Resident Evil - Is The Series Still Giving Fans What They Want

"I really liked the older games (1, 2, 3) because it seemed a lot more realistic to me well at least more than the newest games. With the cops being the last line of defense against the bacterial outbreak. I think that capcom should really start heading back in that direction. I'm just really not buying into the series lately, it has more of an arcade feel to it." - CoDyHD

Resident Evil first debuted on the Playstation One in 1996 and was later ported to the Sega Saturn and the PC and revamped in 2002 for the Nintendo Gamecube.  Set in the outskirts of Raccoon City, gamers are quickly thrown into a world of undead beings, health spray, puzzles, and unraveling the truth behind the gruesome mansion while investigating the disappearance of STARS team members after being trapped by some not so average dogs in a mansion. Resident Evil’s playable characters, the powerhouse Chris Redfield and the smaller, but faster Jill Valentine became instant fan favorites and would make appearances in future Resident Evil games and spin offs.

"Bring back the adventure/horror/puzzleness of the older titles please! All they really need to change from 1-3 is the walking/running controls. If that was more fluid and not as linear it would be perfect" - Towncryer

"Resident evil 4 introduced alot of great aspects like the new controls and camera and was certainly random." - NightWing XII

In 2005, Capcom released the turning point in the series, Resident Evil 4 staring Leon Kennedy.  Resident Evil 4 introduced new additions that appeared to ensure the longevity of the franchise while adapting to the needs of what fans wanted.

"My beginning with the RE franchise was with 4 because I heard it was awesome, got it, played it, and loved it. Later (towards the end of last year, in fact) I went back and played RE1 and 2, and those games are pretty great for their time, and I can see how the series is shifting a bit from the original focus. I preferred the zombies to the parasites, as they are the original, and they define the series." - AudaciousKevin

"Real Zombies, no more parasites or whatever." - PaNfoot

Along with the introduction of the new elements in Resident Evil 4 came the introduction of a new parasite that replaced the fan's beloved undead.  The "Las Plagas" parasite infected villagers and caused them to become loyal to the cult, "Los Illuminados".  The infected villagers were quick, agile, and would often attack in groups instead of the series staple slow moving zombies who would rather attack from a dark corner while consuming fresh meat off of a dead corpse. 

While the new parasite seemed to be replacing the previous T and G virus outbreaks in Raccoon City, fans still embraced Resident Evil 4 and this innovative entry into the series became one of the most acclaimed games in the franchise.   

" I think the games have passed their prime. I think now, it's a novelty, and they'll try anything in the series. The things people liked about the game, aren't in it so much anymore. It was one of those rare games that didn't need much of a next gen upgrade." - PeeKnuckle

"It's been nearly four whole years since the last Resident Evil crept it's way into the dark hearts of zombie killers and virus afficionados, but the long wait hasn't exactly been a fruitful one. Jun Takeuchi has taken over the reigns to Capcom's survival-horror enterprise and in my own personal opinion has completely thrown out the window everything that made the Resident Evil series what it is." -CoyandChris

Resident Evil 5 brought back fan favorite Chris Redfield as one of the playable characters in the game and introduced a new partner as the second playable character, Sheva Alomar.  Resident Evil 5 also brought back a familar enemy that just will not die and a familiar face from Chris's past.  But why wasn't this enough for the fans of Resident Evil?

Where Resident Evil 4 was innovative and a step forward from past games, fans felt that Resident Evil 5 tried to eliminate the classic elements that Resident Evil 4 took from the series and ran with and instead turned Resident Evil into your everyday co-op shooter with enemies, but attached the Resident Evil name and the familiar faces to the game.  However not everyone felt that Resident Evil 5 was a step in the wrong direction and enjoyed being able to play through the story with newly added co-op and bonuses such as unlockable character/enemy models and unlimited ammo.  

"5 is actually one of my favorite games on the 360, I liked all the unlockables you could get and weapons, and if you used a weapon enough you could get unlimited ammo etc." - Green Grenades

    Are the days of fan loved classic survival/horror Resident Evil officially dead and buried?  Only Capcom can answer that and with the 4 year gap between Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5, fans might be waiting a long time for an official answer to see if Resident Evil can return to the roots that it once was, but maintain the innovative game play that Resident Evil 4 introduced.