Pandora's Box: The Ultimate GameCube Tier List

#103: Resident Evil Zero

Rating: M

Players: 1

Price Range: ~$17 USD

Easily the worst Resident Evil and mature rated game on the system, and probably the one of the worst classic Resident Evil games in general, without a doubt.

I don't really like this game.

Regardless, I can't really say that it's unplayable or truly atrocious though.

In terms of graphical quality, sounds, music, and some cool ideas, it's pretty good.

The idea of having two playable characters, in which both have their strengths and weaknesses in Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen, sounds really good on paper. Rebecca has fewer hit points than Billy, but can mix herbs for better healing items, while Billy has more health and has a lighter to set fire to molotov cocktails to use as a ranged option, which is useful against certain enemies.

Other than that, the game is incredibly flawed.

Having two characters with their own abilities and managing their inventory and health is not good. Because both are going to be separated a lot and both having only six inventory slots each, most of the time, you can't pick up the things you want. One of the game's new mechanics is the ability to drop items, with the traditional save room item box being removed. While well-intentioned to make the player think as to what to bring, it makes the game rather tedious and annoying, as it comes to a point where you just simply bring all the items and stockpile them in one place instead, so this design choice is not only pointless, by obnoxious as well. 

To make matters even worse, there is an unhealthy number of items that take two of your precious slots as opposed to one. In Resident Evil Remake, similar items like shotguns and the grenade launcher took only one slot as opposed to two in Zero.

It is rather infamously known that you use the grappling hook, an item that takes two slots, one or two times on the starting train section of the game.

Then, you don't use it for the game for a while, so you consciously decide to leave it at the wreckage since it has no current use. Imagine playing through the game, only to find very, very much later on that you need it to get out of this hole. So, you have to chug all the way back to the ruined train or a pile you dropped it at and run all the way back to where you were unless you had prior knowledge to prevent the whole struggle.

Terrible.

The game is also hard, and, combined with these mechanics, the experience is dampened quite a bit and perhaps a bit unfairly for newer players.

While zombies don't respawn as stronger versions of themselves like in Remake, ammo and healing items are still limited, and sometimes the two are separated at the worst times possible, likely due to these new systems.

In the mansion area after the train, Billy has to bring up a cage since he has more strength than Rebecca with a crank to get progression item. While he holds it up, she has to get it, only for an ambush with a boss monster.

What did I have on Billy?

A pistol with no spare ammo and a knife.

So imagine my frustration and literal death sentence in game while trying to fruitlessly cut away with Billy's pitiful knife, only to die in the end.

Horrible.

Even then, as a prequel to the entire series, it is rather inconsequential, and there are elements that are too familiar, like another mansion after the train section at the start.

Really?

To give some credit, I will admit, the train section is actually really good. It's small, condensed, has a boss you have to fight as Billy, which at least has the game introduce the idea that the two characters could be separated, along with this intense sequence at the end in which you need to stop the train in order to prevent it from crashing and killing the two. However, in order to halt it, one must stay in front, while the other dashes to the rear car to activate a system to allow the primary controller to initiate the brakes.

Being able to choose who does which, after the rear switch is activated, the one in front then has to input two series of numbers of to achieve a value from ten button presses. The first one has the added value for the buttons pressed, while the second doesn't, forcing you to add the numbers yourself while on a time limit in this tense situation. This is actually quite effective if I'm rather honest and a showcase of classic Resident Evil magic.

However, other than that, satisfaction is replaced with frustration. Unfortunately, other than the rather low price, this one takes effort to find such value.

I have heard that it has some interesting side modes, but if the main game is rather unlikable, then why bother?

Despite everything, Zero is classic Resident Evil, one of the last ones before the transition into action territory with Resident Evil 4, but it is easily one of the worst ones to use the original style in my opinion. Only the most diehard classic RE fans will find any interest in this one.