Evolution of Resident Evil

Ali Hasan February 7, 2023

There aren’t many game series that define an entire genre of gaming and do it several times over. Resident Evil is one of them. The series first launched in 1996, forever changing the nature of survival horror games as we know them today. Inspiring many games after it, the series has gone through several changes over the years. Whether that’s a change in tone, gameplay, or characters the series has managed to stay consistent in its relevancy, despite the shifting landscape of the gaming world, 26 years later the franchise is still at the top of its game, remaining one of Capcoms premier franchises and pulling in impressive numbers with each successive entry.

Today we’ll be going over the evolution of Resident Evil. From its humble beginnings as a fixed camera survival horror game to a more action-centric approach and then finally returning to its roots with its more recent outings. For this, we’ll be looking at the mainline numbered entries along with the remakes that Capcom has released over the years.

Resident Evil (1996)

Originally developed as a remake for game producer Tokuro Fujiwara’s 1989 game Sweet Home, the original Resident Evil would go through several iterations before becoming what it is known as today. Resident Evil had you exploring the eerie Spencer mansion filled with zombies, and puzzles along with many twists and turns. The original game introduced characters that would become Resident Evil mainstays including Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield

Resident Evil would go on to become one of the most influential games of all time, defining the survival horror genre with its unique blend of complex puzzles, inventory management, action, and the use of a fixed camera setup. All these things went on to become gaming mainstays. Particular praise was directed at the game’s use of 3D character models (which wasn’t a common sight at the time) against beautifully crafted pre-rendered backgrounds. Resident Evil also successfully brought back zombies to mainstream media.

Resident Evil 2 (1998)

The next entry in the series, Resident Evil 2 was released two years later and built on the many ideas that the first one introduced. The sequel had players controlling Leon Kennedy and Claire Redfield as they navigated the iconic Raccoon City police department in the midst of the T-virus outbreak. Resident Evil 2 also introduced Mr. X the menacing and omnipresent villain pursuing the player for most of the game.

Resident Evil 2 was more iterative than innovative but then again why fix something that isn’t broken? The biggest feature RE2 introduced was the inclusion of a second narrative that allowed players to re-experience the game from another character’s perspective. Praise was directed at the game’s atmosphere, puzzles, and audio although the controls were berated. Resident Evil 2 is widely considered to be one of the best games ever made.

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999)

Resident Evil 3: Nemesis was released just one year after its predecessor. Players were once again given control of Jill Valentine from the first game. The events of RE3 took place during the events of RE2 and like RE2, it didn’t feature a lot of changes coming from the previous entry but did improve on it in almost every way.

Resident Evil 3 introduced the world to Nemesis, who like Mr. X pursued the player throughout the entirety of the game. While RE3 was praised for its improvements over the original, the fact that it was much shorter and didn’t do something too outside of the box caught the ire of many reviewers. Despite this, the game is still looked back on with fondness.

Resident Evil Remake / Resident Evil 0 (2002)

Before the series would receive its next mainline entry, Capcom released the series’ first remake. The original Resident Evil received a from-the-ground-up remake for the Nintendo GameCube in 2002 (although it would be ported to other consoles later), alongside a prequel game titled Resident Evil 0, which took place prior to the events of the first game.

Both games were lauded for their presentations, including their graphics, atmosphere, and sound design. The remake received praise in particular for replicating the look and feel of the original while also modernizing it in many ways. However, it did not sell as well as Capcom had hoped which caused the company to shift gears for the next outing.

Resident Evil 4 (2005)

The next entry in the series, Resident Evil 4 is considered by many to be the best game in the entire franchise. It was released in 2005 after Capcom shifted the focus of the series to be more action-heavy following the disappointing sales of Resident Evil Remake and Resident Evil 0. RE4 introduced an over-the-shoulder camera setup moving away from the series’ iconic and defining fixed camera setup and saw the return of Leon S. Kennedy. It also introduced the buddy system, making Ashley, the game’s secondary AI (and sometimes indirectly player-controlled) protagonist a gameplay mechanic like none before it. Like the original, the game went through many different iterations before landing on what the game is known as today.

Resident Evil 4 is considered to be one of the most influential games of the 2000s, the series not only reinvented itself with its fourth outing but also forever changed how the survival horror genre functioned going forward. It broke many of the conventions of the genre that it had once established and inspired many games that came after it including the highly successful The Last of Us in 2013, 2018’s God of War, and other games like Dead Space and Fallout.

Resident Evil 5 (2009)

Resident Evil 5 continued with RE4’s emphasis on action-heavy gameplay. It retained much of the mechanics of its predecessor, including the over-the-shoulder camera setup. It was the first game in the series to depart from the survival horror genre, instead going all in with the action that the fourth entry featured. Resident Evil 5 was also the first RE game to have a two-player co-op mode, an evolution, and play on the Leon and Ashley buddy mechanic from RE4.

Resident Evil 5 pushed the series forward in many ways by introducing co-op and an even heavier emphasis on action. The game also saw the return of Chris Redfield who was last seen in the original game and the introduction of Sheva Alomar. The game was praised for continuing the innovation that Resident Evil 4 had started, although Resident Evil purists were less than happy with how this game moved away from the essence of what made the originals so memorable.  

Resident Evil 6 (2012)

Like the original game and RE4, Resident Evil 6 marked another turning point for the series but for all the wrong reasons. Resident Evil 6 is a prime example of having too much of something. RE6 continued the co-op trend established by its predecessor but did so in a way that alienated a lot of fans. Resident Evil 6 featured four separate campaigns revolving around four different characters including Leon, Chris, Ada, and more.

This not only meant that the narrative was fractured and all over the place it also meant that the once-isolated feel of the Resident Evil games was essentially lost. Jumping between different characters and campaigns made little sense and convoluted the plot of the series beyond recognition. Critics stated that each campaign felt incomplete and out of place in the grand scheme of things and that the emphasis on action over survival horror just went too far.

Resident Evil VII: Biohazard (2017)

In a bid to revitalize the series and bring it back to what it was previously known for. Capcom had initially envisioned RE7 as an action-heavy title similar to RE6 but this was changed following the reception of RE6. Resident Evil VIII: Biohazard essentially reset the series once again as RE4 had done over a decade prior. It brought the first-person perspective to a mainline Resident Evil title for the first time. It also introduced a new character into the mix, Ethan Winters. Chris Redfield also returned in through a DLC story add-on.

Resident Evil VII Biohazard brought back the isolated and true survival horror feel of the original games while also modernizing it for the modern audience. Praise was shown for the design of the baker house, which was similar in its design philosophy to the spencer mansion and Raccoon City PD of the first two games. In its two-decade-long history, the franchise had reinvented itself for the second time.  

Resident Evil 2 Remake (2019)

Before the next mainline entry, Capcom released the series’ second remake. Resident Evil 2 received the remake treatment in 2019. RE2 Remake was a complete from-the-ground-up remake of the original, featuring updated character models, story beats, and puzzles while retaining the atmosphere, feel, and general storyline of the original.

Resident Evil 2 Remake was praised for how well it recaptured the essence of the original while also modernizing it in several ways. Many critics praised the game for bringing the series back to its former roots while many others called it the best survival horror game of all time.

Resident Evil 3 Remake (2020)

The Resident Evil 3 Remake was released just a year later, getting the same treatment as the previous remake did. Jill and Carlos were completely remade with story elements also shifted around to give the game a more streamlined feel. A new dodge mechanic was added to the game which was absent in RE2.

While Resident Evil 3 Remake successfully captured the tone and feel of the original as the RE2 Remake did, the game was criticized for its very short length and for cutting entire sections from the original game. The new modern take on Nemesis was something that many people agreed was the best part of the remake.

Resident Evil VIII: Village (2021)

Resident Evil Village continued the story of Ethan Winters as it was established in RE7. It carried over many of the same mechanics as its predecessor including a first-person perspective and an emphasis on survival horror as compared to action. It did turn up the ante quite a bit as it featured more action but not overbearingly so. It also added weapon customization. Village also saw the return of Chris Redfield in a different capacity.

Resident Evil Village was praised for finding the right balance between action and methodical gameplay. While RE6 leaned a bit too much action RE7 teetered a bit off from it. The design of Castle Dimitrescu, its diverse cast of characters, and the variety of enemies on display were also praised. Although the puzzles and boss fights weren’t met with the same great reception.

Resident Evil 4 Remake (2023)

The next entry in the series is a remake of the beloved Resident Evil 4. The remake for RE4 was teased around the same time as the RE3 Remake and was formally announced last year. Resident Evil 4 remake, like the two prior remakes, will feature the same character redesigns, making for a more grounded and serious approach that the original lacked. The remake will also rearrange some portions of the game for a more cohesive story. Additionally, some characters will be omitted while some new ones will be added. Resident Evil 4 Remake is scheduled for release on March 24, 2023, on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X, and S and PC.

Comparison Shots

Now that we’ve seen how the series has grown and evolved over the course of its almost three-decade-long history, let’s take a look at some side-by-side comparisons of some of our favorite characters and environments.

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