• Posted March 17th, 2009 at 13:08 EDT by Mike Harradence
• 19 Comments

(continued from previous page) ...while carefully managing ammunition and healing items in order to progress through the game in one piece. Secreting gut-wrenching terror and suspense from every pore, Resident Evil also boasted ample replay value, featuring multiple endings, additional costumes and extra weaponry. Marred only by a cringe-worthy script, Capcom’s original masterpiece captivated audiences around the globe and ultimately secured its place as one of the best selling PlayStation games of its time.

Unsurprisingly, Capcom was quick to capitalize on the game’s success, and the following year saw numerous ports including a release on PC and Sega Saturn. The former included sharper visuals, an uncut introduction sequence and a couple of new weapons, while the latter featured an all new enemy know as the ‘Tick’ (in reality a pallet swap of the Hunters), a second Tyrant to battle in Chris’s campaign, alternate costumes, and a Battle Mode. Unlocked after completing the game, this Battle Mode mini-quest had players battling against various enemies – including a zombified version of the traitorous Captain Wesker – with limited ammunition and healing items in a battle against the clock.

A DS port, dubbed Deadly Silence, cropped up in 2006 and added in exclusive microphone and touch-screen functionality, along with fresh puzzles and all-new first person knife battles. An ambitious GameBoy Color iteration was also planned, but was ultimately canceled due to Capcom’s dissatisfaction with the port in 2000.

 

Resident Evil Dash (a.k.a. Biohazard Dash)
Platform: PlayStation
Release Date: N/A (Canceled)

Biohazard Dash (commonly abbreviated in the west as RE Dash) represented Capcom’s first attempt at creating a follow up to the original Biohazard, conceived (and subsequently canned) prior to the announcement of Resident Evil 2 in late 1996.

Sadly, the Japanese software giant neglected to divulge many details on the project before it was shelved, though what we do know is nonetheless an intriguing piece of Resident Evil’s illustrious history. According to Capcom’s Yoshiki Okamoto, Dash was a spin-off game centered in and around the crumbling ruins of the destroyed Spencer Mansion, with players hopping into the shoes of two new characters of unknown identity.

In addition to featuring bizarre, plant-like monstrosities to battle against (which may have been an early conception of RE2’s “Ivy” BOWs), the game featured a host of new areas to explore, with many of the original mansion’s rooms were tweaked in order to accommodate the flow of time (Dash allegedly took place three years after RE1). In particular, Okamoto noted that the action would have kicked off in a hidden location found underneath the Tyrant’s incubation room in the laboratory.

Dash was an interesting concept, but one that would have ultimately pushed development of Resident Evil 2 back some time, which resulted in the decision to scrap the title indefinitely. Rest assured, if we manage to dredge up anymore details on this elusive gem we’ll be sure to update this article for your viewing pleasure.

 

Resident Evil 1.5 (a.k.a. Biohazard 1.5)
Platform: Sony PlayStation
Release Date: N/A (Canceled)

Capcom officially announced its sequel to Resident Evil at the Tokyo PlayStation Expo in September 1996, unwrapping fresh details and screens on what would ultimately become the first incarnation of Resident Evil 2. Reputedly shelved at the 80 percent complete mark in early 1997, the colloquially dubbed RE 1.5 incorporated a host of features not seen in the final product, ranging from new gameplay additions and enemies to alternate locations and all-new story paths. Unsurprisingly, the project maintains a cult following among hardcore fans, many of which have petitioned (unsuccessfully) to have the game released over the past few years.

Similar to the final version of the game, Resident Evil 1.5 takes place in a zombie-infested Raccoon City some months after the events of the original Survival Horror classic. Unlike the commercial release, however, the Umbrella Corporation had already disbanded, with the surviving members of S.T.A.R.S. hospitalized following their horrific ordeal in the Spencer mansion. Players are able to control one of two characters: rookie cop Leon S. Kennedy, or fellow student and biker aficionado, Elza Walker. While Kennedy made the transition to ... (continued on next page)