In 2002, Resident Evil 0 unveiled to the world a new, previously unexplored chapter in gaming’s greatest survival horror series. As we move into the 20th Anniversary of Resident Evil this year, we are proud to revisit the series’ roots with you all — and today this beautifully remastered version of the prequel chapter makes its PlayStation debut on both PS4 and PS3!
Of course the world of Resident Evil is a big one, filled with grand conspiracies and complex relationships. So to bring you up to speed, I’d like to give you a taste of just a few of the ways that the story of Resident Evil 0 ties back into some of the other mainline games in the series.
The Original Resident Evil
First and foremost, Resident Evil 0 is a direct prequel to the first game in the series. It takes place the day before the famous Mansion Incident and leads directly into those events. If you’ve seen the intro of the original Resident Evil, you’ll know that the S.T.A.R.S. Alpha Team was out searching for signs of their compatriots, Bravo Team, who disappeared during their mission to investigate a series of murders occurring in the suburbs of Raccoon City.
In Resident Evil 0, you start out on that ill-fated mission as you take on the role of S.T.A.R.S. rookie cop Rebecca Chambers. It’s not going to be an easy 24 hours for her or her circumstantial partner, convicted murderer Billy Coen, before the events of the first Resident Evil game take place.
Trivia: This actually makes Rebecca the very first S.T.A.R.S. member to see a zombie and live to tell the tale. She’s quite a trendsetter!
Resident Evil 2
The biggest thread that Resident Evil 2 shares with Resident Evil 0? Dr. William Birkin. In Resident Evil 2, Birkin serves as the main antagonist, the evil genius behind the G-Virus. In Resident Evil 0, you learn that he and his co-conspirator Albert Wesker were working behind the scenes, incidentally making life difficult for Rebecca and Billy.
You also get to learn a bit more about his backstory with Umbrella, mainly what a snake he is.
Resident Evil 5
There are also ties to Resident Evil 5, though in this case non-canonically. The new Resident Evil 0 introduces Wesker Mode, which you can access by beating the main campaign once. In this mode, you have the opportunity to play as an Uroboros-enhanced Albert Wesker, based on his Resident Evil 5 appearance and abilities. Why that version? Well, in the spirit of goofy bonus modes like ye olde Tofu mode, we wanted a really overpowered character, and who’s more overpowered than a self-proclaimed god?
So now that you have an idea of how Resident Evil 0 fits in the larger RE universe, this is a great time to see where it all began. The HD release, featuring remastered visuals and sound, options for new and classic controls, and the all-new Wesker Mode, is available for download today on PS4 and PS3 for $19.99.
If you prefer physical discs, you can also pick up Resident Evil Origins Collection for PS4, which retails for $39.99 and includes both this game and the Resident Evil HD remaster. Now turn out the lights and get ready to experience the origins of Resident Evil!
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