Highlights
- Resident Evil has successfully reinvented itself over the years, experimenting with different genres and gameplay styles to appeal to changing fan interests.
- The series faced a split in its fan base with the release of Resident Evil 4, which shifted towards a more action-oriented approach. However, the subsequent release of Resident Evil 7 and the success of the Resident Evil 2 Remake helped to unite fans and reestablish the franchise's survival horror roots.
- With the recent release of Resident Evil 4 Remake, the franchise has found its sweet spot, combining horror elements, action gameplay, cinematic cutscenes, and compelling characters. It continues to be popular and future entries are anticipated by both new and old fans.
1998, the world will never forget it. Or more accurately 1996, the year Resident Evil was first released to the public. Capcom's PS1 horror game created by Shinji Mikami and Tokuro Fujiwara became a phenomenon, defining its own genre of "survival horror" and going on to spawn countless sequels and remakes. Originally intended to be a single-player, immersive horror experience, the Resident Evil franchise continued to evolve and experiment over the years. Though not all entries have always appealed to everyone, the modern-day releases show that the franchise may have finally found its sweet spot.
Every so often the Resident Evil series has shifted genre, gameplay, design, and presentation in an attempt to freshen the franchise and adapt it to the changing interests of fans. Diving into everything from light gun games, squad-based shooters, tactical shooters, asymmetric multiplayer horror games, and more. Resident Evil has been endlessly able to reinvent itself in the 27 years it has been captivating audiences. Although it has been able to consistently create new content, not every entry in the series has always appealed to everyone. In fact, there has always seemingly been a split between fans who love the original style games and those who prefer the games from RE4 onward.
The Resident Evil Franchise's Newest Take on Survival Horror
The Resident Evil series had its most divisive split in fan base with the release of the original Resident Evil 4 in 2005. Shinji Mikami returned to the franchise to reinvent it again during a time when its future was not guaranteed, effectively defining the modern third-person shooter in the process. Following the success of RE4, RE5, and RE6 doubled down on the more action-focus until fan interest shifted once again, and it was time for a fresh start.
The series was at its lowest point after the release of Resident Evil 6 in 2012, with fans of both the original games and the new feeling as though the series had lost its spark. Many criticized the Resident Evil series for no longer being scary, a remark Capcom seemed to take notice of when they developed Resident Evil 7. RE7 served as almost a soft reboot of the series, returning again to a serious survival horror focus. Reestablishing Resident Evil as a game to be taken seriously, RE7 perfectly set them up for the next release that would do what no other RE game before could.
Resident Evil 2Remake from 2019 was released to massive critical and commercial success. Perfectly combining elements of the original Resident Evil titles, post-RE4 games, and plenty of new features, it effectively united the Resident Evil fan base and reestablished itself yet again. RE2 Remake brought the franchise back into the limelight and reintroduced the world to survival horror in a way that was fun and engaging to fans of all types of games. This then set up the series to continue with RE3 Remake, RE Village, and most recently Resident Evil 4 Remake.
Now the Resident Evil franchise has hit its sweet spot of horror elements, action gameplay, cinematic cutscenes, and compelling characters. With RE4 Remake Capcom has managed to capture everything fans love about the series in a complete package that feels aware of its legacy while still innovating for the modern day. Resident Evil is at the height of its popularity, and it remains to be seen what comes next. However, if recent games are any indication, future entries will be worth paying attention to for both new fans and old.