The Resident Evil series has been going since the '90s. It's fair to say that the original 1996 game is very different from the most recent installments. It comes as no surprise as the franchise has gone through multiple changes in recent years.
As the series has evolved, Capcom has discarded some of the classic Resident Evil tropes. Fans miss some of them, while the others are best forgotten. Either way, it's interesting to look back at things that once seemed vital to RE but weren't a part of the last couple of games. Here is a collection of the best tropes that the horror franchise has left behind.
8 Selectable Main Character
Resident Evil has had many playable characters over the years. In the past few games, Ethan Winters has served as the main protagonist, with players also controlling Mia and Chris Redfield for short periods. Some of the earlier games didn't have one main character, as they let players choose who they wanted in the lead role.
The most famous examples of character selection came in the first two games. At the start of the original title, players could select between Jill and Chris. In RE2, the choice was between either Leon or Claire. The multiple protagonist system encouraged a second playthrough to see what was different.
7 Awkward Dialogue
While nobody will claim that the new Resident Evil games have Oscar-level dialogue, it's acceptable quality for a video game. And the writing is certainly a step up from the classic titles.
Early RE installments were infamous for their awkward and cringy dialogue. In fact, strange conversations were something the series was known for and became part of its charm. Based on recent evidence, it seems the days of "Jill Sandwich" and Leon making jokes about Bingo are over.
6 Saving With Ink Ribbons
Capcom has changed Resident Evil's saving system multiple times throughout the series. They have been indecisive on whether the games should have autosave, manual save, or both. However, one element of saving that seems to be gone forever is the ink ribbons.
While playing the early games, players needed to use these items if they wanted to save. They added an extra layer of tension because there were only so many ink ribbons in each game, so players could only use them sparingly.
5 The Last Boss Being Destroyed With A Rocket Launcher
Up until the recent games, Rocket Launchers were a staple of the Resident Evil franchise. And they were regularly among the most powerful weapons in each title as they killed almost everyone - including bosses - in one shot.
Because Rocket Launchers were so strong, players didn't get many opportunities to use them - in their first playthrough anyway. However, in several installments, the protagonist received the incredibly destructive weapon during the climactic boss fight. Villains in the original title, RE4, RE5, and RE6, all died from Rockets-related injuries.
4 Doors Used As Loading Screens
The classic Resident Evil games were on systems that are a lot less advanced than those of today. So, Capcom couldn't let players walk around the Spencer Mansion or Raccoon City with complete freedom.
A bunch of loading screens had to be included in the older titles. Thus, every time players entered a new area: it triggered an ominous scene - usually of a door opening - while the next area loaded. These unique loading screens quickly became a series trope until the advance in technology meant they were no longer needed. They were one of only a few things that the recent remakes didn't bring back.
3 Receiving A Rank At The End Of The Game
In most Resident Evil games, a results screen appears after the credits have rolled. The screen gives players certain important stats about their playthrough.
The past few entries, though, haven't provided players with a rank. Most of the older RE titles bestow a letter grade on players to tell them how good they've done. The grade is typically decided based on things like their completion time and how many saves they used.
2 A Tyrant Boss
While there are many bosses in Village - which vary in difficulty - there's no tyrant. Years ago, the idea of a RE game with many bosses and no big T-virus humanoids would've seemed outrageous. After all, Capcom included tyrants in almost all of the early titles.
They were often a final antagonist or just a particularly tricky boss. But besides the remakes, the series has seemingly moved on from these giant monsters. Yet, characters such as Jack Baker and Lady Dimitrescu could be seen as the new versions of those types of beasts.
1 Umbrella Is Always To Blame
The Umbrella Corporation was definitely the main antagonist throughout the early years of Resident Evil. In most cases, the villainous company either caused an outbreak or was at least up to something nefarious during them.
Umbrella was involved so often in morally questionable schemes that it became a series trope. The evil Corporation, however, seems to be finished in the current timeline. Blue Umbrella exists, but they're on the side of good - for now anyway. Finally, Umbrella can't be blamed for all of the bad things happening in the Resident Evil universe.