Horror buffs won't find much in RE7 they haven't already seen in theatres. The Baker estate evokes the original RE's mansion with its labyrinthine layout, sparse supplies and the constant threat of enemies – especially the near-invincible Baker patriarch Jack. RE7 strips away the action element and doubles down on what fans loved about the early games. That choice to scale things back paid off.
"We took the opposite approach this time and decided that the best course for the series this time would be to focus on horror that is deep and immersive." "The last games had expanded to a global scale of action, and when we thought about where to take the next game from there, we thought continuing in that direction would be difficult," series producer Masachika Kawata told CBC News. But as they got bigger in scope, critics and fans felt they lost much of what drew them to the series in the first place. Resident Evil 5 and 6 continued the trend, each game sequel becoming more like the film franchise, which has always favoured action over suspense. It debuted to overwhelming critical praise, but some longtime fans lamented the change. Your arsenal of weapons was now much larger and the hero, Leon Kennedy, could punch, kick and suplex bad guys into submission.
It so ignited his interest in horror games that he eventually released his own, Home, a well-received game that applies Resident Evil's eerie sound design and narrative tension to a smaller-scale, smartphone-friendly experience.īut when Resident Evil 4 (2005) came out, the publisher, Capcom, had exchanged the claustrophobic mansion for wider environments and more action-oriented gameplay. Toronto developer Benjamin Rivers took many of Resident Evil's lessons and applied them to a smaller-scale horror experience in his smartphone game Home. It spawned a franchise of over 25 games and spin-off titles that have sold more than 75 million copies, as well as a film series starring Milla Jovovich that has grossed more than $1 billion US worldwide. It was a breakout hit in an emerging genre that would become known as "survival horror" games. Released in 1996 for the Sony PlayStation, the original Resident Evil put players in the role of Jill Valentine or Chris Redfield, two special forces agents trapped in a giant mansion infested with zombies, monsters and elaborate booby traps. "If you close your eyes while watching a scary movie, you can avoid the parts that frighten you, but if you close your eyes while playing a horror video game nothing happens – the scary part just sits there waiting for you." "Games are not a passive form of media," says Peter Counter, a horror culture writer and founder of the blog Everything Is Scary. "Even the scariest horror film can't compare to a well-orchestrated horror game, because as the instigator of the events, you literally can't look away," says Toronto-based game developer Benjamin Rivers. It also exemplifies why video games are such a fitting vehicle for this genre.
It's the perfect setup for someone or something to slither behind you as you peer into the dark corners of the estate. The aura of suspense and dread is amped up by the use of first-person camera, limiting your view to whatever Ethan can see in front of him. As Roberts adds, he is “passionate about the fourth game” and he can imagine taking on aspects of the game in the next movie: “There are a lot of interesting stories and small details that we brought into this movie, but it’s amazing that it expands.If you were a character in a horror movie, would you walk through this door? In Resident Evil 7 you're faced with choices like this on a regular basis. He especially liked part of Capcom’s survival horror series: “Resident Evil 4”. If his “Welcome to Raccoon City” is successfully screened in international films, the director wants the series to continue. “There was always the thought that gamers weren’t going to the movies and that you had to address other target groups.” He emphasizes that he has taken the proposal seriously. Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City Conte Sequels ErholtonĪccording to Roberts, there has been a change in recent years in the way film adaptations of popular video game franchises are made and understood. If director Johannes Roberts (“47m down”) has a way, he already has in mind a special “RE” game as a source of inspiration, as he told his colleagues Games Radar (Via SFX) revealed in an exclusive interview. This work marks the reboot of the film series, which may lead to sequels. After a Shift “Resident Evil: Welcome to Raccoon City” opens in German cinemas in three weeks.