launcher. He's arguably the most memorable Resident Evil monster of all time. But if you're feeling dangerous (for example if you're playing on Hard Mode), you can choose to go head to head against NEMESIS and try to knock him on his ass. Being successful will give you several goodies depending on how many times you succeed. You can receive things such as an enhanced pistol, a first aid spray kit, and an M37 custom shotgun, to even unlimited ammo for any weapon.

The final addition to Resident Evil 3 is one that was first touched on in the first two games (in certain versions) but was finally given a proper name. It's perhaps one of the most popular additions to the Resident Evil games, and that is Mercenaries mode. In this original version of Mercenaries mode, you get to choose between three characters, Mikhail Victor (easy), Carlos Olivera, and Nikolai Ginovaef (hard), each with different set-ups and weapons to their game as well as different strategies as to how to play them. The main objective of Mercenaries is to reach the very first safe room of the main campaign without dying and before time expires. Killing enemies and completing bonus objectives (consisting of rescuing other NPCs) earns you more time and thus the potential for a better score. However, the map continues to get increasingly difficult, to the point where you may have to face off with two NEMESIS.

With all that said, it's not hard to see why I constantly rave about Resident Evil 3 whenever I get a chance to talk about it. It's easily a top 3 Resident Evil game just based on all these new additions alone, and the sheer scope of its gameplay and influence on the rest of the series compared to its predecessors. 10/10

Visuals: Definitely improved over 2, the cutscenes look and feel so much better than Resident Evil 2 did. The character models have more polygons, the backgrounds look tighter, more concise, and beautifully drawn. They look as good today as they did in 1999, which says a lot about the dev team working on the game. 10/10

Audio: The soundtrack is still as enriching as ever, plus the dialogue and voice actors for Resident Evil 3 are first class, enhancing the experience even more. If you still prefer ambiance in your game, well you still got it. There are moments where it is nothing but the sounds of the burning city, then there are times when music is actually playing. The orchestra really put it together to make the soundtrack to Resident Evil 3 really special. It's finally around this point we can say that the Voice Acting in Resident Evil has become great. In 2, you had sometimes questionable actors playing, but 3 has gone full force in shelling out for quality actors. 10/10







TL/DR Summary: In regards to the original Resident Evil trilogy, Resident Evil 3 is perhaps one that gets less of a reputation than 1 and 2. However, it's easily the most user-friendly, with many features that allow for ease of access and fun. I dare say, if you've never played a Resident Evil game in your life, 3 is the easiest one to pick up, play, and understand what Resident Evil is all about. It does not have the reputation that the original has, nor the multi-faceted campaign that 2 has; based on gameplay, however, Resident Evil 3 far outstrips its predecessors in every conceivable way.

Final Rating: 10/10

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

*A New Update*

For years I have carried this thread along with a simple scale of 1-10 and felt it was good enough for myself. For those who know me, I want to strive to give the best possible show of how I feel about things, whether good or bad. So I have a new scale I will be unveiling tomorrow and officially updating each previous review with.

The new scale is going to be a scale of 1-100. Allowing more variance between games. I will also be updating my "Perfect Games" list to officially allow games rated 90+ in, as there are not necessarily any 100/100 games. I will provide an updated list of games that I do not plan on re-reviewing with their new ratings and places in Grim's meta-verse of gaming reviews.​

 

[Kiffy Lube]

I could name some 100/100 games that nobody would agree with but I am lookin' forward to how this goes. Your reviews are always top notch as it is.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

*New Ratings:*

*As noted, these are the new ratings for games I will *not* be re-reviewing eventually, rather those that I have said all I thought needed to be said about them.​

- Clock Tower [1995]

Story: 87/100
Gameplay: 94/100
Visual: 94/100
Audio: 89/100

Final Rating: 91/100

- Clock Tower [1996]

Story: 73/100
Gameplay: 75/100
Visual: 69/100
Audio: 80/100

Final Rating: 74/100

- Clock Tower 2: The Struggle Within [1998]

Story: 67/100
Gameplay: 73/100
Visual: 64/100
Audio: 61/100

Final Rating: 66/100

- Demon's Crest [1994]

Story: 78/100
Gameplay: 84/100
Visual: 96/100
Audio: 98/100

Final Rating: 89/100

- Doki Doki Literature Club! [2017]

Story: 87/100
Gameplay: 78/100
Visual: 90/100
Audio: 96/100

Final Rating: 88/100

- Final Fantasy III/VI [1994]

Story: 94/100
Gameplay: 96/100
Visual: 98/100
Audio: 100/100

Final Rating: 97/100

- Ib [2012]

Story: 79/100
Gameplay: 76/100
Visual: 87/100
Audio: 88/100

Final Rating: 83/100

- Misao [2011]

Story: 88/100
Gameplay: 74/100
Visual: 81/100
Audio: 83/100

Final Rating: 82/100

- Mother [1989]

Story: 82/100
Gameplay: 76/100
Visual: 82/100
Audio: 89/100

Final Rating: 82/100

- Resident Evil [1996] (*/100)

- Resident Evil: Survivor [2000]

Story: 67/100
Gameplay: 59/100
Visual: 68/100
Audio: 73/100

Final Rating: 67/100

- Resident Evil 2 [1998]

Story: 91/100
Gameplay: 92/100
Visual: 91/100
Audio: 98/100

Final Rating: 93/100

- Resident Evil 3 [1999]

Story: 87/100
Gameplay: 96/100
Visual: 94/100
Audio: 95/100

Final Rating: 93/100

- Shrek 2 [2004]

Story: 56/100
Gameplay: 64/100
Visual: 57/100
Audio: 50/100

Final Rating: 57/100

- Sweet Home [1989]

Story: 93/100
Gameplay: 90/100
Visual: 94/100
Audio: 87/100

Final Rating: 91/100

- World of Horror [2020]

Story: 94/100
Gameplay: 87/100
Visual: 97/100
Audio: 98/100

Final Rating: 94/100

- Zombies Ate My Neighbor [1993]

Story: 82/100
Gameplay: 89/100
Visual: 90/100
Audio: 91/100

Final Rating: 88/100