Resident Evil

Contrary to what some revisionists might have you believe, Biohazard was not the first video game to feature content excluding the demographic of the small child. Nor was it particularly innovative in that sense. What it did have over its competition in the mid-1990s was a daring concept that stretched the boundaries of action-adventure. So much so, in fact, that it coined a whole new genre of its own, of which it has since emerged as one of the best. Sure, there have been other entries in the genre such as Dino Crisis or the instructively titled Run Like Hell, but Biohazard, or Resident Evil as it is known outside of Japan, is the one against which all others are judged. No other adventure game features so much tense or combative excitement, and no other adventure game features such craptastic voice acting. Those who have wondered whether any of the so-called live action footage in a video game is "shot" before the voices are dubbed will be enlightened by Biohazard and the series built around it.

The makers of Biohazard and its many sequels freely admit that they were inspired by an obscure little horror film called Night Of The Living Dead. In the affectionately-known Dead series, the zombies could be most easily taken as a representation of the lowest common denominator. Like its inspiration, Biohazard gets the player feeling comfortable by bringing one or two zombies out of the woodpile. The player figures that ammunition is not a concern if these creatures are all they have to worry about. Then they enter rooms with one or two zombies shambling about. Then suddenly, they find themselves facing half a dozen zombies, with only half a clip of ammunition. This is to say nothing of all the other terrible things that lurk in the halls, waiting to feast on your character. As one of the tag-lines put it, if the suspense does not kill you, something else will. As it turned out, the Spencer Mansion where most of the game is set was never short of those somethings.

Yes, the graphics are crude, the voice acting hilarious, and the control system sluggish. The entire series has become notorious for featuring human characters that move like an M1A1 Abrams with a sackful of sugar in its fuel tank. And yet, in spite of these obvious flaws, the games attracted enough of a loyal audience that they were adapted into films years after the initial release. Try to name one video game you played six years after it was released, and you soon see just how much of an impact Biohazard made on the market. Yet, for all of its grandeur, the plot that drives the game is rather simple. A group of specialist police officers, similar in concept to the S.W.A.T., are investigating a series of disappearances and animal attacks in the mountains. When their helicopters are downed and they are set upon by wild animals, they retreat to a mansion. Barricading themselves inside, they start looking around and find that they have stumbled upon something so terrible the monsters they encounter become the least of their problems.

Every video game from Wonderboy In Monsterland to DOOM has featured a convoluted item search system to extend game time. Some of these virtual scavenger hunts have proved to be as annoying as hell, mostly because the game has no good reason to rely on them. Resident Evil features what is quite possibly the most convoluted Find Item X To Insert In Slot Y plots in the history of video games, but with a difference. Whether it is the slowly-revealed, thoroughly creepy plot or the desire to get to the bottom of the story, there is something thoroughly compelling about Resident Evil. There would have to be - a game cannot survive in spite of crap controls and terrible voice acting without some form of strength. Resident Evil has enough atmosphere for thirty survival horror games, with more to spare. Indeed, Resident Evil gives us such insight into what it is like to be the star of a B-grade Japanese zombie horror film that this alone makes the game worth the asking price. Sure, the concept was not as developed as was the case in the first of many sequels, but it was there to greet us like a tired old friend in the original.

Out of ten, the original Resident Evil is an eight. It is worth tracking down in any second-hand video game store. If you can find the director's cut or dual-shock editions of the game, so much the better.

I remember fondly I was at a friend's house looking at a rental copy of Resident Evil one hot summer day in 1996. I wasn't familiar with Playstation, as I was ignorant of the next-generation consoles (partly because I couldn't afford $300+ price tag). Resident Evil, along with Initial D and Battle Arena Toshinden, were the first PSX games I played. Actually, I observed a friend or two play these games since I was new to the world of Playstation, and I was still a loyal Super Nintendo fan at the time.

After playing Initial D, which I wasn't impressed with despite its cool computer-generated cinematic moments, I watched a friend pop in a copy and play Resident Evil. I thought that game looked strange as I've never seen it before - a 3-D environment with a playable character facing the first zombie using only a knife and there were bursts of blood. I was very impressed and wanted to play it after a friend's character dies from zombie bite attack.

The first time I started, I watched a very entertaining yet cheesy introduction sequence in live FMV. I figured this looks like a seriously fun game. After the chatter with Albert Wesker in the beginning, I encountered a zombie eating Kenneth. When the first zombie walks towards the character to grab him to bite I was seriously scared. I've never been this scared playing a video game before, and it was an incredible accomplishment - the groundbreaking gaming moment of 1996. I knew Resident Evil was this great.

Resident Evil is an incredible game in polygon 3-D environment and convincing pre-rendered backgrounds. In fact the bright, illuminated hallways and rooms gave it a very tense atmosphere reminiscent of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining. That made me nervous playing the game looking around the corner to avoid zombies popping out of the corners.

The story is very well-plotted with memorable characters, monsters and twists, albeit with awful dialogues. But that's what made it feel like a campy horror movie as a video game.

Quite frankly, Resident Evil is one of the best video game moments I've ever had in my life because of the wonderful feelings I had the first time I played. I finally bought a PlayStation console and a pre-owned copy of Resident Evil on my 18th birthday later that year. Resident Evil completely changed the way I perceive how video games can accomplish - immerse yourself into the video game world - something that The Legend of Zelda and Final Fantasy series achieved to a certain extent but not yet whole.

I'm now one of the devoted Resident Evil fans and I look back to the introduction of the first game with a nostalgic sense of wonder.

Resident Evil changed the way I think about computer games. This was the first game not designed for kids. It has a great plot and even better game play. The acting is bad but oh so funny. "Wow, What a mansion!"

Its also far superior to all of the sequels. In the same way "Alien" is better than "Aliens". Bigger and louder does not equal better.

one of the best games in the world to date,and still going strong,this has paved the way for games such as parasite eve and silent hill in my opinion,resident evil truly is a classic,from the graphics,to the suspense of walking down a dimly lit corridor,with eerie music being played in the background,wondering whether you heard the squelch of a footstep behind you,to the plot of the games(i'm not going to give anything away!).sure enough there are flaws (the dialogue is atrocious,but it doesn't bother me) but every game has flaws,i've bought near enough every resi game thats followed on from this,and will carry on to do so,i'm hooked! amazing 10/10 :)

Forget the movie for a second. "Resident Evil," the game, works just as well theatrically as it does in terms of gameplay -- it's an addictive experience with haunting visuals, a creepy perfectly suited score and tense, suspense-building action that propels into bloody gore.

I've never felt so nervous and sweaty while playing an RPG before. This is the type of game that builds up all the tension until finally, out of nowhere, a zombie appears and it really freaks you out. Unlike the film, it takes its time getting to where it's going and works well as such. The only game I've ever felt as paranoid playing in the past was "Aliens vs. Predators 2," which in the marine campaign was really scary and took its time delivering the action.

Don't get me wrong. I thought the "Resident Evil" movie bashers were overly-cruel. It was, after all, just a silly action movie and worked as such entertainment.

But the game is better.

Much better.

Nine years later it still packs a bloody punch and is one of the best games ever. I'd rank it in the top ten.

Best of all? It's got brains, too. It doesn't just require a quick trigger finger.

Highly, highly recommended.