‘Resident Evil’: the history of survival horror

By Robert Rinaldo
Entertainment Editor

“Resident Evil,” known as “Biohazard” in Japan, is a media franchise owned by the video game company Capcom. Created by Shinji Mikami, the franchise started out as a survival horror game series that began with the groundbreaking PlayStation title “Resident Evil” in 1996. Since then, it has branched out to include comic books, novels, sound dramas, action figures, and live-action and computer-generated feature films.
2012 has been dubbed by fans “The Year of Resident Evil,” due to the recent release of “Resident Evil Revelations” for the Nintendo 3DS as well as the future release of two more games: “Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City” on March 20 and “Resident Evil 6” on Nov. 20. Looking at where the series started to where it is now reveals just how much “Resident Evil” has changed and evolved into the powerhouse franchise it is.

The franchise was born with the release of “Resident Evil” for the PlayStation on March 22, 1996. It was the first game to be dubbed a “survival horror,” and remains to be one of the most important games of all time. The player’s character is a member of a special law enforcement task force who is trapped in a mansion populated by zombies and other dangerously mutated creatures. The objective of the game is to uncover the mystery of the mansion and ultimately escape alive.

“Resident Evil” was praised for creating a genuinely creepy atmosphere and forcing the player to play conservatively in order to survive. It was ported across other consoles including the Sega Saturn and PC, as well as remade on the Nintendo GameCube.

The critical and commercial success of “Resident Evil” led to the release of a sequel titled “Resident Evil 2” for the PlayStation on Jan. 12, 1999. Upon its release, the game became the fastest-selling video game in North America, selling 380,000 copies and grossing $19 million in its debut weekend alone. Fans regard the game as the best in the franchise as it changed the setting from a mansion to an infected city to create an even more terrifying atmosphere.

“Resident Evil” continued to grow as a franchise with the release of “Resident Evil 3: Nemesis” for the PlayStation on Sept. 22, 1999. It followed the same formula as the previous games, taking place in the same city as “Resident Evil 2.” Capcom followed with the release of “Resident Evil Code: Veronica” as well as the first spinoff title “Resident Evil Survivor” for the PlayStation on July 27, 2000, which played as an off-rail light gun game, more resembling an arcade game.

Capcom released numerous spinoff titles including “Resident Evil Gaiden” for the GameBoy Color, “Resident Evil: Zero,” a prequel to the series for the Nintendo GameCube, and “Resident Evil: Dead Aim” for the PlayStation 2. Despite the numerous releases, fans eagerly waited for the next major installment that would continue the storyline while critics noticed that the formula used throughout the games had become stale and needed to be updated.

 Capcom answered the demands of fans and critics with the release of “Resident Evil 4” for the Nintendo GameCube on Jan. 11, 2005. The game brought new life to the franchise with a revamped control scheme, brand new enemy and a groundbreaking over-the-shoulder third-person camera angle, a feature that would carry over into future titles as well as influence other franchises such as “Gears of War.”
Critics praised “Resident Evil 4” as the best game in the franchise, the game that ultimately saved the franchise, and one of the most influential games of all time. The game received numerous rewards including 2005 Game of the Year at Spike TV’s Video Game Awards.

After the release of “Resident Evil: Deadly Silence,” a port of the first game in 2006, and “Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles,” an on-rails light gun spinoff, Capcom released the next major installment titled “Resident Evil 5” for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 on March 5, 2009. Borrowing gameplay elements from “Resident Evil 4,” the game was praised for its beautiful graphics and fast pace of action.

Despite praise from critics, fans looked upon “Resident Evil 5” as a major disappointment. The game felt like a departure from its survival horror roots with the emphasis on large-scale action than a creepy atmosphere. The addition of co-operative play, while enjoyable, took away from the feeling of facing the danger alone and resulted in frustrating AI performance during solo play.

Apart from the disappointment of “Resident Evil 5,” fans began to think that Capcom was losing interest in the franchise as it developed a pattern of releasing one game per year, normally a sup-par spinoff. More recent comparisons were drawn towards Electronic Arts” franchise “Dead Space,” which plays similar to “Resident Evil 5” while still maintaining the core elements of survival horror.

 Hope that the franchise hadn’t completely abandoned its true genre was restored for fans when Capcom released “Resident Evil Revelations” for the Nintendo 3DS last Thursday. The game features elements from “Resident Evil 5” while providing some throwback to the original games. Critics and fans praised the game as a great return to what the franchise was best known for as well as its impressive performance on a handheld.

The future of the “Resident Evil” game series remains a mystery. “Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City” looks to be a different take on the genre while “Resident Evil 6” hopes to provide the next terrifying console experience that fans longed for. Only time will tell if the franchise can ultimately return to the survival horror roots that made it famous or if it will stray too far and become something different entirely.