by Karli Winata

Created on: April 05, 2007   Last Updated: April 12, 2007

Score = 7.0

When you play a Resident Evil game, you can always count on a couple of things to be true. One, you're up against a whole crapload of zombies. Two, you'll have to find keys each with a similar motif (suits of playing cards, chess pieces, etc). And finally, you'll eventually come across an abandoned factory/laboratory, which will eventually explode. The first one is both obvious and expected out of the series, but the other two is starting to become a problem. Over and over again the Resident Evil series continue to use the same game mechanics and the same plotline, and Resident Evil 0 continues the status quo.

Like any other RE before it, progress in RE 0 depends on you finding specific keys to unlock doors. This old formula becomes tiresome after you realize that you've been in any given room about a dozen times before just to get to a new room that's on the other side of the mansion. Yes, that's right, mansion again. Apparently, the zombies of RE have refine taste in choosing their hunting ground for human flesh. It would have been nice if Capcom decided to experiment with different locales for RE 0, but the settings are disappointingly safe sticking with the old favorite standbys like creepy mansions, underground tunnels, and abandoned factories. On the bright side, you start out on a luxurious, zombie-infested train, which is basically a moving, narrow mansion with an engine room. After four iterations, you would think that the RE team would have come up with an intriguing new story like never before, but no dice. RE 0 tells the same story of a vengeful, mad genius who is trying to kill you just because you're within arms reach.

After being disappointed by what hasn't changed, it's good to see some pockets of innovation for the series. The biggest, and best, change by far is the partner system, where instead of controlling one character at a time, you control two characters, Rebecca and Billy, simultaneously. More importantly, the two characters have different abilities. Billy is stronger and takes less damage when attacked, but only Rebecca can mix herbs and solve certain puzzles requiring more intelligence. On occasion the two have to work together to solve a puzzle, which add a nice layer of depth to what would have been a shallow puzzle. Having control of a second character also help with inventory management, especially since RE 0 takes away the magically linked item box. No longer do you have the convenience of the item box. Instead the whole

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