SugarKane21
1999
Silent Hill is definitely something else. Of course, we all know how much of a unique gem this series is among the rest of the videogame industry. But i would even go as far as to say that Silent Hill is pretty much unique in the entirety of the horror narrative, including cinema, literature, and other media. I would even suggest to those horror fans who are not into videogames that they should make an exception for the Silent Hill series, and if they can’t get to play it, at least they should watch a walkthrough, but they definitely have to experience this in some way.
It is a common thing, when citing games that are somehow considered pioneers in something, to cite them applying a criteria based on technical or gameplay-related aspects, such as “the first survival horror ever” or “the first game done entirely with 3D graphics” and such. I’d like to propose a different criteria, and actually ask about what are some of the first game to heavily borrow inspiration from Twin Peaks. And naturally i’m guessing Silent Hill would play a significant role there, probably not the first, but definitely one of the first to actually cause an impact. Of course, it’s very well known that Team Silent took inspiration from other media besides Twin Peaks (notably, the film Jacob’s Ladder, among others). To me it’s fascinating to think that despite being heavily influence by media coming from western culture, they somehow handled the strictly horror elements in a very japanese manner. That’s at least my impression. But what’s undeniable, is that they definitely wanted to go way deeper than the mere application of typical horror/action tropes. The ambition of Team Silent was more akin to cinema, even literature. And because of that ambition, Silent Hill represents an incredibly solid introduction to the whole saga.
I’m tempted to say that the only problems in SH are related to the gameplay. In this obvious and unavoidable comparison with Resident Evil, one can’t help to notice that Silent Hill’s camera might get confusing at times, that despite having many more movements and mechanics they still get to be pretty clunky at times, that weapons are not as pleasant as they could be, that the concept ends up forcing the look of the game to be quite repetitve at a certain point, that some maze-like areas are a bit frustrating, and that backtracking can get boresome. In more simple words, one can say that Silent Hill isn’t that fun to play as, obviously, Resident Evil is. But still i can’t help but feeling that such criticism wouldn’t be fair at all. Maybe the fact that the gameplay is quite uncomfortable is all part of the nightmare-like mood and the whole concept. Maybe the concept is actually reinforced by a gameplay that isn’t meant to be your average shooter fun, and maybe weapons are not all that fun to use because there shouldn’t actually be fun in killing things, and actually killing is form of survival that only should happen in pretty extreme situations. Probably this seemingly coherence between gameplay and story might be purely accidental, given that maybe developers weren’t purposefuly trying to make the movement kinda janky and the weapons quite tame. But in the end, one has to recognize that both aspects merge just fine, even if some parts are hard to get by, they have to be that way.
Leaving that aside, and even if SH2 and SH3 are pretty much the stars of the show, one can’t deny how much of a game changer SH1 was. It caused a shift not just in Survival Horror, i also think it pretty much created a whole aesthetic that arguably trascended videogames.
It is a common thing, when citing games that are somehow considered pioneers in something, to cite them applying a criteria based on technical or gameplay-related aspects, such as “the first survival horror ever” or “the first game done entirely with 3D graphics” and such. I’d like to propose a different criteria, and actually ask about what are some of the first game to heavily borrow inspiration from Twin Peaks. And naturally i’m guessing Silent Hill would play a significant role there, probably not the first, but definitely one of the first to actually cause an impact. Of course, it’s very well known that Team Silent took inspiration from other media besides Twin Peaks (notably, the film Jacob’s Ladder, among others). To me it’s fascinating to think that despite being heavily influence by media coming from western culture, they somehow handled the strictly horror elements in a very japanese manner. That’s at least my impression. But what’s undeniable, is that they definitely wanted to go way deeper than the mere application of typical horror/action tropes. The ambition of Team Silent was more akin to cinema, even literature. And because of that ambition, Silent Hill represents an incredibly solid introduction to the whole saga.
I’m tempted to say that the only problems in SH are related to the gameplay. In this obvious and unavoidable comparison with Resident Evil, one can’t help to notice that Silent Hill’s camera might get confusing at times, that despite having many more movements and mechanics they still get to be pretty clunky at times, that weapons are not as pleasant as they could be, that the concept ends up forcing the look of the game to be quite repetitve at a certain point, that some maze-like areas are a bit frustrating, and that backtracking can get boresome. In more simple words, one can say that Silent Hill isn’t that fun to play as, obviously, Resident Evil is. But still i can’t help but feeling that such criticism wouldn’t be fair at all. Maybe the fact that the gameplay is quite uncomfortable is all part of the nightmare-like mood and the whole concept. Maybe the concept is actually reinforced by a gameplay that isn’t meant to be your average shooter fun, and maybe weapons are not all that fun to use because there shouldn’t actually be fun in killing things, and actually killing is form of survival that only should happen in pretty extreme situations. Probably this seemingly coherence between gameplay and story might be purely accidental, given that maybe developers weren’t purposefuly trying to make the movement kinda janky and the weapons quite tame. But in the end, one has to recognize that both aspects merge just fine, even if some parts are hard to get by, they have to be that way.
Leaving that aside, and even if SH2 and SH3 are pretty much the stars of the show, one can’t deny how much of a game changer SH1 was. It caused a shift not just in Survival Horror, i also think it pretty much created a whole aesthetic that arguably trascended videogames.
This is the end. With it’s ups and downs, the blackwell saga has been present for me during the last couple years. So despite not being exactly mind-blowing for me, i couldn’t help but feeling certain nostalghia while saying goodbye to Rosa and Joey. They certainly deserve to be at the hall of fame of point n’click heroes at this point.
Epiphany, in particular, struck me as the darker in tone of the whole series. I would even describe it as the most pessimistic, for the most part. Despite certain questionable ideas i think this might be, by far, the most ambitious title of the series, and i can definitely see why many would consider it the best.
I think anyone who likes their comfy-gaming sessions –tipically, with a cup of coffee- should check this series at some point.
Epiphany, in particular, struck me as the darker in tone of the whole series. I would even describe it as the most pessimistic, for the most part. Despite certain questionable ideas i think this might be, by far, the most ambitious title of the series, and i can definitely see why many would consider it the best.
I think anyone who likes their comfy-gaming sessions –tipically, with a cup of coffee- should check this series at some point.
I played both episodes with a gap of many months between each other. Actually it was still 2023 when i finished the first episode. My approach to this game was the one i usually take with some FPS games, usually Doom wads: I play a map –maybe 2 or 3 if they are short – at some moment of the day where i just want to chill and have some fun without taking things too seriously. I do this when i’m going through days where i just don’t have the time to commit to a game that requires more compromise given it’s narrative, aesthetic, or some other element.
Square wasn’t exactly the ideal choice for such purpose. Mainly because it’s pretty challenging and also because maps are quite big. So that’s one thing you should have in consideration in case you’re considering to play this game: Despite it’s innocent and child-like presentation, it’s pretty hard. Of course i had fun, the game is objectively good, but probably i wasn’t in the best mindset to play it.
I think gameplay-wise, the game shows a lot of expertise: the map layering is excelent. So is the enemy placement. The problem, in my opinion, relies mostly on it’s aesthetic choices, which get too repetitive at some point, adding some tediousness to maps that are already pretty big, with certain encounters that could get a bit frustrating if you were looking for an easier difficulty.
Can’t really cite my favourite maps right now because i played this one a long time ago and i hardly remember anything specific given how samey it all was. But despite that i do recall having fun and also thinking that the layer was pretty good, kist wishing to see different colours, different textures, and so on.
Square wasn’t exactly the ideal choice for such purpose. Mainly because it’s pretty challenging and also because maps are quite big. So that’s one thing you should have in consideration in case you’re considering to play this game: Despite it’s innocent and child-like presentation, it’s pretty hard. Of course i had fun, the game is objectively good, but probably i wasn’t in the best mindset to play it.
I think gameplay-wise, the game shows a lot of expertise: the map layering is excelent. So is the enemy placement. The problem, in my opinion, relies mostly on it’s aesthetic choices, which get too repetitive at some point, adding some tediousness to maps that are already pretty big, with certain encounters that could get a bit frustrating if you were looking for an easier difficulty.
Can’t really cite my favourite maps right now because i played this one a long time ago and i hardly remember anything specific given how samey it all was. But despite that i do recall having fun and also thinking that the layer was pretty good, kist wishing to see different colours, different textures, and so on.
Excuse me if i get too personal with this review. Resident Evil 3 is the only game of the franchise i played when i was just a kid (9-10 years old) and the reason of more than a couple of nightmares. This review won’t be exactly an attempt of being objective and It also won’t be just an account on my experience during this recen gameplay. Actually, most of my appreciations in this review will be extremely biased by what i felt while playing this game as a child
My personal history with the genre is essentially the same as my history with horror in general. I wasn’t a horror kid while growing up mainly because my parents kinda forbid me to. They were ok with action films, but i guess the kind of splattery violence portrayed in horror films were just too much for them. It didn’t helped that the few exposures i had to horror came with nightmares. Funny enough, one of those experiences was with this franchise: When my parents bought me my PS1 for christmas (I’m guessing i might have been 10 years old as much), one of the games that came with it was RE3 Nemesis. I was blown away, it was a completely different experience for me. I had never played a game before that transmited such despair and hopelessnes. And when the moment of Brad’s death came, i guess i was kinda traumatized in a way. Sadly my parents decided that i shouldn’t be playing this kind of games anymore. That didn’t stopped me from becoming really interested in anything related to the Resident Evil lore up until that point (Resident Evil Zero and the RE1 remake were on the works). So as a i child i was very well informed with anything related to the franchise without having completed any of the games. And then when teenage came, i just stopped being interested in videogames at all.
The constant bullying of Nemesis is enough of a reason to consider this game as the scarier of the classic ones, if not the scarier of the whole franchise. This is not a random jump scare of a dog crashing through a window or some licker coming down from the ceiling. This time is Nemesis, the most powerful enemy of the game, who’s chasing you throughout the entire thing. And the truth is that, for most of the game, you have no chance against him. You might hurt him a bit but he’ll eventually come back for you. You just can’t win. So RE3 is not just a worthy contender at being the scarier of the franchise, but also the most pessimistic and hopeless for sure. And is not because of Nemesis and the constant feeling of impotence at fighting him, is because of everything: The FMV introduction sets the tone like no other game in the series. RE2’s intro is amazing, surely, one of the best of it’s times, but there’s a big difference compared to RE3’s intro. RE2/s intro is more action-packed, you have the cool mimbo Leon, and he’s not alone because he’s joined by qt petite girl Claire, and there’s a truck exploding and essentially you know that, no matter which character you picked first, you’re not alone on this trip. RE3, instead, show us that the zombie plague has grown to such a massive degree, that even the military forces can’t fight against them. The final sequence where the mercenary is cornered by a bunch of zombies despite shooting at them, was definitely something else. As a kid, i’ve never watched something as apocalyptic as that in videogames. And once the intro is done, you’re there with Jill, completely alone. You find some people in the first minutes of the game: The man who lost his daughter and decides to keep himself closeted in a safebox – even as a child i could definitely see how depressing that idea was – and Brad. And when it seems like Brad is going to be your buddy, then comes the biggest shock of my childhood gaming days: Nemesis does quite a jump-scary introduction, and kills Brad in an incredibly gory and messed up way. Following that, you’re faced with a negative screen showing you two choices, which comes as a total shock because this is a completely new thing in terms of gameplay, and is even more upsetting considering how Nemesis is rapidly getting closer. So there you’re, alone again. And in the middle of a fight you just can’t win.
Holy shit that moment when Nemesis kills Brad... For an adult familiar with 80’s and 90’s horror flicks, that scene might look campy, even funny. I know it because i am that kind of adult right now. But trust me, that sole scene was the reason for many nightmares as a kid. So yeah, i guess finally coming back to this game and finally beating it might count as some kind of Jungean-like way of dealing with something that is not essentially a trauma, but kinda looks like one. Nemesis is, by far, the best boss of the whole franchise. In terms of concept is just so coherent and almost natural that Umbrella’s constant struggle in developing the ultimate biological weapon eventually led to this point: This creature that, while being kinda flawed, is faster, stronger, and even more inteligent than any boss you had encounter yet. In terms of design, Nemesis is one of those horror faces that will forever stuck on your subconscious. It’s actually interesting, for me, to think Nemesis within the frame of not just horror games, but actually horror media in general, mostly 80s and early 90s horror films. The aesthetic influence of Hellraiser, particularly the Chatterer –The Sharp-teethed cenobite who appears alonside Pinhead in the first two films of the franchise – has been pointed out already. Nemesis could be some kind of buffed-up cenobite. But also, i think the role that Nemesis plays in this game is more akin to a classic slasher film, and i can’t help but thinking that there is even some Michael Myers resemblance here, for two reasons: motherfucker never dies, and also, he’s obsessed in chasing someone in particular, so Jill pretty much plays the final girl role kinda like Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween.
Now, finally talking about something related to the actual gameplay: During a big part of the first half of the game, is useless trying to fight Nemesis. Forget about fighting him in the police station. And probably you shouldn’t even consider fighting him at all –despite the few times when there isn’t any other choice- and i mean it for a few reasons: First of all, it takes a lot of tries and practice to beat him down, wasting a lot of resources in a process that is not really fun, specially during your first couple encounters, where you just don’t have proper weapons to fight . Technically, it is possible to beat him down using only the handgun but that would definitely make for the most boring and frustrating gaming experience imaginable. Second of all, despite the fact that Nemesis leaves some goodies as a bonus for every encounter where you succesfully beat him down, you’ll find out that they’re not really worth it. I actually got three bonuses: both parts of the Desert Eagle, and the Medikit bag. They are very cool for sure but i can hardly say that they were really necessary to get through the game. Third, and probably the most important reason: Fighting Nemesis isn’t nearly as fun as just escaping him. The game was designed mostly to feel the thrill of being chased by a monster as if you were the final girl from a slasher film. WIth the exception of the encounters where you have no other choice than to just fight him, i mostly decided to escape from Nemesis. Out of the three times i decided to fight him, two were basically free (The kitchen blowup and the clock tower electrocution). So the only time i actually fought him as my own choice, was right before meeting the Gravedigger, on my way to fixing the train.
I think there are some interesting design choices here when it comes to the map and the gameplay. First of all, the game is divided in two: Once you take the train, there’s no possibility of backtracking. In a way every game from the original trilogy was essentially divided in two, with a transition in between. It’s always the iconic scenario in the first half – Mansion in RE1, Police Station in RE2, the whole Racoon City in RE3 – with some sort of in betwen scenario – mines in RE1, sewer in RE2, Clock Tower/Hospital/Zoo in RE3 – leading, in all of the cases to, well, a lab. And of course, an explosion in the end. It’s almost laughable, but still it works great. RE3 is a little more linear than it’s precursors. And somehow, to me, it felt more convoluted in terms of layer design. It is pretty confusing, for example, to find your way through the police station during the first section, given how mazey that part of the map is. I also have to say that the music during this part is by far the most opressive in the entirety of the original trilogy, it truly adds to the mood, and it enhances the feeling that you’re playing the least enjoyable game –in a good way – of the franchise up until this point at least. And this whole uncomfortable mood is in a way increased by the new “randomization”. Of course, i’m aware this is technically just a randomization between A or B, but still, it makes it even harder to study the map and think of strategies.
There’s also new mechanics here. The auto-aim is glorious, a necessary addition for sure. The fast spin is also pretty useful but not so easy to get right. And then there’s the dodging, which is just broke, really badly implemented. As a concept is great, it is pretty satisfying to get it right, but your chances to do it are pretty much the same as your chances of getting it wrong. And also the infamous gunpowder system, which is interesting but kinda messy, and also kind of an attempt to delve more into RPG territory. The manual you get right at the beginning is pretty much a fail: It never explains that the C gunpowder is made up by mixing the A and B type, which is far from being a minor detail considering that the C type is the one you need to make the most powerful types of ammo. So that’s how i played the entirety of the game wondering how come i could never find a single C gunpowder, and also how come i’ve only found two Magnum rounds and only one Freeze Grenade rounds (the one that Carlos gave me in the train)
One last problem i’d like to point out is concerning to the live selections. Of course they always come during extreme situations and of course they add a lot of intensity. Overall they are a great addition given that, for the first time, Resident Evil decided to explore the fear underlying the simple act of choosing an option, which to a grander extent implies the fact that you have to face your destiny. During my gameplay, i loved them, the rush of adrenaline was just fantastic. But once i finished and i took the time to explore the different incomes of these choices, i came to realize that the potential of this concept wasn’t fully realized. I can understand that the technical limitations of the PS1 made it really hard for a more complex branching (after all, these choices didn’t affect greatly on what happened next), but at least, they should have put more effort in the different endings. See, this selections always made me think of negative consequences such as other characters dying. But the truth is, at the end, the game just have one ending. Of course, they are three, but they’re only slight variations of the same ending. So you forced me to choose during the game, you made me really overthink about the consequences of my elections, but at the end, it didn’t really matter, because everything would be alright and i wouldn’t have to pay for anything. I would rather had the possibility of more tragic incomes. See, a classic example of simple but good implementation of choosing is shown in Metal Gear Solid 1. In fact, this is a great example of tragic dilemma shown in ancient greek drama, implemented in video games. If Snake cannot resist during the torture scene, then Meryl will die. But if he does succeed in resisting, then Otacon will die. So no matter which choice you make, all of them will have a negative income. Of course, Silent Hill explored this like no other. Clock Tower already pionered this kind of branching. Heck, even Dino Crisis has some of this. So is kinda unforgiving how poorly RE3 managed this thing: live selections were just a way of adding a cheap thrill in the end, and that’s it.
In conclussion, RE3 is a masterpiece, althought a flawed one. Yet i can’t rate it less than 5 stars. Of course i can definitely see how, objectively, RE2 is the best of the trilogy, but what RE3 does good, it does it like no other game in the franchise. Plus, my personal bond with it is just something else, as i told early in this review. It feels like a perfect closure for an unforgettable saga, almost like George Romero’s trilogy of the dead. So i guess i’m essentially rating 5 stars to the whole PS1 saga, and that’s it.
My personal history with the genre is essentially the same as my history with horror in general. I wasn’t a horror kid while growing up mainly because my parents kinda forbid me to. They were ok with action films, but i guess the kind of splattery violence portrayed in horror films were just too much for them. It didn’t helped that the few exposures i had to horror came with nightmares. Funny enough, one of those experiences was with this franchise: When my parents bought me my PS1 for christmas (I’m guessing i might have been 10 years old as much), one of the games that came with it was RE3 Nemesis. I was blown away, it was a completely different experience for me. I had never played a game before that transmited such despair and hopelessnes. And when the moment of Brad’s death came, i guess i was kinda traumatized in a way. Sadly my parents decided that i shouldn’t be playing this kind of games anymore. That didn’t stopped me from becoming really interested in anything related to the Resident Evil lore up until that point (Resident Evil Zero and the RE1 remake were on the works). So as a i child i was very well informed with anything related to the franchise without having completed any of the games. And then when teenage came, i just stopped being interested in videogames at all.
The constant bullying of Nemesis is enough of a reason to consider this game as the scarier of the classic ones, if not the scarier of the whole franchise. This is not a random jump scare of a dog crashing through a window or some licker coming down from the ceiling. This time is Nemesis, the most powerful enemy of the game, who’s chasing you throughout the entire thing. And the truth is that, for most of the game, you have no chance against him. You might hurt him a bit but he’ll eventually come back for you. You just can’t win. So RE3 is not just a worthy contender at being the scarier of the franchise, but also the most pessimistic and hopeless for sure. And is not because of Nemesis and the constant feeling of impotence at fighting him, is because of everything: The FMV introduction sets the tone like no other game in the series. RE2’s intro is amazing, surely, one of the best of it’s times, but there’s a big difference compared to RE3’s intro. RE2/s intro is more action-packed, you have the cool mimbo Leon, and he’s not alone because he’s joined by qt petite girl Claire, and there’s a truck exploding and essentially you know that, no matter which character you picked first, you’re not alone on this trip. RE3, instead, show us that the zombie plague has grown to such a massive degree, that even the military forces can’t fight against them. The final sequence where the mercenary is cornered by a bunch of zombies despite shooting at them, was definitely something else. As a kid, i’ve never watched something as apocalyptic as that in videogames. And once the intro is done, you’re there with Jill, completely alone. You find some people in the first minutes of the game: The man who lost his daughter and decides to keep himself closeted in a safebox – even as a child i could definitely see how depressing that idea was – and Brad. And when it seems like Brad is going to be your buddy, then comes the biggest shock of my childhood gaming days: Nemesis does quite a jump-scary introduction, and kills Brad in an incredibly gory and messed up way. Following that, you’re faced with a negative screen showing you two choices, which comes as a total shock because this is a completely new thing in terms of gameplay, and is even more upsetting considering how Nemesis is rapidly getting closer. So there you’re, alone again. And in the middle of a fight you just can’t win.
Holy shit that moment when Nemesis kills Brad... For an adult familiar with 80’s and 90’s horror flicks, that scene might look campy, even funny. I know it because i am that kind of adult right now. But trust me, that sole scene was the reason for many nightmares as a kid. So yeah, i guess finally coming back to this game and finally beating it might count as some kind of Jungean-like way of dealing with something that is not essentially a trauma, but kinda looks like one. Nemesis is, by far, the best boss of the whole franchise. In terms of concept is just so coherent and almost natural that Umbrella’s constant struggle in developing the ultimate biological weapon eventually led to this point: This creature that, while being kinda flawed, is faster, stronger, and even more inteligent than any boss you had encounter yet. In terms of design, Nemesis is one of those horror faces that will forever stuck on your subconscious. It’s actually interesting, for me, to think Nemesis within the frame of not just horror games, but actually horror media in general, mostly 80s and early 90s horror films. The aesthetic influence of Hellraiser, particularly the Chatterer –The Sharp-teethed cenobite who appears alonside Pinhead in the first two films of the franchise – has been pointed out already. Nemesis could be some kind of buffed-up cenobite. But also, i think the role that Nemesis plays in this game is more akin to a classic slasher film, and i can’t help but thinking that there is even some Michael Myers resemblance here, for two reasons: motherfucker never dies, and also, he’s obsessed in chasing someone in particular, so Jill pretty much plays the final girl role kinda like Jamie Lee Curtis in Halloween.
Now, finally talking about something related to the actual gameplay: During a big part of the first half of the game, is useless trying to fight Nemesis. Forget about fighting him in the police station. And probably you shouldn’t even consider fighting him at all –despite the few times when there isn’t any other choice- and i mean it for a few reasons: First of all, it takes a lot of tries and practice to beat him down, wasting a lot of resources in a process that is not really fun, specially during your first couple encounters, where you just don’t have proper weapons to fight . Technically, it is possible to beat him down using only the handgun but that would definitely make for the most boring and frustrating gaming experience imaginable. Second of all, despite the fact that Nemesis leaves some goodies as a bonus for every encounter where you succesfully beat him down, you’ll find out that they’re not really worth it. I actually got three bonuses: both parts of the Desert Eagle, and the Medikit bag. They are very cool for sure but i can hardly say that they were really necessary to get through the game. Third, and probably the most important reason: Fighting Nemesis isn’t nearly as fun as just escaping him. The game was designed mostly to feel the thrill of being chased by a monster as if you were the final girl from a slasher film. WIth the exception of the encounters where you have no other choice than to just fight him, i mostly decided to escape from Nemesis. Out of the three times i decided to fight him, two were basically free (The kitchen blowup and the clock tower electrocution). So the only time i actually fought him as my own choice, was right before meeting the Gravedigger, on my way to fixing the train.
I think there are some interesting design choices here when it comes to the map and the gameplay. First of all, the game is divided in two: Once you take the train, there’s no possibility of backtracking. In a way every game from the original trilogy was essentially divided in two, with a transition in between. It’s always the iconic scenario in the first half – Mansion in RE1, Police Station in RE2, the whole Racoon City in RE3 – with some sort of in betwen scenario – mines in RE1, sewer in RE2, Clock Tower/Hospital/Zoo in RE3 – leading, in all of the cases to, well, a lab. And of course, an explosion in the end. It’s almost laughable, but still it works great. RE3 is a little more linear than it’s precursors. And somehow, to me, it felt more convoluted in terms of layer design. It is pretty confusing, for example, to find your way through the police station during the first section, given how mazey that part of the map is. I also have to say that the music during this part is by far the most opressive in the entirety of the original trilogy, it truly adds to the mood, and it enhances the feeling that you’re playing the least enjoyable game –in a good way – of the franchise up until this point at least. And this whole uncomfortable mood is in a way increased by the new “randomization”. Of course, i’m aware this is technically just a randomization between A or B, but still, it makes it even harder to study the map and think of strategies.
There’s also new mechanics here. The auto-aim is glorious, a necessary addition for sure. The fast spin is also pretty useful but not so easy to get right. And then there’s the dodging, which is just broke, really badly implemented. As a concept is great, it is pretty satisfying to get it right, but your chances to do it are pretty much the same as your chances of getting it wrong. And also the infamous gunpowder system, which is interesting but kinda messy, and also kind of an attempt to delve more into RPG territory. The manual you get right at the beginning is pretty much a fail: It never explains that the C gunpowder is made up by mixing the A and B type, which is far from being a minor detail considering that the C type is the one you need to make the most powerful types of ammo. So that’s how i played the entirety of the game wondering how come i could never find a single C gunpowder, and also how come i’ve only found two Magnum rounds and only one Freeze Grenade rounds (the one that Carlos gave me in the train)
One last problem i’d like to point out is concerning to the live selections. Of course they always come during extreme situations and of course they add a lot of intensity. Overall they are a great addition given that, for the first time, Resident Evil decided to explore the fear underlying the simple act of choosing an option, which to a grander extent implies the fact that you have to face your destiny. During my gameplay, i loved them, the rush of adrenaline was just fantastic. But once i finished and i took the time to explore the different incomes of these choices, i came to realize that the potential of this concept wasn’t fully realized. I can understand that the technical limitations of the PS1 made it really hard for a more complex branching (after all, these choices didn’t affect greatly on what happened next), but at least, they should have put more effort in the different endings. See, this selections always made me think of negative consequences such as other characters dying. But the truth is, at the end, the game just have one ending. Of course, they are three, but they’re only slight variations of the same ending. So you forced me to choose during the game, you made me really overthink about the consequences of my elections, but at the end, it didn’t really matter, because everything would be alright and i wouldn’t have to pay for anything. I would rather had the possibility of more tragic incomes. See, a classic example of simple but good implementation of choosing is shown in Metal Gear Solid 1. In fact, this is a great example of tragic dilemma shown in ancient greek drama, implemented in video games. If Snake cannot resist during the torture scene, then Meryl will die. But if he does succeed in resisting, then Otacon will die. So no matter which choice you make, all of them will have a negative income. Of course, Silent Hill explored this like no other. Clock Tower already pionered this kind of branching. Heck, even Dino Crisis has some of this. So is kinda unforgiving how poorly RE3 managed this thing: live selections were just a way of adding a cheap thrill in the end, and that’s it.
In conclussion, RE3 is a masterpiece, althought a flawed one. Yet i can’t rate it less than 5 stars. Of course i can definitely see how, objectively, RE2 is the best of the trilogy, but what RE3 does good, it does it like no other game in the franchise. Plus, my personal bond with it is just something else, as i told early in this review. It feels like a perfect closure for an unforgettable saga, almost like George Romero’s trilogy of the dead. So i guess i’m essentially rating 5 stars to the whole PS1 saga, and that’s it.
1998
In january, i played RE1. During February and March, i played both RE2 and RE3, almost at the same time. I went like this: I played Leon A, Claire B, then i went with Resident Evil 3, then i played Claire A, Leon B, then i played 4th Survivor, and by the end, i played The Mercenaries.
RE2 is a masterclass on recursiveness. A lesson in how to reutilize the same material in ingenious ways to keep it interesting, while economizing resources. This time the big deal with RE2 is perspectivism. In RE1, the fact of having different endings was mostly tied to a concept of free will, therefore having to face the consequences of your own actions. RE2 instead will have a specific ending depending on the order in which you play the CD’s. In that sense, the story in RE2 is pretty much determined, which is the opposite of RE1. But what makes RE2 interesting in a philosophical way is that, if we accept the idea that there is no real truth but mostly different perspectives, and therefore, the actual truth might come from the juxtaposition of all those perspectives –something unreachable for us as individuals- well, RE2 adds a little more info and a little more “truth” everytime you finish the game. So let’s say that you finish Leon A first, then of course you’ll know a lot more things about the story once you finish Claire B. But if you decide to keep playing, this time Claire A and then Leon B, you’ll know even more things, and you’ll even get to unblock the 4th Survivor minigame which actually serves as even more lights to the mistery. And if we agree on the fact that RE2 story, while being a bit more complex than RE1 is still quite minimalistic, then the conclussion i come to, is that RE2 does a masterful work in creating little intrigues that overcome repetition. No matter if you’re already familiar with the police station, there are many chances that once you play with both characters, you’ll want to play once again in the inverted order. Replayabiliy, therefore, doesn’t really play as an option but rather a condition here, in order to properly experience this game.
I find extremely funny –in a good way of course - how RE2 continues a not-so-commented idea where guys are pretty dumb and the girls are actually the ones with the brains. If we go back to RE1, you find out that both Jill and Rebecca are the ones who are able to play the piano and solve the chemical puzzle. Jill also has the lockpick, which is something useful only for smart people. Chris himself can’t do any of this stuff. In RE2, while this kind of differences in the way of solving puzzles have been pretty much equaled (still, Claire is the one with the lockpick) the “intellectual” differences comes out in the way each character relates to the story. Leon, essentially a mimbo here (a different kind of beast than Chris who ressembles more the typical chad, despite sharing pretty much the same cognitive cappabilities) doesn’t seem to be much aware of how the whole Umbrella plot is tied, even at the very end. He’s rather a more pragmatical guy in his concern about escapin but also quite idealistic in the way he just wants to get away with the hot asian chick in his arms. He’s also quite innocent and insecure, which is pretty much shown when he states that no one seems to listen to what he says (inb4 rookie). Claire, instead, is there with another objective which is finding her dumb brother. But meanwhile, she seems to be the one who’s really trying to understand what’s going on in the city, discovering many important things about the whole Umbrella conspiracy in the proccess, and really trying to tie loose ends. She’s also shown as a more grounded and secure person, mature enough to also take care of a minor. Do i have a favourite character in RE2? No, i just love all of them, even with how simplistic they might be, they still have a unique charisma which somehow makes them all impossible to not like. There are some nuances as to how they relate to each other and which role they play in the whole story. I don’t want to spoil those details to you, but i have to say that, in my opinion, the story just tie way better if you play Claire A and then Leon B. My recommendation as i stated emphatically already, is that you play Leon A, then Claire B, then Claire A and finally Leon B. RE2 is widely recognized as the game with the most replayable value in a franchise that is already known for it’s replayability. So it wouldn’t be much of a problem to play all 4 stories, and in the order i told you (so you save the best for last). But if you’re definitely sure that you won’t have enough time to do so, then i suggest you to play Claire A, then Leon B.
As for the gameplay, there are many reasons for me to consider that RE2 is by far the best and most enjoyable RE title of the PS1 trilogy. For one instance, the map. Of course, it’s not as charming and iconic as RE1’s mansion, and for sure it’s not as ambitious as RE3 streets, but when it comes to the layout, the police station is just absolutely perfect. It flows organically, and even if it’s pretty linear it’s just imposible to not love. It’s also worth mentioning how RE2 doesn’t drop it’s quality once you get past the first scenario, in this case, the police station. The sewers and the lab are also great here. The balance is also perfect: more action-focused than RE1 but without getting as intense as RE3. It’s just the perfect sweet spot. And if you’re resourceful enough, you’ll find that the whole map just has enough items to beat the game with just the perfect ammount of suffering. Every single character has different weapons and also, there are a couple weapons that are available only on certain scenarios. Regarding weapons, there’s a general consensus that Leon’s arsenal is a lot better than Claire’s. This is also more notorious on Claire B than Claire A. When playing Claire B you’re easily underwhelmed because you’ve just finished Leon A with his hard-ass upgraded weapon (hands down best arsenal of the entire ps1 trilogy) and suddenly you’re there dealing with a shitty crossbow. And also, in Claire A is less of a problem because it’s by far the easiest run of all the 4 variations of the main game. Considering that, when the game offers me both a sub-machine gun and a backpack (which adds two more slots available in your inventory) i always leave both for Claire (Remember, picking any of these with the first character will make it unavailable for the second). I strongly recommend you to do the same. The sub-machine gun is quite a let-down but it might be an interesting addition for Claire, specially for dealing with lickers. The Backpack is specially useful considering that Claire’s main weapon, the grenade-launcher, makes you deal with three different types of ammunition, so the extra space comes quite in handy, and is also useful considering that the sub-machine gun fills two slots.
I can’t help but feeling that RE2 is somehow the least scary of the PS1 trilogy. Don’t get me wrong, it has a lot of suspenseful and tense moments, and i even think that the music is handled a lot better here than in the first game. But somehow it feels less scary than RE1 with the creepy mansion filled with traps and with a lot less resources, and also it feels less scary then RE3’s whole pessimistic and apocalyptic mood. Or maybe i kinda ruined the suspense after playing the four “campaigns” this game offer. Mr. X is scary probably just the first time you find him, and if you are already familiar with Nemesis from RE3, then this glow-up version of a Tyrant just feels like a joke. Now Birkin? That’s a scary-ass fella. Birkin is actually my second-favourite boss after Nemesis. I love how RE2 incorporates body-horror elements. In contrast, RE1 is simply the haunted mansion trope, while RE3 plays more like a slasher. But RE2 is closer to a body-horror flick, with Birkin’s many forms as the prime example of this. He’s also a lot harder to beat than Mr. X, for sure.
In cinema, it’s pretty usual that sequels are oftenly resented, easily disregarded as inferior titles compared to their predecesor. In videogames, instead, sequels are not just a common thing, universally accepted, but also, they usually generate tons of expectation, and it’s also pretty normal to see sequels largely surpassing the original title. I can’t help but wonder if RE2 is actually one of the titles that actually cemented this possibility in this media, specially considering that during the 90s, the industry is still at an early stage of becoming a mass media. It is no surprise that RE2 was and still is the holder of titles such as one of the best sequels of all time, one of the best videogames of all time, one of the best titles of the PS1 catalogue, and so on.
A message to Capcom, Shinji Mikami and friends: We’re living in an era with barely new ideas, an era where both mainstream media and niche-underground communities are making huge incommings (materially and simbolically) based on their own concepts of nostalghia. As a way of expressing the discontent with the decay of western society in cultural matters, a large part of today’s artist have decided to look back at the past, which has of course happened uncountable times along history, only that this time they’re not doing it in order to pick something that works as the base of something inherently and authentically new. This time, culture is really trying to turn back time. With is pros and cos, with the inner sadness that this whole idea gives, there’s no denying that it is also something of an opportunity for many to be creative, even if it happens to be over the basis of an aesthetic taken from the past. Yes, the right word is opportunity. So come on Capcom, this is the time, just do it: Bring back fixed cameras and tank controls. Do it for the homies. Make Resident Evil great again.
RE2 is a masterclass on recursiveness. A lesson in how to reutilize the same material in ingenious ways to keep it interesting, while economizing resources. This time the big deal with RE2 is perspectivism. In RE1, the fact of having different endings was mostly tied to a concept of free will, therefore having to face the consequences of your own actions. RE2 instead will have a specific ending depending on the order in which you play the CD’s. In that sense, the story in RE2 is pretty much determined, which is the opposite of RE1. But what makes RE2 interesting in a philosophical way is that, if we accept the idea that there is no real truth but mostly different perspectives, and therefore, the actual truth might come from the juxtaposition of all those perspectives –something unreachable for us as individuals- well, RE2 adds a little more info and a little more “truth” everytime you finish the game. So let’s say that you finish Leon A first, then of course you’ll know a lot more things about the story once you finish Claire B. But if you decide to keep playing, this time Claire A and then Leon B, you’ll know even more things, and you’ll even get to unblock the 4th Survivor minigame which actually serves as even more lights to the mistery. And if we agree on the fact that RE2 story, while being a bit more complex than RE1 is still quite minimalistic, then the conclussion i come to, is that RE2 does a masterful work in creating little intrigues that overcome repetition. No matter if you’re already familiar with the police station, there are many chances that once you play with both characters, you’ll want to play once again in the inverted order. Replayabiliy, therefore, doesn’t really play as an option but rather a condition here, in order to properly experience this game.
I find extremely funny –in a good way of course - how RE2 continues a not-so-commented idea where guys are pretty dumb and the girls are actually the ones with the brains. If we go back to RE1, you find out that both Jill and Rebecca are the ones who are able to play the piano and solve the chemical puzzle. Jill also has the lockpick, which is something useful only for smart people. Chris himself can’t do any of this stuff. In RE2, while this kind of differences in the way of solving puzzles have been pretty much equaled (still, Claire is the one with the lockpick) the “intellectual” differences comes out in the way each character relates to the story. Leon, essentially a mimbo here (a different kind of beast than Chris who ressembles more the typical chad, despite sharing pretty much the same cognitive cappabilities) doesn’t seem to be much aware of how the whole Umbrella plot is tied, even at the very end. He’s rather a more pragmatical guy in his concern about escapin but also quite idealistic in the way he just wants to get away with the hot asian chick in his arms. He’s also quite innocent and insecure, which is pretty much shown when he states that no one seems to listen to what he says (inb4 rookie). Claire, instead, is there with another objective which is finding her dumb brother. But meanwhile, she seems to be the one who’s really trying to understand what’s going on in the city, discovering many important things about the whole Umbrella conspiracy in the proccess, and really trying to tie loose ends. She’s also shown as a more grounded and secure person, mature enough to also take care of a minor. Do i have a favourite character in RE2? No, i just love all of them, even with how simplistic they might be, they still have a unique charisma which somehow makes them all impossible to not like. There are some nuances as to how they relate to each other and which role they play in the whole story. I don’t want to spoil those details to you, but i have to say that, in my opinion, the story just tie way better if you play Claire A and then Leon B. My recommendation as i stated emphatically already, is that you play Leon A, then Claire B, then Claire A and finally Leon B. RE2 is widely recognized as the game with the most replayable value in a franchise that is already known for it’s replayability. So it wouldn’t be much of a problem to play all 4 stories, and in the order i told you (so you save the best for last). But if you’re definitely sure that you won’t have enough time to do so, then i suggest you to play Claire A, then Leon B.
As for the gameplay, there are many reasons for me to consider that RE2 is by far the best and most enjoyable RE title of the PS1 trilogy. For one instance, the map. Of course, it’s not as charming and iconic as RE1’s mansion, and for sure it’s not as ambitious as RE3 streets, but when it comes to the layout, the police station is just absolutely perfect. It flows organically, and even if it’s pretty linear it’s just imposible to not love. It’s also worth mentioning how RE2 doesn’t drop it’s quality once you get past the first scenario, in this case, the police station. The sewers and the lab are also great here. The balance is also perfect: more action-focused than RE1 but without getting as intense as RE3. It’s just the perfect sweet spot. And if you’re resourceful enough, you’ll find that the whole map just has enough items to beat the game with just the perfect ammount of suffering. Every single character has different weapons and also, there are a couple weapons that are available only on certain scenarios. Regarding weapons, there’s a general consensus that Leon’s arsenal is a lot better than Claire’s. This is also more notorious on Claire B than Claire A. When playing Claire B you’re easily underwhelmed because you’ve just finished Leon A with his hard-ass upgraded weapon (hands down best arsenal of the entire ps1 trilogy) and suddenly you’re there dealing with a shitty crossbow. And also, in Claire A is less of a problem because it’s by far the easiest run of all the 4 variations of the main game. Considering that, when the game offers me both a sub-machine gun and a backpack (which adds two more slots available in your inventory) i always leave both for Claire (Remember, picking any of these with the first character will make it unavailable for the second). I strongly recommend you to do the same. The sub-machine gun is quite a let-down but it might be an interesting addition for Claire, specially for dealing with lickers. The Backpack is specially useful considering that Claire’s main weapon, the grenade-launcher, makes you deal with three different types of ammunition, so the extra space comes quite in handy, and is also useful considering that the sub-machine gun fills two slots.
I can’t help but feeling that RE2 is somehow the least scary of the PS1 trilogy. Don’t get me wrong, it has a lot of suspenseful and tense moments, and i even think that the music is handled a lot better here than in the first game. But somehow it feels less scary than RE1 with the creepy mansion filled with traps and with a lot less resources, and also it feels less scary then RE3’s whole pessimistic and apocalyptic mood. Or maybe i kinda ruined the suspense after playing the four “campaigns” this game offer. Mr. X is scary probably just the first time you find him, and if you are already familiar with Nemesis from RE3, then this glow-up version of a Tyrant just feels like a joke. Now Birkin? That’s a scary-ass fella. Birkin is actually my second-favourite boss after Nemesis. I love how RE2 incorporates body-horror elements. In contrast, RE1 is simply the haunted mansion trope, while RE3 plays more like a slasher. But RE2 is closer to a body-horror flick, with Birkin’s many forms as the prime example of this. He’s also a lot harder to beat than Mr. X, for sure.
In cinema, it’s pretty usual that sequels are oftenly resented, easily disregarded as inferior titles compared to their predecesor. In videogames, instead, sequels are not just a common thing, universally accepted, but also, they usually generate tons of expectation, and it’s also pretty normal to see sequels largely surpassing the original title. I can’t help but wonder if RE2 is actually one of the titles that actually cemented this possibility in this media, specially considering that during the 90s, the industry is still at an early stage of becoming a mass media. It is no surprise that RE2 was and still is the holder of titles such as one of the best sequels of all time, one of the best videogames of all time, one of the best titles of the PS1 catalogue, and so on.
A message to Capcom, Shinji Mikami and friends: We’re living in an era with barely new ideas, an era where both mainstream media and niche-underground communities are making huge incommings (materially and simbolically) based on their own concepts of nostalghia. As a way of expressing the discontent with the decay of western society in cultural matters, a large part of today’s artist have decided to look back at the past, which has of course happened uncountable times along history, only that this time they’re not doing it in order to pick something that works as the base of something inherently and authentically new. This time, culture is really trying to turn back time. With is pros and cos, with the inner sadness that this whole idea gives, there’s no denying that it is also something of an opportunity for many to be creative, even if it happens to be over the basis of an aesthetic taken from the past. Yes, the right word is opportunity. So come on Capcom, this is the time, just do it: Bring back fixed cameras and tank controls. Do it for the homies. Make Resident Evil great again.
1996
So this year i’m planning to play as many classic survival horror games as i can. Of course i had to start with the founder –despite the very well known precursors- of the genre, Resident Evil.
As a kid, i’ve always been curious about the Resident Evil franchise and it’s lore, but for many reasons i never got to play the games –Except for RE3 Nemesis but that’s another story-, and by the time teenage came, i stopped being interested in video games in general. But still, i think one of the main reasons why i was attracted to Resident Evil and other survival horrors was actually it’s gameplay, which is probably the thing thatmany people consider to be one of those things that hasn’t aged well. To me, games like Resident Evil, Silent Hill and Dino Crisis, were essentially a 3D graphic adventure with the adition of action elements. It was a perfect combination at the time. Nobody complained about tank controls back then, we just sat and played instead of getting all picky about minor details. And just as it happens with point and click games, this was a great genre to play with someone else at your side: Not just for the story and the cinematic aspects, but also because it was nice to discuss how to solve the puzzles. And also it was really fun to share a couple scares.
So i finally sat down and played Resident Evil. I played with Jill which is not just “the easy way” but rather the proper way, in my opinion. I got the best ending and i have to say that i had a fantastic time while playing it. All those things that seem “dated” were just a fundamental part of the fun for me: i was surprised to see that tank controls weren’t a problem at all (yes, it takes a while to get around with them but sooner than later you just get used to them), i was also totally in love with the low-poly graphics, and also, i actually found that the infamous dialogue was a really funny way to have a certain relief from the tension, also providing some kind of Horror Comedy B-Movie vibe to it.
Resident Evil isn’t a game that could scare someone to death nowadays, but it definitely succeeds in creating an atmosphere full of tension and mistery. It’s curious to think how most of the precursors of the genre -Alone in the dark, Clock Tower, Sweet Home, even Maniac Mansion – they were all going for the haunted house trope. It’s also noteworthy, just like it happened with it’s precursors in the haunted mansion theme, how the story is overall pretty minimalistic here. In the case of Resident Evil though – This also happens somehow in Clock Tower – the most interesting pieces of actual story are not really shown on-screen, but rather in the various documents that you can find throughout the mansion, which serve as the basis of the whole RE lore. There is some criticism concernig the latter parts of the game, those were you’re kinda leaving the mansion and going into different environments. To me they were all fine. I have to admit i didn’t have the best time of my life during the segment of the mines, but mostly because that was the part with the biggest spider of the game. Spiders were the only thing that kinda creeped me out to be honest.
I’m not sure if it has been adressed how important Resident Evil was for the revival of the whole zombie culture. On one hand, it should be mentioned that incorporating the classical concept of the zombie designed by George Romero in Night Of The Living Dead was something that hasn’t been done at that time, and even less, with this degree of perfection: Zombies are slow, they have to be shot in the head, they can be left behind just by walking if the area is big enough, but they can corner you if the space is tight. This hasn’t been done in videogames at this time (Alone in the dark probably tried but without this level of results). Also, zombies were pretty much forgotten during mid and late 90’s, so Resident Evil pretty much held the torch of the zombie myth and pave the way for the big revival that happened during the 2000’s, with titles like 28 Days Later and The Walking Dead as the prime examples.
In conclussion, playing Resident Evil felt like an experience that holds up perfectly well nowadays, contrary to many opinions. I’d like to believe that this is not due to me being an old-fag, but rather because the game is inherently good. It’s not that certain mechanics are replaced because they are bad. Maybe they are replaced only because the industry says so, and maybe because other mechanics prove to sell better at a certain time. But honestly, with the proper mindset, any youngster should be able to play this game. This new wave of indie developers designing survival horrors in the style of the three classic Resident Evils serves as a proof of that. But being aware of the existence of all those games, i can’t help but feeling a little sad knowing that we might never see a game in the RE franchise going back to this particular style. Or something like the first remake, with it’s visual enhancements but with the gameplay almost intact.
As a kid, i’ve always been curious about the Resident Evil franchise and it’s lore, but for many reasons i never got to play the games –Except for RE3 Nemesis but that’s another story-, and by the time teenage came, i stopped being interested in video games in general. But still, i think one of the main reasons why i was attracted to Resident Evil and other survival horrors was actually it’s gameplay, which is probably the thing thatmany people consider to be one of those things that hasn’t aged well. To me, games like Resident Evil, Silent Hill and Dino Crisis, were essentially a 3D graphic adventure with the adition of action elements. It was a perfect combination at the time. Nobody complained about tank controls back then, we just sat and played instead of getting all picky about minor details. And just as it happens with point and click games, this was a great genre to play with someone else at your side: Not just for the story and the cinematic aspects, but also because it was nice to discuss how to solve the puzzles. And also it was really fun to share a couple scares.
So i finally sat down and played Resident Evil. I played with Jill which is not just “the easy way” but rather the proper way, in my opinion. I got the best ending and i have to say that i had a fantastic time while playing it. All those things that seem “dated” were just a fundamental part of the fun for me: i was surprised to see that tank controls weren’t a problem at all (yes, it takes a while to get around with them but sooner than later you just get used to them), i was also totally in love with the low-poly graphics, and also, i actually found that the infamous dialogue was a really funny way to have a certain relief from the tension, also providing some kind of Horror Comedy B-Movie vibe to it.
Resident Evil isn’t a game that could scare someone to death nowadays, but it definitely succeeds in creating an atmosphere full of tension and mistery. It’s curious to think how most of the precursors of the genre -Alone in the dark, Clock Tower, Sweet Home, even Maniac Mansion – they were all going for the haunted house trope. It’s also noteworthy, just like it happened with it’s precursors in the haunted mansion theme, how the story is overall pretty minimalistic here. In the case of Resident Evil though – This also happens somehow in Clock Tower – the most interesting pieces of actual story are not really shown on-screen, but rather in the various documents that you can find throughout the mansion, which serve as the basis of the whole RE lore. There is some criticism concernig the latter parts of the game, those were you’re kinda leaving the mansion and going into different environments. To me they were all fine. I have to admit i didn’t have the best time of my life during the segment of the mines, but mostly because that was the part with the biggest spider of the game. Spiders were the only thing that kinda creeped me out to be honest.
I’m not sure if it has been adressed how important Resident Evil was for the revival of the whole zombie culture. On one hand, it should be mentioned that incorporating the classical concept of the zombie designed by George Romero in Night Of The Living Dead was something that hasn’t been done at that time, and even less, with this degree of perfection: Zombies are slow, they have to be shot in the head, they can be left behind just by walking if the area is big enough, but they can corner you if the space is tight. This hasn’t been done in videogames at this time (Alone in the dark probably tried but without this level of results). Also, zombies were pretty much forgotten during mid and late 90’s, so Resident Evil pretty much held the torch of the zombie myth and pave the way for the big revival that happened during the 2000’s, with titles like 28 Days Later and The Walking Dead as the prime examples.
In conclussion, playing Resident Evil felt like an experience that holds up perfectly well nowadays, contrary to many opinions. I’d like to believe that this is not due to me being an old-fag, but rather because the game is inherently good. It’s not that certain mechanics are replaced because they are bad. Maybe they are replaced only because the industry says so, and maybe because other mechanics prove to sell better at a certain time. But honestly, with the proper mindset, any youngster should be able to play this game. This new wave of indie developers designing survival horrors in the style of the three classic Resident Evils serves as a proof of that. But being aware of the existence of all those games, i can’t help but feeling a little sad knowing that we might never see a game in the RE franchise going back to this particular style. Or something like the first remake, with it’s visual enhancements but with the gameplay almost intact.
1994
Don’t you just love that nostalghia for something that wasn’t even part of your life? That’s what i felt for Donkey Kong Country, specially considering i never was a Nintendo kid while growing up. All my gaming experiences were circunscribed to PC, Playstation, and Sega.
I’ve never been that much into platform games either. But i have to say that Donkey Kong Country was an incredibly fun and not-so-frustrating experience for someone who tends to frustrate easily during platforming.
And oh god, the water levels. Not only my favourite levels from this game (Especially because of the beautiful track Aquatic Ambience) but probably some of my favourite waters levels in any game ever.
Pretty sure i’ll get to play the sequels at some point.
I’ve never been that much into platform games either. But i have to say that Donkey Kong Country was an incredibly fun and not-so-frustrating experience for someone who tends to frustrate easily during platforming.
And oh god, the water levels. Not only my favourite levels from this game (Especially because of the beautiful track Aquatic Ambience) but probably some of my favourite waters levels in any game ever.
Pretty sure i’ll get to play the sequels at some point.
2021
If Dusk is colorful Quake, then why someone decided to bring us brown Dusk?
Jokes aside, Few games can approach minimalism the way HROT does. Simplicity is the basis of almost everything here: No strange mechanics, weapons that everyone are familiar about, level design that is open but without being too complex or large. The colour palette is as minimalistic as it gets. And the story? Minimalistic is too much to describe it: There’s no story at all. Not even a minimum backstory to serve as a an excuse for the action, which is what usually happens in this kind of games. Here, no story at all. Just pure action and atmosphere.
Aesthetics are a very important thing for me when it comes to videogames. At times, they might even do the trick for me even when the gameplay is not that great (which is not the case of HROT, whose gameplay is excellent). That’s why i like to play games done in GZDoom: Even if the mechanics are always the same, sometimes i just want to see some nice things and hear some nice sounds and all of that. My first impression with HROT, wasn’t a very positive one. It’s not that i straight out disliked it’s aesthetic, actually i found it very attractive: Sepia is essentially the colour of everything that’s old, the colour of the memories, and therefore, it was a very sensitive choice considering this game was supposed to be inspired by the nostalgia of 80’s communist Czechoslovakia. HROT is supposed to look like an old photograph, and i find that even poetic (specially for a boomer shooter). But on the other hand, a part of me was seeing a brown Dusk, suspecting that this whole minimalism would end up becoming pure monotony. Thankfully, i was completely wrong actually. I don’t think i have the exact words to express how or what made the aesthetic not only sustain and keep me hooked but also how it managed to surprise me at many times. I guess it must be mostly due to the subtle changes in themes and general mood throughout the episodes.
So i played the first episode expecting some kind of spooky or even depressing mood, but truth is, i felt none of that. I would even describe the first episode as a comfy gaming experience, meaning of course i enjoyed it pretty much. Until Episode 2 for sure, which is where the heavier horror elements start playing a role, just like in Dusk’s Episode 2, because even if Dusk is entirely built around horror tropes, is in the second episode when you deal with something more akin to the typical survival horror experience. And then the Episode 3 is the one featuring the most surrealistic and absurdist elements, just like in Dusk’s episode 3. Also, despite having some dank humour all around the game, i think this third episode is the one featuring the funniest and most bizarre ones.
Weapons are pretty damn good, they are actually pretty similar to the ones from Dusk. And there’s even a crossbow, which i forgot to use during enormous chunks of the game, just like it happened to me when i played Dusk. There’s something very interesting about weapons here, and it’s their sound. Weapons in HROT don’t sound as explosive as they usually do in this genre. The sound design applied specifically to the weapons is another thing that could be described as minimalistic. Most of them are even pretty quiet. But defying expectations, they are incredibly satisfying. I think it is quite an achievement to design weapons and making them super fun to use without being all over the top, which is something that has become quite of a norm in this genre.
In conclusion, i loved this game. I wish there were more games like Dusk. I-i mean like HROT.
Jokes aside, Few games can approach minimalism the way HROT does. Simplicity is the basis of almost everything here: No strange mechanics, weapons that everyone are familiar about, level design that is open but without being too complex or large. The colour palette is as minimalistic as it gets. And the story? Minimalistic is too much to describe it: There’s no story at all. Not even a minimum backstory to serve as a an excuse for the action, which is what usually happens in this kind of games. Here, no story at all. Just pure action and atmosphere.
Aesthetics are a very important thing for me when it comes to videogames. At times, they might even do the trick for me even when the gameplay is not that great (which is not the case of HROT, whose gameplay is excellent). That’s why i like to play games done in GZDoom: Even if the mechanics are always the same, sometimes i just want to see some nice things and hear some nice sounds and all of that. My first impression with HROT, wasn’t a very positive one. It’s not that i straight out disliked it’s aesthetic, actually i found it very attractive: Sepia is essentially the colour of everything that’s old, the colour of the memories, and therefore, it was a very sensitive choice considering this game was supposed to be inspired by the nostalgia of 80’s communist Czechoslovakia. HROT is supposed to look like an old photograph, and i find that even poetic (specially for a boomer shooter). But on the other hand, a part of me was seeing a brown Dusk, suspecting that this whole minimalism would end up becoming pure monotony. Thankfully, i was completely wrong actually. I don’t think i have the exact words to express how or what made the aesthetic not only sustain and keep me hooked but also how it managed to surprise me at many times. I guess it must be mostly due to the subtle changes in themes and general mood throughout the episodes.
So i played the first episode expecting some kind of spooky or even depressing mood, but truth is, i felt none of that. I would even describe the first episode as a comfy gaming experience, meaning of course i enjoyed it pretty much. Until Episode 2 for sure, which is where the heavier horror elements start playing a role, just like in Dusk’s Episode 2, because even if Dusk is entirely built around horror tropes, is in the second episode when you deal with something more akin to the typical survival horror experience. And then the Episode 3 is the one featuring the most surrealistic and absurdist elements, just like in Dusk’s episode 3. Also, despite having some dank humour all around the game, i think this third episode is the one featuring the funniest and most bizarre ones.
Weapons are pretty damn good, they are actually pretty similar to the ones from Dusk. And there’s even a crossbow, which i forgot to use during enormous chunks of the game, just like it happened to me when i played Dusk. There’s something very interesting about weapons here, and it’s their sound. Weapons in HROT don’t sound as explosive as they usually do in this genre. The sound design applied specifically to the weapons is another thing that could be described as minimalistic. Most of them are even pretty quiet. But defying expectations, they are incredibly satisfying. I think it is quite an achievement to design weapons and making them super fun to use without being all over the top, which is something that has become quite of a norm in this genre.
In conclusion, i loved this game. I wish there were more games like Dusk. I-i mean like HROT.
A beautiful piece of crap. A coherent and well-thought turd. And essentially, a pretty fun game.
This game is far from being revolutionary at all when it comes to the gameplay. Guns are good, level-design is pretty great, everything here works properly enough to make another fun retro-FPS, and there’s even room for a couple tweaks (enemies are a bit spongy, jumping could be better). But the real charm of this game relies in it’s aesthetic, in how it nails a specific moment of the late-90s and a specific moment in the lives of many of us, while growing up. And also, how it creates it’s own universe. This blend of white thrash, nu-metal, scatology, the Matrix, pre-teen humor, and lots and lots of green (inb4 “how green is Slayers X” memes). This game even made me feel a lot of sympathy for it’s characters, something unusual in this kind of games. The Slayers are just awesome. I can picture the Slayers as a rock band: Zane on guitar and vocals, Steffanie on bass and backing vocals, Mikey on drums, alltogether playing the main song from this game for a crowd of funny rats. By the way, the soundtrack is by far one of the best things in this game.
So, essentially, Slayers X is all about design, art, and aesthetic. The gameplay, while it’s good, i think could definitely be a lot better. The best things are the weapons and of course, the level design, and how it mimmicks the build engine cappability of destroying entire structures. This concept is used incredibly well here: Is not just about the spectable of seeing an exploying building. This time, explosions can even rearrange a whole map in a total different way, showing how this idea can be used to a more functional degree in terms of design. However, i think the main problems of this game relies on the movement (specifically, platforming, which is extremely necessary at times but without being adjusted properly enough to flow organically), and the balance. I think at times the game is just too unbalanced: Enemies are kinda bullet-spongy, specially those werewolves which are also way too overpowered. And to complicate this even more, in those moments, you don’t even have enough health packs around. There’s a moment right at the end of Map 7, where you have to fight a whole bunch of around 10 of these werewolves (which is a lot considering how spongy and overpowered they are). I came to that part of the game with only 3% of health and no health bonuses around. After multiple attempts i just decided to cheat my way through. And the last couple levels whete just reaaally frustrating, specially considering all the platform involved.
Despite these flaws , Slayers X was a really great experience. It was, in many ways, what i was expecting when i got my hands on Redneck Rampage when i was a probably 10 years old.
I truly hope we have an expansion or sequel anytime soon.
This game is far from being revolutionary at all when it comes to the gameplay. Guns are good, level-design is pretty great, everything here works properly enough to make another fun retro-FPS, and there’s even room for a couple tweaks (enemies are a bit spongy, jumping could be better). But the real charm of this game relies in it’s aesthetic, in how it nails a specific moment of the late-90s and a specific moment in the lives of many of us, while growing up. And also, how it creates it’s own universe. This blend of white thrash, nu-metal, scatology, the Matrix, pre-teen humor, and lots and lots of green (inb4 “how green is Slayers X” memes). This game even made me feel a lot of sympathy for it’s characters, something unusual in this kind of games. The Slayers are just awesome. I can picture the Slayers as a rock band: Zane on guitar and vocals, Steffanie on bass and backing vocals, Mikey on drums, alltogether playing the main song from this game for a crowd of funny rats. By the way, the soundtrack is by far one of the best things in this game.
So, essentially, Slayers X is all about design, art, and aesthetic. The gameplay, while it’s good, i think could definitely be a lot better. The best things are the weapons and of course, the level design, and how it mimmicks the build engine cappability of destroying entire structures. This concept is used incredibly well here: Is not just about the spectable of seeing an exploying building. This time, explosions can even rearrange a whole map in a total different way, showing how this idea can be used to a more functional degree in terms of design. However, i think the main problems of this game relies on the movement (specifically, platforming, which is extremely necessary at times but without being adjusted properly enough to flow organically), and the balance. I think at times the game is just too unbalanced: Enemies are kinda bullet-spongy, specially those werewolves which are also way too overpowered. And to complicate this even more, in those moments, you don’t even have enough health packs around. There’s a moment right at the end of Map 7, where you have to fight a whole bunch of around 10 of these werewolves (which is a lot considering how spongy and overpowered they are). I came to that part of the game with only 3% of health and no health bonuses around. After multiple attempts i just decided to cheat my way through. And the last couple levels whete just reaaally frustrating, specially considering all the platform involved.
Despite these flaws , Slayers X was a really great experience. It was, in many ways, what i was expecting when i got my hands on Redneck Rampage when i was a probably 10 years old.
I truly hope we have an expansion or sequel anytime soon.
1996
Fantastic. Absolutely fabulous piece of gaming from the 90’s. I’m not sure why am i even bothering in writing a review of this game. I mean, how would you not play a Roger Rabbit-inspired adventure game featuring not only a fantastic performance by Cristopher Lloyd but also a great voice casting with many figures such as Tim Curry and Dan Castellaneta? That alone constitutes enough of a reason to check this game out.
This game is another example of that typical adult take on childish cartoons. Therefore, everything here is filled with dark humor, sex jokes, and so on. I think the humor is actually one of the best things in this game, which is actually very well written as a whole when it comes to story and dialogue.
Gameplay-wise, there are times where i feel like Toonstruck might be one of the best games in succesfully applying moon logic to it’s puzzles. Of course, there might be a couple of puzzles where moon logic is not applied succesfully, but after all this is a 90’s adventure. I have talked in many reviews of games of this kind, about how the puzzle design has to be determined by the narrative, in order to make a game believable. What happens in Toonstruck is that, simply, you’re in a cartoon world, and you have to apply cartoon logic. It just works fantastically. And also, i love how in many occasions, solving a puzzle works just like the punchline to a joke. Just like in many Lucasarts games.
In conclussion, a must play for every fan of point n’click adventures, and probably something worth the try for every fan of retro-gaming in general.
This game is another example of that typical adult take on childish cartoons. Therefore, everything here is filled with dark humor, sex jokes, and so on. I think the humor is actually one of the best things in this game, which is actually very well written as a whole when it comes to story and dialogue.
Gameplay-wise, there are times where i feel like Toonstruck might be one of the best games in succesfully applying moon logic to it’s puzzles. Of course, there might be a couple of puzzles where moon logic is not applied succesfully, but after all this is a 90’s adventure. I have talked in many reviews of games of this kind, about how the puzzle design has to be determined by the narrative, in order to make a game believable. What happens in Toonstruck is that, simply, you’re in a cartoon world, and you have to apply cartoon logic. It just works fantastically. And also, i love how in many occasions, solving a puzzle works just like the punchline to a joke. Just like in many Lucasarts games.
In conclussion, a must play for every fan of point n’click adventures, and probably something worth the try for every fan of retro-gaming in general.
2023
What a beautiful little game. Absolutely loved this.
Apparently Zortch is, for many people, the boomer shooter answer to Turok. Truth is, i never played Turok in my life, but i can definitely see the Unreal resemblance there. To me, Zortch is pretty much like Unreal but actually fun to play.
The fact that this game is made by a single person, who not only designed the game but also developed a custom engine of it’s own, is simply astonishing. For someone who’s into retro aesthetics, (from pixel art to low poly) this game just looks beautiful.
And when it comes to gameplay, is just pure fun. It’s not necessarily as frenetic as most of the boomer shooters. While, indeed, you’re able to play in a “rip and tear” style, you can also pick a more cover-shooter style. This freedom in how to approach almost every combat is one of the key aspects of this game.
Level design is retro as hell. Far from being linear, most of the times you’re given enough freedom to explore the map in different ways. Also, the variety of enemies is absolutely impressive. If i’m not mistaken, there are more than 30 enemy classes.
Considering how short this game is, i’m guessing there will be more Zortch content in the near future. I would only fix two things given that chance: First, the shotgun needs to be more powerful (it’s not bad, but is not as pleasant as it should be for today boomer shooter standards). And second, even if the ambient music is not bad at all, i feel like this game would be inmensely benefited with some form of upbeat EDM, in the style of Ion Fury or even Unreal.
Apparently Zortch is, for many people, the boomer shooter answer to Turok. Truth is, i never played Turok in my life, but i can definitely see the Unreal resemblance there. To me, Zortch is pretty much like Unreal but actually fun to play.
The fact that this game is made by a single person, who not only designed the game but also developed a custom engine of it’s own, is simply astonishing. For someone who’s into retro aesthetics, (from pixel art to low poly) this game just looks beautiful.
And when it comes to gameplay, is just pure fun. It’s not necessarily as frenetic as most of the boomer shooters. While, indeed, you’re able to play in a “rip and tear” style, you can also pick a more cover-shooter style. This freedom in how to approach almost every combat is one of the key aspects of this game.
Level design is retro as hell. Far from being linear, most of the times you’re given enough freedom to explore the map in different ways. Also, the variety of enemies is absolutely impressive. If i’m not mistaken, there are more than 30 enemy classes.
Considering how short this game is, i’m guessing there will be more Zortch content in the near future. I would only fix two things given that chance: First, the shotgun needs to be more powerful (it’s not bad, but is not as pleasant as it should be for today boomer shooter standards). And second, even if the ambient music is not bad at all, i feel like this game would be inmensely benefited with some form of upbeat EDM, in the style of Ion Fury or even Unreal.
2023
Played this in a couple sittings during October.
This year i haven’t had as much time for gaming as i would’ve liked. Therefore, my pick this time for the spooky season had to be something short to play, and myhouse.wad seemed like a good choice, specially considering all the commotion it caused on the internet. Surprisingly, one of the most relevant games this year, at least among the indie players, seems to be a Doom mod. In the year of the 30th anniversary of Doom. I hope this little wad has actually put some lights onto the whole Classic Doom community, for all those who weren’t aware of it’s existence.
I have to admit that my exploration of this wad couldn’t have been possible without the guide of Power Pak’s monumental video essay ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wAo54DHDY0 )
This year i haven’t had as much time for gaming as i would’ve liked. Therefore, my pick this time for the spooky season had to be something short to play, and myhouse.wad seemed like a good choice, specially considering all the commotion it caused on the internet. Surprisingly, one of the most relevant games this year, at least among the indie players, seems to be a Doom mod. In the year of the 30th anniversary of Doom. I hope this little wad has actually put some lights onto the whole Classic Doom community, for all those who weren’t aware of it’s existence.
I have to admit that my exploration of this wad couldn’t have been possible without the guide of Power Pak’s monumental video essay ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wAo54DHDY0 )
I played this game when i was a kid, and i always had a strong appreciation for it, fond memories of a comfy adventure game, even if i’ve never been a big fan of the Sherlock Holmes franchise (not a big fan of the Arthur Conan Doyle texts, and definitely a strong hater of everything related released in the past 20 years). Actually, during all this years i thought this game was widely considered a classic of the genre, holding a similar reputation as other non-sierra/lucasarts gems such as Broken Sword or Beneath a Still Sky. So i’m actually pretty surprised to see that there are no reviews for this game on this page. Hell, actually there are practically no reviews or video-essays for this game on youtube, only your typical walkthroughs. So i’m actually discovering right now, that this game is actually pretty obscure even within the adventure games community.
Serrated Scalpel is a great point and click adventure, based around some of the most typical crime fiction tropes, but they work just great if that’s what you’re looking for. Puzzles work on a regular logic (no moon logic type kind of bullshit), there are a couple of mini-games, and tons of places to explore. The story is overall pretty linear, but if you divide that storyline into segments, there’s tons of freedom within each segment to explore places in different orders, so the game does a fantastic job in giving that sense of exploring 19th century London. The game is visually pretty but anyway i’m a sucker for retro pixel art.
Gabriel Knight fans should definitely check this one out, and of course, point n’click fans in general.
Serrated Scalpel is a great point and click adventure, based around some of the most typical crime fiction tropes, but they work just great if that’s what you’re looking for. Puzzles work on a regular logic (no moon logic type kind of bullshit), there are a couple of mini-games, and tons of places to explore. The story is overall pretty linear, but if you divide that storyline into segments, there’s tons of freedom within each segment to explore places in different orders, so the game does a fantastic job in giving that sense of exploring 19th century London. The game is visually pretty but anyway i’m a sucker for retro pixel art.
Gabriel Knight fans should definitely check this one out, and of course, point n’click fans in general.
This was for sure quite a beautiful experience.
It’s pretty well known that any drama about families require essentially two things to be interesting: people tragically dying at a young age, and people going crazy. This game understands this basic premise, probably a bit too much (almost every member of this fucked up family either dies young or goes berzerk), but it still effective at being compelling and emotional.
I would like to point out, also, how well mini games are implemented here. Sure, some of these mini-games feel like baby’s first unity mobile app game design, but still, they work just great, and more importantly, they come as a nice surprise in their context but without breaking the mood of the whole story/game.
Pretty short game, i finished it in only two sittings, so there’s no excuse to not play it, and there’s also tons of beautiful moments to find out here.
It’s pretty well known that any drama about families require essentially two things to be interesting: people tragically dying at a young age, and people going crazy. This game understands this basic premise, probably a bit too much (almost every member of this fucked up family either dies young or goes berzerk), but it still effective at being compelling and emotional.
I would like to point out, also, how well mini games are implemented here. Sure, some of these mini-games feel like baby’s first unity mobile app game design, but still, they work just great, and more importantly, they come as a nice surprise in their context but without breaking the mood of the whole story/game.
Pretty short game, i finished it in only two sittings, so there’s no excuse to not play it, and there’s also tons of beautiful moments to find out here.
2016
After how unpleasant my last couple point n’click experiences were (Technobabylon and Resonance), i was starting to lose my faith not only on Wadjet Eye but in modern graphic adventures as a whole. Thank god, Shardlight felt like a breath of fresh air.
Shardlight is essentially a classic graphic adventure, meaning that it follows all the typical conventions of the genre, which is something i truly appreciate. Devs don’t waste their time trying to introduce some whacky new mechanic or anything like that. Instead, they just focus on what truly matters: a compelling and well written story, nice puzzles, a very interesting world to explore, beautiful pixel art, and a voice cast that works pretty much ok.
Shardlight is another story about a society dealing with the aftermath of an apocalypse. Dread,sorrow, pessimism, people striving to survive, and so on.
The game succeeds in creating a sense of mistery and intrigue. It works so well that it even tricks the player into believing in the same superstition that is proposed within the story, in hopes that the key of solving the game lies there. Some reviewers have commented on how the game is supposed to go beyond a dichotomic morality. Honestly, i don’t think that’s the case –there’s a clear distintion between the good and the bad guys here, which is operatic and essential for the story – but still, that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of depth in the characters. On the contrary, both good and bad guys have their fair share of humanity.
In conclussion, even if i still haven’t played the entire Wadjet Eye catalog, i feel like Shardlight is pretty underrated for some reason. Is a neat game, and i think every point and click fan who’s also looking for this kind of story or mood, should definitely give this one a try.
Shardlight is essentially a classic graphic adventure, meaning that it follows all the typical conventions of the genre, which is something i truly appreciate. Devs don’t waste their time trying to introduce some whacky new mechanic or anything like that. Instead, they just focus on what truly matters: a compelling and well written story, nice puzzles, a very interesting world to explore, beautiful pixel art, and a voice cast that works pretty much ok.
Shardlight is another story about a society dealing with the aftermath of an apocalypse. Dread,sorrow, pessimism, people striving to survive, and so on.
The game succeeds in creating a sense of mistery and intrigue. It works so well that it even tricks the player into believing in the same superstition that is proposed within the story, in hopes that the key of solving the game lies there. Some reviewers have commented on how the game is supposed to go beyond a dichotomic morality. Honestly, i don’t think that’s the case –there’s a clear distintion between the good and the bad guys here, which is operatic and essential for the story – but still, that doesn’t mean there’s a lack of depth in the characters. On the contrary, both good and bad guys have their fair share of humanity.
In conclussion, even if i still haven’t played the entire Wadjet Eye catalog, i feel like Shardlight is pretty underrated for some reason. Is a neat game, and i think every point and click fan who’s also looking for this kind of story or mood, should definitely give this one a try.