What might Resident Evil have resembled had Capcom delivered it on the Sega Genesis? The result is Bio Evil - a 16-bit platformer by an independent developer, PSCD.  It exchanges the three-dimensional, polygonal enemies and pre-rendered backgrounds for pixelated characters. While it is not an official Capcom game, it still certainly takes all the information and references from the original Resident Evil and puts it in this game. 

What is Bio Evil?

Bio Evil is a demake of the action-horror game, Resident Evil 4. It takes its inspiration from the NES era. The game still follows the same storyline and goal of the original game, but the experience will be different. You will always pop up into a scene and progress forward, so there will be no moments for exposition and cutscenes for the characters. Another change in the game is the two-dimensional shooter environment. 

You will take on the role of Leon who must fight his way through the hordes of monsters and zombies. Luckily for this demake, your weapon will have unlimited ammo. You may only have a handgun with you, but you can jump on platforms to defend yourself. It’s a perfect addition as the game will frequently spawn enemies at random locations. There are still enemies that have a fixed placement, so it’s important to watch out for them too. 

Herbs and gold are also scattered around in the game. Gold will increase your points, while herbs will heal you instantaneously. The game, as a whole, is short. There are two main areas and one boss, so the game will end quickly. It’s a big difference from the original game, but it suits this NES-inspired game. The pixels may not be as scary, but the soundtrack of the game maintains an ominous environment that keeps you on the edge of your seat. 

Endearing yet horrifying 

Bio Evil is an innovative take on a modern game. It takes you back to the era of 16-bit graphics and retro horror video games. While parts of the original game do not appear here, all the essential features remain. This includes the original storyline and assault weapon. Thankfully, one weapon is all you need to fend off your enemies.