Resident Evil is a survival horror game developed by Capcom, and the first game in the Resident Evil series. Released for the Saturn in 1997, it is a port of the 1996 Sony Playstation game.
Plot
After hearing about a murder, and animal attacks happening on the outskirts of Raccoon City, an elite law inforcement team known only as S.T.A.R.S. is sent to investigate the Spencer Mansion. Bravo Team were sent in to investigate but after losing radio contact with them for a whole day, Alpha Team sets out to investigate what happened to their teammates.
Upon arriving at the Spencer Mansion, disaster strikes; S.T.A.R.S. member, Joseph Frost is attacked and killed by mutated dogs whilst investigating and the helicoptor pilot, Brad Vickers, panics and abandons the remaining members of S.T.A.R.S. leaving them stranded. With no where else to escape to and the mutatant dog pack breathing down their necks, Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, Barry Burton and squad leader Albert Wesker run towards the mansion to take shelter.
Unfortunately what awaits them inside is even worse...
Gameplay
The player starts the game by choosing which character they'll play as.
- Chris Redfield: Chris acts as the hard mode option. He can carry less items, and must find keys to progress. He can however take more damage than Jill can and is able to run faster. He is assisted by Bravo Team member Rebecca Chambers.
- Jill Valentine: Jill acts as the easier mode option. She is able to picklocks, bypassing the need for small keys and can carry more inventory items than Chris. She is assisted by Barry Burton.
If Chris is selected, Barry will be missing upon the group entering the mansion. If Jill is selected, Chris will be the one who has gone missing upon entering the mansion and she and Barry will investigate together.
The game makes use of fixed camera angles in a 3D space, which the player will need to work with in order to line up shots against zombies and other opponents.
When entering a door, the screen changes to focus on the door and it slowly opens to show the player entering the next room.
Players are given limited resources in order to complete their adventure, therefore forcing players to choose when and where to use or conserve their limited ammunition, when to use a healing herb and even when choosing to save as each save takes up a precious limited ink ribbon resource on the typewriter.
Aside from item and resource management there is an emphasis on exploration and puzzle solving to progress, whilst picking up documents that reveal the backstory of what is happening in the Spencer Mansion and why it's now filled to the brim with zombies.
As players progress they'll be forced into confrontations with mutated boss creatures as well as the typical zombie species, some of which will require specific tactics to take down.
There are four endings for both Chris and Jill's playthroughs depending on whether or not they managed to save other S.T.A.R.S. members or not.
Trivia
- This version of the game includes an additional Battle Mode which includes two exclusive enemies not seen in the main game: a zombified version of Albert Wesker(this being non-canon looking at later entries of the series where Wesker returns) and a golden skinned Tyrant.
- The Japanese version of the Sega Saturn game is the most gore heavy iteration, as decapitated heads remain on the floor and the opening shows Joseph death in more detail and the mutant dogs being shredded by gunshots.
- Resident Evil is often credited as re-popularising zombies in mainstream popular culture from the late 1990s onwards (along with The House of the Dead), leading to a renewed interest in zombie films during the 2000s.
Gallery
External links
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