Why Resident Evil Works

Resident Evil is one of my favorite series of games. It was the first game I got for my PlayStation. When I purchased my Sega DreamCast I purchased 2 RE games with the system. When it was time for the Game Cube, it was time for Resident Evil 4. I think my initial love of this long lasting series is its use of the undead as an antagonist. I am a self-proclaimed Zombie addict, and I have been a fan of the Zombie genre long before it was stylish. Thus, my love affair with this quasi-horror game began, and like all good relationships, I never really understood what my attraction was, I just simply enjoyed it.

At some point during this love affair, a movie was born. Not one to race to theaters, I did however race to buy it when it appeared on DVD. And yes, an instant classic was born. Four films later, I am still a huge fan of everything Resident Evil. But, the question always nagged me. Why? Why was this series of games and movies such a hit with me?

For those of you who may not be aware of the RE franchise, let me bring you up to speed a bit. In 1996 a game was released for the Play Station (later known as the PS1), by the video game giant Capcom, called simply: Resident Evil. The name itself makes absolutely no sense. Not Evil Resident, or Residence of Evil. Apparently, the evil is resident, so it is always there. The original game takes place in and below a mansion outside of the oddly named Raccoon City. It seems an evil corporation known as the Umbrella Corporation (not quite as oddly named, but still strange) has been conducting illicit experiments, and the most successful is with genetic engineering viruses for military applications. The result of these experiments is the peculiar T-Virus. A unique gem in the viral world in that it does a whole lot of different things depending on what is infected and at what point infection occurred. The most typical result is the reanimation of dead tissue. Yes, it creates Zombies. Resident Evil popularized what is known in the game world as the Survival Horror genre. Alone in the Dark is the pioneer in this genre of games. In essence, you have very little in the way of offensive weapons and must try and use everything at your disposal and hope to survive: hence, survival horror.

Something about this game struck a chord with people. It was different, it was new. It was graphic (Pre GTA III). It was interesting. And most importantly; it was downright idiotic. In order to make the game more interesting Capcom added puzzles to the mix. But the puzzles were not integrated into the plot as much as they were just thrown in to the game. I recall, with great disgust, this puzzle that required pushing around statues in order to get a gem to drop, then go downstairs and insert the gem into some slot that opened a door. These are the type of puzzles that permeated the first 3 installments. By Resident Evil 4 these puzzles had mostly been abandoned for a more straightforward shoot-em-up style (still very little ammo though).

Which brings me back to my original question: Why is this game such a love of mine. I discovered the answer recently while playing Resident Evil 5. At this point, there are no longer zombies in the game. They are just weird things that appear to be more Lovecraftian than Romero. I am running around Africa now shooting these poor bastards who apparently have been infected with some form of the T-Virus. I have a pretty nice sidekick now, and her name is Zeva. She is a local girl working with the BSAA. What this means, I have no idea. Apparently it has something to do with fighting Umbrella. She can handle herself fairly well. Though I find myself apologizing when I accidentally shoot her, or cut her with my knife. But, she is a stout girl and simply shrugs it off. Oddly enough, I find myself in Africa not trying to end the tyranny of Umbrella, but I am searching for my formerly-thought-to-be-dead partner (not girlfriend) Jill. I had been playing the game for a while, and mostly enjoying it when it struck me…Why I love Resident Evil! It is a silly, silly game. It is a string of B Movies. Ludicrous enemies involved in even more ludicrous plots. I sit in the back with my mounted AK-47 (on my American Made Hummer) while Zeva is using her mounted Gatling gun below me. Folks, this is odd even by video game standards. I asked myself, “Where did all of these African Zombies get these motorcycles?” Yes, I know, video games require suspension of belief and all of that nonsense, but really, there were like 75 motorcycles and a couple of trucks-turned-into-tanks as well. Did they build the tanks before becoming the spawn of Innsmouth, or are they being supplied by some addle minded arms dealer. After fighting off this horde of Motorcyclists throwing axes and Molotov cocktails at my Hummer (provided by the oddly named Delta Force (which even more oddly is not connected to the US Army)), I find myself in this eerily deserted town littered with the bodies of dead Delta Force troops. The driver (apparently a friend of mine) asks: "What did this?" And then is promptly stepped on by this big…thing. When I saw it, I began to giggle. How ludicrous I thought. And while shooting it with my machine gun, it suddenly had these…things pop out of its arms. “Quick, shoot those!” shouts Zeva. And like a good soldier, I did. Well, what do you know, that works. After I shoot the centipede crawly thingies, a giant one pops out of his back. I can stifle my laughter no longer. This is simply silly. And I am pretty sure that answers my question. I truly enjoy Resident Evil because it is silly. Silly as it is though, I find myself drawn to it like a moth to the bug light. Wrestling, South Park, and Resident Evil; silly, simple pleasures of my life.