Retro Replay Review

Gameplay

Resident Evil: Gaiden breaks away from the series’ traditional fixed camera angles by introducing a hybrid of top-down side-scrolling action and first-person shooting segments. This fusion keeps the pacing brisk, offering moments of exploration and puzzle-solving before shifting into tense, rail-shooter–style encounters. The transitions feel surprisingly smooth on the Game Boy Color, and the rhythm between exploration and action ensures you’re never stuck staring at empty corridors for too long.

In the side-scrolling sections, you’ll guide your character through narrow hallways and claustrophobic rooms aboard the Starlight. Inventory management remains a core survival horror element—ammo is scarce, health items are precious, and every door you open could lead to a trap. Meanwhile, the first-person segments simulate the tense aiming and squeezing-the-trigger mechanics that defined earlier Resident Evil titles, giving the game bursts of pure adrenaline.

Controls are generally responsive, though the limitations of a handheld d-pad and two-button layout occasionally force awkward input combinations—especially during quick weapon swaps or emergency healings. Despite these constraints, many players will find the gameplay loop addictive: gather items, solve environmental puzzles, fend off undead hordes, and push deeper into the ship. Repeat encounters with classic zombies, bats, and other bio-organic threats keep the threat level consistently high.

Boss fights stand out as major set pieces, often requiring a balance of strategy and quick reflexes. Whether it’s a mutated monstrosity blocking your path or an ambush that forces you to switch into first-person mode, these confrontations feel suitably epic given the constraints of the hardware. Victory always comes at the cost of depleting supplies, so each victory is both exhilarating and a reminder of just how precarious your situation remains.

Graphics

On the Game Boy Color, Resident Evil: Gaiden showcases some of the most detailed sprites and environments seen on the platform. The developers leverage a muted palette to evoke the eerie ambiance of a luxury liner turned deathtrap. Cracked tile floors, flickering lights, and shadowy corners all contribute to a haunting atmosphere that belies the device’s modest technical specs.

Character models are surprisingly well-defined, with Leon S. Kennedy and Barry Burton sporting distinct silhouettes that make it easy to identify who you’re controlling or rescuing. Enemy sprites are gruesome and animated with enough frames to make zombies lurch convincingly. During first-person sequences, the on-screen gun and targeting reticle are crisply drawn, replicating the claustrophobic feel of aiming down the barrel in classic Resident Evil halls.

Environmental details—such as overturned chairs, broken glass, and splashes of blood—add to the sense of doom without overwhelming the screen or causing slowdown. Cutscenes are minimal but effective, often using still images and text to convey tense narrative beats without disrupting the game’s flow. While the visual fidelity can’t compete with console entries, Gaiden’s art direction turns hardware limitations into an asset, creating a handheld horror experience that feels complete and atmospheric.

Lighting effects, such as flickering bulbs and strobe shadows, are simulated through clever sprite animation and palette swaps. This gives key locations—like the cruise ship’s engine room or medical bay—a cinematic quality despite the small screen. For players craving a portable dose of Resident Evil ambiance, Gaiden’s graphics punch well above their weight class.

Story

Resident Evil: Gaiden thrusts you into a race against time as Umbrella’s new Bio Organic Weapon (BOW) drifts toward European shores aboard the cruise liner Starlight. With Raccoon City a smoldering memory and Leon S. Kennedy’s last transmission cut off, you’re deployed to infiltrate the ship, eliminate the threat, and locate Leon. The setup places you immediately in the shoes of desperation and duty, classic hallmarks of the franchise’s best moments.

The narrative unfolds through brief cutscenes and scattered documents, relaying Umbrella’s twisted experiments and the fate of the ship’s passengers. Dialogues between Leon, Barry, and rescue target Lucia add personality to the proceedings, forging a small ensemble cast that keeps you invested. While dialogue boxes can feel text-heavy, they deliver enough exposition to explain new enemy types, weapon upgrades, and puzzle solutions.

Puzzles remain a core Resident Evil staple: finding keycards, deciphering codes, and rerouting power systems all tie into the story of shutting down the BOW. Each solved puzzle brings you closer to Leon and deeper into Umbrella’s conspiracy, and the placement of clues feels intuitive. Veteran players will appreciate callbacks to earlier entries—such as familiar item types—while newcomers can follow the plot without a hitch.

The pacing balances investigation, action, and narrative reveals so that you’re always driven forward by curiosity or danger. Discovering a hidden lab deck or deciphering the BOW’s purpose injects real stakes into the sprint across the ship. By the time you reach the climax, the story threads come together in a way that feels rewarding, especially given the portable format.

Overall Experience

Resident Evil: Gaiden may not offer the full-fledged 3D horror spectacle of its PlayStation counterparts, but it delivers a satisfying blend of suspense, exploration, and action perfectly tailored to the Game Boy Color. Its compact design makes it an ideal pick-up-and-play title for fans who want a taste of Umbrella’s horrors on the go. Sessions can range from short bursts in a crowded train to longer dives when you’re truly locked in.

For series aficionados, Gaiden provides an alternate perspective on Leon’s early career—melding familiar characters with new settings and gameplay twists. The variety of enemy encounters and the constant management of limited resources ensure that each segment feels meaningful. Occasional control quirks and the handheld’s small screen do present challenges, but these are minor trade-offs for the sheer novelty of portable Resident Evil gameplay.

Replay value is bolstered by optional puzzles, hidden areas, and multiple endings that hinge on your choices and performance. Speedrunners and completionists will find reasons to revisit the Starlight again and again, while casual players can savor a single playthrough’s tight narrative. The game’s length—around six to eight hours for a thorough run—strikes a sweet spot for handheld entertainment.

In sum, Resident Evil: Gaiden stands as a creative detour in the franchise’s lineage. By embracing the constraints of the Game Boy Color and innovating with dual gameplay styles, it offers a unique slice of Umbrella’s terror. Whether you’re a long-time S.T.A.R.S. devotee or a newcomer seeking portable thrills, Gaiden delivers an experience that’s both approachable and deeply rooted in classic survival horror traditions.

Retro Replay Score

6.2/10