TheResident Evilfranchise is still chugging along after all these years, though it has undergone a number of major permutations, eventually settling into two steady streams: new first-person releases, and high-budget, transformative remakes. These different streams each have unique strengths, with theResident Evil 4remake arguably having the best combatin the series, perhaps even of any survival horror game. Games, likeResident Evil Village, succeed in other areas, but they all excel in terms of raw, satisfying gameplay.
Contrasting these modernResident Evilgames with the recentSilent Hill 2remake reveals interesting mechanical choices on Capcom’s part. TheSilent Hill 2remake, like the original, is more focused on atmosphere, storytelling, and puzzle-solving than combat, although it does take notable strides toward making enemy encounters more engaging and, for better or worse, “fun.” Still, these fights are nothing at all like the massive, expressive, and versatile encounters seen in the likes ofResident Evil 4, which is by design, of course, but it does make the strengths of Capcom’s survival horror series more pronounced. Targeting one repeatedResident Evilfeature could be the key to maintaining and growing these strengths down the road.
Silent Hill 2’s Lack of a Merchant Highlights the Feature’s Impact in Resident Evil
The Fundamental Differences Between Resident Evil and Silent Hill
It’s not too bold to say thatSilent Hillhas pushed the survival horror genre forwardthrough its conceptual and narrative ingenuity. The first threeSilent Hills set a new gold standard for sophisticated and mature storytelling in games, showing how the medium can be leveraged to evoke feelings that film and literature simply cannot. The series accomplished this through strong writing, yes, but also through impeccable environmental storytelling, sound design, and the clever, subtle integration of player choice.
ButResident Evilhas always been the franchise that pushed the envelope on the gameplay front. Initially conceptualized as a response to the earlyResident Evilgames, thefirst fewSilent Hilltitlesadhered to a very similar gameplay formula as its inspirations. Mechanical staples ofResident Evil 1,2, and3, like loose metroidvania progression, a fixed camera angle, and item-based puzzle-solving all served as the foundation forSilent Hill’s gameplay.
Resident Evilwent on to effectivelyrevolutionize the third-person-shooter genre withResident Evil 4, which would serve to inspire countless iconic franchises, includingDead Space. The game doubles down on action elements, offering a sprawling arsenal of weapons to choose from, an in-game economy—the series' first up til that point—and a robust, flexible upgrade system via the Merchant. These new gameplay facets would be redoubled and expanded upon in future entries, likeResident Evil 5andResident Evil Village, whileSilent Hill’s gameplay would remain mostly static between new releases. Otherwise, the series would take detours into fundamentally experimental and distinct mechanical frameworks, like inSilent Hill: Shattered Memories. This isn’t to say that one franchise is necessarily better than the other, but the design choices introduced inResident Evil 4definitely led to a more gratifying combat experience than the more tailored gameplay ofSilent Hill.
Resident Evil 9 Can Build On Series Strengths With Another Merchant
Nowhere is the gameplay discrepancy betweenSilent HillandResident Evilmore apparent than through the latter’s in-game economy.In games likeResident Evil4andResident Evil Village, Merchant and Duke serve as powerful avenues for player progression and experimentation. Through these systems,Resident Evilplayers are able to invest in specific playstyles, growing stronger while nurturing their preferred strategies. This increases replay value and expression in a way that isn’t reflected inSilent Hill’s approach to game design, emphasizing the potential benefits of futureResident Evilgames maintaining the merchant system.
Resident Evil 4
WHERE TO PLAY
Survival is just the beginning.Six years have passed since the biological disaster in Raccoon City.Agent Leon S. Kennedy, one of the survivors of the incident, has been sent to rescue the president’s kidnapped daughter. He tracks her to a secluded European village, where there is something terribly wrong with the locals.And the curtain rises on this story of daring rescue and grueling horror where life and death, terror and catharsis intersect.Featuring modernized gameplay, a reimagined storyline, and vividly detailed graphics, Resident Evil 4 marks the rebirth of an industry juggernaut.Relive the nightmare that revolutionized survival horror.
