The History of the Horror Game "Resident Evil" - Part 2

 

Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 is a horror game released in 2005, set several years after the fall of Umbrella.

Leon, now a U.S. government agent, embarks on a mission to rescue the President's daughter, Ashley Graham, from a mysterious cult in rural Spain.

Leon discovers that the cult is using a mind-controlling parasite known as "Las Plagas," and the story follows him as he eliminates infected villagers and monstrous creatures while unraveling the cult's plans.

Resident Evil 4 marked a significant shift from traditional tank controls by introducing an "over-the-shoulder" camera perspective.

The game placed a greater emphasis on action with real-time aiming, Quick Time Events (QTEs), and more complex and sophisticated enemy AI.

Inventory management was overhauled, utilizing an "Attache Case" as the inventory, allowing players to carry items more efficiently.

Resident Evil 5

Released in 2009, Resident Evil 5 follows Chris Redfield and his new partner, Sheva Alomar, as they are dispatched to Kijuju, Africa, to investigate a bio-terroist threat linked to the spread of the Umbrella virus.

In the game, Chris encounters his former ally Jill Valentine and his long-time nemesis Albert Wesker, who seeks to unleash a new bio-terror.

Resident Evil 5 features cooperative gameplay, allowing two players to control Chris and Sheva.

With a larger world and improved graphics, the focus remained on action, and since inventory management occurred in real-time, players could manage items even while moving.

Resident Evil 6

Resident Evil 6 was released in 2012. It features intersecting storylines involving characters such as Leon S. Kennedy, Chris Redfield, and Jake Muller.

Each character faces the unique threat of the C-virus amidst a global bio-terror crisis set in diverse locations including the U.S., Eastern Europe, and China.

The story expands the scope of the series' universe as characters encounter new and increasingly powerful bio-weapons.

Jake Muller is a mercenary with a mysterious immunity to the virus, and this immunity plays a crucial role in stopping the C-virus.

Combining action and horror elements, the game offers dynamic combat and various campaign styles tailored to each character's storyline.

However, the emphasis on action and the resulting complexity led to mixed reactions, though the variety of playable campaigns provided a strong reason for replayability.

Resident Evil 7: Biohazard

Resident Evil 7 was released in 2017 and transformed into a more immersive horror game by introducing a first-person perspective.

The game is played from the perspective of the protagonist, Ethan Winters, who stumbles upon the sinister Baker family plantation while searching for his missing wife, Mia.

Trapped on the plantation, Ethan discovers that Mia and the Baker family have fallen into madness after being infected by the biological weapon, Eveline.

The introduction of the first-person perspective maximized the sense of fear, and many improvements were made in terms of controls.

With a focus on limited resources and exploration, the game expertly blends core survival horror elements—such as resource management and puzzle-solving—within modern graphics and a tense atmosphere.

Resident Evil Village

Resident Evil Village continues Ethan Winters' story; the narrative begins when Chris Redfield attacks while Ethan is putting his daughter to sleep and talking with his wife, Mia. Mia is killed on the spot, and his daughter is taken away.

Chris acts as if he is doing it for Ethan's sake, but unaware of this, Ethan expresses his rage toward Chris and is eventually knocked unconscious by Chris's teammates.

Ethan wakes up in a remote European village inhabited by monsters, and the story of Resident Evil Village unfolds as he strives to recover his kidnapped daughter.

Ethan battles werewolves, vampires, and the numerous subordinates of the enigmatic Mother Miranda, collecting items and evidence to unravel the storyline.

Resident Evil Village combines elements from installments 4 and 7, featuring first-person gameplay with more action-oriented combat, and introduces a merchant system where players can buy and upgrade weapons using items and money collected during battle.

Similarly, the inventory starts as a very small attache case but can be expanded through upgrades; with fixed save points still in place, the gameplay maintains a constant level of tension.

The Resident Evil series is ongoing, maintaining a massive fanbase through DLC releases and remakes of previous titles, firmly establishing itself as the most popular horror game franchise.