Summary
Resident Evilwas an inspirational game when it was released for the PS1 in 1996. It pushed the survival horror genre forward but there was one big complaint at the time that persists, making some of the older games hard togo back to: tank controls. Before analog sticks and full 3D worlds, tank controls seemed like the best possible control scheme.
Thankfully, Capcom eventually abandoned the tank controls in favor of something more modern. This brings to mind whatResident Evilis the most fun to play. These games will be ranked based on mechanics and their overall gameplay loop.
Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicleswas the first game on the Wii that recreated the events of past games but through an on-rails lens. It was released in 2007, got an HD makeover in 2012, and coveredResident Evil Zero,Resident Evil, andResident Evil 3: Nemesis. It was a fine game alone or with a friend in co-op but the sequel,Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles, was more interesting.
It was released in 2009 on the Wii before getting an HD upgrade in 2012 too. It mainly covered the events ofResident Evil 2andResident Evil - Code: Veronica, but there was some prequel content toResident Evil 4starring Leon whichis why it is the more interesting of the two. On-rail shooters are not that complicated control-wise, but both games were enjoyable then and are still easy to get into now as fun side distractions.
There has never been a strict RPG made within this series despite Resident Evil’s origins hailing from a turn-based RPG on the NES called Sweet Home.Resident Evil Gaidencomes close though,starring Barry andLeon as they have to wander around a ship with zombies and other monsters on board. Players can move around and solve light puzzles from a top-down perspective.
If they touch a monster, the view will switch to first-person and then players have to use items in conjunction with a moving meter to strike them. It may sound complicated and difficult, but with practice it became an enjoyable side story and one with some novel gameplay ideas. Interestingly, it was released in PAL regions for the Game Boy Color first in 2001 followed by other regions in 2002.
Tank controls may not be for everyone but among all of the retro-style entries, the first game is a must-play. After its initial 1996 release for the PS1, it was remade for the GameCube in 2002. This remake was then upgraded to HD in 2014 in Japan and a year in North America.
Besides improved visuals, this HD version allowed players to ditch tank controls if they wanted, making the game more accessible for those who didn’t grow up with the classic control scheme. It’s a great entry to get into the series thanks to thedual campaigns of Chrisand Jill offering short, dark, and twisted experiences.
Resident Evil: Revelationswas a cool return of Jill for an exclusive game on the 3DS which then became not so exclusive once it got an HD version a year later. It set the groundwork forResident Evil: Revelations 2which had two campaigns running simultaneously. Players could play alone or in co-op taking on thereins of Claireand Moira, Barry’s daughter. Barry was part of the other campaign along with a mysterious girl named Natalia.
Besides the inclusion of co-op and the episodic nature of releases in 2015, the game played like most games in the series in this era. The best reason to check the game out though is Raid Mode which is a more action-heavy RPG side story with tons of unlocks and leveling-up mechanics not found in other games.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesiswas first released in 1999 for PlayStation fans and it was a more action-focused entry compared to its upcoming Dreamcast counterpart,Resident Evil - Code: Veronica. It was then remade in 2020, ditching theNemesissubtitle for justResident Evil 3.
This remake fully imaginedJill’s return to Raccoon Cityafter it was infected by the Umbrella virus. It also made Nemesis more of a threat, constantly stalking players which may or may not frustrate players by getting their anxiety to max levels. Hard or not, it’s a streamlined game without many puzzles, and a thrilling narrative that’s fun to go through multiple times.
Resident Evil 7: Biohazardwas the first mainline game to be set fully in a first-person perspective that seemed weird initially but fans got used to the awkward controls. These controls were solidified in the sequel, directly tying itself to thenew protagonist Ethanwho is dragged to a vaguely European village to save his daughter. There are werewolves and other creatures unfortunately stalking him as he hunts for her.
It was easier to move and shoot, plus an upgrade system via a loc merchant made it fun to go back and upgrade Ethan’s facilities. Plus with new items, players could continuously explore this region like a spookier 3D Metroidvania.
Resident Evil 4was a benchmark for the series when it was released for the GameCube in 2005. The controls were still a bit stiff, but they were no longer beholden to the tank setup. Zombies were ditched in favor of more parasitic enemies and Leon was welcomed into a new region with Spanish-speaking locals.
Instead of taking place indoors, much of the game was set in outdoor locations too. The thing that really improved the gameplay loop though was the mysterious merchant with items and weapons to buy. It was a more fully featured experience that was made even better in 2023 when it was remade. It set another high benchmark for the series to surpass thanks to its smooth controls, engaging story, and slick visuals on top of a replay system that was addicting to go through multiple times.
