Resident Evil: 5 Interesting Facts Behind the Success of the Iconic Horror Game Franchise

Liputan6.com, Jakarta - Resident Evil franchise has long been an icon of the survival horror genre, captivating millions of players with its gripping atmosphere, challenging puzzles, and terrifying creatures.

Since its debut in 1996, the game has not only redefined horror in video games but also spawned numerous sequels, spin-offs, films, and other adaptations.

However, behind its global success lies a wealth of fascinating stories and unique facts that have shaped the game's identity.

This article will explore five fascinating facts about Resident Evil, showing how the game evolved and left an indelible mark on the history of the gaming industry.

Many fans may already know that the Resident Evil games have a different name in their home country, Japan.

There, the franchise is known as "Biohazard."

This name change was not without reason, but rather due to significant trademark issues in the United States market.

In the 1990s, the name "Biohazard" was already registered and used by a metal band and another lesser-known DOS game.

To overcome this obstacle, Capcom, the game's developer, held an internal competition among its employees to find a suitable new name for the Western release.

Ultimately, the name "Resident Evil" was chosen because the game is set in a large house, or "residence," filled with evil.

The roots of the Resident Evil concept apparently stem from Capcom's previous horror game, "Sweet Home."

Released in 1989 for the Famicom (NES) console in Japan, "Sweet Home" is a video game adaptation of the Japanese horror film of the same name.

The game introduced several innovative elements that would become hallmarks of Resident Evil.

These elements include limited inventory management, complex puzzle-solving, and even the iconic door-based loading screens, which are familiar to Resident Evil players.

Resident Evil director Shinji Mikami was specifically tasked with creating a game set in a haunted house, similar to the concept of "Sweet Home."

The initial development of Resident Evil was planned with a first-person perspective, but this direction changed drastically due to the influence of other games.

Director Shinji Mikami discovered the 1992 game "Alone in the Dark" and was inspired by its cinematic fixed-angle camera system.

Although Mikami was initially reluctant, feeling it reduced player immersion, he eventually adopted this approach.

The full 3D first-person prototype at the time didn't fit the PlayStation's technical specifications, making the fixed camera angle an effective solution for creating stunning visuals.

Mikami even stated that without "Alone in the Dark," Resident Evil would have had a first-person view.

The first Resident Evil game, released in 1996, is known not only for its horror, but also for its dialogue, which was often considered "cheesy" or over-the-top.

Phrases like "that was close, you were almost a Jill-sandwich" became incredibly famous and unforgettable among gamers in the 90s.

In fact, this dialogue even earned the game a Guinness World Record in 2008 for "worst screenplay/acting" in a video game.

While negative, this award indirectly contributed to Resident Evil's fame and cult status.

Capcom even recognized the humor behind this dialogue, with references to "Jill Sandwich" appearing in other spin-off games.

The development process for Resident Evil 4 was one of the most turbulent in the franchise's history, going through numerous iterations and conceptual changes.

One early version of Resident Evil 4, directed by Hideki Kamiya, who also directed Resident Evil 2, took a very action-oriented direction with a gothic aesthetic distinct from previous Resident Evil games.

The developers realized that this radical change would stray too far from the survival horror essence that is the hallmark of Resident Evil.

Therefore, they made the strategic decision to use the existing work from that early version of Resident Evil 4 as the basis for creating a new franchise that would eventually become known as "Devil May Cry."