Resident Evil 0 (2016) (v2025.03.17 & ALL DLC)

A stranded train, a rookie S.T.A.R.S. medic, and a condemned ex-Marine set the stage for one of survival horror’s most uneasy prequels. Resident Evil 0 returns to the hours before the Spencer Mansion catastrophe, following Rebecca Chambers and Billy Coen as an outbreak spreads through the Ecliptic Express and a decaying Umbrella facility. Its tone is pure old-school Resident Evil: fixed camera angles conceal threats around corners, limited ammunition makes every encounter a decision, and the quietest rooms often feel the least safe. The 2016 remaster sharpens the original GameCube-era presentation with cleaner character models, higher-resolution backgrounds, widescreen support, and improved sound without losing its deliberately theatrical horror atmosphere.

Control alternates between Rebecca and Billy, either solo or as a two-person team, with each survivor bringing different strengths to puzzles and combat. Billy absorbs more damage and handles heavy weapons well, while Rebecca mixes chemicals and accesses smaller passages, making smart character switching essential rather than optional. Instead of relying on the familiar item boxes of earlier entries, players drop supplies directly in the environment and return for them later; it is a memorable system that adds planning but can turn backtracking into a burden. Exploration moves from the derailed train to laboratories, training grounds, and underground ruins, where key-hunting, inventory management, monster avoidance, and deliberate puzzle-solving define the pace.

The partner system gives Resident Evil 0 a distinct identity, especially when you split the pair to operate mechanisms or cover separate routes. Its pre-rendered settings remain strikingly grim, while the remaster’s choice between classic tank controls and an analogue-stick scheme makes the game more approachable than its 2002 release. Completion unlocks Wesker Mode, which lets Albert Wesker tear through the campaign using supernatural abilities, offering a brisker replay option after the demanding main story. Fans of the Resident Evil HD Remaster, Code: Veronica, and other methodical survival-horror classics will find plenty to enjoy, though newcomers should expect a tougher, more inventory-focused adventure than Resident Evil 4 or the modern remakes.