Happy 16th anniversary, Resident Evil and BioHazard!

When the original Resident Evil/ BioHazard hit the Sony Playstation, it became a certified hit for Capcom. Japanese video game designer Shinji Mikami pioneered the creation of a game that would live to see several sequels and spin-offs made, which more or less kept the fire alive for the series and its fans. With Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City out in stores now and the imminent release of Resident Evil 6 later this year, 2012 certainly is a big year for Capcom’s survival horror franchise. However, the month of March also marks another milestone for RE, as it celebrates its 16th anniversary this year!

Inspired by cult movie classics  

Inspired by the likes of George A. Romero’s cult horror movie classic “Night Of The Living Dead” and a little known Japanese NES game called “Sweet Home”,  Resident Evil, better known as BioHazard in Japan, was born out of Mikami’s desire to make a horror-themed game set in a haunted mansion. He made zombies recurring enemies in the game, but also created biological monstrosities and other grotesque creatures that served to expand on the plot of the story. Utilizing pre-rendered backgrounds, 3D polygons, and a combination of live-action and CG cutscenes, Mikami crafted Resident Evil as an action-adventure experience laced with suspense and horror, giving it the distinction of being the first game to utilize the term “Survival Horror”, and inspiring a whole genre of games to follow as a result. 

 

Set in the fictional Midwestern US town of Raccoon City, several bizarre murders occur in the outskirts of the city, prompting the Raccoon Police Department to respond. An isolated mansion is discovered in the forest, and the R.P.D. sends out its tactical rescue squad S.T.A.R.S to the scene. Unfortunately, Bravo Team goes missing, forcing the remaining Alpha Team to follow and search for their comrades.  Their investigation soon turns gristly however, as they are attacked by monstrous dogs, forcing the surviving members to take refuge in the mansion. There they discover that not all is what it seems… and a bigger threat looms in the horizon.

Japan release  

Released for the Sony Playstation on March 24, 1996 in Japan, followed by a North American release on March 30, the name change from BioHazard to Resident Evil was done out of respect for certain trademarks that conflicted with the NA release. In the game, players have the choice of taking control of two individuals, Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine. Utilizing a “tank-like” control scheme, the game was played by nudging from area to area, scrounging supplies and conserving ammo while fighting monsters and solving various puzzles in order to progress through the story. Also, each character had their own unique scenario that differed from the other, and the game prompted choices and situations through the course of the adventure that affected the outcome, allowing multiple endings and secrets to be unlocked.

Little-known fact  

A little-known fact by some fans of the series was that the US and Japanese versions of the game had subtle but major differences aside from the title alone. Due to regional differences and some concerns with the content, noticeable alterations had to be enforced in order to warrant a release in the states. Shots of main character Chris Redfield smoking and the encounter with the first zombie were edited, thereby creating a distinction that remains controversial among fans to this day. A later rerelease of the game in the form of Resident Evil: Director’s Cut was supposed to address and restore the original unedited content, but a “mistranslation” kept the altered scenes intact. Despite this, Resident Evil still sold well and made millions in the market for Capcom, certifying it as a staple in the company’s video game library.

Successful growth  

Thanks to Shinji Mikami and Capcom, Resident Evil has grown into a successful series, and has greatly influenced generations of gamers into a world where action and horror blend and survive. Personally, I credit the original game for introducing me into the world of survival horror and serious gaming, and I’ve been a follower of the series ever since. It also has the distinction of being one of the games that helped make the Sony Playstation the dominant game console during its generation. The original game has seen several rereleases and ports to different systems through the years, including getting a remake in 2001 for the Nintendo Gamecube that overhauled the graphics and saw major improvements and additions to the story and gameplay. Fact of the matter is, survival horror would not be what it is today without RE, and even though the series has evolved past its roots beginning with Resident Evil 4’s “Survival Action” formula, the fandom is there. Like a zombie shuffling through refusing to die, the series thrives and lives on with a fanbase attached to it that stays loyal to the end. — TJD, GMA News