Resident Evil (1996 game)

Resident Evil (バイオハザード, spelled Baiohazādo or simply Biohazard in Japan) is a survival horror game by Capcom and is the first game in the Resident Evil series. It was originally released in 1996 for the PlayStation and has been subsequently ported to the Sega Saturn and PC, then re-released twice on the PlayStation in the form of a Director's Cut. A Game Boy Color version of Resident Evil was planned, but later canceled by Capcom, citing that the port was of poor quality. Capcom later released a new game in the series for the platform titled Resident Evil Gaiden. In 2002, a remake of the game was released for the Nintendo GameCube featuring new graphics and voice acting among other significant changes. A Nintendo DS port of the original, with added modes and the subtitle Deadly Silence, was released in early 2006.

While not the first survival horror game, its success propelled the genre to new heights of popularity and was the first game to coin the term.

Story
Note: While attempts have been made to reconcile plot elements between the 1996 and 2002 versions, there may still be some discrepancies.

Overview
Unlike subsequent Resident Evil games, the first game had live-action openings and endings. The acting and dialogue in these scenes are often mocked (as is the general dialogue in the series). But some argue that the unrefined, campy and poor execution perfectly fits the mood of a B-grade horror movie, although the majority of the series' fans continue to mock the opening, as it completely offsets the otherwise horror-driven mood of the game. The opening footage in the western releases was significantly recut to exclude most of the gore, (and Chris lighting a cigarette) using alternate footage. Capcom was supposed to include the unadulterated version of the intro in later revisions, but only the PC Version as well as the German and French PAL PlayStation Director's Cuts contain the original FMV.

The gameplay environment consists of polygonal 3D characters placed over pre-rendered 2D backgrounds. As such, the game relies on pre-determined camera angles for view of the action instead of a real-time camera like most games. As a result, the game uses a "tank-like" control scheme where the character controls in a first person manner. Instead of moving the character in the direction the player is pushing, the character moves forwards by pressing up and backwards by pressing down and turns the character on the spot by pushing left or right. Many Resident Evil detractors have criticized this control scheme, claiming it unsuitable for a third-person action game. On the other hand, many fans have defended it, arguing that it added to the feeling of death and defeat and that a conventional third person control scheme would be infeasible considering the various camera angles.

The player fights against enemies by arming their character with a weapon. The player draws their weapon by holding down the "Weapon Draw" button (usually a shoulder button, such as the R1 button on PlayStation) and fires it by pressing "Fire" (X button on PlayStation). In the attack stance, the player character remains static in one place and can turn their character and/or tilt their weapon up or down. Initially, the only weapons available to the player are a combat knife and a Beretta 92FS. Later in the game, more weapons become accessible to the player, such as the Remington M870 and the Colt Python. Ammunition for firearms is limited and it is often recommended that the players save their strongest weapons for boss battles.

The player must survive by fighting against the various monsters that populate the mansion. The most common enemies in the game are Zombies, which are slow-moving and easy to outrun, but harder to avoid in tight corners. During later sections of the game, the player must also fight against zombie dogs (known as "Cerberus'"), Hunters, Chimeras and Web Spinners, as well as small enemies such as crows, wasps and adders. The latter three are small and fast, and the player should be careful to conserve ammunition when dealing with these. The player must also fight against bosses such as a giant snake (Yawn), a mutated plant (Plant 42), a giant spider (Black Tiger), a giant shark (Neptune), and the Tyrant T-002.

Health is restored by using first-aid sprays or healing herbs. Of the two, healing Herbs are more common and restore a portion of the player's health, while first-aid sprays are scarcer, but will restore the player's health completely. There are three types of healing herbs available: the green herb (for restoring health), the blue Herb (which cures poison) and the red herb (which can't be used by itself, but will triple the healing power of a green herb when mixed with one). The herbs can be mixed and used in six different combinations (see topic Herbs for reference).

The player must navigate through the mansion by picking up various keys and items which are pivotal to the game's progress, while solving puzzles along the way. The player has a limited capacity for carrying items, thus enforcing the need to carry only essential items while still having space for new items. As such, storage boxes are available for the player to store any item for later use.

The player can only save their progress by going to a typewriter and using ink ribbons to save the game. Ink ribbons are available in limited quantity, forcing the player to seriously consider whether they have made enough progress to justify saving the game. This saving method has also been criticized by many, but designer Shinji Mikami defended it, arguing that it increases the tension in the game.

There are also various documents available to the player within the mansion which either serve to provide the solutions to certain puzzles, or simply to further divulge the plot.

The game gives the player control of S.T.A.R.S. Alpha team members Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine as they search for a way out and attempt to locate the S.T.A.R.S. Bravo team. The characters play out similar scenarios but they have different skills. Chris is assisted by Bravo Team medic Rebecca Chambers (who becomes playable in certain portions of his scenario), while Jill gets help from fellow Alpha team member Barry Burton. Jill's quest is easier because she has a higher item-carrying capacity (eight compared to Chris' six), can pick simple locks with her lockpick (Chris has to find small keys (called old keys in the REmake) to unlock the locks concerned) and has a comparatively stronger team-mate. She also has access to a grenade launcher (Chris has very limited access to a flamethrower) and can complete certain puzzles by herself, while Chris needs Rebecca's help in certain areas. Chris' limitations make his quest arguably more difficult but he has more stamina than Jill, therefore being able to sustain greater damage and run faster. Corresponding to Jill's lockpick, Chris starts his quest with a lighter which however isn't as useful as the former (Jill has to find the lighter and it takes up space in her inventory, as opposed to Chris). He also has better accuracy than Jill, meaning more chances to score headshots and less ammunition spent.

Playable characters
Resident Evil gives players a choice between two playable characters, S.T.A.R.S. Alpha team members Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine. The differences between both characters are more than superficial, with differences in abilities, items and even supporting characters, resulting in a slightly different scenario for both protagonists. Later Resident Evil titles would often follow this tradition of including a male and female lead, although in some, they aren't both available at the start of the game (i.e. Code: Veronica). Notably, Resident Evil 0 has players control both protagonists simultaneously.


 * Chris Redfield - One of the protagonists of the game. Chris is much stronger and faster than Jill, making him more resistant to enemy attacks and have more possibilities to avoid them. Also having greater accuracy it is easier to aim in the right places with him (even for new players), using less rounds. But to compensate for this strength, his scenario is made more problematic, especially for the inexperienced. He can only carry six items and starts with only a knife. To make things worse he needs small keys (called old keys in the REmake) to unlock places where Jill can simply use her lockpick. This drawback is slightly compensated by the fact that Chris starts his quest with a lighter, which however is not very useful compared with Jill's lockpick. Chris' supporting character is Rebecca. She will not rescue him as much as Barry would for Jill, but she is useful and can heal all Chris' wounds at certain stages of the game. Chris also finds the flamethrower, a weapon exclusive to his scenario.


 * Jill Valentine - One of the protagonists of the game. Jill's scenario is the simpler of the two, as she has a higher carrying capacity (eight items simultaneously, as opposed to Chris' six) and has a lockpick that serves as a substitute for the small keys in Chris' scenario (as well as the Sword Key in the original game). Jill's supporting character is Barry. He wields a powerful .357 Magnum Colt Python and is more helpful than Chris' Rebecca, as he eliminates the need for the broken shotgun (as long as the player hasn't picked up the Armor Key), and assists in fighting several of the bosses. Jill also gets to use a grenade launcher, a weapon exclusive to her scenario and capable of firing several types of rounds. However, these advantages are offset by the fact that she is more vulnerable to enemy attacks than Chris, is less likely to escape from them, and (unless an experienced player is playing) will be "harder" to shoot the zombies in the right spots.

The character who is not chosen becomes a prisoner of Wesker until the end of the game. In order to unlock the passage leading to the cell, three MO disks must be collected by the player and then inserted into terminals (which are apparently modeled off of GameCubes in the REmake) located throughout the lab. The cell's door can only be unlocked by activating the self-destruct mechanism or by using Wesker's Master Key. Deciding whether to free them or not affects several of the ending cut-scenes.

Supporting characters

 * Albert Wesker - Leader of Alpha team and S.T.A.R.S., Wesker was also an undercover spy of Umbrella and plans to dispose of his former team-mates and gather data on the Bio Organic Weapons.
 * Barry Burton - A S.T.A.R.S. member who assists Jill in her search. Barry is blackmailed into murder and the destruction of evidence by the traitorous S.T.A.R.S. leader, Albert Wesker. During Chris' storyline, Barry goes missing after the opening cutscene, with Wesker presuming him to be dead, but it's never proven. Barry is not seen or mentioned again after that.
 * Brad Vickers - Alpha team's Pilot. Brad was a coward who left his team-mates behind after Frost's death. He then later assists the player by giving them a Rocket Launcher to kill the Tyrant.
 * Joseph Frost - Another member of Alpha team. Joseph was attacked and eaten alive by a pack of Cerberus just outside the mansion.
 * Rebecca Chambers - A S.T.A.R.S. member who assists Chris in his search. Rebecca is one of the survivors of the incident, whose disappearance prompted Alpha team's investigation, and is currently the only one alive from the Bravo team. She is playable in Chris's scenario twice at the most. Rebecca is not seen or mentioned in Jill's storyline.
 * Richard Aiken - A Bravo team member who was bitten and injected with venom by the Yawn. Aiken dies before the serum has a chance to save him. In the GameCube REmake, Richard lives if you give him the serum in time, but is then killed either by the Yawn or the Neptune. When he dies in either of these scenes, you aquire the Assault Shotgun from him, a more powerful shotgun with a higher rate of fire and capacity.
 * Forest Speyer - Another member of Bravo team. Forest was killed by a flock of crows on the balcony of the mansion. In Resident Evil: Director's Cut and in the REmake, he is revived as a zombie.
 * Kenneth J. Sullivan - Another Bravo team member. Kenneth was eaten and decapitated by a Zombie in a hallway after straying off from the dining room moments before Alpha team found him. In the REmake, the player finds a film on his dead body which shows his last moments.
 * Enrico Marini - Captain of the Bravo team. Enrico discovers that a member of Alpha team is a traitor, but is assassinated before confirming it to the player.

Most of the other members of S.T.A.R.S. make minor appearances throughout the games, usually as victims of the monsters. In later versions, Forest appears as re-animated corpse, while Richard can survive if given the serum within a certain amount of time.

Reception
The PlayStation game was a best seller in North America. The game received positive reviews from critics. For example, GameSpot praised the game, while Computer Gaming World gave a more mixed review for the PC version in explaining that they "tried to hate it with its graphic violence, rampant sexism, poor voice acting and use of every horror cliché however...it's actually fun." In total, according to Capcom's Investor Relations website, the original Resident Evil has sold 2,750,000 units. The GameCube remake of Resident Evil sold 1.35 million units in total. GameSpot said this about the REmake: "Capcom has nearly perfected its craft and created the best Resident Evil ever". IGN mentioned at the time that the remake was "the prettiest, most atmospheric and all-around scariest game we've ever played". Despite its success, the game has been criticized for its terrible dialogue and voice acting.

Novelization


A novelization of the game titled Resident Evil: The Umbrella Conspiracy Side A, was written by author Stephani Danelle Perry as the first book in her series of Resident Evil novels. The novel combines both Jill and Chris' scenarios into one narrative and features all five of the main characters (including Barry and Rebecca).

The book also takes liberty with the original source materials; the most notable difference being the inclusion of an original character named Trent, an insider from Umbrella who provides Jill with information about the Mansion prior to the events of the mansion incident. Since the book was written a few years before the GameCube remake, the novelization omits the presence of Lisa Trevor in the mansion. However, the book does allude to the original version of George Trevor's Journal from The True Story Behind Biohazard, as well as the short story it contained Biohazard: The Beginning, which involved the disappearance of Chris' friend, Billy Rabitson. Another notable difference in the novels is moving the location of Raccoon City from the Midwest to Pennsylvania, apparently about an hour's drive from New York.

Trivia
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 * The inspiration for Resident Evil was the earlier Capcom game Sweet Home. Shinji Mikami was initially commissioned to make a horror game set in a haunted mansion like Sweet Home. In Sweet Home, the characters find a note reading "This is the house where evil resides." However, this was an artistic liberty of the fan translators.


 * The idea of using zombies as enemies came from George A. Romero's Dead movie series. Earlier ideas for the game proposed paranormal enemies instead of living creatures. The designers mentioned in an interview that they planned to use the scariest thing imaginable for the game's main enemy, and that was "ourselves."


 * The design on the back of Chris' alternate costume is a reference to an album by the rock group Queen entitled "Made in Heaven." Other references to the album appear in Resident Evil 2, Code: Veronica and Resident Evil 0. In Resident Evil 2, the "Made in Heaven" design is also seen on the back of Claire's vest. In Code: Veronica, the back of Claire's jacket reads "Let Me Live", the third track off "Made in Heaven." In Resident Evil 0, Billy's tattoo reads "Mother Love", the fourth track off "Made in Heaven."


 * In Resident Evil 2, Chris' brown jacket, part of his alternative costume from the first title, is seen hanging above his desk in the S.T.A.R.S. office. Since it is the same office, also appears in Resident Evil 3.


 * The "Made in Heaven" design on Chris' jacket and sweater has 20 bombs. The one on Claire's vest only has 16. The style of the image is similar to airplane nose art, popular in World War II, and a reference to Chris' days in the Air Force.


 * An early puzzle involves playing a song on the grand piano in the mansion's bar. The composition is Ludwig van Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata."


 * The following details are from The True Story Behind Biohazard (1997, Capcom):
 * Resident Evil was initially envisioned as a first-person shooter until it was decided that playing from a first-person perspective wasn't scary enough.
 * A series of documents, known as the "Trevor's Letters", were proposed for the original game, but not included in the final version due to the fact that they revealed too much of the game's plot too soon. They were later restored in the GameCube remake with a few differences due to the retroactive changes made in the new version.
 * Two characters appeared in an early draft of the game's storyline as Jill's and Chris' supporting characters. Gelzer, a muscular Caucasian man with a cybernetic eye who was scheduled to hold an entire roof up at one point of the game, and Dewey, a thin African American man modeled after Eddie Murphy who would've served as the comic relief. In the finished version of the game, these two were replaced by Barry and Rebecca respectively. The name Dewey was then used for an unrelated member of S.T.A.R.S. (Edward Dewey).
 * It is likely that the ideas of Gelzer and Dewey were reused in Capcom's later survival horror game "Dino Crisis" which features Gail, and Rick (who is the main source of comic relief in the game) both greatly resemble Gelzer and Dewey in terms of appearance and personality.
 * The original Japanese release of the BioHazard was meant to feature Japanese voice acting for its dialog. According to Mikami, the Japanese voice acting was removed from the game as he found the quality of the performances to be unsatisfactory, or in his own words "they were really lame". Remnants of the original Japanese dialogue are found in a CD called Biohazard Symphony Op. 91: Crime and Punishment; Disc 2 has a track called "Character's Voice 3" that contains some snips of the Japanese dialogue. The BioHazard Complete Disc, the disc that came bundled with the Dual Shock ver. of Director's Cut in Japan, also featured the intro and endings from the game in Japanese.#
 * The original game was put into the Guinness World Records: Gamer's Edition 2008 for the "Worst Game Dialogue Ever".
 * At the beginning of the game, an attempt to go back out the front door starts a FMV showing the player opening the door slowly and a MA-39 Cerberus tries to dash in, but the player successfully closes the door on the enemy's face forcing it to back off.
 * Biohazard was meant to be a co-operation adventure, having Chris as a main character and Jill as his support. But due to low RAM of the PlayStation, the idea was dropped and later used in Resident Evil 0.