Summary
Making an effective first impression on the player is crucially important for any horror game, but it’s hard to argue that anyone does it better than theResident Evilfranchise. Despite how immensely popular the series is, Capcom doesn’t always make the first level of one of these games a simple tutorial or walkthrough. Sometimes, these sections can be a lot more interesting, acting as a fun and clear example of the gameplay style and overall aesthetic that players can expect to experience for the rest of their adventure.
What also makes many of theResident Evilopening levels stand out ishow unforgiving Capcom is with the difficulty. The developers never shy away from dropping players right in the middle of an outbreak to thrust them into the nightmare as soon as possible, but in the end, this only ends up making these moments more memorable. All in all, though, these are arguably thebest opening chapters, levels, and areas in theResident Evilseries.
Leading to the release ofResident Evil Revelations, the game was being promoted as a true-to-form return to the survival horror genre after the series had gotten a little too carried away with the action side of things inResident Evil 6. Capcom knew this was what fans were expecting, and as so, the game wastes no time getting into the gameplay, with players assuming control of Jill as she navigates her way around a monster-infested cruise ship.
While it’s exciting to get a good look at the brand-new andutterly terrifying Ooze monstersin this section, it also gradually gives context to some of the new cast members, specifically Parker and O’Brian, who both play important roles in the story. While the section does end rather abruptly, it’s a small stain on an otherwise great opening level.
ThoughResident Evil Villagestarts off pretty slow, with the game re-introducing players to Ethan and Mia while providing a glimpse into their strained relationship, the tone completely changes once Chris comes knocking. When Chris, someone who hasacted as the hero in previous games, barges into Ethan’s house and shoots his wife to death before then taking off with his child, it seems as though Capcom were actually pulling the trigger on making him the bad guy.
Though the first half of this opening level isn’t that enjoyable in subsequent playthroughs due to its slow pace, it’s an incredible introduction on that first go around because of how random and unexpected the whole thing is once Chris shows up. In that sense, it perfectly highlights the very odd nature ofVillage’s story, making it one of the most memorable opening sections of the series in recent years.
The firstResident Evilgame isn’t technically split up into separate levels since the entire story is based in one building, but the “opening” would probably cover everything from entering the mansion up until splitting up with Barry when playing as Jill or not long after, as that’s when the game really opens up. This first hour or so is far less chaotic than a lot of the opening sections seen in future installments. In fact, it’s a very slow introduction that’s oozing with atmosphere thanks to thedelicate soundtrack and small audio cuesthat play off in the background.
It also works at giving players a good idea of who these characters are and what makes them all so different, especially with the off-key voice acting, which only adds to the charm. It’s hard not to love those opening moments of the firstResident Evilgame, and though it may not be quite as immediately exciting as some of the others, it still shines as a memorable and charming introduction to the series.
ConsideringResident Evil 7was the game that aimed to takeResident Evilback to its survival horror roots, a lot was riding on its release, and as a result, the opening level needed to convey what made it so different from the last few entries. The truth is, though, nobody could have expected just how chaotic and intense this opening half hour or so would truly be. As players navigate their way through the dark and eerie Baker estate, they’ll eventually be confronted by Ethan’s wife, Mia, who clearly isn’t in a healthy state of mind.
From that point on, players are forced to do battle with a psychotic Mia who, at one point, manages to grab a chainsaw and even cuts Ethan’s hand off, giving off a veryTexas Chain Saw Massacrevibe, whichthe game was clearly inspired by. This section ends when Jack Baker arrives out of nowhere and knocks Ethan’s lights out, but it’s fair to say it’s an incredible section considering how much intrigue it adds to the story and also how action-packed it is.
When creating the remake of the much-belovedResident Evil 3, Capcom decided to make the opening level drastically different from its original counterpart, though that’s certainly not a bad thing. For example, players can now snoop around Jill’s apartment to find all kinds of cool details about her fellow S.T.A.R.S. members, alongside an intriguing insight into her own mental state andthe heavy toll that the Spencer Mansion fiasco has had on her.
However, these moments of reflection are kept to a minimum, as it’s not long beforeNemesis unapologetically crashes into Jill’s house, leading to an epic chase scene where the beast gets to put his overwhelming dominance on full display. While not all fans are happy with how Nemesis was handled in the gameplay itself, it’s hard to argue that this isn’t still an incredible introduction to one of the series' most iconic villains.
ThoughResident Evil 5’s first level is quite short, it still stands out for how well it manages to introduce players to the core systems of game while also giving them one of the best action set-pieces in the entire series. For the first half of this chapter, players are given time to get to grips with the co-op mechanics, such as sharing ammunition and kicking down doors, but things suddenly ramp up onceChris and Sheva come across their first Majini.
From then on, the newly formed duo find themselves in a public assembly, where players must fight for their lives while being hounded by groups of deadly infected residents. Thankfully, by this point in the level, players will likely have a decent hang of the mechanics, but it’s still an incredibly hectic and thrilling section, one that many fans of the series look back on fondly. While it doesn’t quite have the intensity ofResident Evil 4’s hordes because of the co-op element, for some people, having a friend there also makes it more exciting.
While the remake ofResident Evil 2does also include a very brief gameplay section before this moment, the main introduction to the game for both the classic and remake comes after the car crash separates Leon and Claire. Without any warning, the game exits the cutscene as a controllable Leon or Claire find themselves helplessly surrounded by slow, murmuring zombies. With no map or objective marker to guide the way, this opening section easily immerses players into the gameplay and story.
There’s no better feeling than looking up and seeing the R.P.D. in all its glory during this section, though getting there is far from easy due to how many zombies are packed on the screen at once. Creepy, thrilling, and all so intense, this section sets a precedent for quick and fast-paced openings in the series, and it’s still one of the best to do so.
Resident Evil 4contains one of the most iconic openings not only in the horror genre but in all of gaming, and the main reason is because of how effortlessly it gets players stuck in the action. Once players are given a rundown of Leon’s mission and a vague description of the area, they will come across a few oddly violent villagers who all seem more than happy to kill Leon if he doesn’t fight back.
What this section is so fondly remembered for is the final village horde, which is a pretty brutal but immensely fun opening level in both the original and remake ofResident Evil 4.After suddenly becoming surrounded by a swarm of bloodthirsty Ganados,including one wielding a chainsaw, Leon is forced to fend off a gigantic horde with little more than a pistol and an old shotgun. It’s an opening that always manages to get the blood pumping, and it excels at getting players excited about what’s to come next.
