Summary
Puzzles have long been somewhat of a tradition in theResident Evilfranchise, with most games in the series featuring at least a few brainteasers or riddles to add some diversity to the core gameplay loop. However, everyone has their own opinions on what does and does not work in aResident Evilgame, whether that be the camera angles, the focus on action or horror, or the puzzles - more specifically, how many of them should be in a game.
There are a lot of fans out there who simply don’t enjoy puzzles slowing down the pace of the gameplay, and having an abundance of difficult puzzles can also be a little intimidating to newcomers. The good news is that anyone who simply wants a game that they can run through and enjoy without having to rack their brain along the way will find a lot to love with this series, as there have been more than a fewResident Evilgames that feature barely any puzzle. Some even have none.
While the remake ofResident Evil 2felt like a fleshed-out and expanded version of the original, it seems Capcom had a slightly different philosophy in mind when reimagining the classic third entry. This time around, the remake was a lot more streamlined, with entire areas, such as the clock tower, being entirely removed. The same approach was also taken with several puzzles.
Though there is an early train puzzle, alongside a small vaccine riddle later in the story, players won’t need to worry all that much about getting stuck on any difficult challenges duringtheir desperate escape from Raccoon City. If anything, the lack of puzzles has actually been a major benefit ofResident Evil 3 Remake, as the game has come to be appreciated as a short but sweet experience that can be finished in a single day thanks to how streamlined it is.
Resident Evil 5is often touted as one of the best co-op horror games ever made, and a major reason why it’s so much fun to play with a buddy is because the game never lets its foot off the gas.Chris and Sheva are constantly entering new areasand being swarmed by hordes of ferocious Majini, meaning that puzzles are largely non-existent with this installment, but that’s certainly not a bad thing.
There is one major puzzle near the halfway point where both players will need to rotate a set of light beams to open up a door. Outside of that, though, most of the game consists of simply picking up keys and blasting away the hordes of enemies who stand in Chris and Sheva’s way, making it ideal for those who enjoy fast-paced action-packed shooters.
Operation Raccoon Cityis quite a unique entry in the series. Not only does it allow players to dive back intoRaccoon City from a different character perspective, this time playing as Umbrella agents, but it is also the first game to feature a full 4-player co-op campaign. Having four players working together to solve a tricky puzzle can only really be done with a solid team who are all communicating with one another, but for a lobby of strangers, these areas probably wouldn’t work quite as smoothly.
Therefore, the game ditches puzzles entirely to ensure that the story is always moving at a steady pace, keeping every member of the team engaged at all times. WhileOperation Raccoon Cityreceived much flak upon release, a lot of fans have started warming up to it over the years, especially those who enjoy jumping in for quick and breezy gameplay sessions.
This applies to bothUmbrella ChroniclesandDarkside Chronicles, as both play exactly the same and are designed to cover the stories of previous games while also providing some brand-new lore for fans of the series to enjoy. Both games are traditional on-rails arcade shooters where the characters move on their own while players direct their reticle over the enemies, which, in this case, can take the form of azombie, Tyrant, Hunter, giant spiders, and many other weird and grotesque monstrosities.
These two games are an absolute blast to play in co-op, especially for newcomers who want to get themselves up to speed on the series without needing to dig out the older titles. These games also manage to replicate the core elements of survival horror by packing in plenty of jump scares and only limited resources for players to get their hands on. What also adds to their accessibility is that they don’t feature any puzzles, since it simply wouldn’t work with this particular style of gameplay.
WithResident Evil 6, Capcom had the idea of creating multiple campaigns that all fed into different genres. Leon’s campaign was supposed to be the one that was most identical to the series' early survival horror roots, making for a much slower and more methodical playthrough, at least at the beginning. While the catacombs do contain a puzzle here and there, once Leon and Helena escape and become part of the wider plot, the campaign essentially becomes one giant action-fest,with QTE prompts replacing the puzzles entirely.
Jake and Chris' campaigns are also very light on the puzzles, focusing a lot more on action set-pieces and bombastic boss fights. Ada’s campaign does have a few head-scratchers thrown in for good measure, but her story is quite short in comparison to the others. Still, the satisfying melee combat and incredible Mercenaries mode ensures that fans of action will still adore whatResident Evil 6has to offer.
Considering thatResident Evil 4follows Leon on a heroic mission to save Ashley, the president’s daughter, he doesn’t exactly have all that much time to be figuring out puzzles and unlocking doors. As a result, the game is a largely linear experience that clearly leans more into the action genre, though the enemy and weapon variety, paired with the memorable characters and story, still make it one of the most beloved entries in the entire series nonetheless.
With that being said, there are still some small riddles, such as lining up the Insignia symbol when entering Mendez’s house, but these are honestly so easy that they can barely be considered puzzles. Capcom would expand upon the puzzles in the remake while also adding a few new ones to try and make it more emblematic of the classics, but those who don’t enjoy them will have a much easier experience playing through the original game, which is still well worth trying out even after receiving the remake treatment.
