Xbox 360
Without getting into yet another gripe about how Nintendo has pandered to the casual market, there is something that feels inherently wrong about the developers' recent commissioning of repackaged Gamecube titles. So far, these ‘Wii-makes' have proven to be near-carbon copies of their last generation counterparts, with no graphical touch-up, audio enhancement or bonus features. As such, Resident Evil Archives is a Wii-make of a re-make of a director's cut of the original 1996 Playstation classic. Oh the tills they are a-ringing...
However, we're not here to discredit the ethics of the game and, as it happens, venturing back into the world of survival horror is still as fun as it ever was, although if you are only familiar with the Playstation original, you may encounter a very different Resident Evil experience than the one you might remember. The year is 1998 and the members of tactical investigation squad S.T.A.R.S rush to the Arklay Mountains neighbouring Raccoon City to investigate the disappearance of the unit's Bravo team.
After finding their downed chopper and being chased by a pack of rabid zombie hounds, the team hole up in an eerie and seemingly unoccupied mansion in the middle of the dense forest. What follows is a barrage of item-based puzzles and explosive gunplay, fending off hordes of zombies and rather angry mutated beasts, all blood soaked and as striking as it was back in the day. The graphical improvement of the Gamecube remake over the Playstation version was amazing for its time and while it hasn't been improved upon again here, still helps to underline the eerie setting.
Using the Gamecube version as a milestone, it is remarkable how far developer Capcom's skill for creating a chilling moment had progressed since the original. These moments remain intact here, where the subtlest change in camera angle or a complete audio drop-off can incite one of those ‘oh-my-god-something-big-is-about-to-happen' feelings in the player. But then the developer tricks you and nothing happens at all, invoking a feeling of continual threat that is still great fun to this day.
While the original 1996 version is a revered title, it also had a slew of problems, many of which are addressed here. Defence weapons such as daggers and your stun gun let you counter a lurching zombie with a well-timed button press, just before they take a bite out of you. In some ways it also counters the ever-clunky tank control method of the original that would see your character running clumsily into enemy attacks.
However, it makes next to no sense that this game should be re-released on a platform that boasts a slick motion control method, then to sully it by keeping the slow and ineffective movements that plagued the early games of the series. Sure there are welcome options to opt for either the Wiimote, Gamecube or Classic controllers, but this is a wasted chance to implement a great new control scheme.
Backtracking is also an issue as you struggle with limited inventory slots and ferry items back and forth to complete puzzles. There are many new areas and puzzles here, which bolster the relatively short play time of the original game, but at points, this makes backtracking all the more tedious.
As fan service goes, this is another great effort by Capcom, with key moments of the plot left intact, plus some subtle and not-so-subtle nods to the series thrown in for good measure. The grittier visual style looks as slick as ever, but the cheesy dialogue has been reeled in from Gorgonzola levels of awful to a much less-potent cheddar standard, so don't expect a barrage of Barry Burton-esque faux pas. Make no mistake Resident Evil Archives is a cash cow, devoid of new content or imagination, but is essential for late adopters of the series.