Resident Evil
Resident Evil, known in Japan as is a Japanese horror video game series and media franchise created by Capcom. It consists of survival horror, third-person shooter, and first-person shooter games. The franchise has expanded into a live-action film series, animated films, television series, comic books, novels, audio dramas, and other media and merchandise. The first "Resident Evil" was created by Shinji Mikami and Tokuro Fujiwara and released for the PlayStation in 1996. It is credited for defining the survival horror genre and returning zombies to popular culture. With "Resident Evil 4" (2005), the franchise shifted  to more dynamic shooting action; it influenced the evolution of the survival horror and third-person genres, popularizing the "over-the-shoulder" third-person view. "" (2017) moved the series to a first-person perspective. "Resident Evil" is Capcom's best-selling video game franchise, with units sold worldwide as of December 2021. It is the best-selling horror game series, in addition to the film adaptations being the highest-grossing live-action video game film series, making "Resident Evil" the highest-grossing franchise in the horror and zombie genres. History. The development of the first "Resident Evil", released as "Biohazard  in Japan, began in 1993 when Capcom's Tokuro Fujiwara told Shinji Mikami and other co-workers to create a game using elements from Fujiwara's 1989 game Sweet Home". When in late 1994 marketing executives were setting up to release "Biohazard" in the United States, it was pointed out that securing the rights to the name "Biohazard" would be very difficult as a DOS game had been registered under that name, as well as a New York hardcore punk band called Biohazard. A contest was held among company personnel to choose a new name; this competition turned up "Resident  Evil", the name under which it was released in the west. "Resident Evil" made its debut on the PlayStation in 1996 and was later ported to the Sega Saturn. The first entry in the series was the first game to be dubbed a "survival horror", a term coined for the new genre it initiated, and its critical and commercial success led to the production of two sequels, "Resident Evil 2" in 1998 and "" in 1999, both for the PlayStation. A port of "Resident Evil 2" was released for the Nintendo 64. In addition, ports of all three were released for  Microsoft Windows. The fourth game in the series, "", was developed for the Dreamcast and released in 2000, followed by ports of "Resident Evil 2" and "Resident Evil 3: Nemesis". "Resident Evil – Code: Veronica" was later re-released for Dreamcast in Japan in an updated form as "Code: Veronica Complete", which included slight changes, many of which revolved around story cutscenes. This updated version was later ported to the PlayStation 2 and GameCube under the title "Code: Veronica X". Despite earlier announcements that the next game in the series would be released for the PlayStation 2, which resulted in the creation  of an unrelated game titled "Devil May Cry", series' creator and producer Shinji Mikami decided to make the series exclusively for the GameCube. The next three games in the series—a remake of the original "Resident Evil" and the prequel "Resident Evil Zero", both released in 2002, as well as "Resident Evil 4" (2005)—were all released initially as GameCube exclusives. "Resident Evil 4" was later released for Windows, PlayStation 2, and Wii. A trilogy of GunCon-compatible light gun games known as the "Gun Survivor" series featured first-person gameplay. The first, "Resident Evil Survivor", was released in 2000 for  the PlayStation and PC but received mediocre reviews. The subsequent games, "" and "", fared somewhat better. "Dead Aim" is the fourth "Gun Survivor" game in Japan, with "Gun Survivor 3" being the "Dino Crisis" spin-off "Dino Stalker". In a similar vein, the "Chronicles" series features first-person gameplay, albeit on an on-rails path. "" was released in 2007 for the Wii, with a sequel, "" released in 2009 (both were later ported to the PlayStation 3 in 2012). Also in 2009, "Resident Evil 5" was released for PlayStation 3, Windows and Xbox 360, becoming the best selling game of the franchise  despite mixed fan reception. "Resident Evil Outbreak" is an online game for the PlayStation 2, released in 2003, depicting a series of episodic storylines in Raccoon City set during the same period as "Resident Evil 2" and "Resident Evil 3: Nemesis". It was the first in the series and the first survival horror title to feature cooperative gameplay. It was followed by a sequel, "". Raccoon City is a metropolis located in the Arklay Mountains of the Midwestern United States that succumbed to the deadly T-virus outbreak and was consequently destroyed via a nuclear missile attack issued by the United  States government. The town served as a critical junction for the series' progression as one of the main catalysts to Umbrella's downfall and the entry point for some of the series' most notable characters. "Resident Evil Gaiden" is an action-adventure game for the Game Boy Color featuring a role-playing-style combat system. There have been several downloadable mobile games based on the "Resident Evil" series in Japan. Some of these mobile games have been released in North America and Europe through T-Mobile. At the Sony press conference during E3 2009, "Resident Evil Portable" was announced for  the PlayStation Portable, described as an all-new title being developed with "the PSP Go in mind" and "totally different for a "Resident Evil" game". No further announcements have been made, and the game is considered to have been canceled. Capcom revealed the third-person shooter "", which was developed by Slant Six Games for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows and released in March 2012. A survival horror game for the Nintendo 3DS, "", was released in February 2012. In October of the same year, the next numbered entry in the main series, "Resident Evil 6", was released to  mixed reviews, but enthusiastic pre-order sales. In 2013, producer Masachika Kawata said the "Resident Evil" franchise would return to focus on elements of horror and suspense over action, adding that "survival horror as a genre is never going to be on the same level, financially, as shooters and much more popular, mainstream games. At the same time, I think we need to have the confidence to put money behind these projects, and it doesn't mean we can't focus on what we need to do as a survival horror game to meet fan's needs." "", an episodic game  set between "Resident Evil 5" and "Resident Evil 6", was released in March 2015. A poorly-received team-based multiplayer game set in the series' universe, "Umbrella Corps", was released in June 2016. "" was released for Windows, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in January 2017. Set in a dilapidated mansion in Louisiana, the game uses a first-person perspective and returns to the series' survival horror roots. Unlike "Resident Evil 5" and "Resident Evil 6", the gameplay emphasizes horror and exploration over action. A remake of "Resident Evil 2" was released for the PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One on  January 25, 2019. It uses the RE Engine, which was also used for "Resident Evil 7". The remake outsold the original game within a year, selling over five million copies. Following in the success of the "Resident Evil 2" remake, Capcom revealed a remake of "Resident Evil 3: Nemesis" in December 2019, known as "Resident Evil 3". It was released on April 3, 2020, alongside "", a team-based online multiplayer game previously announced as "Project Resistance". "Resident Evil Village", released on May 7, 2021, is a direct sequel to "Resident Evil 7: Biohazard", set in a mysterious European village and  featuring the same first-person gameplay from its predecessor while incorporating action elements from "Resident Evil 4". The game also marks the franchise's debut on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. Story. Earlier installments in the franchise primarily concerns a group of people who battle against the Umbrella Corporation, a pharmaceutical company which develops the T-virus and other mutagens for their secret "bio-organic weapons" research. The mutagens can transform humans into zombies as well as mutate other animals and plants into horrifying monsters. The original game and many franchise entries are set in and around Raccoon  City, a fictional midwestern American city. The city and its outlying areas house several bioengineering laboratories belonging to the Umbrella Corporation, which develop viruses intended for use in biological warfare. One of the laboratories, unnamed throughout the video game series and referred to as "The Hive" in the film adaptations, is located underneath Raccoon City and is where the T-virus is developed. As Umbrella's mutagen testing grows in scale and the virus has leaked into Raccoon City, STARS officers and other characters fight through the monsters ravaging the city to investigate Umbrella's involvement in the disaster. Raccoon  City is ultimately destroyed by a thermobaric missile strike initiated by the United States government to contain the viral outbreak. An ensuing government investigation leads to Umbrella's downfall. However, the proliferation of Umbrella's biological weapons and viruses leads to other outbreaks across the world. The protagonists of each subsequent entry continue to fight new factions that engage in bio-terrorism and also face new types of creatures. Several major characters are members of Raccoon City's police tactical unit, STARS, including Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and Rebecca Chambers. The head of the STARS department is Albert Wesker, who  also secretly works for Umbrella and is a primary antagonist in the series. Other notable characters of the franchise include police officer and later US special agent Leon S. Kennedy, Chris' sister Claire Redfield, corporate spy Ada Wong, and systems engineer Ethan Winters. Gameplay. The "Resident Evil" franchise has had a variety of control schemes and gameplay mechanics throughout its history. Puzzle-solving has figured prominently throughout the series. Tank controls. The first game introduced a control scheme that the player community has come to refer to as "tank controls" to the series. In a game with tank controls, players  control movement relative to the position of the player character, rather than relative to the fixed virtual camera from which the player views the current scene. Pressing up (for example on a D-pad, analog stick, or cursor movement keys) on the game controller moves the character in the direction being faced, pressing down backpedals, and left and right rotates the character. This can feel counter-intuitive when the character is facing the camera, as the controls are essentially reversed in this state. This differs from many 3D games, in which characters move in the direction the player pushes the  controls from the perspective of the camera. Some critics have posited that the control scheme is intentionally clumsy, meant to enhance stress and exacerbate difficulty. While the first three entries in the series featured this control scheme, the third, "Resident Evil 3: Nemesis", saw some action-oriented additions. These included a 180 degree turn and dodge command that, according to "GameSpot", "hinted at a new direction that the series would go in." Later games in the series, like "Resident Evil 4", would feature a more fluid over-the-shoulder third-person camera instead of a fixed camera for each room , while "Resident Evil 7" and "Resident Evil Village" are played from the first-person perspective. Third-person shooter gameplay. "Resident Evil 4" saw significant changes to the established gameplay, including switching from fixed camera perspectives to a tracking camera, and more action-oriented gameplay and mechanics. This was complemented by an abundance of ammunition and revised aiming and melee mechanics. Some critics claimed that this overhauled control scheme "made the game less scary." The next two games in the franchise furthered the action-oriented mechanics: "Resident Evil 5" featured cooperative play and added strafing, while "Resident Evil 6" allowed players  to move while aiming and shooting for the first time, fully abandoning the series' signature tank controls. First-person gameplay and VR. "Resident Evil 7" is the first main "Resident Evil" game to use the first-person perspective and to use virtual reality. It drew comparisons to modern survival horror games such as "Outlast" and "PT". The eighth main-series game, "Resident Evil Village", also features a first-person perspective. A VR version of "Resident Evil 4" was released on the Oculus Quest 2 on October 21, 2021. Other media. The "Resident Evil" franchise features video games and tie-in  merchandise and products, including various live-action and animated films, comic books, and novels. Films. Live-action films. From 2002 to 2016, six live-action "Resident Evil" films were produced, all written and produced by Paul W. S. Anderson. The films do not follow the games' premise but feature some game characters. The series' protagonist is Alice, an original character created for the films portrayed by Milla Jovovich. Despite a negative reaction from critics, the live-action film series has made over $1 billion worldwide. They are, to date, the only video game adaptations to increase the amount of  money made with each successive film. The series holds the record for the "Most Live-Action Film Adaptations of a Video Game" in the 2012 "Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition", which also described it as "the most successful movie series to be based on a video game." A reboot, "," was released on November 24, 2021, with Johannes Roberts as writer/director. Animated films. The first computer animated film for the franchise was "Biohazard 4D-Executer". It was a short 3D film produced for Japanese theme parks and did not feature any characters from the game. Starting in 2008, a  series of feature-length computer animated films has been released. These films take place in the same continuity with the games of the series, and feature characters such as Leon Kennedy, Claire Redfield, Ada Wong, Chris Redfield and Rebecca Chambers. Television. Constantin Film was in development of a "Resident Evil" animated series in 2005, intended as a spin-off of "Resident Evil: Apocalypse" which would continue Alice and Jill's adventures in the event Sony turned down work on a third film. When "Resident Evil: Extinction" was greenlit, this project was abandoned. A second attempt at a TV series arose  in 2014; owing to a deterioration in Constantin's relationship with Sony Pictures over the cancellation of "" and Sony Pictures Television's disinterest in the "Shadowhunters" series, Constantin began shopping around for alternate financiers with the intention it begin production following the release eof "". Work renewed on the television show project in late 2018 following the cancellation of "Shadowhunters", with Constantin approaching Netflix to finance the film, with production outsourced to Moonlighting Film, their South Africa partner on "The Final Chapter". The series was formally announced in 2020, having been greenlit as an eight episode series with each episode one  hour in length. Andrew Dabb was hired as Showrunner alongside a number of other Netflix projects. Due to delays brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic, production was delayed eight months and took place from February-July 2021. The story makes heavy use of flashbacks, set in both 2022 and 2036. The 2022 plotline involve 14-year-old half-twins Jade and Billie Wesker moving to New Raccoon City. They come to realize that their father may be concealing dark secrets, both that could destroy the world and reveal their true origins. The 2036 plotline takes place in a post-apocalyptic  wasteland, where Umbrella's T-virus has spread across the world, mutating wildlife and six billion human victims, called "Zeroes", leaving behind a mere 15 million uninfected refugees. It follows Jade, now thirty, in her efforts to survive in this world. The series is scheduled to premiere on July 14, 2022. A CG anime series, subtitled "", starring "Resident Evil 2" protagonists Leon S. Kennedy and Claire Redfield, was released on July 8, 2021 on Netflix. Merchandise. Over the years, various toy companies have acquired the "Resident Evil" license, with each producing their own unique line of "Resident Evil" action figures  or models. These include, but are not limited to, Toy Biz, Palisades Toys, NECA, and Hot Toys. Tokyo Marui also produced replicas of the guns used in the "Resident Evil" series in the form of gas blow-back airsoft guns. Some models included the STARS Beretta featured in "Resident Evil 3", and the Desert Eagle in a limited edition that came with other memorabilia in a wooden case, along with the Gold Lugers from "Code: Veronica" and the "Samurai Edge" pistol from the "Resident Evil" remake. Other merchandise includes an energy drink called "T-virus Antidote." "Resident Evil Archives" is  a reference guide of the "Resident Evil" series written by staff members of Capcom. It was translated into English and published by BradyGames. The guide describes and summarizes all of the key events that occur in "Resident Evil Zero", "Resident Evil", "Resident Evil 2", "Resident Evil 3: Nemesis", and "Code: Veronica". The main plot analysis also contains character relationship charts, artwork, item descriptions, and file transcripts for all five games. A second Archives book was later released in December 2011 and covers "Resident Evil 4", "Resident Evil 5", the new scenarios detailed in "Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles" and "Resident  Evil: The Darkside Chronicles", and the 2008 CGI movie, "Resident Evil: Degeneration". The second Archives volume was also translated by Capcom and published by BradyGames. A "Resident Evil" theme restaurant called Biohazard Cafe & Grill S.T.A.R.S. opened in Tokyo in 2012. Halloween Horror Nights 2013, held at Universal Orlando, featured a haunted house titled "Resident Evil: Escape from Raccoon City", based on "Resident Evil 2" and "Resident Evil 3: Nemesis". Novels. The first "Resident Evil" novel was Hiroyuki Ariga's novella "Biohazard: The Beginning", published in 1997 as a portion of the book "The True Story of Biohazard", which was given  away as a pre-order bonus with the Sega Saturn version of "Biohazard". The story serves as a prelude to the original "Resident Evil", in which Chris investigates the disappearance of his missing friend, Billy Rabbitson. S. D. Perry has written novelizations of the first five games, as well as two original novels taking place between games. The novels often take liberties with the games' plot by exploring events occurring outside and beyond the games. This often meant that the games would later contradict the books on a few occasions. One notable addition from the novels is the original character  Trent, who often served as a mysterious behind-the-scenes string-puller who aided the main characters. Perry's novels were translated and released in Japan with new cover arts by Wolfina. Perry's novels, particularly "The Umbrella Conspiracy", also alluded to events in "Biohazard: The Beginning", such as the disappearance of Billy Rabbitson and Brian Irons' bid to run for Mayor. A reprinting of Perry's novels with new cover artwork began in 2012 to coincide with the release of "" and its respective novelization. There are a trilogy of original "Biohazard" novels in Japan. was published in 1998 and  was written by Kyū Asakura and the staff of Flagship. Two additional novels were published in 2002, "To the Liberty" by Sudan Kimura and "Rose Blank" by Tadashi Aizawa. While no official English translation of these novels has been published yet, the last two books were translated into German and published in 2006. Novelizations of three of the six Paul Anderson films; "Genesis", "Apocalypse", and "Extinction", were written by Keith DeCandido. "Afterlife" did not receive a novelization due to Capcom's decision to discontinue working with Pocket Books, who had been their primary source of publishing books up to that  point, Capcom would later make Titan Books their primary publisher going forth. "Retribution" was written by John Shirley, while "The Final Chapter" was written by Tim Waggoner. "Genesis" was published over two years after that film's release and coincided with the publication of "Apocalypse", "Genesis" being marketed as a prequel to "Apocalypse", while the "Extinction" novel was released in late July 2007, two months before the film's release. "The Final Chapter" was published in December 2016 alongside the film's theatrical release. There was also a Japanese novelization of the first film, unrelated to DeCandido's version, written  by Osamu Makino. Makino also wrote two novels based on the game "Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles". The books are a two-part direct novelization of the game and are published in Japanese and German only. The first novel, titled "Biohazard: The Umbrella Chronicles Side A" in Japan and "Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles 1" in Germany, was released on December 22, 2007. The second novel, titled "Biohazard: The Umbrella Chronicles Side B" in Japan and "Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles 2" in Germany, was published in January 2008. Comics. In 1997, Marvel Comics published a single-issue prologue comic  based on the original "Resident Evil", released through a promotional giveaway alongside the original PlayStation game. In 1998, WildStorm began producing a monthly comic book series based on the first two games, titled "Resident Evil: The Official Comic Magazine", which lasted five issues. The first four issues were published by Image, while Wildstorm themselves published the fifth and final issue. Each issue was a compilation of short stories that were both adaptations of events from the games and related side stories. Like the Perry novels, the comics also explored events occurring beyond "Resident Evil 2" (the latest game during the  series' publication) and thus were contradicted by later games. Wildstorm also published a four-issue miniseries titled "Resident Evil: Fire & Ice", which depicted the ordeal of Charlie Team, a third STARS team created specifically for the comic. In 2009, Wildstorm reprinted "Fire & Ice" in a trade paperback collection. In Hong Kong, there has been officially licensed "Biohazard" manhua adaptations of "Biohazard 0" by publisher Yulang Group, "Biohazard 2" by Kings Fountain, "Biohazard 3 Supplemental Edition" by Cao Zhihao and, "Biohazard 3", and "Code: Veronica" by Lee Chung Hing published by Tinhangse Publishing. The latter was translated into English and distributed  by Wildstorm as a series of four graphic novel collections. In 2009, Wildstorm began publishing a comic book prequel to "Resident Evil 5", titled "Resident Evil", which centers around two original members of the BSAA named Mina Gere and Holiday Sugarman. Written by Ricardo Sanchez and illustrated by Kevin Sharpe and Jim Clark, the first issue was published on March 11, 2009. On November 11, 2009, the third issue was released, and the fourth was released March 24, 2010. The sixth and final book was finally published in February 2011. Plays. In the summer of 2000, "Bioroid: Year Zero" was  performed in Japan. It was a musical horror-comedy but took the perspective of the infected. Super Eccentric Theater put on the production under the direction of Osamu Yagihashi. The stage play was performed from early July to late August. "Biohazard The Stage" was released in Japan in 2015. The play focused on iconic characters, Chris Redfield and Rebecca Chambers, as Philosophy University in Australia is experiencing a bioterrorist attack. The production was handled by Avex Live Creative and Ace Crew Entertainment, under supervision from Capcom. The following year, "Musical Biohazard ~Voice of Gaia~" was released in September. It was  produced by Umeda Arts Theater by director G2 and composer, Shunsuke Wada. "Biohazard the Experience" was the second "Resident Evil" play produced by Avex Live Creative and Ace Crew Entertainment. The story is set in 2015 and follows a cast of thirteen survivors who were abducted and woke up in a mansion during an outbreak. Reception and legacy. Most of the games in the prominent "Resident Evil" series have been released to positive reviews. Some of the games, most notably "Resident Evil", "Resident Evil 2" and "Resident Evil 4", have been bestowed with multiple Game of the Year honors and  often placed on lists of the best video games ever made. In 1999, "Next Generation" listed the "Resident Evil" series as number 13 on their "Top 50 Games of All Time", commenting that, "Flawless graphics, excellent music, and a top-notch storyline all combined to make a game of unparalleled atmosphere and suspense." In 2012, "Complex" ranked "Resident Evil" at number 22 on the list of the best video game franchises. That same year, G4tv called it "one of the most successful series in gaming history." Commercial performance. As of September 30, 2021, the series has sold units worldwide. The  first two "Resident Evil" games had collectively sold approximately units worldwide by March 1999. By early 2001, the series had sold units worldwide, earning more than . By 2011, it had sold about units and was estimated to have grossed at least more than in video game sales. It is recognized by "Guinness World Records" as the best-selling survival horror series, with "Resident Evil 5" the best-selling survival horror game, . Seven of the top ten best-selling horror games in North America are "Resident Evil" titles, with "Resident Evil 5" the best-selling horror game, . The "Resident Evil" film  adaptations also went on to become the highest-grossing film series based on video games by 2012. By 2011, the films had grossed over at the box office, bringing the franchise's estimated revenue to at least more than in combined video game sales and box office gross up until then. , the films have grossed more than in box office and home video sales. The success of the video games and films have made "Resident Evil" the highest-grossing franchise in the horror and zombie genres. Cultural impact. GameSpot listed the original "Resident Evil" as one of the fifteen most  influential video games of all time. It is credited with defining and popularizing the survival horror genre of games. It is also credited with taking video games in a cinematic direction with its B-movie style cut-scenes, including live-action full-motion video (FMV) footage. Its live-action opening, however, was controversial; it became one of the first action games to receive the "Mature 17+" (M) rating from the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), despite the opening cutscene being censored in North America. The "Resident Evil" franchise is credited with sparking a revival of the zombie genre in  popular culture, leading to a renewed interest in zombie films during the 2000s. "Resident Evil" also helped redefine the zombie genre, playing an important role in its shift from supernatural themes to scientific themes by using science to explain the origins of zombies. According to Kim Newman in the book "Nightmare Movies" (2011), "the zombie revival began in the Far East" mainly due to the 1996 Japanese zombie games "Resident Evil" and "The House of the Dead". George Romero, in 2013, said it was the video games "Resident Evil" and "House of the Dead" "more than anything else" that popularised  his zombie concept in early 21st-century popular culture. In a 2015 interview with "Huffington Post", screenwriter-director Alex Garland credited the "Resident Evil" series as a primary influence on his script for the horror film "28 Days Later" (2002), and credited the first "Resident Evil" game for revitalizing the zombie genre. Screenwriter Edgar Wright cited "Resident Evil 2" as a primary influence on his zombie comedy film "Shaun of the Dead" (2004), with the film's star and co-writer Simon Pegg also crediting the first game with starting the zombie revival in popular culture. "The Walking Dead" comic  book creator Robert Kirkman cited "Resident Evil" as his favorite zombie game, while "The Walking Dead" television series director Greg Nicotero credited "Resident Evil" and "The House of the Dead" with introducing the zombie genre "to a whole generation of younger people who didn’t grow up watching "Night of the Living Dead" and "Dawn of the Dead"." Additionally, the first "Resident Evil" film adaptation also contributed to the revival of zombie films, with the success of the film and the games resulting in zombies achieving greater mainstream prominence and several zombie films being greenlit, such as the video game  film adaptation "House of the Dead" (2003), the remake "Dawn of the Dead" (2004) and Romero's "Land of the Dead" (2004). The "Resident Evil" films, "28 Days Later" and the "Dawn of the Dead" remake all set box office records for the zombie genre, reaching levels of commercial success not seen since the original "Dawn of the Dead" (1978). They were followed by other zombie films such as "28 Weeks Later" (2007), "Zombieland" (2009), "Cockneys vs Zombies" (2012), and "World War Z" (2013), as well as zombie-themed graphic novels and television shows such as "The Walking Dead" and  The Returned, and books such as "World War Z" (2006), "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" (2009) and "Warm Bodies" (2010). The zombie revival trend was popular across different media up until the mid-2010s. Since then, zombie films have declined in popularity during the late 2010s, but zombie video games have remained popular, as seen with the commercial success of the "Resident Evil 2" remake and "Days Gone" in 2019.