1996 saw the release of Capcoms
Resident Evil (
Biohazard in Japan), and the video game industry has never been the same. Set in a creepy mansion on the outskirts of the fictional Raccoon City, players took control of either Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield as they attempted to unravel its mysteries while also fending off all sorts of nasty beasts. It popularized and defined the survival horror genre, introduced players to the evil pharmaceutical company Umbrella, and scared the pants off of many a player. Since then the series has become a powerhouse franchise, with 6 official sequels/prequels, numerous spinoffs, an exquisite remake of the original, and a movie series of the same name. However, the nearly two decade old series has certainly had its ups and downs. While some entries are considered by many to be genre classics (
Resident Evil 2), others are so bad they arent even worth remembering (
Resident Evil: Survivor). The series has also had issues with innovation, which eventually led to Capcom understandably reinventing it from the ground up, starting with
Resident Evil 4 in 2005, which placed greater emphasis on action and thrills than exploration and puzzle solving. This has led to debate among fans over the quality of the series at present, with some craving the more slow-paced and atmospheric style of the early years, while others enjoy the new fast-paced and action oriented direction. Story wise, the narrative also continues to only expand, getting more complicated and inexplicable with each new entry. Needless to say, the series has always been far from perfect, but fans love them all the same. Despite the somewhat inconsistent quality, the franchise is full of memorable moments, especially if youve stuck with it from the beginning. With the release of the next entry in the series,
Resident Evil 6, only days away, I thought now would be a great time to reflect back on some of the most memorable moments of the prior games. These are the moments that have gone on to define the
Resident Evil experience. These are the ten most unforgettable moments of the
Resident Evil series.