Resident Evil 0 Wii Port Announced (Updated)
Update
Christian Svensson, Capcom’s VP of Business Development, confirmed today on his company’s forums, that the game will only be released in Japan.
Original Story
As news from Japan’s weekly Famitsu magazine leaks unto the net, the most prominent announcement belongs to Capcom’s upcoming Wii edition of Resident Evil 0, previously only available on the Nintendo Gamecube.
Originally developed for the Nintendo 64, Resident Evil 0 serves as a prequel to the long running survival horror series, detailing the earliest account of Umbrella’s viral outbreak, as S.T.A.R.S medic Rebecca Chambers teams up with escaped inmate Billy Coen as they traverse a runaway train full of zombies, leeches, and scorpions, and make their way toward a mansion teeming with further horrors and mysteries. Despite the similar controls and pre-rendered backgrounds, 0’s one differing feature was the ability to switch between Rebecca and and Billy at any time with the push of a button, which became a crucial mechanic to solving several of the puzzles and obstacles barring them from the truth of the outbreak.
No doubt encouraged by the success of Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition, Capcom will now release a Wii port of 0, tentatively dated Summer 2008 for Japan (A NA release is unannounced, but expected). No details on what improvements or changes will be made, other than the statement that the controls have been given a workaround for convenient Wii remote play. It has also been noted that players have the option of using the Wii’s classic controller, though anyone choosing the latter setup would likely be better off tracking a cheap copy of the Gamecube original.
While RE4’s over the shoulder view made for a painless transition to Wii controls, it may prove much more difficult to replicate the experience with 0’s “tank” controls and static backgrounds. Whether a complete graphical overhaul will be made to accommodate the new controls remain to be seen, but if Capcom is looking for a quick port, they may have to deal with a rampaging army of disgruntled gamers out for blood.