DEFINITIVE VERSION: RESIDENT EVIL

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One of, if not the most important game of the 32-bit era, Resident Evil put survival horror on the map. Although others came before it, Resident Evil's atmosphere, pacing, and limited resources have become staples of the genre. Right now, in 2023 we are seeing a massive resurgence with indie devs actually programming PSX style games with tank controls on purpose.

RELEASES

PLAYSTATION - 1996

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PROS: Classic survival horror experience.
CONS: Tank controls. Voice acting.
NOTES: Although listed as negatives the tank controls and voice acting can be seen as part of the charm.

SATURN - 1997

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PROS: Arena battle mode.
CONS: Lower quality graphics due to transparency limitations on the Saturn.

PC - 1997

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PROS:
CONS:
NOTES:

PLAYSTATION [DC/DUAL SHOCK] - 1997/1998

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PROS: Arrange and beginner difficulty modes. New enemies such as forest speyer and fast zombies.
CONS: Same issues such as graphics and controls that make the game feel dated.

GAMECUBE [REMAKE] - 2002

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PROS: Completely remastered graphics including new textures and character models.
CONS: Due to hardware limitations graphics can be blurry and pixelated.

NINTENDO DS - 2006

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PROS:
CONS: Clunky controls, and no strafing. You must stand and fire.

NINTENDO Wii - 2009

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PROS:
CONS: Clunky controls, and no strafing. You must stand and fire.

MULTI [HD REMASTER] - 2015

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PROS: 1080p Resolution. “Tank” or modern control options. 5.1 Surround.
CONS: Camera is still fixed.

SWITCH - 2019

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PROS:
CONS:
NOTES: Same as 2015 release.

DEFINITIVE VERSION

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The Definitive Version of Resident Evil is the Director’s Cut [Dual Shock] release for Playstation from 1998. One of the main changes from the original was the fact that the Dual Shock controller added a vibration function that truly adds to the excitement of this horror classic. Another major difference in this release, which, arguably contributed to a better, more immersive gameplay experience, was the new soundtrack, which gave the game a noticeably scarier, goth-type of feel to the game, as opposed to the original music which sounded more “electrical” and video-game like at the time. This Definitive Version is not necessarily perfect, but overall, you will have the most balanced and authentic horror game experience with this release.

CITATIONS