Why I Love Resident Evil

Let me preface this by saying I’m not a huge fan of horror games. I can easily sit and watch something as horrific as the Saw movies but actually having to take control of a character and experience something horrific first-hand is quite different.

With movies, they kind of just happen; regardless of how scary it is, the movie will progress until the end. With games, the player input determines the output. Often times, having that control is overwhelming because I know I’m in for the scare of a lifetime and making that conscious choice to experience the spooks is rather difficult.

All of that being said, Resident Evil is an exception. Over the last few years, Resident Evil has become one of my favorite franchises of all time. Now the question is: why do I love the Resident Evil franchise so much if I’m terrified of playing other games in the genre?

The Lore

The lore of Resident Evil is by far the most appealing factor for me. Finding bits of information spread throughout the levels that detail how certain things came to be is intriguing. Every game is connected in some way if you just find those little bits of lore to clue you in on how.

Stuff like how certain monstrosities were created, how someone might’ve died or played a part in the creation of said monstrosity, or even why there’s a fat zombie attacking a vending machine in Resident Evil 2. There’s an explanation for everything. The lore is just so fascinating even if you don’t like horror games.

While not every entry takes place in Raccoon City, much of the first few entries do as this is where we first see the virus spread and destroy the city. I absolutely love the setting here and how certain areas reference older spin-off games that deem them as canon.

Enemy Types/Boss Battles

The enemy types in Resident Evil are so varied and it’s always a pleasure, or terror, to see what creature Capcom comes up with for new releases. Aside from traditional zombies, there’s lickers, tyrants, Nemesis, and much much more. I mean just look at these character models.

Licker from Resident Evil 2

Tyrant from Resident Evil 2

Nemesis from Resident Evil 3

And that’s only a fragment of what to expect from a Resident Evil game. The boss battles also come in a variety of lengths and difficulties. Regular foes often take on monstrous forms that make for gut-wrenching battles that are sure to send chills down your spine.

Change Of Pace

Resident Evil has become a household name at this point; it’s recognized as the beginning era of zombie games with the original being as iconic as it is. While it didn’t invent the concept of walking corpses, it sure has revitalized and perfected it. It’s a welcome change of pace from other generic horror games and really any shooter that we see nowadays.

It’s also insanely over the top; the aforementioned boss battles are often downright silly but engaging at the same time. This is very clearly amplified in the Resident Evil movies which I feel are worth the watch as well, at least the first 2 movies are.

Puzzles

One of the most unique aspects of Resident Evil is quite simply the puzzles. They’re often thought provoking and complex and that’s what makes it so fun. It feels rewarding to solve a puzzle that’s been in your way and stops you from progressing any further.

Often times you’ll find yourself backtracking to previous areas in search of clues or items you may have missed. Anything to help aid you in solving the seemingly impossible puzzle. When you finally get past the challenging quest, you’re left feeling satisfied with a sense of accomplishment.

Conclusion

I could go on and on about Resident Evil but I’ll leave it here. I just wanted to gush about it for a bit. If you’re a fan of the series, what’s your favorite Resident Evil game?