As a Resident Evil fan, although I am not a death fan, Resident Evil has been with me most of my time in the game. I also enjoyed researching something about Resident Evil. Here are some insights I transferred from the Internet, which actually make a lot of sense.
The entire Resident Evil series is a history of constant reboots, whether it is the first to create a first-of-its-kind survival horror, the fourth to revolutionize third-person shooters, or Resident Evil 7, which leads the entire series to first-person experience of fear, not to mention the completely reworked treatment of the three "Resident Evil" models in advance, which have been renovated according to the standards of modern games. Whenever the recipe for the series goes out of date, developer and publisher Capcom is always able to tear down and redo multiple times to redefine the Resident Evil series.
Few games have had as profound an impact on pop culture as Resident Evil. Several of the titles in the series have revolutionized the game industry and the way games are designed. It spawned a series of six films spanning more than a decade and grossing more than $1 billion at the box office. From either perspective, the Resident Evil series is a big cake, always changing the world, always restarting, and always trying to innovate.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Resident Evil series, we're going to take a look back at the series, highlighting works that have remained undiminished to date. In this process, we also included their development environment and release response at that time, as well as the legacy of good and bad for subsequent works. This is certainly not an exhaustive list, but rather our carefully selected works, all of which have had a huge impact on the Resident Evil series.
The series is not the originator of horror games. In fact, the first Resident Evil was just Capcom's recycling of some of its old designs. The series is rumored to have originated from a conversation between Capcom producer Tokuro Fujiwara and Shinji Mikami, who wanted to make a horror game using the system of Sweet Home (a game directed by Fujiwara Tokuro and released in parallel with the 1989 film of the same name directed by Kiyoshi Kurosawa). These systems include environment puzzles, item management, and limited backpack space, and even door-opening loading animations. The game is set in an old mansion, which becomes Shinji Mikami's new project, with him as the director and Fujiwara Takuro as the producer.
Interestingly, Shinji Mikami mentioned that while developing the first Resident Evil, he tried to get rid of any genre of games on the market at the time. Because he was worried about the sales of horror games, and he wanted to build an extraordinary game. From the perspective of all parties, this is a big gamble. Resident Evil tells the story of a police force trapped in a labyrinth castle battling zombies and other terrifying creatures, combining elements and inspiration (such as Sweet Home, Night of the Living Dead) and elaborate puzzle design to create a second game of similar style that was not available on the market at the time. It also introduced characters that subsequently became symbols of the series, arguably some of the most popular in the history of the game, including Chris Redfield, Gil Valentine, Albert Wesker, and Barry Burton.
Looking at the work from the perspective of 2021, although many of the designs have far-reaching influences, the specific significance is not great, even from the perspective of 1996, it is also doubtful, but these issues are rarely thrown out for public discussion at that time. Spencer Mansion, where the game takes place, is an intricate fortress filled not only with zombies, but also with surprisingly large serpents and sharks, but which seems to exist only to serve as a deterrent.
The puzzle elements in the game are sometimes slightly inferior and sometimes challenging, but often not very close to the plot. The pre-rendered background and fixed perspective (inspired by the first Haunted House) are compromises under technical limitations, but inadvertently amplify the unique visual framework of Resident Evil, and fixed perspectives have become the selling point of the series before Resident Evil 4.
While this isn't the first horror game ever made, Resident Evil did pioneer (or popularize) the concept of survival horror in the game. The impact of Sweet Home is certainly not negligible, but Resident Evil has attracted mainstream players with Fujiwara's vision. This work also proves that video games are not only a medium that effectively carries the elements of horror, but also a channel for people to experience the elements of horror.
According to Capcom data, the original version of Resident Evil sold more than 2.75 million copies on the PlayStation, which does not include ported versions, guide cuts and other versions, making Resident Evil a large-scale IP. Since its release in 1996, the Resident Evil series has spawned 141 different titles (orthodox sequels, ported versions, remakes, etc.) and has sold more than 170 million copies.
More importantly, Resident Evil has become the inspiration for many masterpieces. Without the framework of the first Resident Evil, there probably would have been no such works as Silent Hill, Zero, and Dead Space. It also allowed Shinji Mikami to become famous in the gaming world, and his achievements in the series' subsequent works further cemented his position.
However, the man who achieved success had mixed feelings.
"When we made this game, I personally felt that Resident Evil shouldn't be a series," Shinji Mikami explained to GameSpot in 2016, "because horror elements tend to have obvious routines that are easily played, which means they are easily boring." I never thought this game would be a big hit."
"I can't help but think that if Resident Evil didn't sell well, maybe I would continue to be a creative in my 30s as a studio director instead of a producer. To this day, I still feel incredibly lucky."
No matter what he thought, Resident Evil became a series of works, and the first laid the framework well for subsequent works, until it slowly lost its effectiveness. Eventually, after enough sequels were released, the groundbreaking elements of the first Resident Evil became tedious. So Capcom is back to the creative starting point, reinventing the kinds of games it opens up.
If you've ever followed the gaming landscape in the last 15 years, it's not hard to see the buzz set off by Resident Evil 4, one of the most influential games of all time.
However, the development of Resident Evil 4 has been frequently hindered, and in fact, the finished game is already the fifth time that the project has been publicly pushed down and restarted. Development began after the release of Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, and although several directors tried to make the game in a different way, they did not survive until Shinji Mikami took over a few years later. While works such as Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 3, and Veronica were critically acclaimed (and have always been loved by fans), Resident Evil was designed in a very simple way: formulaic.
Capcom developers such as Shinji Mikami share this sentiment. He told Game Informer in 2004 that he saw Resident Evil 0, released in 2002, as a breakthrough in his career. "I remember playing Resident Evil 0 and repeatedly telling myself that it was just a soup change, not a change of medicine, which is why I wanted to change the system." 」 Shinji Mikami said, "With the new system, I was able to feel nervous and scared again at first sight."
Resident Evil 4 is the historical inflection point of the entire series, and from another perspective, it also symbolizes the first major change in the Resident Evil series. Zombies are replaced by villagers, who still roam around, except that they have more ability to communicate with each other and use weapons. The zombie pathogen T virus in past works has also been replaced by the parasite Las Plagas, which can turn the host into an easy-to-control killing machine, and even break away from the host to protect itself.
The biggest change in Resident Evil 4 is in the gameplay and form of presentation. The first Resident Evil film adopted a fixed perspective due to technical limitations, and later works also followed this design, because it has become a feature of the series. Resident Evil 4, on the other hand, places the camera behind the protagonist, Leon Kennedy, so that players can observe their surroundings more freely as they explore or aim. In practice, Lyon's position has also been adjusted to the left side of the midline, allowing the player to aim over the shoulder. This is also the standard perspective for all current third-person shooters. However, at the time, this was still a trendy concept, not a mature design approach. In our 2004 Resident Evil 4 cover article, former editor-in-chief Andy McNamara commented on the sensitivity of perspective when aiming.
"In the third person, Leon took up the left screen, and we thought it would interfere with the aiming operation until we got started," McNamara wrote, "Whether Lyon is on the screen or not, it feels like a first-person shooter."
It is worth mentioning that resident evil: Under the Gun, released in 2003, also uses a behind-the-scenes perspective, and is also the first work in the series to abandon a fixed perspective. However, the protagonist was in the center of the screen (the tradition of the time), the aiming system was also in the first person, and the full 3D environment design was also used.
Resident Evil 4 also moved the series from a typical survival horror game to an action game. While many of the classic Resident Evil elements have been retained, such as backpack management, limited ammo, and horror elements, the second half of the game is more inclined to large-scale action scenes.
This approach has been very effective in Resident Evil 4, as evidenced by how often the game has been featured in the various "Best Games of All Time" list. However, it is undeniable that this approach has had a negative impact on the entire series, and has once again led to another innovation 10 years later. One of the more agreeable statements is that Resident Evil 4 itself is of excellent quality, but it also leads to Capcom's imbalance in the ratio of horror and action in subsequent works.
Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 largely abandoned the horror element in favor of action elements. While these games still have their highlights, the definition of the Resident Evil series has become ambiguous. Once a survival horror series, Resident Evil has become an action series, and even a multiplayer shooter mode has been introduced, so many new designs are rarely satisfactory.
Resident Evil 4 is meaningful from the perspective of the history of the series. On the one hand, even in 2021, it will still hold up. The controls are excellent, with a terrifying horror plot and intense action scenes. Shinji Mikami's gamble was not only a success at the time, but also a game that has been passed down through the ages. On the other hand, it can be seen in hindsight that the work almost ruined the entire series (at least that's what fans think). You might cite Resident Evil: Revelations and Resident Evil: Revelations 2 that focus more on survival horror, but the 2012 canonical sequel, Resident Evil 6, is more like Die Hard than Night of the Living Dead.
But Capcom listened to its fans. Not only are they behind the scenes planning the next revolution in Resident Evil, but they are also thinking about how to get this series back to the original intention.
List of Resident Evil games
Over the past 25 years, Capcom has launched multiple Resident Evil games. This article is long enough that we can only select a few works that are significant to the series to describe in detail, and we cannot cover every game. But if you're interested in learning more about the series, take a look at the list below to see what other major entries have been in the series since the release of Resident Evil in 1996.
Resident Evil (1996)
Resident Evil 2 (1997)
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999)
Resident Evil – Code: Veronica (2000)
Resident Evil Remake (2002), Resident Evil 0 (2002)
Resident Evil: Dead Aim (2003)
Resident Evil Outbreak (2003)
Resident Evil 4 (2005)
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles (2007)
Resident Evil 5 (2009)
Resident Evil: Revelations (2012)
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (2012), Resident Evil 6 (2012)
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 (2015)
Resident Evil Umbrella Corps (2016)
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017)
Resident Evil 2 Remake (2019)
Resident Evil 3 Remake (2020)
Resident Evil Village (2021)
Released in 2017, Resident Evil 7 returns to the original intention of the series and is also the biggest innovation in the series.
One of the most obvious changes is the perspective of the re-conversion. In addition to Resident Evil: Dead Under the Gun, which switches from third-person to first-person under combat targeting, Resident Evil 7 is the first first-person game in the series, telling the story of the new protagonist Ethan Winters' search for his missing wife, Mia, after the latter sent him an obscure video message. While many of the traditional features have not been lost, this shift in perspective brings horror closer to the player. It's also a big shift for the entire series, as this is The Resident Evil's first return to pure survival horror.
But the horror of Resident Evil 7 is also unique to the series. Early games drew inspiration from George Romero's films (Night of the Living Dead) and science fiction, while Resident Evil 7 was more thriller.ed.
While the design for resizing the game to one location comes from Toby Hopper's 1981 film Ghostbusters, another major inspiration for Resident Evil 7 was Actually Toby Hopper's 1974 film Texas Chainsaw Killer, a group of friends who meet a family of cannibals, the most classic of which is Skinface, a silent murderer who loves to take the lives of his victims with a chainsaw. The work's influences are almost ubiquitous in Resident Evil 7, such as two Chainsaw Boss battles (which is actually the highlight of Ghostbusters). More obvious is the setting, although it is located in Louisiana rather than Texas, but it can still see a strong American Southern element.
Like the farmstead in Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Baker's Mansion in Resident Evil 7 is a horror family in the South. On the surface, the family may have lived an ordinary life, but now the whole house has become unsightly; both works use the decay of humans and animals to emphasize the plot of a family's change. This does misrepresent the stereotype of southern families (crazy, dangerous), but it also creates an atmosphere of repression and isolation, and terror happens to creep in at a time of helplessness.
Sometimes the game involves nihilism, leaving the impression of everything inconsequential to the player, and the crisis will not be easily eliminated. By the end of the game, players have indeed escaped, but judging by the trailer for the sequel, Resident Evil 8: The Village, this sense of helplessness will be further amplified after Winters' peaceful life is destroyed by more tragedies that follow.
While Resident Evil 7 doesn't address taboo themes like movies, it still borrows a lot of interesting "scraps" from horror movies, which is quite rare in AAA games. For example, its portrayal of marginalized Southerners is reminiscent of both "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and Wes Craven's "Eyes Across the Mountain", the story of a family meeting cannibals in the Nevada desert. The game complements the backstory in the form of old fragments, which is also a clear homage to Blair the Witch in a way, while also giving a pseudo-documentary look.
In addition, "Chainsaw Horror" also has a great influence on the work. While it's a bit far-fetched to say that Resident Evil 7 was inspired by the movies mentioned above, there are very few AAA blockbusters that share the same theme as these films, and Resident Evil 7 occupies an approximate media space with these films, which is unique in the game.
Having said all this, it is all to emphasize that Resident Evil 7 is more like a "home run". It is not only a work of the Resident Evil series that returns to the original intention in terms of mechanics and horror stories, but also completely reshapes the future development space of Resident Evil games. While this may not be the last reboot of the series, it can serve as a critical line for Capcom to look at the Resident Evil series, daring to experiment while retaining the core of the original.
While it's unclear whether Resident Evil 8: The Village will be as dramatic as Resident Evil 7, limited pre-release intelligence suggests that the series has changed in a new direction, with more elements such as werewolves, vampires, and occult horrors, but the perspective remains in the first person.
Resident Evil is no longer the story of Umbrera, the T virus, and the zombies. Resident Evil 7 showcases the endless possibilities of the Resident Evil franchise, and given that this game is Capcom's second-selling game ever, these new paths are certainly realistic. It now seems that there are many differences between the new game and the earlier Resident Evil games, and it may take us some time to digest the impact of Resident Evil 7 on the series. In any case, it is still a pleasure to see this series constantly evolving.
While Resident Evil 7 shows the future of the series, it's just the tip of the iceberg for the whole story.
In 2019, Capcom released Resident Evil 2 again. However, this remake is similar to the 2002 Resident Evil remake, which modernized the 1996 original, while the all-new Resident Evil 2 remake was a makeover of the 1998 original, relying on Capcom's latest game engine, the RE Engine (which debuted in Resident Evil 7 and was also used in titles like Devil May Cry 5 and Monster Hunter: Rise), plus modern graphics and gameplay. Resident Evil 7 was converted to the first person; Resident Evil 2 Remake retained the third person; the fixed perspective of the original was replaced by a post-shoulder perspective of Resident Evil 4 and its successors; apart from these changes, it was a modern remake that was faithful to the original and was quite thrilling.
Players maneuver young Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield through the Raccoon City Police Station in Resident Evil 2 Remake, and Resident Evil 2 Remake is pervasive with an ominous horror. These zombies are always there, and if you don't cut the grass and root out the roots, they'll be there to ambush you the next time you walk past the flank of the unfinished police station.
The plot loses a lot of highlights when it leaves the police station, but the first half can still be ranked as the best survival horror in the series. Zombies have now become a cliché in the Resident Evil series and mainstream film and television productions, but they are revived in Resident Evil 2 Remake. Players must keep a clear head as they navigate the game to deal with threats.
In addition, there is another biggest threat in Resident Evil 2 Remake, that is, the "tyrant" who chases players all the way. Although there was also a "tyrant" in the original, technical limitations make him more of a scripted event. But by the time Resident Evil 2 Remake came, he became a dynamic threat, constantly navigating the police station like you. This enemy is also the most memorable design in the remake that breaks the player's game experience.
Since the police station is not too big to remember the road, the player will always be able to familiarize themselves with the route and easily navigate through the various areas, and the appearance of the "Tyrant" changes this. The player cannot kill him, only stun him, and his damage is very high. "Tyrant" becomes a nightmare that follows the player throughout the game, increasing anxiety during gameplay as the player is helpless in the face of his attacks. He can always appear suddenly next to you, sabotage your plans, and force you to adapt.
Resident Evil 2 Remake confirms that the foundations of the series' older builds are still valid, requiring only a modern shell. Prior to this writing, Resident Evil 2 Remake was Capcom's third-best-selling game, behind top-selling monster hunter: World and Resident Evil 7.
Looking at Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil 2 Remake, there is an interesting way out of the future of the series, which is to look at the past and the future equally, and to maintain innovation and breakthroughs. Resident Evil 3 Remake, released in 2020, is a testament to this, as it was designed in the same way as Resident Evil 2 Remake.
Rumor has it that a remake of the older game will continue the treatment of Resident Evil 2 Remake, while the orthodox sequel will continue to try the design idea of Resident Evil 7, but this is just speculation after all. If the rumored Resident Evil 4 Remake is true, it's hard to imagine capcom not following this design in this groundbreaking third-person game. Resident Evil 9 and later are even harder to guess, and we'll have to wait a few years to know.
In any case, the days when the Resident Evil 5 and Resident Evil 6 series were seen as jokes are over, at least not now. While Resident Evil 3 Remastered isn't as critically acclaimed as Resident Evil 2 Remake, it's still one of Capcom's best-selling games. Resident Evil 8: The Village is also one of the most anticipated titles for players in 2021, alongside the yet-to-be-proven Resident Evil 4 remake.
After 25 years of ups and downs, the Resident Evil series is still the big IP in the game industry. Although it is difficult for new works to reach the influence of old works, it is still not to be underestimated. Looking to the future of this series, since Capcom is already constantly changing the recipe of this series and trying out new and unknown ideas, we are all looking forward to what kind of frightening journey the new works will bring us in the future.