"Resident Evil" (known as "Biohazard" in Japan) is a survival horror video game franchise released by Capcom for a variety of systems. The popular series, typically featuring zombies as the primary threat, has spawned a number of movies and spin-offs.
Origins
"Resident Evil" was the brainchild of video game designer Shinji Mikami, who sought to create a horror game that took influence from films like "Night of the Living Dead" and "Alien" along with video games like "Alone in the Dark" and "Sweet Home." Mikami's game took place in a zombie-infested mansion on the outskirts of a fictional American town called Raccoon City.
"Resident Evil" debuted on the Sony Playstation in early 1996 to critical praise and commercial success. The series would go on to become one of Capcom's most popular franchises.
Early Sequels
With "Resident Evil 2," the game took a more action-oriented approach and featured new characters and setting. It was released in 1998 and surpassed the success of its predecessor.
"Resident Evil 3: Nemesis" was a side-story game that followed events leading up to "Resident Evil 2." While not quite as successful, it still sold very well. "Resident Evil Code: Veronica," considered the direct sequel to "Resident Evil 2," debuted on the Sega Dreamcast in 2000. It was the most ambitious installment yet, using real-time 3D environments instead of the pre-rendered backgrounds of previous games.
Recent Installments
Rather than work on another sequel, Capcom elected to remake the original "Resident Evil" for the Nintendo GameCube with photo-realistic graphics and other innovations. The 2002 release was a success and was followed by a prequel, "Resident Evil Zero," which did not earn as much popularity or acclaim.
The production of "Resident Evil 4" went through two restarts because Shinji Mikami was displeased with the project's supernatural direction. The resulting game abandoned the traditional zombie enemies in favor of parasites. Its 2009 sequel, "Resident Evil 5," was released on the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360 and introduced cooperative play for the first time in the main series.
Characteristics
The "Resident Evil" games are known for their tense atmospheres and focus on survival rather than action. Players are forced to conserve health, ammunition and other items, as well as solve puzzles, in order to win. With "Resident Evil 4," the game took a more action-oriented turn, losing much of the survival horror that defined earlier installments.
Spin-Offs
The first true spin-off was the failed "Resident Evil: Survivor," a first-person shooter. Capcom attempted two sequels, improving on the premise with "Resident Evil: Survivor 2" and "Resident Evil: Dead Aim." The company even attempted resurrecting the shooting game again with the "Umbrella Chronicles" series.
Other spin-offs include the failed "Resident Evil Outbreak," which allowed players to cooperate online, and its equally unsuccessful sequel, "Resident Evil Outbreak: File #2."
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