Summary
After ushering the survival horror genre into the mainstream, theResident Evilgames have often tried to stick to that original template, though not every entry has decided to follow the rules. Over the many years that this horror series has been running, Capcom has tinkered with certain core mechanics that drastically changed the gameplay formula for some entries.
Sometimes, this comes as an attempt to spark some life back into the series, or it was simply the developers catching onto an ongoing trend at the time. Either way, experimenting with the series has led to varying degrees of success, with these being some of the most unique and game-changing installments in theResident Evilfranchise to date.
Before there would be aResident Evil 3 Remake, there was theUmbrella Chronicles, a game chronicling the events of the third and first game, along withResident Evil 0. Unlike all the previous games which used fixed camera angles to add to the intensity of the gameplay,Umbrella Chroniclesput players in the driver’s seat withan FPS view.
Considering the game was released in 2007, it makes sense why Capcom would decide to partake in the FPS craze, but it certainly paid off, so much so that a sequel would be released not long after. The recently released Nintendo Wii would be the perfect console for this game to release on thanks to the motion controls, making the experience all so immersive.
Resident Evil Villageended up having a pretty ordinary vibe and aesthetic compared to the rest of the series. The game plays like a storybook, being a lot more magical and whimsical than anything seen in the series before. The appearance of a giantvampire ladyor a man who can control metal, for example, seemed a lot more fantastical than what the series was used to, but that wasn’t necessarily a bad thing.
In fact, this storybook charm really helpsVillagestand out as a unique game in the series, rather than just being yet another entry in Ethan’s journey. It’s uncertain whether Capcom will try and use this kind of aesthetic in future games, but considering how positively receivedVillagewas, it wouldn’t be an entirely bad idea to bring it back.
The Mercenarieshad been an extra game mode in theResident Evilfranchise since the third game, but it had always been just that, a game mode. After it ended up becoming extremely popular though, Capcom made the decision to drop a standalone game for the 3DS entirely centered around Mercenaries.
This made the core gameplay loop entirely different, as players are tasked with gunning down as many enemies as possible to rack up a combo and unlock costumes for their favorite characters, which was all part of the main campaign. It was certainly a bit of a risk, but it ended up paying off given how popular the game would eventually become.
Putting players in the shoes of an Umbrella operative, during the Raccoon City Incident no less, was the core idea ofOperation Raccoon City. Additionally, this was the first game in the series that featured a full4-player co-opmode, and though 2 player co-op had already been seen, bolstering the team members by an extra two led to an entirely different gameplay experience, one that leaned much more heavily into action.
While the campaign was therefore very unique in what it brought to the table, the game also featured a multiplayer mode where players of each team could choose from a cast of recognizable faces, like Leon, Jill, and HUNK, for example. Each character would have their own weapons and skills, resulting in what almost feels like a light hero-shooter.Operation Raccoon Cityended up winning a lot of fans over for the risks it took, but not everyone got on board with its wild departure from its survival horror roots.
Multiple campaigns had never really been a thing in the series before, at least, not like they are inResident Evil 6. In previous games, players could often expect to switch betweentwo charactersas part of the same story, like inCode Veronica, or could pick one of two characters to embark on their own adventure, but in the same environments, like the second game.Resident Evil 6, however, has four entirely different stories that all lean into a specific genre, whether it be horror, action, or even stealth.
The game also made it so two pairs of players could actually meet up in-game if their campaigns saw their characters crossing paths at a certain point in the story, which is a mechanic that no other game has even attempted since then. This multiple-campaign system wouldn’t end up becoming a mainstay in the series, but it certainly gaveResident Evil 6tons of content to play and plenty of lore to learn.
While Capcom had been gradually moving the story along with each mainline entry, they went in a slightly different direction withGaiden.Resident Evil Gaidenplays out a ‘What if?’ scenario featuring the unlikely duo ofLeon and Barrywho have been stranded on a zombie-infested cruise ship.
While the camera angles somewhat mimic those of the classic games, the combat forces players into an FPS perspective where they must line up their shots with the correct timing, similar to the systemUndertalewould use many years later.Resident Evil Gaidenfelt like Capcom was simply having fun and possibly experimenting with ideas and mechanics they would then replicate in the future.
Resident Evil: Umbrella Corpsfeels like an experiment that went horribly wrong, which is quite ironic given how many times that’s happened in the series itself. Capitalizing on the immensely popular third-person action genre,Umbrella Corpsis a run-and-gun kind of game where players aim to take down as many enemies as they can throughout numerous iconic locales from the series' history.
This might sound similar to the Mercenaries, but it plays more like a horde mode where players must use their weapon abilities and character buffs to fend off endless hordes of zombies, Ganado, and Majini, rather than chasing them down, making it a little different. As mentioned though,Umbrella Corpswould mark a low point for the series, even if some fans have started to warm up to it in hindsight.
After seeing much success with the first threeResident Evilgames, Capcom decided to essentially break every rule in theResident Evilplaybook when it came time to developResident Evil 0. Item boxes were nowhere to be seen, meaning players would be forced to drop items or exchange them between their brand-new partner. The introduction of a second character works incredibly well, giving players the option to seamlessly move around both Rebecca and Billy with the thumbsticks.
Though co-opResident Evilgames are nothing new in the modern age of the series,0was the first time it would be implemented, or at least, tested as part of thegameplay loop.Resident Evil 0’sdrastic changes would be met with mixed results from fans, but it certainly makes for a fresh experience that isn’t just a complete copy of what came before it.
