Summary
While theResident Evilseries may have once been known as those horror games that featured pixelated characters and pre-rendered backgrounds, it has come a very long way since then. With the franchise only becoming more popular as time has gone on, it has encouraged Capcom to ensure each new entry meets modern standards, and while this means updating the gameplay and introducing new characters, it also relates to the visuals.
A series like this one, full of gore and bloody imagery, needs to have good enough graphical quality to make the monsters, zombies, and mutants feel as believable as possible. Thankfully, theResident Evilseries has been ahead of the curve in this department for many years, with some of the more recent games being among the best-looking in the entire genre.
WhenResident Evil Revelationswas released on theNintendo 3DS, the game felt like Capcom was trying to experiment with going back to the series' survival horror roots after it had gotten a little carried away with the action. The game would end up becoming so popular that it spawned an episodic sequel, which was released for the Xbox One and PS4, allowing it to make use of the HD technology to bring each of its areas and enemies to life.
BecauseRevelations 2takes a much slower approach to its gameplay, it gives players plenty of time to admire the immensely detailed environments that they will travel through while trapped on Sein Island. The enemies in this game also look freakishly good from a visual point of view. ThoughRevelations 2may not reach the graphical heights of some of the games on the RE engine, it’s still a real looker nonetheless.
The remake of the originalResident Evilis often considered one of the greatest reimaginings of a horror title ever made, and a big reason why is that it manages to replicate the spooky atmosphere of the original while still modernizing the gameplay and visuals. It’s honestly quite staggering just how much detail has gone into creating theSpencer Mansion, with each and every room being packed full of ornaments, paintings, and small items that provide some great visual storytelling.
By replacing the pre-rendered backgrounds with actual 3D environments, Capcom was able to make the survival horror classic even more immersive than before, resulting in it becoming the go-to way to play the game. Even more than 20 years after its release, theResident Evil Remakestill looks downright stunning, and when paired with the timeless gameplay, it’s no wonder why so many fans love it so much.
Resident Evil 7was not only the first mainline game in the series to use an FPS camera view, but it also marked the first time a game was released onthe RE engine. While this made the gameplay a little smoother, where it really came into effect was the graphics.Resident Evil 7opts for a slightly more realistic visual style compared to earlier entries, with each member of the Baker family looking like real people who have actually lost their minds, rather than just simply video game villains.
Of course, this also relates to the Baker’s estate, which is where players spend most of their time in the game. From the mold infesting the walls and ceilings to the dimly lit bedrooms, it’s clear Capcom spent a lot of time focusing on the graphics so that players could feel as immersed as possible. As the first example of the RE engine in use, it still had a lot of time to improve, but it’s fair to sayResident Evil 7was a good starting point, considering how incredible it looks, even today.
AfterResident Evil 4received critical acclaim across the board, it was clear all Capcom had to do was improve on what made that game so special in order to bring fans back for the next entry. WhileResident Evil 5is a bit divisivein terms of its gameplay and story, one thing fans can all agree on is that the game looks pretty amazing for the time it came out. This especially applies to the characters, who are all incredibly detailed, along with the facial animations, which feel far ahead of their time.
Kijuju, as an area, also feels very diverse and vibrant thanks to the upgraded graphics, and though the brown filter, which was very popular in gaming at the time, does take away some of the color, it’s easy to ignore after playing for an hour or two. Considering how great the game looks even after all these years, it’ll be interesting to see if Capcom can make the visuals even better if they decide to go with a remake.
4Resident Evil 2 Remake
Players Can Explore The RPD In All Its Gory Glory
The RPD is one of the most iconic areas in the horror genre, and while it’s been featured in severalResident Evilgames andspin-offs, nowhere has it looked better than the remake ofResident Evil 2. With the RE engine working its magic, the interior of this zombie-infested building is a real feast for the eyes, especially with the lighting giving off a very tense and spine-chilling atmosphere that only adds to the immersion.
Only a few minutes after stepping into the RPD, players will be able to find their first zombie on the floor, who looks so staggeringly realistic that it can feel like watching a movie rather than playing a game. Every iconic monster, from the Lickers to the Cerberus dogs, all the way to Birkin himself, all look miles better than they did in the original game, and while players are only able to explore very small parts of Raccoon City, these areas are still a ton of fun to explore.
This provides a haunting contrast to the outbreak, with eerily realistic-looking zombies piling the streets, alongside the game’s main villain, the Nemesis, who is one of the most visually impressive enemies seen in the series. Simply put, Capcom decided to follow the formula of theResident Evil 2remake to provide yet another fun-to-play and eye-catching horror title for fans to enjoy.
It’s clear that when developingResident Evil Village, Capcom decided to think outside the box, giving the game a very fantasy-like and whimsical aesthetic which had never really been seen before. Vampires, werewolves, giant bats, nothing was off the table for this hotly anticipated entry, and it allowed the developers to go all-in with the game’s graphics to ensure each of these horrific monsters feels as believable as possible, especially when paired with the first-person camera angle.
There are a lot of moments inVillagewhere enemies will get right up in Ethan’s face, giving players a few moments to admire the amount of work that has gone into these character designs. The village itself is also by far one of the best-looking areas in the series, alongsideDimitrescu’s castle, which almost looks like a modernized reimaging of the Spencer Mansion seen in the first game. Anyone who wants a taste of how goodVillagetruly looks only needs to play the first five minutes, where they can reach the top of a hill and admire the castle and the village in all their glory.
Since the story and characters ofResident Evil 4had already been established, it meant that when developing the remake, Capcom could focus most of its attention on improving the gameplay and graphics. At the same time, being the most recent entry in the franchise, the game came at a point when Capcom had clearly become comfortable using the RE engine, pushing it to the absolute limits of its abilities. What results is arguably the best-looking horror game ever made, or at least of the last generation.
The village, castle, and island all look like they’ve been completely rebuilt from scratch, feeling much more like realistic open areas rather than singular levels. On the other hand, all the characters also look much better than before, especially thanks to the excellent motion capture. The lighting, color palettes, and painstaking level of detail in this game are pretty staggering and a true example of how captivating modern horror games can truly look when the developers put the time and effort in.
