Summary
When a franchise is around as long asResident Evil, it’s likely to experience change and evolution. And perhaps no franchise has seen as many drastic alterations over the years asResident Evil, asCapcom’s survival horror sagahas been in a constant state of shifting perspectives and styles.
Whether it’s an entry changing the formula or shifting its design philosophy, Capcom has been more than willing to letResident Evilgo through massive overhauls. It’s a key reason for its continued success and longevity, as Capcom consistently allows it to reinvent itself and its world. Whether it wasResident Evil 4changing the perspective and reinventing action games for decades to come, or embracing a harrowing first-person perspective, these games changed the franchise in significant ways for years.
Resident Evilwas already aiming to expand the scope of the outbreak, as evidenced by the destruction of Raccoon City during the events ofNemesis. The rise of bio-organic weapons, known as BOWs, was seen during Leon Kennedy’s trip to Spain, finally culminating in the globe-trotting adventure seen inResident Evil 6. With a grand total of four campaigns and playable characters,Resident Evil 6sees the outbreak in its most deadly form, having escaped the confines of Raccoon City and into the world at large.
It was a natural progression, asResident Evil 2had already started to expand the scope by introducing more horrificmonstrosities created by Umbrella, as zombies started to become less of a threat to the heroes.RE6’s focus on huge, sprawling action at the expense of traditional horror was not embraced by a majority of the fanbase, which led to Capcom putting the franchise on ice for five straight years. It was a major shift for the series, as it forced Capcom to refocus their efforts and find a brand-new direction for the franchise in the form ofResident Evil 7: Biohazard.
Before the launch oftheResident Evil 2remake in2018, the franchise was in a strange place. Previous entries likeRE5and6had left the franchise in the unenviable position of needing a shift, a new direction that would set the series back on its proper course. WhileResident Evil 7: Biohazardreturned the franchise to its horror roots, theResident Evil 2remake was poised to bring the series into even more familiar territory.
Powered by their massively impressive RE Engine,Resident Evil 2introduced a fantastic new era for the franchise by prioritizing strong writing and impressive facial animation. More than ever,Resident Evilwas an interactive horror movie, with legitimate pathos and confident performances. This outstanding game truly set the stage for the next era ofResident Eviland continued into the remake ofNemesisandRE4, cemented by a return to the over-the-shoulder perspective.
While previousResident Evilgames featured 3D polygonal characters over pre-rendered backgrounds, they were still effectively 2D games. And despite how immersive they were, the lack of a true 3D world started to affect Capcom’s ability to compete with other horror franchises. That all changed withResident Evil CODE:Veronica, which debuted on the Dreamcast in March 2000, becoming the first fully 3D game in the series.
While the world and characters were all made up of 3D geometry, the camera retained theclassic fixed angles. The dynamic movements of the camera worked together perfectly with the next-gen hardware, as it allowed for an immense amount of detail in real-time, as opposed to the static 2D backgrounds. It was a glimpse at what the series would become, as many franchises saw a rough transition into 3D, but Capcom handled it expertly.CODE:Veronicawould have a long-lasting effect on the series, as it was the last time Umbrella would be a focal antagonist, as they dissolved not long after.
Following the disappointing performance ofResident Evil 6, which put a focus on action and mayhem, Capcom did the smart thing and let their survival horror franchise rest for a while. It took five yearsforResident Evilto return, and when it did, Capcom pulled out all the stops. They stripped away everything, boiling the franchise down to its essentials, and refocused on what made the series so popular to begin with.
Following the harrowing journey of Ethan Winters as he tries to find his missing girlfriend Mia, this treacherous jaunt through the menacing Baker Farmhouse is still one of the most frightening horror experiences of all time.Biohazarddeftly refocusedResident Evilon its sinister roots, with a hard focus on white-knuckle horror and unnerving tension mixed with B-movie vibes. The switch to a first-person perspective was also a bold choice, as it took aResident Eviltradition of being able to see the player character and abandoned it. This soft reboot perfectly placed the franchise back into a state of prominence, and rumors of a ninthResident Evilgame poised to send off the OG cast would be a perfect time to finally integrate the new characters even more firmly into the main canon.
Despite how massively popular the first threeResident Evilgames were, the franchise needed to embrace new technology to compete with an expanding landscape of survival horror games. Initially beginning development as a stylish action game, Capcom repurposed the concept and reference assets from a trip to Spain intoDevil May Cry, then putResident Evil 4into development a couple of years later. The result turned out to be well worth the wait, as this landmark survival horror release forever altered the fate ofResident Evilfor decades.
With its sleek over-the-shoulder perspective, one of the first games in the entire industry to do it, and satisfying combat,Resident Evil 4took the franchise into a bold, daring new direction. It would influence the series in numerous ways moving forward, as Capcom tried to recapture the magic for years. They came close on several occasions, includingthe excellent remake from 2023, asResident Evil 4’s stunning presentation and over-the-top narrative would become woven deeply into the DNA of the series moving forward. No game has come close to changing the franchise as much asRE4, a testament to the longevity and timeless nature of this retro classic.
