Videogame: Then and Now - Resident Evil

Ah, videogames, a medium where we can play make believe in one of the most enjoyable ways ever. Safely nestled in the protection of our own room. Where else would you have an oppurtinity to become a one man army space marine battling legions of alien invaders on a distant planet? Maybe as a legendary soldier who was just really a clone of the REAL legendary soldier who was thought to be the superior one but then it turns out that he's the inferior one and... wait, do you have all day? Or maybe a short fat plumber who jumps around mushrooms and turtles in colorful kingdoms to save a princess who's only purpose in life seems to be kidnapped over and over... and over again? Only in the virtual world ladies and gents.

So let's take a look at how some of our most beloved videogame series evolved throughout the years. Did they age gracefully like a fine wine that only gets better as the years pass by? Or did they licked the lollipop of mediocrity and are now nothing more than a former hollow shell of theirselves?

Resident Evil 1 (1996)


While not exactly the one that invented the "survival horror" genre, the Resident Evil franchise certainly put it on the map. So yeah, you could say this is the game that started it all. Resident Evil 1 was an atmospheric game that puts you in the shoes of one of two playable characters, Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine. It relied heavily on it's "GOTCHA!" scares, deafening silence of the mansion and the lurking undead and hideous mutated creatures that are hiding in it's dark corridors that stalk your every move. It's also know for it's cheesy and horrendous dialogue, most in part by everybody's favorite fat guy, Barry Burton. "Jill Sandwich" anyone?

The very first zombie: a. you kill or b. to give you a wicked hickey.

Memorable Moment: Besides the dialogue? I kid, I kid. Ok, it would be a toss between meeting the very first zombie of the whole series or the zombie dogs jumping out of the window scare. (Sorry, I couldn't find the "zombie dog moment")



Resident Evil 5 (2009)


A complete opposite of it's ancestor, like Resident Evil 4 which looked at another completely different direction, Resident Evil 5 has completely turned it's back from it's original roots. Now instead of thinking, "Should I shoot this zombie in the face or just run away like a little girl to conserve ammo?", we now think this, "Should I feed this zombie a mouthful of bullets from my shotgun, my machine gun or maybe stick a rocket up it's ass OR MAYBE use this sattellite cannon to smyte thee?". How times change. It's definitely a very intense game and definitely one of the best of the series if only it added something more than pretty graphics. Resident Evil 5 is basically Resident Evil 4 on steriods. And no, I'm not talking about Chris Redfield.

Hmm, I feel I've been in this situation, like, 4 years ago.

Memorable Moment: It would definitely be the final (?) stand off agains Albert Wesker. That fight is like 13 years in the making for fans of Resident Evil. Now you'll finally have your shot at bashing one of the best videogame villain's face in. A friendly warning though, it won't be easy. Trust me.

SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT! SPOILER ALERT!

Series Lowlights: The god awful RE: Survivor series. Just thinking about it gives me a headache.

BAD!

Series Highlights: Resident Evil 4. One of the best "survival horror" games of all time.

GOOD!

Series Status: Future of Hall of Famer