Summary
WhileResident Evilgames can be great in quality, a gamer is often looking to have fun at the end of the day, especially after a long, stressful day. Sometimes theResident Evilseries is unrelenting, with monsters that are nearly impossible to keep down and labyrinth-like levels that are as confusing to navigate as they are scary.
Since the franchise has existed for almost thirty years, theResident Evilgames have taken many forms, intentionally aiming to be more grueling for gamers, while others offer a more fun and inviting experience. Whether they are popularResident Evilentries or maligned ones, each provides a fun factor in their own different ways.
On the one hand,Resident Evil 6is not scary, aside from some parts of Leon’s campaign, which led to a major backlash from fans expecting a horror game. On the other hand, however, it canprovide an action-packed adventurewith three different campaigns that feel more like interactive Michael Bay movies.
Under the right circumstances, a game likeResident Evil 6can be a palate-cleanser for players who want to unwind and relax rather than deal with the brutal difficulty of other games. With a friend or two, slaying zombies and other bioengineered monsters as a team is enough for some smiles.
It’s not often that a sequel is almost unanimously considered superior to the original game, but Capcom pulled it off withResident Evil 2, which featured the debuts of Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield. This sequel took the same kind of gameplay seen in the original but gave it a few tweaks with the new locations, such as the Raccoon City Police Department, to create a memorable horror experience.
New threats like the Tyrant, Lickers, and Plant 43 monsters allowedResident Evil 2to stand out from its predecessor, since it features nearly identical gameplay,from the divisive tank controlsto the item management. Playing through the different runs as Claire and Leon with a more refined version of theResident Evilgameplay is more forgiving and brings as many thrills as it does chills.
The originalResident Evilremains a classic that deserves credit forrevolutionizing the survival horror genre, and the remake, which was initially a GameCube exclusive, does it justice. It enhances the visuals, implements new control schemes alongside improved tank controls, adds new sections to the game, and replaces the awkward voice acting from the original.
Fans were so impressed with what Capcom delivered with theResident Evilremake that it was eventually ported to modern systems asResident Evil HD Remaster. The enhancements not only make exploring the Spencer Mansion more enjoyable for newcomers and longtime fans, but the game still induces terror after almost twenty years.
For many who first playedResident Evil 3: Nemesison the original Sony PlayStation, the titular villain was a trauma-inducing monster chasing Jill Valentine through Raccoon City. Nemesis takes the concept of the Tyrant from the previous game and dials it to the maximum, with unlimited health that forces the player to think strategically, especially with hordes of zombies everywhere.
Nemesis also equips himself with weapons like his tendrils, rocket launchers, and different monstrous forms.Resident Evil 3: Nemesisturns into one giant boss battle from beginning to end, with Jill Valentine having more ammo for her weapons compared to other games, balancing the horror with action and thriller elements.
Ethan Winters returned and is forced to contend with different kinds of monsters for aResident Evilgame, including werewolves, vampires, and evil ventriloquists in a remote European village.Resident Evil Villageis likeResident Evil 2, where it follows a similar formula as its predecessor but improves upon it with ambitious improvements.
The Baker estate inResident Evil 7: Biohazardis large, butResident Evil Villageoften feels almost open world, with a setting that becomes a delight to explore and learn the map. However, it never loses its horror roots, as villains like Karl Heisenberg and Lady Dimitrescu remain unrelenting. Additionally,playing as Chris Redfieldand Rose Winters in their respective campaigns provides an expansiveResident Evilexperience.
Capcom could have givenResident Evil 2the same treatment asResident Evil, sticking to the same overall style but with improved mechanics and visuals. Instead, theResident Evil 2remake turned out to be a completely new experience built from the ground upwith a third-person perspectivein the same vein asResident Evil 4and other more modern horror games.
While graphics are not usually what makes a game good, the hyperrealistic fidelity, designs, and animations immerse the player in the Raccoon City Police Department better than before. The Tyrant is even scarier in the remake, which, combined with the more relentless zombies and cinematic storytelling, results inResident Evil 2feeling like a giant haunted house/escape room fusion.
While it does strip away multiple aspects from the original game, theResident Evil 3remake excels at making Jill Valentine’s escape from Raccoon City an adrenaline rush from beginning to end. The shorter storyline withan even superior portrayal of Jilland still non-stop encounters with Nemesis and other monsters make it hard for a player to feel bored.
There is still all the backtracking and puzzles that fans expect fromResident Evil, especially in the hospital section, but theResident Evil 3remake spends more time focusing on tense action. Nemesis is almost always in pursuit, which requires mastery of the much-welcomed dodging mechanic to survive as Jill and Carlos make their way through the city.
Resident Evil 5, much like its sequel, is not really a horror game anymore, but fans have come to accept it despite initial pushback from the community when it released. Most of that has to do with the fact that it balances out all-out action with enough horrorResident Evilelements to keep it entertaining.
It also helps thatResident Evil 5is more of a standalone game. Fans can still enjoy it, but the story feels meant for newcomers to join in on the zombie-slaying chaos.Resident Evil 5has also become famous for playerspreferring the co-op campaignover single-player, with puzzles and action sequences being designed for two players.
A paradigm shift happened with the launch ofResident Evil 4, which completely ditched the tank controls in favor of a third-person perspective that would become the norm. It made playing Leon Kennedy feel more impactful and tactile, with full control over his actions and aiming as he goes on a daring adventure in Spain.
From the Los Plagas virusto Leon Kennedy’s cheesy one-liners,Resident Evil 4has become a definitive title in the franchise, with multiple ports and remasters over the years, even on VR. While it was not the first game to feature The Mercenaries mode,Resident Evil 4helped cement it and can provide hours of extra entertainment after an already strong main campaign.
PreviousResident Evilremakes were designed to be closer to the belovedResident Evil 4. So, in 2023, they even created a full-fledged remake of the 2005 classic. However, instead of being identical to the original, it borrows gameplay mechanics from the previous remakes to retain the feeling of horror and dreadwhile playing Leon Kennedyand Ada Wong’s respective stories.
Instead of buying everything from the enigmatic Merchant or smashing wooden barrels, Leon can craft ammunition, knives are durable, and Leon can move while aiming. Other quality of life improvements forResident Evil 4include Ashley being helpful in intense situations, more melee combat, stealth executions, and arguably superior storytelling, leading to a remake that never fixes what isn’t broken.
