My Resident Evil History
My first experience of Resident Evil was Resident Evil 2, all the way back in 1999.
I didn't play it on release because I was too chicken shit to try. But when I managed to get hold of a copy from a friend, I had to try it.
Cue lights off, sound up, a spare pair of undies and a night I'd never forget.
I genuinely remember thinking my mum was screaming over something horrific at one point, only to realise it was actually me. Wandering around the Raccoon City Police Station was so damn terrifying! Looking back, I probably shouldn't have played it when I was 11....but I wouldn't change that experience for anything.
After countless hours of RE2 under my belt, it was only natural to try the next game, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis. This is the game that genuinely gave me nightmares.
Being hunted by a tyrant who only knew one word "STARS..." was such a simple concept, but fear inducing to the point I recall shutting the PS1 down on multiple occasions. That constant tension, never knowing when he'd smash through a wall or appear behind you, is something that's stuck with me ever since.
I eventually circled back to the original Resident Evil to complete the trio of games on the great PlayStation. I was ready for Resident Evil 4, until it was announced that it would be a GameCube exclusive. Being a kid who grew up with the OG Xbox, I missed out on this game, because as we all know, RE4 never game to the Xbox until sometime in 2011.
By that time, I just moved on to Resident Evil 5 which was a great co-op experience, but it didn't feel like the Resi I remembered back as a kid nervously turning the console off.
Then came Resident Evil 6. The runt of the family that nobody likes. Should be a fitting game for me to relate to but alas, the less we say about it, the better.
After being let down by RE6 and to some extent RE5, I'd drifted away from the franchise altogether until Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. This game reinvigorated the franchise for me, though it took me almost 2 whole years before getting around to playing it from it's original launch!
Hearing Jack Baker menacingly call out Ethan's name while stalking you through his own house was bum-clenching to say the least. It felt tense again. It was personal and claustrophobic. Even if towards the end of the game it got a bit 'meh', the overall experience was somewhat incredible!
Fast forward to 2019, Resident Evil 2 Remake arrived. For me this cemented that Resi was back, and Capcom knew exactly what they were doing bringing this franchise back to its former glory!
RE2 Remake set the stage for how a remake could and should be done, by respecting its source material while modernising the mechanics and pacing for a new era of gaming. It felt fresh, but familiar. Without a doubt I loved this game and I felt like 11 year old me again, just with slightly better nerves.
(Side note, I also played through the RE3 Remake and whilst it was okay, Nemesis felt more like a joke than anything else. Where was the imposing and deadly tyrant that smashed through walls and windows making the player (not) literally shit themselves?!)
As for Resident Evil 4 Remake? I played it. I completed it. I personally didn't like it and I know that is controversial. That is all I am going to say because I don't want to offend the diehards of the game and I am fully prepared for the backlash. BUT, that's the beauty of this franchise. Everyone has their favourite Resident Evil.
Finally we get to Resident Evil 9 Requiem. I haven't played this yet, but looking forward to, for lack of a better term "Shit my pants". And based on the glowing scores from around the gaming industry, it looks like it's going to hit all the right marks.
Why Resident Evil Still Matters
For me, Resident Evil isn't just a series of survival horror games. It's memories of being too scared to move. Of switching the console off to escape a tyrant. Of rediscovering a franchise I thought I'd outgrown.
It's a timeline of moments. And that's exactly why Frame-A-Game exists.
Some games pass through your hands. Others stay with you. If Resident Evil shaped your gaming story the way it shaped mine, don't leave those memories hidden on a shelf or in a drawer.
Explore our Resident Evil collection and frame the chapters that meant the most to you.
👉 https://frameagame.com/collections/the-resident-evil-collection
Because moments like that deserve a place on your wall.