Tanks For The Memories – The Evolution Of Resident Evil's Combat

Capcom's seminal horror franchise has changed dramatically since its inception in 1996. An important element of that evolution concerns combat - how players dispatch the zombies and other terrible creatures. From the original PlayStation game to next year's Resident Evil Revelations 2 (read our cover story reveal here), the franchise has moved away from clunky tank controls to more nimble characters with better aim. Let's dive into just how Capcom's horror franchise keeps fighting rancid biological abominations fresh, from the original Resident Evil all the way up to Revelations 2.

Note: This feature only applies to core entries to the Resident Evil series and Resident Evil Revelations.

Clunky Killers (1996 - 1998)
The early Resident Evil games are renowned both for their scares and the intentionally limiting control scheme. Characters control similar to tanks - left and right on the d-pad turn them, up and down makes them go forward and backwards. These controls allow players to move between the multiple, security cam-esque screens without too much confusion. As a result, evading zombies and more nimble monsters like killer attack dogs is a sloppy affair. Oftentimes an attempted dodge will turn you into a zombie's lunch.

Gunplay has been an important element in since the beginning, with iconic weapons like pistols, shotguns, magnums, and grenade launchers returning time after time. At inception, blasting enemies was a more limited experience, allowing players to aim up, down, or straight ahead. Many creatures can be targeted by simply aiming straight on, but particular situations call for more deliberate marksmanship. Aiming up with a shotgun at a crowd of zombies allows you to score multiple headshots with a single shell - something that's incredibly valuable when ammo is scarce. Aiming down is important for taking out lower-profile enemies like snakes or crawling zombies. In the first two RE games, players had to manually dial in their shots, whereas later rereleases would incorporate invaluable auto-lock aiming.

New Skills And Another Dimension (1999 - 2000)
Jill Valentine learned a thing or two about surviving viral outbreaks after the Mansion Incident. Resident Evil 3: Nemesis introduces a few important new mobility options. First is the 180-degree quick turn, which allows Jill to turn on a dime and run in the opposite direction. This is crucial for evading zombie grabs or the titular Nemesis when he launches a violent ambush. Jill can also push away zombies or dodge with careful timing of a button press. Tapping the aim button when she's about to be captured causes her to knock a zombie back so she can flee, or dodge an enemy's attack completely. Jill can also craft her own ammo out of gunpowder found in the environment, which is perfect for catering to players' specific styles.

A year after Jill showed off her new moves, Claire stepped up to bat with the first true instance of free-aiming in the entire series. Code Veronica is a traditional Resident Evil game by design, save for the introduction of fully 3D environments. Unlike the previous games' static backgrounds and superimposed polygonal character models, the 3D environments allowed Claire to wield a sniper rifle in first-person. This new perspective comes in handy during a tense boss battle with an enemy whose weak point is its exposed heart. Focusing on enemies' weak points would become a staple of the series years later.

Self-Defense Training And Fire Starting (2002)
Two fantastic Resident Evil games dropped on the GameCube in 2002. A remake of the 1996 Resident Evil hit early in the year, with completely revamped visuals and the same core tank controls. However, the inclusion of self-defense weapons like daggers, stun guns, and flash grenades changed up combat. When grabbed by a zombie, Jill or Chris can avoid damage by shoving a letter opener into its head. A well-placed headshot can even dislodge the weapon for reuse. Chris can also pop a flashbang in a zombie's mouth, then detonate the grenade from afar with a single pistol round to make an enemy's head explode.

The emphasis on decapitation is important due to the zombies' new Crimson Head transformation. Eventually, all downed zombies left with their noggins intact can turn into red-tinted monsters with increased speed and aggression. The only way to prevent these terrifying creatures from rising again is to douse their corpses in kerosene and ignite them with a lighter. This extra layer to finishing off combat encounters dramatically changes the flow of the game, and adds significant tension each time you reenter a room with a dormant zombie laying on the ground.

Resident Evil 0 changed up the formula by letting players swap between two characters on the fly. Billy and Rebecca's adventure takes place directly before the Mansion Incident, and they have to work together to survive. Equipping your A.I. teammate with the appropriate weaponry determines what kind of support you'll receive, but at the cost of potentially burning through ammo. The mechanic is fun and incredibly useful during stressful boss battles.

Laser Precision And Melee Masters (2005 - 2012)
Resident Evil 4 introduced the most dramatic change to the combat since its beginnings. Presented in an over-the-shoulder, almost claustrophobic third-person perspective, Leon S. Kennedy returned with unparalleled marksmanship. Players could finally line up headshots with a precise laser sight, or even shoot enemies' feet to make them stumble. The added aiming fidelity ramps up the intensity of every encounter, forcing players to carefully take aim on weak points. However, moving and shooting remained separate actions - something that remained a point of contention until Resident Evil 6. Each weapon can also be upgraded for increased accuracy, damage, reload speed, etc. - something that would continue in some form for the rest of the series. The increased weapon variety and customization offers an increased sense of ownership for each gun

Another important change introduced in RE 4 is close-quarters combat. Quicktime events were all the rage in the mid-2000s, and RE 4 was one of the games to help popularize them. Leon could deliver suplexes and roundhouse kicks to stunned foes, or slash giant bosses with his knife after dealing enough damage. The result is a more intimate, viscerally satisfying feel to the combat.

Resident Evil 5 allowed two players to fight through masses of monsters for the first time in a main entry. Chris and Sheva's journey shines brightest when two players cover each other's backs, heal one another, and share ammo. Specific moments require players to split up. For example, Chris might have to snipe a path for Sheva as she fights her way through an infested building in the distance. The result was one of the best co-op experiences ever.

The polarizing Resident Evil 6 took the series' steadily increasing penchant for over-the-top action and ratcheted it up to the extreme. Players could finally move and shoot, though this entry ditched the solid laser sight beam. Even more, characters could slide and roll around on the ground, an intriguing addition that allowed a new perspective on the battlefield. New character Jake also had a robust set of melee moves, making him a close-quarters powerhouse that allowed him to easily conserve masses of ammo.

Resident Evil Revelations returned the series to the roots established in RE 4, with simpler combat and an emphasis on tense atmosphere. Revelations' biggest change was a dodge mechanic that works similarly to RE 3's. Jill could once again dodge with careful timing, though in Revelations she benefits from a brief invincibility window. This move is essential for dodging common enemies or brutal attacks from big bosses. Resident Evil Revelations also added more variety to weapon customization with augments that can be slotted into each weapon, like increased fire rate or critical chance.

Multi-Directional Dodging And Support Co-op (2015)
Resident Evil Revelations 2 isn't out until February 17, 2015, but we've already gotten a feel for how the game changes up combat once again. The core gunplay feels similar to its predecessor, but the dodge ability has become even easier to use. The strict timing window has been replaced with a manual, multi-directional dodge ability. Claire can still receive damage with lunging out of the way, but being able to take direct control of when and where she dodges feels great.

Revelations 2 also reintroduces co-op to the series with a unique spin on Moira's support role. Claire is responsible for dealing big damage by gunning down the monstrous Afflicted (tripping up enemies with shots to the feet returns). When they're down, Moira can deliver a finishing blow with her trusty crow bar. If you don't want to play with a friend (local co-op only), you can also take control of Moira on the fly to do it yourself. Moira can also stun enemies with a flashlight, which sets up Claire for ammo-conserving melee attacks.

Upgradable weapons and Revelations' cooperative, kill-crazy Raid Mode also return, but we'll have to wait until closer to Revelations 2's release to learn more about the changes they bring to the table.

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