What makes Resident Evil, Resident Evil?

[Jill_is_my_Valentine]

Hello all!

move been pondering this question: what factors are key to a game being/feeling like a Resident Evil game.

RE has gone through so many styles (classic, action, first person, etc.) but they all manage to feel like they belong in the same Resident Evil universe.

For me, the factors are:
-deliberate combat
-inventory management
-the characters are all connected
-Weird b-movie sci-fi biological monsters
-the fact that they’ve kept the same bullet brands over the game is a small, but cool world building detail

 

[Deleted member 21244]

- horror and tension
- sci fi story whit biological weapon
- character (leon, Chris, Jill, Claire, new character are welcomed)
- a main hall
- the herb
- Albert wesker pulling the strein behind the curtin
- inventory management
- final escape whit timer and final boss that transformed

 

[Jill_is_my_Valentine]

- horror and tension
- sci fi story whit biological weapon
- character (leon, Chris, Jill, Claire, new character are welcomed)
- a main hall
- the herb
- Albert wesker pulling the strein behind the curtin
- inventory management
- final escape whit timer and final boss that transformed

The herbs are an important element. I liked seeing how they are applied in RE7 and are entirely capable of regrowing limbs and the like. I wonder if they ever gave them a scientific sounding name

 

[UniqTeas]

It is hard to encapsulate what makes an RE game an RE game. And even though I have HIGH praise for RE4 and RE7, I think that the earlier games most definitely had that Resident Evil X Factor and it was perfected in the REmake.

If I could narrow it down, I'd say this is what makes the BEST version of an RE game:

-Overwhelming Odds (even if your characters are trained STARS members)
-Unique enemies that appear in unique areas of the game
-Backtracking and Puzzle solving (Good puzzle solving, not like the RE4, RE5, and RE6 linear path puzzles)
-Haunting soundtrack or lack of music to create tension
-Scarce ammo/health - enough to play and make mistakes, but not so much that your have a hundred magnum rounds by the end
-A sense of tension and fear about WHAT it making those damn noises; or what is around the next corner
-Villains with motivation and a tie to the story or world (Wesker, Alex Wesker, Ashfords, etc.)
-Limited inventory space (this helps with deciding how to solve puzzles and stay safe at the same time)
-Varied locations that have a sense that they have been lived in, destroyed, or are plain disgusting
-Secrets and hidden areas to discover; Easter eggs that tie the series together

There are a ton of other things, but I think this is a great start to a great RE game for me at least!

 

[Deleted member 21244]

I forgot one important element
Enigma and exploration to open door and solve puzzle

I think this is something important to the series even if sometimes they were not preset like re 5 and the chronicles one, even if they are good re game for me

 

[Jonipoon]

I think the Resident Evil games are always evolving, so its hard to say what "exactly" makes something Resident Evil. Especially since every fan has their own unique taste when it comes to these games.

Personally, I've somewhat always associated Resident Evil with an image of a green herb plant. I really don't know why that's the one thing I always think of, but it is.

 

[1995umk3]

I only played up to RE4, to me.. what makes resident evil a resident evil game is that it leaves you on the edge most of the time (it does for me)

But since I replayed the earlier releases again recently and remembered most of the things that are going to happen/know where to go throughout the whole game, it just became another cool game in the gaming world.

So now what makes a resident evil game a resident evil game is that it's a cool classic that started in the 1990s.

 

[trag]

A sense of mystery.
Inventory management.
Finite resources.
A sense of dread/danger.
Coming to the aid of someone you care deeply about.
Overcoming impossible odds.

 

[KennedyKiller]

The creators calling it Resident Evil

 

[Jill_is_my_Valentine]

The creators calling it Resident Evil

Haha I guess so.

 

[UniqTeas]

I guess on the flip side - we could also answer the question, "What have they implemented in Resident Evil games to make them feel less like a Resident Evil game?"

I would point to most of RE6 as an example.

 

[Rain611]

I would answer this in detail but I did that already in the RE4 thread where I explained why it's my least favorite game in the series. So here we go, short and sweet and in no particular order:

Claustrophobic atmosphere
Resource management
Ink ribbons
Zombies (like, actually zombies, not last plagas or the like)
Chilling soundtracks
Some place self destructing at the very end
Interesting stories equipped with puzzles

As for what they've implemented that I don't like so much:

A much more fast paced, open environment where zombies are no longer scary because you can just run around them.
Ammo drops from enemies because it takes the necessity out of learning to conserve your resources.
Less usage of meaningful puzzles that you actually need to brain to solve.
Checkpoint/chapter systems

They're just making the new games too easy I guess. Although I will credit newer REs with the introduction of the over the shoulder camera angle so I don't need to deal with tank controls anymore.

 

[UniqTeas]

I think the fact that the puzzles in RE4-RE6 are so boring is one of their biggest downfalls. When I was a young lad and played RE2 for the first time and had to solve all of those puzzles myself - I felt like a GENIUS.

Additionally - I think the concept of ink ribbons is a little too narrow. I didn't mind the tape recorder saving system in RE7. Felt LIKE an typewriter with a limited update. But I do get that it makes you feel like it is Resident Evil!

 

[Jill_is_my_Valentine]

I think ink ribbons can be really annoying, I don’t mind those not being included. But having a save system that feels like it fits in RE is important.

I think with 6 they definitely lost a lot of tension and atmosphere which are very important to RE

 

[bSTAR_182]

Perhaps this thread should be in the RE General Discussion section.


For me personally, the answer is in the title of the series. I’ve been thinking about this recently and while yes, a big aspect of the games revolves around the monsters and bioweapons, what truly makes Resident Evil standout are the men and women “behind the curtain”.

The more monstrous the villain behaves, the more intriguing the story is for me. This is why characters like Albert Wesker, Alex Wesker, the Ashford twins, Birkin and Chief Irons are some of the best written villains within the series. The more twisted and sadistic the villain, the better.

 

[UniqTeas]

Yeah - we need a new sadistic villain that lasts a few games.

Spoiler

When RE7 initially ended with Lucas surviving, I thought it was great since there would be a new opportunity to play against the sick bastard. I had fun facing him and finishing the story in Not a Hero, but I wanted a multi-game nemesis that would/could still shock me!

The more twisted and sadistic the villain, the better.

 

[Jill_is_my_Valentine]

Yeah - we need a new sadistic villain that lasts a few games.

Spoiler

When RE7 initially ended with Lucas surviving, I thought it was great since there would be a new opportunity to play against the sick bastard. I had fun facing him and finishing the story in Not a Hero, but I wanted a multi-game nemesis that would/could still shock me!

The more twisted and sadistic the villain, the better.

What we need is someone who can fill Albert Wesker’s shoes. Sadistic and very, very capable. Perhaps someone who could be a global threat?

 

[bSTAR_182]

I mean... Alex has all of those qualities and actually succeeded with her plans at the end of REvelations 2.

 

[UniqTeas]

Alex was a great and horrifying villain. I would love to see a little more of her!