We recently received an import version of Capcom's Resident Evil remake for the GameCube, and though we've only been able to spend a short time with it, it's easy to see that Capcom put forth quite an effort to rejuvenate this 6-year-old game. Resident Evil for the GameCube begins with a select screen where you can choose to play as either Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine. Following that screen, an opening cinema begins, and it uses full CG as opposed to the live action used in the original's opening sequence.

　　When you step into the mansion for the first time with Wesker, Barry, and the other Resident Evil characters, one of the first things you'll notice is how incredibly crisp and detailed the backgrounds are. It looks as though Capcom has done an excellent job of transforming and updating the look of the mansion so that it fits with the new character models. In fact, various special effects--like the unfocused-camera effect seen in many PlayStation 2 games, as well as numerous lighting effects--have been liberally used in the cutscenes and during the in-game action to make it look as though the backgrounds are being generated in real time. One room in particular has a chandelier that gently sways back and forth, causing shadows from various objects and the character models to move around the room. Additionally, in one of the brand-new sections added specifically for this version, you'll have to walk down a long staircase with a small fire glowing at the very end, and the fire produces a very cool effect that makes it difficult to tell if the shadows are from zombies or from inanimate objects in the room.

　　The game's outdoor areas are particularly impressive. Layers of fog swirl across the ground and blades of grass sway in the wind. Also, the lighting in the outdoor areas--and the indoor areas that have no direct light source--casts an ominous blue tone over everything, making it seem like the only sources of light are the moon and the stars.

　　Of course, the character models are just as impressive as the environments. From the fully modeled knife sheath on Chris Redfield's jacket to the individual threads in Jill Valentine's shirt, all the character models feature plenty of detail. Even the zombie models have been improved so much that the sequence in which you encounter a zombie for the first time is partially rendered in real time and looks very much like the CG Capcom used in the original game. But as good as everything looks, there are a few weird problems. During a few of the cutscenes--specifically those that rapidly cut to different camera angles--the game's frame rate tends to stutter a little. Hopefully, Capcom will be able to fix that before the release of the US version.

　　As far as the core gameplay is concerned, Resident Evil for the GameCube still plays very much like the original. You'll have access to three different control schemes. One lets you direct movement via the analog stick while the C stick lets you perform a quick 180-degree turn. To attack with whatever weapon you have equipped in this controller configuration, you simply hold down the right trigger and press the A button. The second control scheme is a little more awkward because the analog stick and the C stick are used to pivot, while the A and B buttons let you move forward and backward, respectively. The third control scheme is a like the first control scheme. The differences are that you can press the R trigger down lightly to walk, or you can push it all the way down to run. The L trigger then becomes the button you use to get into your battle-ready stance.

　　The most noticeable addition to the basic Resident Evil gameplay at this point appears to be the defense knife. Throughout the mansion, you'll find small daggers lying around, but you can't actually equip them. Instead, whenever a zombie grabs a hold of Chris or Jill, they will automatically jab the defense knife into the head of the zombie, giving you a few seconds to get away before the zombie even manages to take a single bite. If you feel like you need to conserve your defense knives, then you can switch the option to manual and use them whenever you feel the need.

　　In addition to the defense knife feature, several new areas have been added to the GameCube version of Resident Evil. You'll find one of these areas almost immediately, since it's located just outside the foyer area. Though we've spent only a brief amount of time with the game, there are moments where it feels like you aren't actually playing an updated version of the original Resident Evil because it seems like the new areas have been strategically placed to change the flow of the game. The fact that many of the old areas are difficult to recognize from the original game also adds to that effect.

　　Overall, Resident Evil for the GameCube seems to be an impressive game that fans of the original and newcomers to the series will definitely want to check out. We'll have more on the game, including a full preview and plenty of new media, in the coming days. The US version of Resident Evil is scheduled for release on April 30.