Does Resident Evil Zero Have Multiple Endings?

No, Resident Evil Zero (RE0) only features a single ending sequence in the final game. But this was not always the plan. Earlier in development, RE0 was going to have multiple possible endings depending on player actions and character survival.

Behind The Scenes: RE0‘s Path to A Single Ending

According to interviews with the game‘s producers, the original vision for RE0 included branched conclusions similar to the first Resident Evil game. Specifically:

"The game would feature multiple endings depending on whether Rebecca and Billy survived the events, as the game could still be played if one of the two died."

So why did this change? As producer Shinji Mikami explained:

"This was changed in the final version in order to avoid conflicting with Rebecca’s status in Resident Evil."

Since RE0 serves as a prequel to the 1996 original, they wanted to match up Rebecca‘s fate across both stories. Retconning her death in RE0 may have caused canon issues.

While initially intended though, the final design stuck to a single narrative path. Now let‘s analyze how this compares to other RE titles…

Endings In Mainline Resident Evil Games

Here is a breakdown of endings across some major releases in the survival horror series:

As we can see, most mainline RE games feature multiple conclusions, with notable exceptions like RE Code Veronica and the later action-oriented titles.

RE0 is an outlier in that it serves as a prequel to the original 1996 game, but unlike its successor, does not offer alternate endings. Every player will experience the same narrative climax.

Now let‘s explore why this linearity also factors into RE0‘s notorious difficulty…

Is Resident Evil Zero The Hardest In The Series?

Ask any long-time Resident Evil fan what the toughest game is, and RE0 is guaranteed to come up in the discussion. In reader polls across gaming websites like IGN, GameFAQs and Reddit, RE0 and the original RE1 frequently rank as the top contenders.

• So what makes Zero so difficult compared to later sequels?

Unique Mechanics

A core aspect is RE0‘s status as a prequel. Set the day before the mansion incident in RE1, Zero maintains a classic survival horror feel with limited saves and finite ammo. This forces meticulous resource management.

Specific mechanics also up the challenge:

• Partner Swapping: Switch control between Billy and Rebecca on the fly. This complicates puzzles and inventory space.
• No Item Boxes: Unlike other RE games, items cannot be stored and saved. Inventory management becomes a puzzle itself.
• No Auto-Aim: Requires manual precision unlike the automatic targeting help of RE4 onwards.

These creative twists make Zero tougher for players accustomed to more modern RE mechanics.

Level Design

When comparing the Spencer Mansion (RE1) to the Ecliptic Express, I would argue Zero‘s setting crafts tighter, more claustrophobic spaces:

• Narrow train cabins and corridors
• Intense boss arenas like the Observation Deck
• The underground facility‘s reptilian horrors

Combine tense environments with aggressive enemies like monkeys and Hunters, and RE0 frequently places players into pressure cookers.

Bosses

As highlighted in ScreenRant‘s list of Hardest RE Bosses, RE0 is home to some of the toughest encounters:

"In a harrowing combination that calls to mind the insectile Uroboros and Yawn of early RE canon, Queen Leech ups the difficulty level when facing the brutal boss"

So while highly replayable at only 10 hours (via HowLongToBeat), RE0 condenses its challenge into an intense, linear gauntlet. And this singular approach is signature to Zero‘s identity.

Now that we‘ve explored RE0‘s legacy, let‘s examine how we might ideally experience this uncompromising chapter…

Playing RE0 In Series Order

Release order is generally the best way to play the RE games. As a prequel, RE0 is effectively meant to be experienced after the original RE1 for maximum impact.

Here is the ideal narrative path:

1. Resident Evil (1996 Originsl or 2002 Remake)
2. Resident Evil Zero
3. Resident Evil 2
4. Resident Evil 3
5. Rest of series

By playing the RE1 remake first, you become intimately familiar with characters like Rebecca, Wesker and Birkin. Their backstories and links to Zero‘s plot carry more weight.

Additionally, Zero‘s retro survival style serves as a logical evolution after RE1‘s similar approach. Going from RE2‘s police station right to Zero may be jarring.

So for new fans, I always recommend RE1 as a starting point, even when it means playing out of release order. Zero is best enjoyed as an intense, very hard encore!

Let me know if you have any other RE questions in the comments below! And follow for more survival horror guides soon.