Small Talk: The Evolution Of Resident Evil

With the launch of Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicles just over the horizon, a handful of Game Informer editors decided to participate in a Resident Evil marathon. Nostalgic for some, educational for others, Tim Turi, Ben Reeves, Annette Gonzalez and Meagan VanBurkleo debate the merits of the old versus new Resident Evil iterations. Through a roundtable debate – passing around the computer on the couch while trying desperately to avoid falling snakes and giant spiders in the original Resident Evil – the foursome share their thoughts on the series. 

Meagan: To start, we should all disclose our history with the franchise. I was 11 when the first Resident Evil came out – meaning it wasn’t on my parent’s most-wanted list. That being said, I missed out on a lot of the original Resident Evil titles. While I have been familiar with characters and general lore within the franchise for quite some time, Resident Evil 4 and 5 were my first real experiences with the series. I loved both of the iterations, so always felt a bit sore about missing out on the games that laid the groundwork for the franchise. While it’s fun to see the origins of many iconic elements in the series, I am just now realizing – while playing the first few games this weekend – how far the franchise has really diverted from its roots.

Tim: I was also 11 when the first Resident Evil hit the PSone and vividly remember my cousin saying, “Hey Tim, you should check out this game.” What followed was a crash course in survival horror. The game had such a deep impact on me that I was convinced the Tyrant would rise from the basement to slay me in my sleep. The mental distress the game caused sparked a fascination with the RE series which resulted in me purchasing a PlayStation and following the series through its highs and lows to this very day. Countless S-Ranks, speed runs, and my fair share of “You Are Dead” screens have rounded out my gaming career and I consider myself a stalwart fan of the series. I could draw you a map of the Raccoon mansion from memory or lament my disappointment in the RE: Outbreak servers being shut down. My fandom knows no bounds.

Ben: I’m a bigger fan than Tim.

Meagan: I don’t think that statement establishes you as the Resident Evil expert I know you are, Ben. Care to elaborate?

Ben: Fine. I was 16 when someone I worked with first told me about Resident Evil (I’m old), so I checked out the original PSone title and had a lot of fun, but it was really the second entry in the series that cemented the franchise as one of my all time favorites. Seriously, I was stupid obsessed with RE 2. I played it at least four times on PSone, played through it again when it came to N64, then for some reason felt the need to play it two more times when it came to the Dreamcast. I know a lot of people talk about how the forth game is the best, but those old entries in the series still hold a special place in my heart. Don’t get me wrong I loved RE 4, but I do miss the sense of exploration and that thrill of finding out what’s behind the next door that was so prevalent in the early entries.



Meagan: Hold your horses Ben, Annette hasn’t even chimed in yet. We’ll get into the debate soon enough.

Annette: Alright looks like I’m the novice here. Resident Evil first hit when I was 10-ish (I’m the youngest of the bunch) and even after all these years the only playtime I actually had with the series was the Resident Evil remake on GameCube. Admittedly I’m a wuss and survival horror is not exactly my forte. With that said, I didn’t make it far in the game. It hasn’t been until these last few years that I’ve been desensitized to zombies and gore. Still, if I had to play one of the classics on my own it would certainly be during daylight hours, with the lights on, and some sort of pleasant music playing in the background. Even though I’ve been familiar with signature characters and elements of the series, it has been great to see where it all began thanks to a weekend-long history lesson via Tim and Ben.

Meagan: Alright, time to debate. As someone who started the series with the more action-centric titles, I found it tough to go back to the slower moving entries in the series. That being said, I see the draw of the true survival-horror focus in the early games. Fatal Frame is one of my favorite franchises of all time, so I know why people love the genre. I do enjoy the puzzle elements and fear that limited ammo and saves bring, but ultimately, I still think my vote for the better games would go to RE 4 and RE 5. I hope to see the next Resident Evil iteration follow the same path, but is this just because I am biased – not having played the games in my youth and thus lacking the mask of nostalgia? Or is it even fair to combine the two, as they are ultimately different experiences within the Resident Evil Universe?

Ben: I think RE 4 & 5 definitely got the action right. That’s why they appealed to a wider audience – they were simply better action titles. But the old games were definitely scarier. The new Resident Evil formula established in 4 is really a different type of game than the first few entries. I don’t think we’ll ever see a complete return to that old style, but I would like to see more puzzles in future installments. Maybe Capcom could divide the series in two and make a spinoff game for its old school fans, while keeping the main series headed in the more action-packed direction that it’s been traveling.

Tim: I agree with Ben. The new series is a polished, incredible experience, but it doesn’t deliver the same impact as the older, “tank-controlled” games. Resident Evil 4 is high on my list of best games ever, but it doesn’t deliver on the “survival” aspect which is where the series broke ground. Whether you’re frantically evading the zombies at the beginning of RE2, or lighting corpses on fire in the GameCube remake of the original, the traditional titles dropped players into tense, dire situations. No HUD, limited saves, and insta-kill monsters made those games unarguably hardcore. I think there is definitely still an audience for those games. Something may have to be done about the control scheme to make it more approachable to newcomers. The beautiful non-3D, pre-rendered environments of the GameCube remake and RE 0 would look absolutely amazing on a next generation console. However, if people complained about not being able to move and shoot in RE5, I can’t help but think limited controls would be poorly received by today’s gamers.
 
Annette: Agreed. As one of the newcomers to the series I found the older control scheme to be pretty frustrating, and though it lends itself to the survival aspect and fear of not being able to quickly escape sticky situations with multiple zombies in a narrow hallway, it can certainly turn a few people off. Still, I can see the appeal to some gamers for the added challenge. The ability to say you escaped a tight situation unscathed with the tough control scheme is an achievement in itself. Perhaps in future RE titles more control options can be available, some styled like the original RE to please hardcore fans and adding challenge while still including options for newcomers used to more contemporary action controls. I’ll be sticking to the modern control scheme.

Meagan: I think that would work for me Annette. Again, I see the merit in navigating through an entire game with limited resources and ammo, but I couldn’t play with the “tank” controls in modern games. As a fan of shooters, I prefer to stick with controls formulaic of the genre. I think Capcom tried to appease fans with multiple control setups in RE 5. Not sure how well it worked though – most just remained adamant that it was too  far a departure for the series. Do we think it is possible for Capcom to create a game that will please fans of both the survival horror and action aficionados?

Ben: As one of the most stalwart defenders of the early RE entries, even I’m willing to admit that the tank controls needed to go. Yeah they made the games scarier, but they made the game scarier because you were always slightly uncomfortable. It was a cheap way to keep you uneasy and I think we’ve, rightly, moved past that. I don’t think too many people are eager to see those controls return. I’m with Tim (why not, let’s all just agree with each other), RE 4 was one of the best gaming experiences I’ve ever had, and I’d like to see the franchise continue in that direction. However, I’d also like to see a return to classic RE sensibilities: moodier environments, slower pacing, goofy environmental puzzles. Those sound like two different games to me. Though I have to wonder how interested Capcom is in looking back.

Tim: To answer Meagan’s question, I think that Capcom could afford to take a few steps back from the gonzo, Chris Redfield-punches-boulders-in-a-volcano direction. Resident Evil 6 would be a blast if it took the brilliant control scheme established in RE4 and threw in the classic slow zombies, peppered in more involved puzzles, and returned some of their focus to the environment. Take a second and imagine a RE2 remake with the RE4-style controls. There could even be Claire and Leon co-op, just for kicks. Just think about it.

Ben: Dang it, Tim! Now you got me all excited for something that’s never going to happen.

So how about all of you? Whether you are new to the franchise or a long-time fan, how would you like to see the series evolve? Sound off in the comments below.