There are very few franchises out there that have influenced the world of video games and horror entertainment. Resident Evil redefined the idea of survival horror with its post-apocalyptic world, terrifying mansions and hallways, intense boss fights, and deep storytelling.
The Origins Of Resident Evil
The original game was created by Shinji Mikami and was released in 1996 by Capcom for PlayStation. The game introduced players to the Spencer mansion, where elite S.T.A.R.S. agents Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Barry Burton, and Albert Wesker faced numerous horrifying creatures created by a sinister pharmaceutical company called Umbrella Corporation.
The game features third-person perspective with fixed camera angles and is a mix of slow-paced exploration, puzzle solving, and survival horror where every step introduces fear and tension among the players.
Series Through Time
The series has had many other main titles apart from the original game, which are:
Resident Evil 2 (1998) –
The game is a follow-up to the original ResidentEvil, featuring the fan favourite Leon S. Kennedy and Clair Redfield. The game introduces players to Raccoon City, where the outbreak originated. The game also received a remake in 2019 , which not only enhanced the visuals of the game but also gave it a proper third-person perspective.
Resident Evil 3 (1999) –
Features Jill Valentine from original ResidentEvil and her struggles to escape from Raccoon City while fighting a mutated Bio-weapon called Nemesis. This game also received a remake in 2020, which gave it a third-person perspective.
Resident Evil 4 (2005) –
Again features Leon S.Kennedy, but this time after the events of Raccoon City. The game revolutionized third-person shooting mechanics while adding a bit of action and thriller elements, along with survival horror, making it a banger for its time. The game also received a remake in 2023.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard (2017) –
Took a bold turn into first-person horror which brought back feelings of helplessness and fear as we navigated the game through the eyes of Ethan Winters.
Resident Evil: Village (2021) –
Continued the story of Ethan Winters in a first-person manner with a semi-open world map and unforgettable characters, tense horror elements, and emotional storytelling.
Impact Of The Genre
Resident Evil, with its tense survival horror elements, deep storytelling, and character development, inspired hundreds of titles like The Last Of Us and Silent Hill. ResidentEvil was the first game to make people feel scared and excited at the same time. It created a new theme of horror where players must survive, think, and explore with limited resources. Resident Evil showed that games can have cool characters, strong stories, and still be scary.
- Other than video games, Resident also has various movies as well, which were box office successes but did not stay close to the main story.
- The series also features various animated movies like Degeneration and Vendetta, which stayed closer to the main story.
- Aside from movies, various comics, novels, and merchandise have kept the franchise popular for over two decades.
What Lies Ahead For Resident Evil
Resident Evil is one of such games that introduced a new idea to the world and kept on enhancing it from time to time. The game is still one of the most popular game franchises in the world, and fans await a new ResidentEvil game every single year. Whether you’re a longtime fan or a newcomer, the world of ResidentEvil promises a thrilling, tense, and unforgettable experience to everyone.
