A Halloween Special: Resident Evil

Resident Evil (remake)

Released: March 22, 2002

Developer: Capcom

Composers: Shusaku Uchiyama, Makoto Tomozawa, and Misao Senbongi

Happy Halloween everyone! I haven’t had time to play a lot of video games lately, but I wanted to make a Halloween post. I decided to talk about Resident Evil today. Specifically I’m talking about the remake of the original from 2002. It’s become an iconic game series today, but this was the first game in the series that I played because I wanted to start at the very beginning.

I’m going to give a controversial opinion. I didn’t really care for this game. I know it was very influential for survival horror games, but I just don’t think the gameplay holds up that well. It’s so confusing how the camera angle is pointing one way in one room, and then changes when I get to another. I can’t keep track of it! That does not affect my opinion of the music, however.

Despite my opinions on the game, I did love the soundtrack. It felt so eerie, isolated, and unnerving. I was looking at scary images while listening to the soundtrack and it kind of freaked me out! This game even includes the Moonlight Sonata, of which there is a scene that includes this being played. It’s such a good, moody piano piece to play during this game, though.

Resident Evil (or Biohazard depending on where you live) has a really frightening soundtrack, but my favorite part is one of the most oddly relaxing. This game is kind of annoying in that you have to go to certain rooms in the game to save, but once you get there it’s one of your only chances to escape the danger lurking all around. When I hear this, I feel safe but at the same time I know of the evil that is waiting outside. That howling sound heard throughout just gives me the chills. I’d have to say that this was absolutely my favorite part of this game.

I haven’t played the original version, but from what I’ve heard the soundtrack is similar (except a bit more 90s). I’ll just say that I think the 2002 remake is superior. Also, on that note, I thought I should show you a track from the 1997 Director’s Cut of Resident Evil, of which the only way I can think to describe it is that it sounds like a goose symphony.

I’m not saying I like this track. I just thought that everyone should hear it.

This is a rare video game in which I have very different opinions on the game vs the score. I didn’t care for the gameplay, and part of that could be that I’m not old enough to be used to playing games like this. I did, however, think the soundtrack was great. The highlight was the save room, but the rest was suitable in every way also. I give this soundtrack 5 out of 5 ink ribbons.