Grim's Game Reviews

[Grimoire Lenin]

Metal Gear
[Nintendo Entertainment System]​

Original Console: Nintendo Famicom / Nintendo Entertainment System

Original Release Date: December 22, 1987

Developer: Konami

Plot: News is leaked of a nation state, Outer Heaven, procuring nuclear capabilities. It is revealed they developed a top secret weapon named Metal Gear. U.S. Special Forces FOXHOUND member Grey Fox infiltrates Outer Heaven and subsequently disappears. A rookie by the name of Solid Snake is sent to infiltrate the country by his commander, Big Boss, with a mission to rescue Grey Fox, as well as destroy Metal Gear if possible. 7/10

Gameplay: Boy, I have to admit, this game is a grade-A awful port of the original MSX Metal Gear. For starters, series creator Hideo Kojima had zero involvement with the game, and he has publicly disowned it. Secondly, the port was made in three months by a team that had nothing to do with the MSX game, leading to many bugs and glitches. Finally Konami told the team to specifically make it as different from the original game as much as possible while maintaining the same base story; resulting in a jumbled mess of random enemy placement, disjointed set pieces, and other unfortunate problems that make the game worse than the original.

Let's begin with enemies. For the most part, they're plain awful. The way they're placed is intended for you to get caught constantly and get into a battle unless you are 100% perfect on everything, including Snake's movements. Just like in the MSX version, soldiers and dogs in Metal Gear are easy to kill, but just as easily are capable of killing you when you are a lower level (leveling up requires rescuing hostages, like in MSX MG), perhaps even more so considering their placement. There's also the elephant in the room; Metal Gear isn't in Metal Gear. Instead of the Metal Gear, you face the "Supercomputer", which makes the whole experience up to that point deflated.

Addressing the set pieces, it's very weird. The original MSX version begins with a branched path in a warehouse that, while semi-linear, allowed you to go whichever direction you wanted at your own pace. The NES Metal Gear, on the other hand, is strickly linear and set in a jungle, with false branching paths for little to no reason other than to serve as a minor distraction and obstacle to overcome. There's few places to actually explore and some paths just put you back onto the same screen, but in a different location. Once you get past the Jungle bit, it becomes a bit more open, but that opening segment should leave a very bad taste in anyone who's played the MSX version and then this one immediately afterwards. It's incredibly jarring. Do expect to see the Jungle several times as well, as when you die, you are sent back to the beginning of the game until you finally gain a rank (luckily you get to keep the equipment you've gained up to that point when you die).

We then get to the biggest problem with Metal Gear. Glitches and mistranslation galore. Due to the rushed job that was placed on the team in making this port, there was no time to fine-tune several things about the game, making it somewhat unpolished, and the biggest offender has to be the translation from Japanese to English. There's shit like the oh so famous, "I feel asleep!" and "Contact missing our 'Gray Fox'." sprinkled about for extra fun. Overall, the Metal Gear on NES is considered a classic by many, but coming back to play it just generally isn't that fun and isn't as much of a wholesome experience as the MSX version. 5/10

Visuals: The visuals aren't anything too special, if we're being honest. It's a lot of grey and brown palettes that, while works for the jungle, gets more muddied into gray as the game goes on. Snake is a little more colorful than in the MSX version, and other than that, everything else looks nearly the same. Honestly, I don't have much there to really talk about in regards to this. It's fairly forgetful. 6/10

Audio: The music in the NES version of Metal Gear isn't actually that bad. For the most part, it's a slight re-hash of the original but with a few new songs mixed in here and there. While the original songs are remixed slightly, they're still pretty good and the new songs are actually cool. I'm more partial to MSX and "Theme of Tara" but "Jungle Theme" works just as well here as a pulse-pounding tense sneaking song. As for sound effects, largely, they're of equal quality compared to the MSX version, so there's little to go by there. While I love the original's soundtrack, NES Metal Gear still has some quality. 7/10






TL/DR Summary: Good God. When going from the MSX version the NES version, it's a stark contrast in quality and in general fun, to the original Metal Gear. It's a classic, yes, but unlike Simon's Quest, there is little reason to actually own it other than to say, "I own the NES version of Metal Gear!" At most it should be $15~ if even that. If you've never played the original game, I'm sure you'll have a higher opinion of this than I did.

Final Grade: 6/10

Next Monday's Review:

"The Metal Gear Game That Isn't."

 

[DerangedScientist]

This is pretty interesting considering i've only seen the ones for the PS2 and the like. But it looks like something i'd play if I want to get away from all the modern visual effects of Metal Gear.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Metal Gear: Snake's Revenge​

Original Console: Nintendo Entertainment System

Original Release Date: April, 1990

Developer: Konami

Plot: Three years have passed since the events of Outer Heaven. FOXHOUND has uncovered intelligence regarding a hostile Middle Eastern country obtaining plans for a new Metal Gear. Solid Snake, now a Lieutenant, is selected as part of a three man team comprised of Snake, John Turner, and Nick Myer. They name the mission Operation 747, and the three are airlifted into enemy territory. Things immediately go south for the group, however... 6/10

Gameplay: So here we are, talking about the Metal Gear 2 that really isn't. Where to begin? Snake's Revenge begins as a top down stealth shooter, like the original Metal Gear. Unlike Metal Gear, there are side-scrolling sections to add on to the experience as well as crouching (and even underwater travel) in those segments, the first of their kind in the series, but it wouldn't be until Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake that crouching was optimized for top-down screens. Snake's Revenge also does have some much better level design than Metal Gear on the NES. Instead of a particularly linear set up, Snake's Revenge starts you off in a winding jungle filled with goodies and guys to save. Once you get into the base, it opens up more for you to explore, which I enjoy in regards to the Metal Gear series.

Unfortunately, Snake's Revenge has one of the highest difficulty curves in the entire series, searchlights and enemies in general spot you and are too good of shots to allow you to live past the first few screens. Once you manage to weave your way around, it does become a little easier, but not by much. The side scrolling segments aren't the greatest, and the boss-fights are flat out unfair. It's very much a touch and go kind of game, with plenty of trial and error, if you're willing to overcome the frustration.

As you can tell, I don't really have a whole lot to say about the game due to it sharing many similarities with the NES Metal Gear. I think the biggest compliment I can give Snake's Revenge is that it utilizes several great set-pieces. The game takes you places, such as a Jungle, a Military Base, an Arms-Transit Train, some Depots, and to the heart of the Metal Gear Compound itself. It's feels more fleshed out than the first two games were, and that's a genuine compliment, it feels like a scaled down version of Metal Gear Solid 3 in a way just with how much it travels about. But other than that, there's little reason to actually play the game, if you're looking for a genuinely great game. It's unbalanced, full of bad game design, and is a trial and error mess of frustration. 5/10

Visuals: To be honest, Snake's Revenge is a bit of a marked side-step from Metal Gear, in a way. The visual style is markedly different from the dark, grimy aesthetic of the first two and is now more colorful, has more vibrancy to it. Snake traded in his olive drab uniform for orange jumpers (as can best be described really) making him look utterly hilarious, in all honesty. The world's greatest spy is wearing bright orange. Good lord. 6/10

Audio: The biggest outlier to Snake's Revenge by far is the quality of the soundtrack. It's one of the best NES Konami soundtracks out there, competing with the likes of Super C or the CastleVania games. "Jungle Infiltration", "Arms-Cargo Transit", and "Metal Gear Fortress" are incredible set pieces with a great tone and vibe to them, sneaking about with that music blasting out is a fun time, even if the game itself isn't. 9/10






TL/DR Summary: Snake's Revenge is a hilarious mess of broken gameplay, great set design, and wonderful music all wrapped up in a cheesy 80's action movie plot. If you really want to actually play this, pay at most $5~ for it, if anything. It's ironic that as messy as this game was, it's singlehandily responsible for the Metal Gear franchise becoming what it is, as Hideo Kojima had no knowledge of a sequel being in the works until a developer told him. What we'd get from Kojima is a gaming masterpiece and genuinely one of the best 8-bit games of all time.

Final Grade: 6.5/10

Tomorrow:

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake​

Orignal Console: MSX2

Original Release Date: July 20, 1990

Developer: Konami

Genre: Stealth Action Shooter

Plot: 1999: The world economy is crippled by a major oil shortage. Nations all throughout the world have given up nuclear capabilities in favor of increasing the economy to a stable level. Alternative energy sources are also adopted to slow the crippling waste of oil. One scientist, Dr. Kio Marv, engineers a new type of algae that produces hydrocarbons: OILEX. On his way to the US to give a demonstration, he is captured and kidnapped by the nation state Zanzibar Land, which was founded in 1997. Not only that, Zanzibar Land also has procured a tremendous stockpile of nuclear warheads, becoming the only nuclear power in the entire world.

FOXHOUND's new commander, Roy Campbell, is headed with a secret project to infiltrate Zanzibar Land and rescue Dr. Marv. He reinstates formerly retired operative Solid Snake into the mission. It is once again up to Snake to save the world's future from a nation that holds the world hostage, just like Outer Heaven, 4 years earlier. 10/10

Gameplay: The sequel to Metal Gear, MG2: Solid Snake pulls no punches and recreates the world of Metal Gear by becoming perhaps the greatest 8-bit game of all time. Solid Snake introduces brand new mechanics on the MSX2 that would be YEARS ahead of its time. For an 8-bit game, this thing plays like its 16-bit.

The first noticeable change in the gameplay is the introduction of the beloved Soliton Radar. This thing picks up enemy signatures in different areas and tracks their movement, and trust me, it'll come in handy, because the AI of this game is exceedingly improved from its predecessor, seriously. Enemies now follow relatively intelligent patrol patterns, walking from one screen to the next. Not only that, they now have a 45 degree field of vision, and they also turn their heads, making you A LOT more noticeable.

Metal Gear 2 was also incredibly smart by better implementing the crouch and crawl features from Snake's Revenge that became standard place in the Solid games. You're given ample hiding places to escape from the guards, and hey, your radar jams when detected, so it's best to try and hide when things get rough.

The game is also a lot longer, and this is to account for the actually pretty gripping story it tells. While not nearly on the level of Solid 1 & 2, Metal Gear 2 tries to tell a pretty great story by meshing it with the gameplay; there is a lot more dialogue, each character has a chance to shine, and each has a reason for doing what they do. When you think about it, Metal Gear 2 has probably the best storytelling in the 8-bit era, but I'm getting ahead of myself. With the increased length comes the inevitable problem of increased backtracking, which happens a lot in this game, and unfortunately, is pretty standard in the Solid games. Not only that, there are some pretty annoying parts of the game, which involve having to follow someone in the jungle for what seems like forever, and not only that, some of the boss fights are pretty intense and difficult.

Despite the minor annoyances (which are few and far between), this is genuinely a god damn gift from Hideo Kojima and his crew. It's a game that despite coming out 8 years earlier, is on par, if not better than Metal Gear Solid in terms of gameplay. (Though not quite the level of greatness of Snake Eater). 9/10

Visuals: When I think about it, Metal Gear and Solid Snake are really a stark contrast from one another. Metal Gear highlights the best of what a game can look like in the late 80's with limited hardware, and Solid Snake is what it looks like when you have that same technology, but you inject your own hardware to increase output and processing power into something fucking fantastic. The first game utilized a darker color palette to fit the tone of the story, however, with this increased processing power, Solid Snake dared to go with a lighter color palette, while not deviating much, and 8-bit graphics that border on 16-bit. 10/10

Audio: Man oh man. Compare Metal Gear's soundtrack with this game, and it is night and day. What difference a better sound chip can do, man. Solid Snake's music is criminally underrated and is probably the BEST soundtrack in the entire series, and that's saying something (It does have amazing competition in Solid 1, 2, and 3). My favorite tracks have to be the rocking "Advance Immediately" and "Zanzibar Breeze". Each are masterfully composed, and I have to thank the ENTIRE team for giving us this gift. 10/10






TL/DR Summary: Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake is such a criminally underrated masterpiece that I can't believe is not talked about more. To me, it is the single greatest 8-bit game of all time. It is included with Metal Gear on MSG3: Subsistence AND the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, and it is HIGHLY recommended for anyone who is a fan of the series, and not only that, anyone that wants to play one of the greatest games ever made.

Final Grade: 10/10

Next Thursday:

"Shadow... Moses..?"

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Metal Gear Solid​

Original Console: PlayStation

Original Release Date: September 3, 1998

Developer: Konami

Plot: 2005: six years after the fall of Zanzibar Land, a rogue genetically enhanced FOXHOUND seizes the nuclear weapons disposal facility, Shadow Moses Island, off the coast of Alaska. They hold DARPA chief Donald Anderson and ArmsTech President Kenneth Baker hostage on the island. Their demands are that of the body of Big Boss, the greatest soldier who ever lived, within 24 hours. With no alternative, the US Government pulls Colonel Roy Campbell out of retirement and re-enlists the help of Solid Snake once again, who retired once more after Zanzibar Land. Snake begrudgingly agrees to help once again rescue the world from nuclear annihilation for a third time. However, through a web of lies and deceit, Snake will come to learn the conspiracies and the truth of the mission... 10/10

Gameplay: The transition from 2D to 3D was not an easy task for Kojima and company, however, I believe they made great steps towards making a really good 3D stealth game with Metal Gear Solid. Here, many of the ideas that worked so well in Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake, are brought back and well programmed for the 3D environment. There's also a few new additions/alterations here that deserve a look at.

First up, is how Snake moves. Snake moves around as you'd expect with an analog stick (or D-pad) and can crouch or go prone for cover, however, the shooting mechanic is something that would be continued throughout the series, and I gotta say, it's very... tedious. Shooting almost requires you to pause and enter first person mode (and you can't even shoot in First Person in MGS), and just like in Resident Evil 4 (don't get me started), you can't move around when aiming. It's something I think was a workaround for the existing tech at the time, and personally think they didn't get it right until MGS V: Ground Zeroes.

Secondly, are the enemies. The enemies are somewhat more/less balanced than compared to Solid Snake. They follow very strict patrols and thus are predictable, but are more wary of their surroundings. They can spot footprints, hear footsteps, and even can hear knocks. This can be used to your advantage, but more often than not, will lead to you being caught. They also are a lot more deadly than in games prior, as you once again start out with minimal health and no weapons, so you're stuck to your wits. In fact, the first two rooms in the entire game are something of a test course for how you can sneak by and/or get caught by enemies. Cameras, water that makes sound, footprints, spotlights, it's incredibly varied, but it seems those are the only two rooms where it has that variety.

I'd also like to mention how pretty straightforward and jarring the game happens to be looking back. At first, you've got cut scenes every few rooms, then there are points where it is a cutscene almost every few feet. It gets pretty annoying, but you have to consider that Kojima originally wanted to be a filmmaker, so I guess it's easy to forgive him on this one. To be honest, the story is just as gripping as its predecessor, even though it recycles A LOT of stuff from the prior game (as well as retconning it to an extent).

The boss battles were also a bit a gripe to me, as they were pretty much endurance tests, except for maybe Vulcan Raven, he's a bit... overrated. Sniper Wolf's two battles were great progenitors, however, they would be eclipsed by Snake Eater's battle with The End years later. Liquid's boss battles were also something of a chore to get through, though not necessarily bad. My personal favorite I suppose would be Revolver Ocelot's first battle. It mixed tension with high risk since you were surrounded by a shit ton of bombs and you had a hostage at the center of it all.

While yes, there's a lot of good things with the gameplay, it overall needed a lot of work (which Sons of Liberty fixed a little of, and others it broke). It was nothing but mostly great, but the things that held it down, held it down big time. 7/10

Visuals: For 1998, these were some kick ass graphics for the time, especially considering the other best looking game that game out that year was Half-Life. It had somewhat of a variety of looks and colors which were impressive, though slightly dated today. For a military spy thriller, it works perfectly in context to the tone and story of the game, so there was absolutely no problem with this. 9/10

Audio: This game has really good music and top notch voice acting, especially for 1998. David Hayter as Solid Snake is definitive and the role he has here is some of the best work he's ever done. The other VA's are also spectacular. Can I also mention the nearly critically acclaimed alert theme? It has to be some of the best tension music in any game, and on it is some of the best sneaking music in the franchise as well. 9/10







TL/DR Summary: Metal Gear Solid is a critically acclaimed game, no doubt, but it does have its fair share of problems that would be addressed in later games down the road. It's definitely a classic, and totally worth getting if you ask me. It's one of the best cinematic games ever and the story is one of the most interesting and complex for its time.

Final Grade: 9/10

Saturday:

 

[Smart Marx]

A 9/10? I can fuck with that.

Is that Albert Wesker?

I like the shooting in first person, walking in third, but it wouldn't be perfected until the sequel.

 

[Smart Marx]

Metal Gear​

Original Console: MSX2

Original Release Date: July 7, 1987

Developer: Konami

Plot: The year is 1995, in Africa, news is leaked of a nation state, Outer Heaven, procuring nuclear capabilities. It is revealed they kidnapped nuclear physicist Pettrovich Madnar, who developed a top secret weapon named Metal Gear. U.S. Special Forces FOXHOUND member Grey Fox infiltrates Outer Heaven and subsequently disappears. A rookie by the name of Solid Snake is sent to infiltrate the country, rescue Grey Fox and Dr. Madnar, as well as destroy Metal Gear if possible. 8/10

Gameplay: Here we are, the first of many reviews I will be doing for the Metal Gear franchise. Metal Gear originally was not supposed to be a stealth game, it was originally supposed to be an action shooter. However, Hideo Kojima, the developer of the game, found the MSX2's hardware incapable of producing lots of sprites and characters on the screen, so he changed the game to a stealth action game. Right away, the seeds are planted in the Metal Gear franchise with this installment.

The game begins by giving you three branching paths, indicating that there is going to be a lot of exploration, so get comfortable. Your job is to sneak around enemies, dispatching them quietly at times to progress, while also rescuing hostages, and getting as many items as you can. Surprisingly, unlike many of the other games in the franchise, Metal Gear has a sense of pacing and brevity that allows the player to work as he wants, and the dialogue in the game is brisk and sparse, which is almost unbelievable in today's Metal Gear games.

The enemies are actually not as tough in the beginning, but they can kill you quickly. The niche to these guys is that they have really bad vision. Like, you can dance around them pretty easily, since the only way they can spot you is if you are directly in front of you or you shoot a gun. They also have these really predictable moving patterns. Overall, the enemies aren't that difficult but at the same time, if you're caught off guard, you will get killed pretty easily. It's a nice balance that the game carries.

There's also a leveling up system that Solid Snake goes through in the game. The more people you save, the more stars you gain. At one star, you're weak and pretty pathetic, but by level 3 you're destroying tanks and helicopters and jumping off buildings! The downside is that you NEED those stars to be able to beat Metal Gear, the final boss of the game. You can lose them pretty easily by killing the hostages, so it's best you avoid getting all gun happy.

Also, a LOT of Metal Gear's niches were born from this game, such as having to cycle through keycards just to open a door, which is a major annoyance when you're in a gas room. Not only that, but there is also a lot of backtracking, just like in the other Metal Gear Solid games, this is mostly to keep what is in reality a pretty short game, a lot longer by keeping the player moving (Much like Resident Evil).

Overall, the game has some of the best Level Design in a series you can see. Considering this came out in 1987, this was one of, if not, the best level design of the 1980's, towering over Mega Man, CastleVania, and even The Legend of Zelda. It had very smart design choices that made it stand out among many of the contemporary games of its time. The gameplay is (just like Castle Wolfenstein and the sequel, Beyond Castle Wolfenstein) a progenitor to what would become an incredibly popular genre in the late 1990's and 2000's. 8/10

Visuals: The MSX2's visual capabilities were somewhat superior to the NES, considering it is a computer console. The game does have smart visual choices, ranging from a cramped and claustrophobic military complex to a wide and expansive desert. The game looks very dark and dusty and it helps move the game along by showing a somewhat modernistic military establishment. While not the greatest, it fits the game perfectly and enhances the experience. 7/10

Audio: The music in the game is pretty great, and the audio is limited but fits the game. The music however was not to the MSX2's full potential and thus has something lacking within it, but carries a very military tone and still, once again, fits the game. The tune's also are some of the best tunes in gaming, and even though the Theme of Tara is one you'll hear most of the time, it's a god damn masterpiece of very sneaking music. The other pieces are also fantastic, especially Red Alert. 8/10






TL/DR Summary: Metal Gear is a really damn good game, although overshadowed by its sequels, but it has some very smart level design and as a progenitor of the series, it is incredible. This game is actually on Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence and on the Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, so it is highly recommended you purchase them instead of going out of your way to buy the original MSX cartridge.

Final Grade: 8/10

Next Saturday:

I still get a kick out of the fact they straight-up ripped off the Terminator promotional still for the MG artwork.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Resident Evil Re-Review Here.​

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Resident Evil: Deadly Silence
(BioHazard: Deadly Silence)​

Original Console: Nintendo DS

Original Release Date: January 19, 2006

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: There's a very specific reason I decided to review Resident Evil DS separately from the others, and that has mostly to do with the fact that it's probably the version of the original Resident Evil to get. This portable port of the game has included several new nuances and several new modes that make this almost ridiculous. It's a port that didn't need to happen, but I'm certainly glad it exists. The first gameplay element is the modernization of the controls (including two control schemes in the options menu) and adding little features; the first of which is the official inclusion of a 180 degree turn, which was first introduced in Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. The second of which is the permanent mapping of the knife to the L-button; this means you'll no longer have the knife taking up an inventory space and you'll have it on hand when things get dicey! There's also a tactical reload from Resident Evil 4 in there as well. Finally, and this is probably the most important update, you can skip both door animations and cutscenes. This allows to game to move along quickly and speeds things up a bit. I know it's minor, but being able to skip the door animations is probably the best thing they could have given us! The top screen of the DS also contains a map screen, an indicator for how much ammo you have left in your weapon, and the screen will also flash color depending on your health! The little additions to the gameplay really make this much better than the rest.

For Resident Evil DS, there are two modes to the main game: Classic and Rebirth. Classic is exactly as it sounds; it is the original game with original enemy and item placements. Rebirth mode, on the other hand, utilizes the DS's capabilities and includes neat little "Knife Battle" segment, a first person minigame in which you use the stylus to swipe or stab the knife at oncoming enemies. It occurs quite a bit, but it is fun and a good way to get some more ammo or health items if needed. Rebirth also has brand new puzzles using the touch screen (and one using the microphone), as well as different enemy placements. As an aside, headshots are far more common on zombies in this mode than the original, for whatever reason. I like both modes, and Rebirth Mode is somewhat more difficult thanks to the addition of more enemies, so think of it as a neat bonus!

There are also two more modes in Resident Evil DS! There is, of all things, a multiplayer mode, where if you have a bunch of friends who also have a copy of the game, you can play local multiplayer in two types: Cooperative and Competitive. Cooperative mode is where the players work together as members of S.T.A.R.S. (the characters are unlockable through playing the main game) to solve puzzles and help escape the mansion. Competitive allows the players to compete against each other for the most points, which are awarded by killing monsters (tougher monsters award more points); it is comparable to the Battle Mode from the Sega Saturn version of Resident Evil. To date, I have not played either multiplayer mode, but just the inclusion of multiplayer is a fascinating idea and aside from the Outbreak games, is one of the only multiplayer titles pre-Resident Evil 5!

The other mode is the Master of Knifing, a minigame where you basically go through little Knife Battles and the idea for it is to get as many points as possible. I'm not exactly sure how to unlock it (I believe you must beat Rebirth mode), I have played it however. You can choose either Jill or Chris, which are Normal or Hard mode, respectively. It's another great and neat mode to have around in case you're bored. Overall, with everything in this version of the game, how can you not want it? It's got the best gameplay of any version of the original Resident Evil... Sega Saturn version included. 10/10

Visuals: The visuals don't change much between porting it from the PlayStation to the DS, aside from the compression of the FMV segments, but that is negligable. To be honest, it doesn't look any better or worse. The visuals from the extra segments are actually pretty good though and the extra looks help give the game a more varies look. There is really not much to talk about here, but take what I've said about the original Resident Evil and apply it here. 7/10

Audio: The audio quality of the game is still pretty good and actually equal to the original PlayStation title. Yes, the bad acting is still there, but the music is actually from an oft-forgotten remix soundtrack for the original Resident Evil. I especially like the save theme for this game in particular. Although there are some tracks missing, I still believe that the music is pretty good. At least it doesn't contain the Dualshock soundtrack- 8/10






TLD/DR Summary: As I've said before, this is the version of the original Resident Evil to buy, thanks in part to the updated gameplay mechanics. Not only that, so much extra material throughout is some of the best bonuses I've ever seen in a game. The sheer amount of stuff they got into this is pretty damn impressive. Well worth a purchase if you're into classic Resident Evil games.

Final Grade: 8/10

 

[Chris]

I wish you'd review games I've actually played so I'd have some kind of input But these are still pretty fun to read regardless

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Resident Evil
(BioHazard)​

Original Console: Gamecube

Original Release Date: March 22, 2002

Developer: Capcom

Plot: July 24, 1998: STARS Alpha Team is flying around the forest zone of northwest Raccoon City, known as the Arklay Mountains, in search of Bravo Team, who went missing during their mission to investigate several cannibalistic murders throughout the area. In the squad is Chris Redfield: Sharpshooter, Jill Valentine: Rear Security, Barry Burton: Weapon's Expert, Albert Wesker: Captain, Joseph Frost: Maintenance, and Brad Vickers: Pilot. Upon finding the derelict Bravo Helicopter, Joseph happens upon the body of fellow RPD police officer Kevin Dooley inside, mangled from an apparent attack.

Upon further investigation, Joseph is suddenly attacked and subsequently killed by a pack of dogs. The rest of the team retreats when Brad (who doesn't deal well with violence) runs away with the helicopter. Finding no other alternative, the rest of Alpha Team manages to make it to a mansion in the middle of nowhere... the dogs outside are the least of their problems, however... 9/10

Gameplay: Resident Evil makes it's grand return with this remake/reboot of the series!!! It keeps much of the gameplay mechanics that the original Resident Evil had in 1996. Resident Evil's control scheme is that of "tank" controls. Much like in tank games (hence it's freaking name), the direction your character is facing determines where your character moves. Alright? The game has an intensity like no other. Using an adventure styled thematics mixed with a brilliant horror setting, this one is as unsettling as the original Silent Hill.

Taking from the original is the story, setting, and many of the same puzzles, but REmake adds a whole lot more onto that layer. There are several new things that make this an absolute masterpiece. The biggest one being IMPROVED VOICE-ACTING!!!!! Another fun addition is more to explore in the mansion and different tricks and traps. Plus, we have the addition of two cult classic enemies: Lisa Trevor, the girl who took every virus, and Crimson Heads, a mutant of the regular zombie.

Killing zombies in this one now becomes even more intense since the addition of Crimson Heads doesn't allow them to STAY dead. After half an hour or so, real time, our recently deceased petrified folk see new life as are faster and deadlier than before, able to CLEAVE down other zombies just to nom lovingly on your warm neck.

Also new is the defense item mechanic. Throughout the mansion you will come across several daggers or battery packs (If you're Jill) or Flash Grenades (If you're Chris). These can be used to prevent an enemy from dealing damage to you if you are grabbed or tackled. Be careful though, they are in limited quantity, and can be lost easily. So best advice is to not get attacked.

The puzzles from the original game are back and better than ever, improved to be mind-bending quips that test speed, pattern-finding, and wits, you'll find that some are much harder than you can comprehend (Almost like the water test from Resident Evil 3...) so a good strategy guide should be near you always in times of trouble.

Now, you can either choose to play as Jill or Chris, and each has their own uniqueness, like last game. There are actually EIGHT different difficulty settings in the remastered REmake, while there are only 6 in the Gamecube version:

Gamecube:

Hard w/ Chris: Very Hard Mode (Unlockable)
Hard w/ Jill: Hard Mode (Unlockable)
Mountain Climbing w/ Chris: Hard Mode
Mountain Climbing w/ Jill: Normal Mode
Hike w/ Chris: Normal Mode
Hike w/ Jill: Easy Mode

REmaster:

Walking w/ Chris: Easy Mode
Walking w/ Jill: Beginner's Mode

Yes yes, confusing I know, but I'm always here to help you. Just remember Mountain Climbing is normal mode and Hiking mode is easy, alright? Good.

New to this game are three extra special modes!!! We have Real Survival, which is an even harder version of hard mode. Literally. Auto-Aim is turned off, there are less ammo/healing items, and the item boxes no longer are linked, making them each separate... causing a LOT of backtracking.

Then there is One Dangerous Zombie... Let's just say Forest brought a few extra friends to the party. In this mode, Forest appears at random in several rooms, strapped to the brim with freaking GRENADES that kill you instantly if you shoot or use a defense item against him. Yes, he's that scary. In fact, if you beat the game with this mode on, you can actually use it in the other two special modes. Doesn't that sound fun... if you're masochistic...

Finally, there's Invisible Enemy mode... exactly as it sounds... Yeah, the ultimate mode, and the epitome of survival. Good Luck trying to beat this one... so here's a gif to show you what you're getting into!

So this is what the REmake has to offer. Great challenge, several difficulty levels, good controls, iconic enemies and scenes, and three extra fun modes for triple the agony! (Can you imagine what Real Survival with Invisible Enemies and One Dangerous Zombie would be like!?) 10/10

Visuals: Oh my god, this game may be 17 years old, but I'll be damned if there is a better looking game than this. Aesthetically, this is the most beautifully creepy and rendered game I have ever seen. There is nearly nothing that compares to this, and the REmaster version makes this look even MORE gorgeous. Good Christ, I think it is safe to call Resident Evil REmake the best aged game of all time. I mean there is nothing in today's graphical gaming that compares to this masterpiece. 10/10

Audio: Perfect ambient settings are what this music is. In a creepy hallway? Get grim music. In the forest? Ambiance!!! In the safe room? You get one of the best soft video game pieces ever written, "Safe Haven". I'm not joking. The music is simply perfect for this game, and the tense moments are even made better because of this. There's nothing like a great game, without some great music to accompany it~! 10/10







TL/DR Summary: In comparison to a lot of the survival horror games of the time (Silent Hill, Fatal Frame, etc), Resident Evil was a cut above the rest of them. It was the swan-song of traditional survival horror in a lot of ways and it was a masterpiece that showed Resident Evil could for once be stylish and classy. A must-buy for the survival horror, Resident Evil, or just in general a fan of gaming.

Final Grade: 10/10

 

[Smart Marx]

It's insane to think about how they'd actually improve on the first one that's a classic. Just look at the lighting in that gif. Brilliant.

10/10 is a fair grade because it was a near perfect game to me so I fuck with it. I need to finish REmake 2.

Visuals: Oh my god, this game may be 13 years old, but I'll be damned if there is a better looking game than this. Aesthetically, this is the most beautifully creepy and rendered game I have ever seen. There is nearly nothing that compares to this, and the REmaster version makes this look even MORE gorgeous. Good Christ, I think it is safe to call Resident Evil REmake the best aged game of all time. I mean there is nothing in today's graphical gaming that compares to this masterpiece. 10/10

GameCube was such an underrated powerhouse of a machine. There's a reason games like Resident Evil tried to make it their exclusive home until Nintendo foolishly abandoned trying to compete and went with gimmicks instead. Mind you I think the Switch is great, but Wii was a mistake.

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

Resident Evil 2 (1998) Re-Review Here​

 

[Wang Chung]

I actually played it on the N64 and sold it for 30 bucks 5 years later wishing I didnt since it is worth a crap ton now apparently.

tap a junk in the house

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

I actually played it on the N64 and sold it for 30 bucks 5 years later wishing I didnt since it is worth a crap ton now apparently.

tap a junk in the house

Yeah, it's easily the best version, what with the randomizer, easy cheat codes, and customizable blood color (which I think I forgot to mention).