The Resident Evil series has been around for almost 25 years now, and in that time, they have created the term survival horror, refined the third-person shooter, and created countless stories about the T-Virus, Raccoon City, and the entire cast of unrealistically attractive protagonists.
When it comes to favorites in the series, people often point to the original 1996 release or Resident Evil 4 which was released in 2005. Both offer many different experiences, but for argument’s sake, which is the better game? To help make up minds about such a conundrum, here are the five best qualities of each game.
10 Resident Evil - Puzzle Heavy
While there are puzzles in Resident Evil 4 they are rarely tied to actually progressing through the game and serve more as a way to earn side items that can be sold. In the original Resident Evil, the mansion that the entire game takes place in is a mansion itself. There are many somewhat cryptic and interesting puzzles that you will run into throughout the game, many of which will test your memory of prior events or cleverness. Though none are truly game halting, the clock in the dining room is one that will take some time to get right.
9 Resident Evil 4 - Quick Time Events
Resident Evil 4 has a much more cinematic feel in comparison to the original game and that is no more evident than the inclusion of quick-time events. While many roll their eyes at quick time events, they were still rather new to gaming at the time and were seen as a fun novelty that helped engage you in cinematics more. There aren’t a copious amount of quick-time events in Resident Evil 4 just enough to keep you on your toes and give the game a bit more of a sense of urgency.
8 Resident Evil - Two Separate Stories
In Resident Evil you have the choice to play as either Jill Valentine, considered the easier campaign, and Chris Redfield. Jill has a lockpick which can help lead you to a lot more resources which in turn makes the game a bit easier. Chris can carry more which is helpful but if you aren’t running into as many resources who really needs the extra carrying space. Though both campaigns play out similarly, cinematics will be slightly different and both characters will run into different members of S.T.A.R.S.
7 Resident Evil 4 - Detailed Story
Though there is an occasional cutscene in the original Resident Evil, Resident Evil 4 has many, many cutscenes that bookend most of the things you will be doing throughout the game. You learn a lot more about the charming Leon Kennedy than you ever do about Chris and Jill.
The start of the game tasks you with saving the President’s daughter but before long you are wrapped up in a much bigger mystery that sends you on a journey to a variety of places and fighting some insane bosses.
6 Resident Evil - Emphasizes Resource Management
Resident Evil takes the survival part of survival-horror very seriously. Each herb, piece of ammo, and item must be well managed as you can only hold so much and the next safe room may be quite some ways away. Saves are also limited so you must be very sure that saving is an advantageous decision. In Resident Evil 4, you have enough room to carry a small arsenal with you and are constantly finding herbs and ammo and can also save as frequently as you want, making resource management much less of an issue.
5 Resident Evil 4 - Emphasizes Action
When Resident Evil 4 was first released, many long time fans were disappointed with the direction the series went. Rather than trying to avoid enemies, you are forced to take on waves and waves of enemies. Though at the time straying from the series’ roots seemed like a bad idea, in retrospect Resident Evil 4 is a fine game. The decision to go more action-heavy panned out well and it has changed the series as a whole to better suit a cheesy action movie rather than a cheesy horror movie.
4 Resident Evil - Created Survival Horror
While games like Alone in the Dark set the framework for what exactly a survival horror game would be, Resident Evil coined the phrase and the genre has been known as such ever since. The survival horror genre initially consisted of a third-person game that plays similarly to a point and click game with fixed game angles, a strong emphasis on resource management, and some light fighting. Since then, the genre has grown and merged with other genres making it an adaptable format that is still being tweaked to this day.
3 Resident Evil 4 - Refined The Third-Person-Shooter
While many may not realize it, Resident Evil 4 was one of the games that really refined the third-person shooter. Before its release, the genre focused on auto-aim and lock-on features. Resident Evil 4 puts the camera right behind Leon and allows you to directly control where he is firing.
This was also done without an aiming reticle and instead done with a laser attached to Leon’s gun, giving the game a more cinematic feel. Since its release Resident Evil 4 has inspired countless other third-person-shooters with the most notable being Dead Space, and Gears of War.
2 Resident Evil - The Mansion
The most stand out feature in the original Resident Evil game is the mansion you explore. Each room in the mansion holds a secret that you must uncover. There are many sections of the mansion, the main hall, the dining hall, the graveyard, and more. By the end of the game, you will become well acquainted with the mansion and will know the outline of it perfectly. However, even after learning the mansion’s layout, it still feels as if there are some secrets that it refuses to give up, and that is a big part of its charm.
1 Resident Evil 4 - Boss Fights
Each part of Resident Evil 4 is action-packed. Each boss is both massive and memorable. One of the first bosses you encounter is the large serpent-like creature in the lake called Del Lago. The boat you are riding in attaches to the creature and it starts dragging you around while you must shoot spears at its back before it goes down. The large giant man-beast El Gigante is a recurring boss in the first part of the game and must be taken out by a generous amount of explosives and bullets before being brought down. There are many other bosses that you will face throughout the game, some large and some gruesome and disgusting.