I, like many others, have a strange appreciation for classic games. Games that started and defined different genres. Games that created diehard communities. Games that taught valuable lessons to the player. Games like these populated the era that existed far before my birth. One of these gems is a series known as Resident Evil.
Resident Evil’s first entry was released in 1996, both creating and popularizing the survival horror genre. Resident Evil took advantage of every single aspect of hardware that the PlayStation 1 offered, making for a truly immersive and unique gaming experience. Boasting a third person, fixed camera playing style, it was not only a breath of fresh air, but something entirely different and new.
When the summer of 2024 began, I had just run out of games to play. Bored, I scanned the Steam Summer Sale, where I snagged most of the Resident Evil series (excluding 5 and 6). I let them rot in my library for a bit, enjoying activities that came with the season. After about a week or two, I remembered the purchase and booted up Resident Evil 1.
In Resident Evil 1, you can choose to play as either Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield, two special agents a part of the S.T.A.R.S. task force, a special-ops task force of the U.S. military. They’ve been sent to investigate a forest where other members of S.T.A.R.S. have gone missing. Accompanied by Albert Wesker and Barry Burton, they are ambushed by feral canines and are forced to flee to an abandoned mansion, where the madness begins to set in. Slowly, the members of your team disappear, leaving you stranded with no choice but to look for your comrades. As you explore deeper and deeper, you find that things aren’t as they seem, and quickly learn to take nothing at face value.
My experience with Resident Evil 1 was nothing short of amazing. Getting lost in a giant map of puzzles, zombies and traps was such a cool experience, especially with the fixed camera system. For a game made in 1996, it runs VERY well. I was able to complete the game in about 10 hours, and was immediately hooked for the rest of the series. The story was extremely compelling and you quickly find yourself very invested in all of the characters. Investigating journals and murals left around the map leaves you piecing together the store, slowly but surely.
Both Jill and Chris provide you with a completely different experience, from health, carry load, weapons, and even story, you find yourself wanting to play again as the other character just to see what cutscenes you missed out on. Once you play the first game, you can’t help but play the second, which is even better than the first.
The second game introduces two new characters, Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield, both of which go on a completely different journey, however dealing with the same problems as our first cast. For the sake of the article’s length, I won’t go into detail about this game, just know it’s amazing.
But why is Resident Evil the best horror series? What makes it different? Resident Evil not only started the survival horror genre, but is STILL going. Resident Evil 8 was released somewhat recently, and Resident Evil 9 is in the oven. These games have adapted to the times, adopting both a first person and over the shoulder camera. Capcom has also started remaking most of its games, the most recent one being the Resident Evil 4 remake, which won PlayStation’s GOTY when it was released. The series as a whole offers a challenging experience, throwing puzzles your way that are hard, but never too hard. The series has adapted over the years and continues to offer a fun and immersive experience.
It’s in the title, so you must be wondering: How scary is it? Resident Evil somehow mastered the mix between a scary atmosphere and a fun game. I personally cannot handle horror games too well. I think some games that are predominantly horror inject a lazy story for the sake of the genre. Resident Evil keeps the horror aspect throughout the game, but never makes you feel like turning off your console. While the later games (7 and 8) definitely can terrify you at moments, you never really feel overwhelmed with jumpscares or grotesque imagery (except the greenhouse, screw the greenhouse.)
If my convincing wasn’t enough, even Mr. McCrystal himself speaks highly about the series. In fact, he was the one who suggested I write this article. Between its amazing story, stunning graphics, clever puzzles, fun gameplay and thrilling horror, Resident Evil has solidified its position in the pantheon of greatest games of all time. It encourages thinking outside the box, while maintaining an entertaining format. If you haven’t played it yet, PLEASE do. I promise you will not regret it.
