Resident Evil has certainly earned its stripes amongst other survival horror video games. First launched in 1996, there have been over twenty games, several remakes, spinoffs, and even a film series. Ultimately making Resident Evil one of the highest-grossing horror games.
With the brand-new Resident Evil 4 remake releasing today, we’ve decided to take a deep dive into the Resident Evil franchise, going all the way back to its original outbreak. It’s gonna be a long one so grab yourself a drink, some snacks, and get cosy.
The Outbreak:
Known in Japan as ‘’Biohazard’’, and created by Capcom, each game in the Resident Evil series typically follows the same structure and theme. Consisting of elements of survival horror, and third- or first-person shooters, with players having to navigate a zombie apocalypse or other terrifying creatures.
Each game focuses on the Umbrella Corporation, a large-scale pharmaceutical company responsible for developing and ‘’accidentally’ releasing mutagenic viruses for organic bio-weaponry. This ultimately transforms humans into the mindless zombies we all know and love, whilst also turning plants and animals into terrifying creatures.
At the centre of this, is Raccoon City, a fictional American city in which the corporation has full control.
Whilst the focus of the games has always remained the same, the gameplay mechanics have varied. In the first game, it introduced ‘’tank controls’’, in which movement was relative to the position of the player character, not the player’s perspective. It was only until Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, that the player controls received some upgrades, including a 180-degree turn and dodge. Later in the series, an over-the-shoulder third-person camera was added.
From Resident 4 and beyond, the game controls have continuously expanded. From including elements of a third-person shooter to first-person perspectives in Resident Evil Village, and even support for virtual reality.
Whilst the gameplay mechanics have changed over the years, beloved fan-favourite features have remained. This includes the nail-biting elements of horror, terrifying zombies and creatures, along with puzzle-solving.
Resident Evil (1996):
Resident Evil first made its debut in 1996, released only on the PlayStation.
Players control Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine, two members of the S.T.A.R.S. (Special Tactics and Rescue Services) task force, who are trapped in a zombie-infested mansion. You must solve a series of puzzles to uncover the truth behind the mystery of the mansion and ultimately escape, with all your limbs still attached.
It soon became a rapid success, and one of the best-selling PlayStation games in 1996. By 1997, nearly four million copies had sold worldwide! This ultimately paved the way for the future success of other titles in the series.
In fact, the original game has been noted for defining the survival horror genre, along with influencing the return of zombies into popular culture. I can’t count how many zombie-infested video games, films, and television shows, have been released since the early 2000s…
The Complete Series:
Whilst I would love to give you a complete rundown of all twenty-four Resident Evil games, thirty if you count the spinoffs, we’d be here for hours!
Instead, you’ll have to do with my quick rundown of the notable games and spinoffs in the series.
- 1996 – Resident Evil
- 1998 – Resident Evil 2
- 1999 – Resident Evil 3: Nemesis
- 2002 – Resident Evil (Remake)
- 2005 – Resident Evil 4
- 2009 – Resident Evil 5
- 2012 – Resident Evil 6
- 2017 – Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
- 2019 – Resident Evil 2 (Remake)
- 2020 – Resident Evil 3 (Remake)
- 2021 – Resident Evil Village
- 2023 – Resident Evil 4 (Remake)
Films & Television:
Not only has the franchise got a notable space in the video game industry, but there have also been several iconic films and television shows.
This includes multiple live-action films produced by Paul W. S. Anderson. Whilst the films don’t follow the in-game premise, it does include several infamous faces from the games. The film series follows the footsteps of Alice (Milla Jovovich), a former covert specialist who takes on the Umbrella Corporation and their ‘organic’ bioweapons.
To this day, the film series still holds the Guinness World Record for the ‘Most Live-Action Film Adaptations of a Video Game’.
What’s more, there have been two Netflix series – one animated and one live-action. The animated series is set in between the events of Resident Evil 4 and 5, whilst the latest 2022 Netflix show features two separate storylines in 2022 and 2036.
Resident Evil 4 Remake:
Enough history, now onto the real reason we’re all here – the Resident Evil 4 Remake.
Originally launched in 2005, the game has been reimagined with new modernised gameplay and enhanced graphics.
Set several years after the disaster in Raccoon City, one of the last survivors, Agent Leon S. Kennedy, has been tasked with rescuing the president’s kidnapped daughter. Tracking her to a remote European village, you’ll soon discover that there is something far more sinister and deadly at play…
Beloved fan-favourite features from the original title will return, including the third-person view camera perspective. This, paired with the enhanced graphical capabilities, results in greater immersion for that must-have gut-sinking feeling of isolation and haunting.
What’s more, the Resident Evil 4 remake will be available to play on PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and XBOX Series X/S.
Official PC System Specification:
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 10 | Windows 10 |
| Processor | Intel Core i5 7500 or AMD Ryzen 3 1200 | Intel Core i7 8700 or AMD Ryzen 5 3600 |
| Memory | 8GB RAM | 16GB RAM |
| Graphics | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti or AMD Radeon RX 560 | NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 5700 |
| DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Network | Broadband Internet Connection required | Broadband Internet Connection required |
Top PCs to Play the Resident Evil Remake:
OcUK Gaming Tanto PC:
The OcUK Gaming Tanto comes packed with all the high-quality hardware you need to enjoy playing the Resident Evil 4 Remake. This includes a hybrid core Intel i3 12100F CPU and NVIDIA RTX 3060. Unlock seamless performance at up to 4.3GHz in both single- and multi-threaded tasks, along with enhanced Ray Tracing and AI capabilities. Plus, with both a 500GB M.2 SSD and optional additional drives, you will have plenty of storage space for your expanding gaming library and more!
The OcUK Gaming Pyrite is a configurable gaming PC. This means you can adjust the base hardware specification to suit your individual preferences, favourite games, and gameplay style. You can configure the WiFi, operating system, and choose up to two SSDs.
OcUK Gaming Tanto
- Configurable gaming PC
- Customisable specification
- As standards includes an Intel i3-12100F CPU and NVIDIA RTX 3060
- 16GB DDR4 RAM
- Flexible storage options
Refract Gaming Jade Pre-built PC:
A part of the Refract Gaming range, our Jade pre-built system has been expertly crafted for mid-tier gaming and budding content creators. Armed with an AMD Ryzen 7 7700 CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti GPU, enjoy ultra-fast processing and intelligent workload management. Perfect for both work and play! What’s more, take advantage of built-in support for Real-Time Ray Tracing and AI DLSS, for enhanced visuals and an immersive gaming experience.
Each PC in the Refract Gaming range comes equipped with a three-year warranty, which also covers parts and labour. You’ll most certainly need that extra protection against those hordes of zombies!
Refract Gaming Jade
- Pre-built gaming PC
- Includes an AMD Ryzen 7 7700 CPU and NVIDIA RTX 4060 Ti GPU
- 32GB DDR5 RAM
- Comes with a three-year warranty
Infin8 Swarm MK2 Extreme Gaming PC:
Take down those deadly swarms of zombies with the high-powered Infin8 Swarm MK2 Gaming PC.
Designed for gaming enthusiasts, the Infin8 Swarm MK2 comes equipped with an Intel 13th Gen CPU, with a pre-configured overclock. Utilise the cutting-edge hybrid core architecture and built-in workload management, to achieve blisteringly fast speeds in both AAA gaming and intensive applications. What’s more, unlock hyper-realistic visuals with realistic lighting and shadows, thanks to the NVIDIA RTX 3080. You can wave goodbye to pesky slow loading times and input lag, with up to 64GB of DDR5 RAM at speeds of up to 5600MHz.
To ensure all of this cutting-edge hardware remains cool and quiet, this gaming PC comes equipped with a custom water-cooling loop. Built utilising high-quality hardware, this thermal solution has been fine-tuned to ensure the critical components perform at optimum temperatures, even under heavy loads.
Infin8 Swarm MK2
- High-end gaming PC
- Configurable specification
- Includes an Intel i7 13700KF CPU, with a pre-configured overclock
- NVIDIA RTX 3080 GPU
- Up to 64GB DDR5 RAM
- Custom-water cooling loop
Will You Be Playing?
Be sure to let us know if you’ll be playing the Resident Evil 4 Remake, along with your favourite instalment of this much-loved franchise.
PC specs are subject to change.
- 8 min read
Ruth Rowley
Author
Ruth has been with Overclockers UK for over a year and has gone on to write about everything ranging from in-depth hardware guides to monthly game releases.
Outside of writing blog posts, she can be found wrapped in a blanket with her black cat, engrossed in a book or playing life-simulation games such as The Sims, Stardew Valley, and Animal Crossing.
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