The Evolution of the Resident Evil Franchise

The Resident Evil franchise, created by Capcom in 1996, is one of the most influential in the history of video games, being one of the biggest names in the Survival Horror genre.

Over three decades, the series has undergone profound transformations in its gameplay, narrative, and identity, reflecting changes in both the industry and player behavior.

However, the origin of it all, in Resident Evil, brought the atmosphere of terror that would be the franchise's main characteristic for years to come, until the first turning point.

The Original Trilogy

Resident Evil has a very well-defined story from the start, with three games that make up a trilogy, narrating the events of the biological disaster that plagues the region of the fictional Raccoon City, one of the most emblematic settings in the entire franchise, revisited in several other titles, including the most recent one. You can find out more about the events of the first three games right here.

The first three chapters of the game narrate the T-Virus epidemic and the survivors' struggle to escape the biological horrors that haunt the city, all caused by the twisted schemes of the pharmaceutical company Umbrella Corporation.

Released in 1996, 1998, and 1999 respectively, Resident Evil 1, 2, and 3 established the franchise as a landmark in the genre, bringing a suffocating gameplay that placed the player in a menacing scenario, with terrifying and persistent enemies, scarce resources, and gameplay based on backtracking, where the player needs to go back and forth several times to the same locations, solving puzzles and obtaining items that unlock a new area where the same process will be repeated.

Another striking characteristic of the franchise in this early stage were the chasers, enemies that acted as a constant threat in the game, always appearing at decisive moments, with a striking and terrifying visual appearance, causing an even greater sense of urgency in the players. Nemesis is the most famous of the pursuers in the franchise, a biological weapon created by Umbrella to eliminate the survivors of the incident.

Code Veronica

This chapter is fondly remembered by fans and was one of the last titles before the major change that preserved the spirit of the classics.

The Turning Point to Action

After several spin-offs and the first remake of the series, which revitalized the classic Resident Evil 1, came the first major transformation of the series with Resident Evil 4. This chapter brings Leon S. Kennedy as the protagonist once again, cementing the police officer as one of the most iconic characters in the entire franchise.

RE4 was a watershed moment in the history of games, not just for the series. The over-the-shoulder camera, the aiming system, and the fast pace revolutionized action game design. The following title, Resident Evil 5, deepened this direction with a cooperative focus. The series became more popular than ever, reaching a new audience, but part of the fanbase felt that the horror had been left behind and that the series was moving away from its original premise.

The next big title would be Resident Evil 6, following the mold of the two previous games, with gameplay more focused on action and a chaotic setting, with several characters gathered in a plot that sought to conclude that universe with a grand event, but if before fans felt that the franchise was moving away from the classics, here everything became clear.

RE6 wasn't as well-received as its predecessors and is considered one of the worst titles in the main saga. The action pleased some, but displeased the vast majority, and even the union of so many iconic characters in a single game wasn't enough to convince fans.

The Winters Saga

Here we take on the role of Ethan Winters, a man searching for his missing wife who becomes involved in a terrifying mystery involving the Baker family and his missing wife. The game connects this new narrative to previous canonical events and even utilizes previously established concepts.

The Winters Saga received a sequel with Resident Evil: Village, which also has a DLC focused on Ethan's daughter, Rose Winters.

Still in the period between the release of chapters seven and eight (Village), Capcom revived the idea of ​​remakes and brought RE2 and RE3 Remake, with RE4 Remake coming out two years after Village.

RE2 Remake was an absolute success, reimagining one of the franchise's most beloved titles on current consoles, with updated graphics and gameplay. The same didn’t happen with Nemesis, which received mixed reviews from the public, but clearly there was an important lesson here, and Capcom knew how to take advantage of that with RE4 Remake.

Leon returned in a reimagined version of one of the most important games of the PlayStation 2 era, making history once again and repeating the success of its predecessor. It was from this point that Capcom began to prepare the ground for a new beginning. A true farewell to the classics, respecting the past and embracing the future.

Requiem

In Requiem, we have two protagonists: Grace Ashcroft and the already acclaimed Leon. In this chapter, Grace represents the classic Resident Evil gameplay: scarce ammunition, menacing enemies, and a setting that evokes genuine fear. Leon, on the other hand, is all about the action. He can massacre enemies like a human tank; all the fun is found in Leon's gameplay.

While previous titles focused solely on action or solely on survival horror, Requiem offers both in just the right measure, with references, nostalgia, and everything a fan needs and deserves, in the perfect Resident Evil formula.

It's still difficult to say if the franchise has a promising future. Clearly, there's room for innovation now, but it's still necessary to maintain what works. The truth is, a successful franchise like this will keep on thriving for a long time.

I'll end another article here. Leave your questions, suggestions, criticisms, and/or compliments in the comments. Thank you for reading, and until next time.