So with the new games being remakes of the original games, I decided it be appropiate to talk about the original games today. These are all the games I have in my Steam library that make up the main series with numbers and everything. So I guess when it comes to Capcom, they make lots of beloved franchises and here is their first attempt at the action survival horror genre. Its had its ups and downs with some games being good and others not so much. But everyone or most of us love them so let's get down to saving the world:
Oh and because Steam has yet to include the third game and
Code: Veronica, that will be skipped over but I hope to play and review those on a later date.
Resident Evil
The first game's story is pretty straight forward. Some bizarre murders occur which prompts one team of agents to go and investigate. But contact with them is lost so another team is sent out to find them while learning of the mysterious corporation known as Umbrella and the illegal experiments they made which caused a virus to be spread. As many of you may remember, this game is well known for having a fixed camera and an almost near point and click experience overall as you play to find a way out while learning stuff that will set the stage for future games. It is a very good game for the time it came out and its had several versions made and remakes as previously mentioned. Its also one of a few games where you can get more than one ending which in this scenario depends on who you play as and whether you found and saved the other survivors or not. Its a pretty decent game that may look old now, but future versions have given it renewed interest which I'd say is great. 9/10
2
Before I carry on, I must also mention that some of the cover artwork for these games look great here in the UK, but possibly look bad in other countries and regions. I don't know what it is, I guess artists here like to not spoil too much in the games. Anyway so the game takes place two months after the first. This game introduces us to two more protagonists who like the two controllable ones in the first, will later become well known characters. But anyway, the game focuses on these two protagonists as they try to find a way out of Raccoon City when the virus starts turning humans into zombie like monsters. It borrows a lot of gameplay elements from the first game to give gamers a more tactical experience while also showing that developers who are not lazy can make their characters look like they are in pain and therefore need health. This time around, gamers control both characters over the course of the game in which they must each solve puzzles for their respective stories to move forward and thus ruling out the need for two or more playthroughs for one character and then the other. It does what most sequels do best; be even better than the first game and thus be put up for game of the year awards and such. It is a great game which again has also been ported and remade thus also giving it a renewed interest everywhere. 9/10
Zero
So you may remember that the first game's story is about a group of agents who are sent out to find another group of agents that they have lost contact with following some bizarre happenings. So we now get to hear the story of the original agents that were sent out in the first place and how they ended up going out of action. The game is played from a third person perspective in which players can control both characters throughout, just by switching between them while the AI controls the other one. Both have their own unique abilities and at times can be controlled simultaneously. In addition to the usual finding items and objects of interest, the idea of putting items in boxes got scrapped in favour of dropping them on the floor to free up space and presumably to be picked up at a later point in the game. However each room is limited on how many items you are allowed to leave. Although the game does try to change some things on the overall experience, they are not very innovative as such. But despite that, its an OK game that finally delivers the story about the team that went missing and it is well made. Just wish there was more going for it. 7/10
4
So now we come to one of the few games in the series that departs significally from the series norm which many believe was for the best. Set six years after the second game, one of the series protagonists Leon S. Kennedy (voiced by Paul Mercier only in this and one of the spin-off games) who is now a government agent is sent on a mission to retrieve the US president's daughter who is being held captive by a cult within an unspecified part of Europe. Though as the mission plays out, a new virus has taken over the bodies of many of the villagers in this area so Leon better prepare himself. So the game kind of goes away from the survival horror side of things for a more action packed shootout style of gameplay. Using firearms has some more freedom to it this time around as players will no longer be restricted to going up, down, left and right. It also incorporates scenarios where Leon must interact with the environment to continue on as well as quick time events. Enemies are smart this time around as they communicate with each other and can dodge attacks of all forms. Inventory has had an upgrade too as the game now uses a grid like way of changing items and weapons while Leon can buy such things over the course of the game. Finally to those of you lucky enough to try out any version of the game following the PS2 release will get another story based campaign that shows the involvement of another character in the game. Being one of many games to be ported and remade to a wide variety of platforms, kind of shows how dedicated Capcom is to making sure everyone plays this great game. Sure it does bring a lot of changes which may upset some fans. But the overall experience is pretty dang good and definitely worth your time. 9/10
5
So after having a Leon adventure, its now time to have another adventure with the other male lead in the series, agent Chris Redfield (voiced in all appearances from this game until
7 by Roger Craig Smith). So the game is set five years after the fourth main numbered game in which Chris is sent to Africa to prevent the sale of a bio-organic weapon being sold to the black market. Soon enough he learns of another virus that has infected the locals as well as the possibility of his former partner still being alive and more ordeals with the Umbrella Corporation. Like the last game, the game acts more as an action packed blockbuster over the horror survival gameplay that earlier games were known for. The game is presented with an over the shoulder third person perspective and a variety of weapons for players to use. Some of the infected now weild guns and grenades themselves. This is also the first game where playing cooperatively with another player is encouraged, but not essential for a solo playthrough. Although the game is widely known for being the subject of racism and a weakish control scheme, the rest of it is great. The graphics look good, the gameplay is good as well but the controls could be better. Its a very good entry in the series, but there can be some room for improvement which I hope is something that the remakes and ports would take into account. 8/10
6
So normally when it comes to a series of games that starts off strong, we often find that the third or fourth games tend to be the weakest. But on this occasion, many fans consider the sixth game to be the weakest. All the characters are back this time around each with their own campaigns as they work on finding out the truth behind a worldwide bio-terrorist attack. Each of the main characters have their own campaigns with the occasional times of them being interwoven with one another. Like before, each character has their own unique abilities and have their own partners who either the AI or another player controls via online or local multiplayer. Taking some notes from big action blockbusters, gamers can now shoot while rolling and sliding in any direction. There is also some points where up to four players can take part as well. With all of this and the duration being twice as long as the fifth game, the game I'm just going to say is OK. Some of the campaigns of the four we are given stand out while some are not so great in terms of their quality. It also continues to depart from the survival horror genre, but in a big way this time as its more focused on action based horror. So yeah I'm with the fans on this one. Certainly not the best game overall and definitely not the worst either. We just want to go back to doing survival horror and fortunately Capcom listened and gave us the game below. 7/10
7: Biohazard
So after what felt like forever, we then get this game which most people have described as a return to form for the series as well as a soft reboot of sorts. The year is 2017 and a man called Ethan (voiced by Todd Soley) is drawn to a plantation of sorts in the hopes to find his lost and beloved wife. However when he finds her, she becomes violent and attacks him. He soon comes to realise that there is something wrong with her and the family within the plantation and tries to escape with her intending to cure her. But it may prove to be too much for him. After having played from a third person perspective till now, gamers this time around play from a first person perspective. Ethan has limited combat skills, but can have a lot of weapons equipped and can avoid combat completely via stealth or running away (like any smart person would do). Along with the usual gameplay we have come to know and love or hate with some variations, the game is more focused on exploration and survival horror this time around which in a way is good as its what the fans have been wanting for a while and we got it. With some realistic graphics and a lot of very sickening and gory moments, this game is possibly the best game of the series since the fourth one. It returns to the franchise's roots and gives us quite literally an experience we won't forget with all the goryness and the slasher stuff. Some may be put off from the first few minutes, but overall its a great game. But you definitely need to have a bucket near you just in case. 9/10
So with the series being as it is, its great. It manages to do good with giving us both a horror survival and a action horror experience which some may like and some may hate. Its a great series and I look forward to the next one. 8/10
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