Sequel Showdown #6 - Resident Evil

[AstralSoul | 523]

What's your favorite Resident Evil game?

For the sake of condensing poll answers I am keeping the biggest and main titles in the polls, in this one and going forward but Iwill include an "Other" option in case people really do have an unpopular favorite. But in the cases like Resident Evil 1, RE Directors Cut, and RE Deadly Silence...they're all the same game essentially so any of those vote for the original. The remake was different enough that it warranted its own poll entry. 

 

[AstralSoul | 523]

I've been torn on REmake, RE4 and RE2make. They're all masterpieces in my eyes, with Code Veronica coming in a close 4th place. I went with REmake since it is still the most memorable one to me, was the first RE game I ever played and made me love the series. 

[Gloves | 12,269]

The original RE2 for me, personally.

[Hammerfestus | 4,107]

Resident Evil.  RE2 is a better game but the original has way more iconic moments.  It was also the start of a whole genre so as the player I think you really didn’t know what to expect which I think added to the frightening atmosphere.  
 

You were almost a Jill sandwich!

[Reed Rothchild | 9,957]

Hmm.  Something along the lines of...

4 > 2 > Remake > 5 > Revelations 2 > Code Veronica > 1 > Revelations

Never played 3, 6 or 7, the new remakes, or the misc. spinoff games.

In the middle of Zero as we speak, which won't crack those top 3. 

People hate on 5, but I highly enjoyed it, especially co-op.

[Tanooki | 5,125]

Probably Resident Evil 2, did for many years, but I really really got sucked into Revelations, they did so much right there I really got into it unlike most the other games so I voted it.

[TDIRunner | 2,909]

2 > 1 > Remake 2

Those are the only ones I can properly rate. 

[DoctorEncore | 3,691]

I thought REmake on the Gamecube was fantastic and fixed most of the problems in the original game. I also loved the added tension from the Crimson Head zombies. I haven't played 7 or RE2 Remake yet, but hope to get to them later this year.

Honorable mention goes to Code Veronica which I rented numerous times for Dreamcast.

[CMR | 539]

I had to go with RE2 since it was the first one I played.

[Webhead123 | 753]

I'm definitely not a series enthusiast but I have played a couple. Let's see, I've played:

2002 Remake
RE4
30 minutes of RE5
30 minutes of RE2 Remake

Of those limited experiences, RE4 is my preferred, although the RE2 Remake was starting to look promising. I'll have to finish it someday. I also have RE7 in my queue but just haven't fit it in yet.

[noiseredux | 232]

I'm actually surprised 2 is in the lead, but that's cool. I figured it'd be 50/50 of 1 (either version) and 4.

To get slightly off topic, I don't think anyone will vote for either of the Revelations games as their FAVORITE, but I must say that they're both excellent games and should be played by anyone who's a fan of 1-3 and Code Veronica.

 

[RegularGuyGamer | 2,043]

I never played past 2 and it had the most nostalgia for me, especially since I had it on PS1 and N64. I heard 4 was great though. One day I'll try it. 

[guitarzombie | 936]

I do like RE2 remake better but I would have to go with the original.

[Reed Rothchild | 9,957]

1 hour ago, guitarzombie said:

I do like RE2 remake better but I would have to go with the original.

You like the RE2 better but the original is your favorite?

[guitarzombie | 936]

2 minutes ago, Reed Rothchild said:

You like the RE2 better but the original is your favorite?

Yeah because it was first, obviously.  The remake wouldn't exist without the other.  Kinda strange logic I know but as much as I love and actual prefer the remake, I dont think I could pick it.  I should also add a note I need the original OST and that music is not the default in the remake.  You need to buy it separately.  

[Reed Rothchild | 9,957]

I gotcha

[DefaultGen | 5,724]

On 1/30/2021 at 2:52 PM, Reed Rothchild said:

Hmm.  Something along the lines of...

4 > 2 > Remake > 5 > Revelations 2 > Code Veronica > 1 > Revelations

Never played 3, 6 or 7, the new remakes, or the misc. spinoff games.

In the middle of Zero as we speak, which won't crack those top 3. 

People hate on 5, but I highly enjoyed it, especially co-op.

Whoa you like 5 and don’t like 1? Let’s hang out and fight the power.

4 is my favorite. I didn’t play 2 at the time, and 4 felt like game changer survival horror game at the time I played it. 2 is still fantastic, it’s the runner up. After those it’s RE5. It’s “too” shootery but came out at a time where solid co-op third person shooters were all the rage and it was a blast.

[Bearcat-Doug | 5,123]

On 1/30/2021 at 2:40 PM, Hammerfestus said:

Resident Evil.  RE2 is a better game but the original has way more iconic moments.  It was also the start of a whole genre so as the player I think you really didn’t know what to expect which I think added to the frightening atmosphere.  
 

You were almost a Jill sandwich!

I was thinking the same thing. RE2 is probably the best overall game, but nothing beats the atmosphere of the first one.

[Tanooki | 5,125]

I'd third that.  As much as I never could get comfortable or super far in the old games, though RE2 I recall making it into sewers and big ass spiders, I liked it most for play, but the story/atmosphere of the original was amazing.  I don't know why it hit me, but the tank control confused me, the stuck camera that shifted things for control when it re-angled just infuriated me, and the gross lack of ammo/herbs with that kind of undead horde was just like the kiss of death right with the lame ribbons to save.

[Sumer | 221]

I guess 4.  Though, I have not beaten any of them.  My first RE was the Director's Cut of RE1 when I got a PSOne as a college graduation gift.  I could never get through the game.  All of the back tracking and, what seemed like, downtime between encounters to me was super boring.  I tried playing it again when the remaster came out on XBox One...I got pretty far...probably the farthest I ever got, but just stopped due to life and then erased it off of the XBox's hard drive.  One day...

Anyway, the most fun I have had is probably with 4.  I like the atmosphere in it.

However, to this day, I still have never played RE2 and just got the remake for Xmas for PS4.  I haven't installed it yet, but it is on the docket to play this year...sometime.

[SpoonMan Abrams X | 699]

Resident Evil 3 is the best RE game ever! No one can convince me otherwise lol

[Astro Bot | 98]

Resident Evil 4, though I had great times with RE 2 as well. Both of them star Leon and Ada, who just happen to be my favorite RE characters. 

[Sumez | 3,162]

Curious what makes people pick (OG) RE2 over the RE1 remake

[wongojack | 320]

I picked the original RE2.  I don't think I have ever played the RE 1 remake (or any of the remakes).  Well maybe I played that Code Veronica re-release, but that's different.

I generally agree with those above who are debating the original game vs RE2, but I give the edge to RE2.  It didn't have the new feeling of discovery, but they expanded it so much that it felt like an amazing sequel that built upon everything the original did well (except maybe capture the silly magic of B-movies and bad translations).

I played RE4 on the Wii and never really understood the appeal.  I mean, I liked it, but in terms of the story, it also did not capture that original magic and just kinda seemed goofy or trying too hard to be something.  Maybe I played it too late, but I also don't see it as some revolutionary 3rd person game that everyone seems to give it credit for now.

Games above that I have actually played enough to rank

1. RE 2
2. RE 1
3. RE VII
4. RE 3
5. RE 5 <- only played via CoOp
6. RE 4
7. RE Zero
8. RE Survivor <-played euro version with light gun
9. Resident Evil Code Veronica

When I finally played Veronica, the formula felt really dated.  The backtracking and item management seemed like a punishment, and the new mix of characters didn't work IMO.  It seemed longer and less action-oriented than RE3 too which felt like a step backwards.  I'm sure it is a fine game, but it was just too much RE at the wrong time for me.

[Sumez | 3,162]

10 hours ago, wongojack said:

I generally agree with those above who are debating the original game vs RE2, but I give the edge to RE2.  It didn't have the new feeling of discovery, but they expanded it so much that it felt like an amazing sequel that built upon everything the original did well (except maybe capture the silly magic of B-movies and bad translations).

This is basically why I'm curious about the comparison between RE2 and RE1make.

Because building on the original and improving it is exactly what the remake does!
But while RE2 does it by adding more areas and making itself into more of a fixed perspective "action game" of sorts, mostly eschewing the whole survival horror angle, I think REmake managed to tap into the survival aspects of the original game in a way the series has never done better. You are constantly on edge, and constantly trying to manage your resources to make it safely through the next stretch before sacrificing another ink ribbon.
To me, it's the best the series has ever been, and I wish they'd try to return to that core concept again some day.