Resident Evil made its inception back on the early days of the PlayStation. Since then, Capcom has ported the game to over other platforms and released numerous sequels to the original all time classic.   Audiences have cringed at the monstrosities that await them in the desolate Spencer mansion.

Not all the Jill Sandwiches in the world can save you from the horrors that lurk inside Resident Evil.  Resident Evil’s creepy environments, terrifying enemies and obscure camera angles have garnered masses of fans through the years. Resident Evil HD Re-mastered Edition for the PS4 is a re-mastered version done right the way fans new and old can come to love this already amazing franchise.

At 20 bucks it’s a steal for what you’re paying for. You are getting all the content that was released on the original Gamecube release plus a little more. Multiple runs of this game means hours of replay value.

Graphics:

I was stunned at the remarkable difference of quality in the lighting and sharpness of the textures. The graphics make this already horror gem a marvel to look at. The Cut-scenes and Cinematics have all been done in real-time. The cut-scenes also had zero lag when running compared to the Gamecube version.  All the environments look absolutely amazing and polished. Everything is solid from the environments to the animations.

Features:

The HD aspect ratio has been raised from the original 480p to 1080p. Including the aspect ratio there is a number of new tweaks to give the game that graphical precision. Non-static 3d Models and Post Processing Bloom filters which were not possible at the time of the original Gamecube release.

The graphics are breathtaking, everything is brighter and cleaner. 5.1 surround has been added as an option and the sampling rate has been enhanced. Widescreen support is also an included feature. If you wish to play the game in original settings with nothing changed you can do so as well.  The game also adds new bonuses to players including all the various game modes and extra costumes that were bundled in the original Gamecube version.

Controls:

The controls have also had a change to be more intuitive and user friendly that closely resembles a next gen game control scheme. No stiffer tank controls but if you still prefer it then by all means. I had no trouble maneuvering around the mansion as Jill or Chris and it made it that much easier to save time and effort.

You can still pull off a 180 turn and there are different types of control schemes but movement can be changed from original to alternate. Aiming is still the same auto aim depending how close you are to a foe but manual is the other option if you can’t get them in your sights. The inventory menu is still the classic swap, combine, and examine system from the earlier titles.

Story:

The story is the same song and dance but if you haven’t played the game let me do a quick recap. You take on the role of either Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine as they search for the lost members of Bravo team. As soon as you they touch down on the ground near the Spencer mansion, they find the lost chopper of Bravo team.

Though not is all at is it seems as Chris and Jill find a derelict chopper with no one inside. As soon as they start searching they are met with ravenous dogs called Cerberus who are now hunting them down to tear apart their flesh. They hope to find safety as they run towards the Spencer mansion but they couldn’t be anymore wrong.  The game picks up with whatever character you chose.

If you picked Jill you will be partnered with Barry Burton until certain instances in the game. If you go with Chris you are forced to fight alone until you meet up with Rebecca Chambers.  Depending on who you pick you will meet different people and have different choices that determine the ending as well as who you will save.

Gameplay:

You will have to shoot, dodge, and use your wits to escape the many terrors that await you inside the mansion. The creepy environments and the uneasiness of silence as you enter a room only to find yourself desperately in the arms of zombie trying to make you his late night snack.

The Crimson Heads are all the more terrifying and are a force to be reckoned with.  Make a wrong move and you pay for it with your life, a team member’s, or a loss of an item you so desperately need to survive. Not only enemies but traps await you that will catch you off-guard if you’re not too careful.

Both characters Jill and Chris have their own different strategies you must learn in order to keep them alive to make it through horrors that surround you. Jill’s campaign is fairly easier compared to Chris’ as it is meant for more experienced players.

You will embark on quests that will make you backtrack to different areas of the mansion for key items. Some quests will require you to help an AI partner whether it means scouring the rooms of the mansion to save their life.  Your strongest enemy is your sanity as you take on bosses that can kill you in an instant.

If you do survive the terror it isn’t over just yet if you want to unlock the many unlockable items such as costumes, weapons, and modes. Overall the game can take you anywhere from 8 ½ hours to finish the main quest and 11+ hours if you do so with the intent to unlock everything at 100%.

If you beat this game in less time there will be special bonuses for achieving it. There are achievements and trophies now so at least somewhat of a guide on what you have to do.

Sound:

The sound quality is amazing especially on the 5.1 surround sound setting. You can hear the sound of a bullet as it exits the chamber of your berretta and the crunch of a zombie’s head as you stomp his brains in. The ambience sounds such as the clanking of chains off in the distance as you enter the silent rooms in the mansion, the howling of the wind in the forest, and the cawing of crows waiting to poke you to death in an instance. The music in the save room brings a shiver down my spine and a trip down memory lane of all those countless nights I spent years ago.

Final Verdict:

Resident Evil Re-mastered Edition is a long awaited revival of Survival-Horror games. It seems they are coming back slowly but surely. It brings a classic feel of the old days of gaming that had a lot of time and creative flow put into them.

These games aren’t just to entertain us; they are supposed to inspire us. If games like this come back not just through ports but through new titles that offer something new fresh and innovating ideas then I still have hope for the Game Industry to not get lost in translation with the same shooter we have seen a thousand times before.

I also would like to add that if you want to pick this up for any other platform you can do so for the PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One and *PC. Though, the PC version is by far the best because it runs at the full 60 Frames Per Second.  If you don’t have one you can’t go wrong playing on a PS4 or Xbox One.  As for you gamers who haven’t made the leap yet to Next Gen, you can still be glad you can play it on your Xbox 360 and PS3 consoles to experience most of the uplift in texture quality and cinematic cut-scene upgrades. Check out the Specs for the PC version below:

*PC VERSION (SPECS) RECOMMENDED:
OS: Windows® 7 SP1 / Windows® 8.1
Processor: Intel® Core™ 2 Quad 2.7 GHz, AMD Phenom™ II X4 3.0 GHz or better
Memory: 4 GB RAM
Graphics: NVIDIA® GeForce® GTX 560, ATI Radeon HD 6950, or better
Monitor Resolution: 1280×720 or higher
DirectX: Version 9.0c
Network: Broadband Internet connection
Hard Drive: 20 GB available space
Sound Card: DirectSound compatible (must support DirectX 9.0c or higher)