The Resident Evil series is one of the oldest, most successful video game franchises of all time. Now into year 30 having launched in 1996 with the first instalment (titled either Resident Evil or Biohazard depending on your locale) how better to celebrate than with the upcoming release of its most ambitious title yet in Resident Evil: Requiem. Combining both first and third person viewpoints with survival-horror and action by separation in characters, fans are chomping to get their hands on what may yet be the definitive title in the series. Be it through returning heroes, grotesque new villains or familiar maps, there are so many reasons to be excited when February 27 rolls around. First, let’s look back at why this series is such a powerhouse.
While my first playthrough of the original Resident Evil was via the RE-make on the GameCube at the turn of the century, the first edition released in 1996 on the PlayStation. A trilogy of games released before I started my journey, featuring characters that remain in the new instalments today (led by Leon Kennedy and Chris Redfield). The first game was very much inspired by zombie films and haunted house settings, but also had an original story about the virus and the Raccoon City Police Department. The puzzle systems, fixed camera views and creepy zombie mechanics scared the lights out of the swathe of youth drawn in by this fresh form of adult gameplay. When I first played RE-make in 2002 as a fourteen-year-old, I barely lasted fifteen minutes before turning off. I’d watched the opening cut-scene, entered the mansion and then opened the door to the left. I heard moans. Out of the bottom of the camera came a pair of arms. I froze, having little to defend myself. Then a scene played of this zombie munching on my flesh. Nope.
A few months later, I had a friend over. He flicked through my GameCube games and stopped on Resident Evil‘s haunting cover. I felt a surge of courage knowing I wouldn’t be as scared with someone else. We played, swapping controllers after each death, for hours. Talking through the puzzles, arranging our inventory and memorising the layout of the mansion was thrilling. I eventually beat the game alone, the fear diminishing once I had an arsenal of guns. Little did I know that I wouldn’t feel that type of fear in a game again until 2017. Still, much happened with the series before then.
Resident Evil 2 was lauded for its more open areas, and Resident Evil 3 continued the progression of a horror series inspiring others across systems. Being chased across maps by Mr. X and Nemesis meant safety was no longer measured by rooms. I also heard many good things about Code Veronica, Outbreak and Resident Evil 0, though without the number 4 in the title they perhaps didn’t have the fanfare of the rest. Despite all five of the aforementioned titles piquing my interest, my next Resident Evil game after RE-Make was Resident Evil 4 (my GameCube providing access). I went in expecting a similar experience to the first game, and realised early that while the tension was there, this was a much more open experience in the form of an adventure title. Leon had moves, he had slick lines and enemies posed less of a threat to his bad-ass style. After his late for bingo line, I knew the campiness remained. In navigating mansions with threats on every corner, I knew the horror remained. With a larger area and less backtracking, progression became clearer and I left knowing that this was a masterpiece that would change games forever. Resident Evil 4 remains in my top 5 games of all time.
After the success of Resident Evil 4, the series moved into solid action – headlined by Resident Evil 5 & 6. While all characters returned and the general outline of the games have merit, the actual shooter focus diminished the feelings of those creepy sections in 1 and 4. It wasn’t until the release of 7 (named Biohazard) that the dread returned. This was somewhat of a refresh, despite still following the timeline of the others loosely through lore. A new protagonist in a new area, the first two hours of Resident Evil 7 matched (and may have surpassed) the feeling in the pit of my stomach during RE-Make. As a 29-year-old, I truly felt transformed back into my 14-year-old mind. Even replaying now, it is genuinely terrifying. Maybe it is the enhanced tech and capabilities of games. But wading through forest in first-person view and then entering a decaying home with no weapon, searching for your wife, is all the more chilling when nothing is actually there. Once something does pop up, it strips the paint from your walls. The creators truly went back to the horror roots here, understanding that a good RE game has the first half focused on survival horror and the latter as the chance to fight back with force.
The series was now back on track, so much so that the remakes of 2 and 3 delivered crisp experiences of cult classics. Resident Evil 2 remake may be closing in on the best game in the series. It is simply polished to the point of perfection in terms of a Resident Evil experience. Resident Evil 3 remake is also strong, but may have cut too much from the original story in delivering a shorter experience. Of course, 3 was made as a bridge between the heavy hitters of 2 and 4. I beat the part 3 remake in two sittings and found less replay value than in 2. Despite this shorter, condensed experience, my hype for Resident Evil Village was unmatched. Continuing Ethan Winters’ story, delving into deeper horror lore and playing as Chris Redfield in the latter stages of the game allowed for an experience that understood the move from initial survival horror to all out action. While the story left a little to be desired with the Winters family in particular, the main antagonists were well fleshed out and provided some of the biggest highs in the series (that creepy doll house will forever haunt me in the dark). The 2021 title received a Game of the Year nomination and demonstrated that Resident Evil had mastered the art of moving back and forward with remakes and new stories. Helping the cause was an awareness of what was next.
The release of Resident Evil 4 Remake, potentially the most well received game in the series from a critical viewpoint, provided the right balance between old and new. Resident Evil 4 was already revolutionary in 2005 on the GameCube with its third person action focus, allowing the remake to strengthen the look and feel for the current generation of systems and gamers. Length was similar, story was fairly aligned in beats and overall narrative (outside of the very end) and the creatures were simply enhanced in presentation and audio. In this form, the release received a Game of the Year nomination and managed to respect the source material in such a way that either game can be considered the better experience. I still revisit this game often, knowing Leon’s story is more adventure than horror…yet loving it all the same.
Since the 4 remake, there have been no major new releases in the franchise. The ending of 4 was changed slightly to lead into 5, which is the current elephant in the room. Both 5 and 6 went the action route with bizarre plots and twists. In remake form, they may struggle to attract the interest of the others and therefore impact Capcom’s roadmap. I would see the original being the ideal next remake, despite having a remake a few decades ago. If they go with 5 and 6, I’m hopeful that they’re combined into one experience and the learnings from the last decade can alter them in a way that works. Thankfully, Requiem is the upcoming release and excitement could not be greater across the gaming community.
My hype level for Requiem almost matches GTA VI. It sits second on the 2026 most anticipated list, and may very well be first in the days before release. From the previews so far, the blend between classic survival horror (Grace) and kick-ass zombie action (Leon) is really intriguing. Can we have our cake and eat it too? How long will the game be? Will the story connect in all the right places? The fact that it is also releasing on the Switch 2 means the audience numbers on release will be about as high as any single player game in the last few years. I can’t wait to get my hands on it.
Please stay tuned for Novastream’s coverage and review of Resident Evil Requiem once I’ve played and beaten the game.
