My first experience with Resident Evil was back in 1998 when Capcom released Resident Evil 2. People couldn’t stop talking about it and I wanted to see what the big deal was. The hype was justified. Between that expansive, haunted police station, the relentless Mr. X and those gaht-damn lickers, I was sold. Plus, it was the first game I’d ever played that offered multiple avenues through the story. My headcanon is Clare-A, Leon-B. I went back and played the original, but it didn’t hold a candle to Resident Evil 2.
Resident Evil 3: Nemesis changed everything.
There was never a moment in that game when I didn’t feel that unstoppable hulk of nature was hunting me. My first moment of sheer terror came near the photo development room in the police station when I emerged from saving and a missile exploded near my head. Because they armed the mammoth monosyllabic roided-out zombie from hell with heavy weapons. Because that’s what he needed.
The game took place during the events of Resident Evil 2, so it was fun to pick out where Leon and Clare were in between bouts of running for my life and trying not to get swallowed hole by a gamma hunter (because they did that). By this point, I had a good working knowledge of Raccoon City. I knew where the landmarks were; I knew the police station in and out. Half of what kept Jill from repeated and gruesome deaths was knowing where the safe places were.
Then it was gone.
In the previous games, we’d dealt with countdowns and our local environment self-destructing. In Resident Evil 3, Capcom took things a step further, and it took the story in a horrifying new direction. Resident Evil 3’s third act had you outrunning a tactical nuclear missile that would wipe Raccoon City right out of existence. The first time I played through this, I couldn’t believe it way happening. I thought one of the franchises’ stupid little puzzles might avert the countdown. They weren’t really going to scrub an entire city out of existence, right? I mean, Umbrella can’t just sweep that under the rug! How many actual people are going to get cooked with all the zombies? What about the fallout? Are they seriously going to drop a nuclear bomb on an American city?!
The very end of the game, you’re presented with a radar screen that lets you know how close the missile is oh and of course Nemesis is back for one last rail gun to the face.
I still couldn’t believe it as the helicopter lifted off, and the missile blew past.
I figured it would fall from the sky, or be recalled or something. They weren’t actually going to destroy the city…
…were they?
Oh, God.
They did it.
They really did it.
The image of a fiery mushroom cloud remained on screen as the news broadcaster relayed the events of Raccoon City’s end. I don’t remember breathing the entire time I saw that for the first time.
“An Unfortunate Event” is still one of my favorite tracks of all time.
For me, the franchise peaked at Resident Evil 5, where the feud between Chris Redfield and Albert Wesker came to an end. I didn’t enjoy Resident Evil 6, and I’ve had a hard time connecting to Resident Evil 7. Up until the Livestream, I was planning to stay away from Resident Evil Village, but I’m intrigued.
Resident Evil is one of gaming’s most beloved and enduring franchises. I can’t believe it’s a quarter-century old. I’m glad to still be able to take part in it.
What about you? What’s your favorite memory from the Resident Evil franchise?
Thanks for reading.
Avery K. Tingle, The Gamer Author is a SciFi/Fantasy Author currently living in Eastern Washington. Resident Evil: Foundations is a recipient of Wattpad’s Most Impressive award and is available for free. Connect and check out all of his work here. The Rogue Christian advocates for equal rights and victims of child and domestic abuse. His cats don’t let him take himself too seriously.
Avery K. Tingle, The Gamer Author 