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Resident Evil: Is It Still Fun Today? (IGN)

IbizaPocholo

IbizaPocholo

NeoGAFs Kent Brockman


Welcome back to Is It Still Fun Today?, our show where we revisit classic games to see how they hold up. With Resident Evil Requiem approaching (and with IGN turning 30), we thought it would be a good time to replay the original Resident Evil from 1996.
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  • 00:41 Resident Evil (1996) is revisited as a genre-defining classic that launched a franchise still thriving nearly 30 years later.
  • 01:06:00 Early memories highlight how intimidating the original game was, especially its FMV cutscenes and horror tone for younger players.
  • 01:51:00 Clunky tank controls are acknowledged as a core challenge, but also part of the game's appeal once players adjust expectations.
  • 02:32:00 Many panelists bonded with Resident Evil through later remakes, especially the GameCube remake, rather than the original PS1 version.
  • 04:49:00 After replaying it over the holidays, the group agrees Resident Evil is still fun today, with some caveats for modern players.
  • 05:17:00 The classic survival-horror style feels refreshing and unique in today's landscape, since few modern games replicate it.
  • 06:30:00 ️ Newcomers raised on RE4-style action should expect slower pacing, heavy backtracking, and old-school design philosophies.
  • 07:29:00 ️ Playing both the 1996 original and the 2015 remaster highlights strong nostalgia for early polygonal PlayStation-era visuals.
  • 10:14:00 Enemy dogs are consistently cited as the most dangerous and frustrating threat in both the original and remake.
  • 11:00:00 Pre-rendered backgrounds, fixed camera angles, and lighting are praised for strong cinematography and tension-building.
  • 13:47:00 Resident Evil plays more like a point-and-click adventure than a shooter, emphasizing puzzles, inventory management, and exploration.
  • 16:22:00 Door-loading animations are divisive but appreciated for enhancing suspense and dread before entering new rooms.
  • 17:20:00 Resident Evil's roots trace back to Sweet Home, with Tokuro Fujiwara's horror pedigree shaping the series' DNA.
  • 17:48:00 The original RE1 was initially planned as a first-person game before Shinji Mikami took over and redefined it as survival horror.
  • 18:17:00 Capcom's creative lineage is highlighted, linking Resident Evil to influential filmmakers and classic titles like Bionic Commando and Ghouls 'n Ghosts.
  • 19:12:00 The save room music is universally praised as iconic, atmospheric, and a key part of the game's emotional rhythm.
  • 20:24:00 Sound design is essential, teaching players which enemies are nearby through distinct audio cues before they are seen.
  • 21:33:00 Voice acting in the original is famously awkward and unintentionally funny, becoming part of Resident Evil's charm.
  • 23:13:00 The remake smartly reimagines moments, like dogs breaking into the mansion, by turning cutscenes into playable threats.
  • 24:35:00 ️ Tank controls remain largely unchanged, but alternate modern controls in the HD remaster are more approachable for new players.
  • 25:46:00 Fixed camera angles and tank controls are intentionally designed to work together, rewarding mastery over time.
  • 28:36:00 Gunplay relies heavily on auto-aim, emphasizing positioning and timing rather than precise manual aiming.
  • 30:01:00 Inventory management is a core challenge, with limited slots, item boxes, and ink ribbons shaping tension and pacing.
  • 31:37:00 The gameplay loop mirrors Metroidvania-style progression, built around save rooms, backtracking, and gradual mansion mastery.
  • 32:59:00 A strong flow state emerges once players know routes and tools, making efficient navigation deeply satisfying.
  • 33:26:00 Capcom frequently subverts expectations with scripted scares and rule-breaking enemy behavior.
  • 34:21:00 Chris's campaign is argued to be more tightly designed than Jill's, despite fewer inventory slots, due to smarter progression balance.
  • 35:18:00 Remake-only changes, like one-way broken doors, are clever but deliberately frustrating twists on the original design.
  • 35:33 Extremely limited inventory is the biggest hurdle for newcomers, forcing frequent backtracking and tough item choices.
  • 35:58 The game often requires items without warning, leading players to reload saves or retrace large sections of the mansion.
  • 36:12 ️ A lightweight guide that only lists required inventory items can significantly reduce frustration without spoiling puzzles.
  • 36:41 Recommendation: play another Resident Evil first (RE2 or RE3 remake) to learn series fundamentals before starting RE1.
  • 37:09 Resident Evil has a consistent "design language" across entries, making older games easier to appreciate after newer ones.
  • 37:38 Despite changes over time, core ideas persist through RE7, Village, and even upcoming entries, reinforcing the series' identity.
  • 38:08 ️ The friction and frustration of older design are valuable for understanding how games felt at the time and how the medium evolved.
  • 38:48 RE1 is still fun, but part of that fun comes from engaging with its dated systems as a historical experience.
  • 39:16 Playing RE1 builds "institutional knowledge" that deepens appreciation for later games in the long-running series.
  • 40:12 The shark section is widely considered the scariest part, exploiting slow movement in water and primal fear.
  • 40:40 Environmental storytelling shines in the shark set piece, with visual details like portholes and ramming glass building tension.
  • 41:21 Chris's campaign includes a memorable character death by the Neptune shark, rewarding players with a powerful shotgun.
  • 42:04 A lab photo showing Wesker in sunglasses is a standout comedic moment that perfectly captures Resident Evil's campy charm.
  • 42:19 ️ Final verdict: Resident Evil is still fun today, but expect clunky controls, heavy backtracking, and a learning curve for first-timers.
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If I can play Crow Country, RE1 definitely still holds up.

That said... why? lol. GOAT REmake will always make this version obsolete.

resident_evil_main_review_2000.0.0.1486232759.jpg
 
Maybe not actually the original vanilla game, but the DS version is an absolute blast to play, highly prefer it over the REmake which is just so different tonally.
 
Arachnid said:
If I can play Crow Country, RE1 definitely still holds up.

That said... why? lol. GOAT REmake will always make this version obsolete.

resident_evil_main_review_2000.0.0.1486232759.jpg
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There is no such a thing on Earth as an remake making an original obsolete. You play both for different experiences. Some people can even have more fun with older games.
 
40 minutes can be condensed to a single word: yes.

The OG is a true classic, and it's unique. 2 became the standard for certain things, so OG is a true stand out.

I will never understand how people can't get along with tank controls, they couldn't be more simple.

I prefer every OG version to its remake, and this is no exception. For years people have been saying the remake makes the original obsolete, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Remake changes the tone, makes things less snappy, and its additions and changes aren't 100% positive. Tell me remake Hunters are as fearsome as OG Hunters and I'll tell you you're lying.













I could post more, but you get the idea.


Tell me there's another game in the whole franchise that creates an atmosphere like this game. You can't, because there isn't one. RE2 has one of my favourite soundtracks of all time and it still doesn't do what this one does.

If you disagree you're undead to me.
 
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Soodanim said:
40 minutes can be condensed to a single word: yes.

The OG is a true classic, and it's unique. 2 became the standard for certain things, so OG is a true stand out.

I will never understand how people can't get along with tank controls, it couldn't be more simple.

I prefer every OG version to its remake, and this is no exception. For years people have been saying the remake makes the original obsolete, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Remake changes the tone, makes things less snappy, and its additions and changes aren't 100% positive. Tell me remake Hunters are as fearsome as OG Hunters and I'll tell you you're lying.













I could post more, but you get the idea.


Tell me there's another game in the whole franchise that creates an atmosphere like this game. You can't, because there isn't one. RE2 has one of my favourite soundtracks of all time and it still doesn't do what this game does.

If you disagree you're undead to me.
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100% Facts! You're the soul mate I was looking for. If I were gay, I would have blown you.
 
Soodanim said:
I will never understand how people can't get along with tank controls, they couldn't be more simple.
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because everything now has to be standardized. and if a game doesn't adhere to the standard, people throw a fit.

that's why every FPS now has a sprint button and ADS button. and why resident evil games are too afraid of being true survival horror games again. they'll give you the option to turn on a more classic mode, but the devs wouldn't have the balls to release a new RE game today that has ink ribbons as your only save option, and no auto checkpoints to respawn from.

this push for standardised design is the main reason true game design integrity barely exists anymore. you would never see a AAA game be made now where aiming with your gun would force you to stand still for example. not because it's bad design, but because publishers would be afraid that people wouldn't accept it.
 
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OG RE1 is extremely liminal and eerie through a modern gaming lens.

For gameplay reasons, I prefer REmake, and I think OG RE2 is one of the best sequels ever in terms of leapfrogging its predecessor, but OG RE1 carries a haunting atmosphere that no other RE game has ever matched.

The sparsely decorated rooms, the "zombies wearing potato sack" enemy models, the sheer loneliness of the jaunt through the mansion. It was a total mindfuck to play in 1996. RE2 was much less terrifying to me as a kid (outside of the B scenarios for obvious reasons).
 
Put me in the OG RE1 > REmake camp as well.

The overly lit and sparse mansion halls feel way more oppressive than the cookie cutter lightning and candle lit hallways in the remake.
 
Deadly Silence is my favorite way to replay the original version of the game. Map on the second DS screen, door skipping, quick turn, quick knife, you can reload guns, there's some added first person combat sections, better character models, and Rebirth mode.
 
adamsapple said:
Put me in the OG RE1 > REmake camp as well.

The overly lit and sparse mansion halls feel way more oppressive than the cookie cutter lightning and candle lit hallways in the remake.
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While I consider the remake better as a whole, I understand liking more the original, and actually there are things better in that version than the remake. The original RE was and still is a fantastic game. Original mansion aesthetics feel very unique and memorable, and I would say they're even more nowadays.


Btw, IGN doesn't make it justice. You can't say this game holds up and yet treating it like just a piece of museum with its core mechanics being pointed as "dated". Not being familiar these mechacnics to many new players is because reasons like this: journalists like this one are dismissing them. Yes, there are people who genuinly don't like them and I can see why...but it's like in the genre's golden era. Making everything "for everyone" isn't evolution for the genre or this medium in general. And btw, "modern" controls are not modern, just directional, they already existed in the 90s and they weren't used for this game just BY CHOICE and nothing else. Read The True Story of Biohazard, a book from the 90s and not some revisionistic nonsense 30 years later. Tank controls were chosen for a scarier experience even knowing they wouldn't please some people.
 
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adamsapple said:
Put me in the OG RE1 > REmake camp as well.

The overly lit and sparse mansion halls feel way more oppressive than the cookie cutter lightning and candle lit hallways in the remake.
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the original is creepier, like even the iconic zombie turn around scene is far creepier in the original where the zombie looks super uncanny and stares right at you, instead of having blank eyes like in the remake...

that original turn around scene on PS1 gave me nightmares as a kid and still makes me feel uneasy now, while the remake version doesn't even remotely creep me or scare me.

but, with that being said, REmake is absolutely the better game overall.
 
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kevboard said:
the original is creepier, like even the iconic zombie turn around scene is far creepier in the original where the zombie looks super uncanny and stares right at you, instead of having blank eyes like in the remake...

that original turn around scene on PS1 gave me nightmares as a kid and still makes me feel uneasy now, while the remake version doesn't even remotely creep me or scare me.

but, with that being said, REmake is absolutely the better game overall.
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I agree, the first zombie cutscene is creepier in the original. And talking about its zombies, I would say the use of naked ones in the lab was better than remake's, making going down the stairs more impactful.
 
kevboard said:
because everything now has to be standardized. and if a game doesn't adhere to the standard, people throw a fit.

that's why every FPS now has a sprint button and ADS button. and why resident evil games are too afraid of being true survival horror games again. they'll give you the option to turn on a more classic mode, but the devs wouldn't have the balls to release a new RE game today that has ink ribbons as your only save option, and no auto checkpoints to respawn from.

this push for standardised design is the main reason true game design integrity barely exists anymore. you would never see a AAA game be made now where aiming with your gun would force you to stand still for example. not because it's bad design, but because publishers would be afraid that people wouldn't accept it.
Click to expand...
Some of this is just evolution of the medium.

Now you get intense action sequences with swarms of enemies and several surprises during each encounter, because autosave guarantees you won't lose an hour of progress by failing a situation you couldn't possibly be prepared for. A game like the original RE had very limited action, and the limited saving options worked well to accommodate the length of the average gaming session. You just didn't really need to save all the time.

It's like the difference between Tomb Raider 1 and 2. 1 could get away with the limited save points because combat was sparse and the gameplay was slow and methodical. You had no real need to rush anything, there were very few surprises that could insta-kill you, and the save crystals were usually right before the worst gauntlets. In TR2 they went all out with traps and shooting enemies because you could save anytime, anywhere. The game design is influenced by the saving system, and vice versa.

Regarding the character in RE being able to shoot only while standing still was a complaint even against the first game, and the whole world criticized it when RE4 still worked like that. But again: it suited the gameplay of those games. Being able to move while shooting would have made some tense encounters a cakewalk, and anyway, there was no situation you couldn't get out of because you couldn't move while shooting.

But yeah, today everything is standardized because nobody wants to be the one who makes things differently and have people bitch online for a couple of weeks before they adapt and realize your game works well after all. By that time, the game's reputation and its sales have already been damaged.
 
Not a joke - if you like the original a lot, give Resident Evil DS a try. I was so excited about the port back in the day, and it's legitimately fun. There's a snake boss battle with a knife using the stylus that was crazy cool at the time.

I'm speaking of my experience on original hardware, which is waaaay out of date at this point, but it's a good suggestion for people with the means to play RE: DS. It's just good cheesey fun.
 
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Yes it's excellent. I recently completed the gog version which allows you to skip door animations. I more recently completed the Saturn version which was cool as fuck.
 
MayauMiao said:
I did not like old RE's tank control to the point I never completed RE2 or even play RE3.

RE4 totally changed the series for the better.
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I genuinely think the complete opposite. RE4 made the series more action focused and less horror. I enjoyed RE4, but I still feel it gets way over praised when it had its own issues.

RE7 was a return to the roots (kinda) until that boat section.
 
Killer8 said:
Deadly Silence is my favorite way to replay the original version of the game. Map on the second DS screen, door skipping, quick turn, quick knife, you can reload guns, there's some added first person combat sections, better character models, and Rebirth mode.
Click to expand...
I'm going to try and get this and give it a go actually. Sounds cool.
 
Soodanim said:
40 minutes can be condensed to a single word: yes.

The OG is a true classic, and it's unique. 2 became the standard for certain things, so OG is a true stand out.

I will never understand how people can't get along with tank controls, they couldn't be more simple.

I prefer every OG version to its remake, and this is no exception. For years people have been saying the remake makes the original obsolete, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Remake changes the tone, makes things less snappy, and its additions and changes aren't 100% positive. Tell me remake Hunters are as fearsome as OG Hunters and I'll tell you you're lying.
Click to expand...
I like REmake more but i agree that it doesn't replace the original. I like how the mansion is brightly lit in the original actually. Somehow it makes it more scary IMO, like you can't find a dark place to hide or something close to that. REmake mansion looks amazing but it's not as scary IMO.
 
Juja said:
Not a joke - if you like the original a lot, give Resident Evil DS a try. I was so excited about the port back in the day, and it's legitimately fun. There's a snake boss battle with a knife using the stylus that was crazy cool at the time.

I'm speaking of my experience on original hardware, which is waaaay out of date at this point, but it's a good suggestion for people with the means to play RE: DS. It's just good cheesey fun.
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I remember trying it and not liking the touchscreen combat stuff. It was amazing to have RE shrunk down to a handheld, and I felt that the forces touchscreen stuff ruined the experience. I may give it another shot.


Calverz said:
I more recently completed the Saturn version which was cool as fuck.
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What is particularly cool about the Saturn version? I always thought it's basically the same game, but with uglier models.


nkarafo said:
I like REmake more but i agree that it doesn't replace the original. I like how the mansion is brightly lit in the original actually. Somehow it makes it more scary IMO, like you can't find a dark place to hide or something close to that. REmake mansion looks amazing but it's not as scary IMO.
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*high five*
For me, the electric lights in the original gave it the feeling that something real bad had happened suddenly, and then nobody ever came back to turn off the lights. In the REmake, it's like there's somebody actively going around the mansion to make sure the candles never stop burning. Cool scenery, but it makes no sense.
 
NeoIkaruGAF said:
What is particularly cool about the Saturn version? I always thought it's basically the same game, but with uglier models.
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It has two tyrants instead of one in the lab with Chris, an unlockable battle mode (with a zombie Wesker and a really resistant golden Tyrant), and a exclusive monster replacing hunters in the underground (just a variant of them, with different design and sounds, but still...).
 
Great timing. I bought the gog trilogy a few days ago and frankly I'm amazed how well og RE stands up. I completed Chris's mission last night for the first time in 30 odd years. I had a blast. Its a lot easier than I recall but that made for a relaxing nostalgic experience. Obviously the remake is better but I'd in no way disregard the original. There are graphical mods for the trilogy that really spruce them up too so I'm looking forward to giving 2 & 3 a going over this coming week with a fresh lick of paint.

*btw, I don't recall Chris getting an automatic rifle with infinite ammo after completing the game back in the day. Was that always the case?
 
NeoIkaruGAF said:
Some of this is just evolution of the medium.

Now you get intense action sequences with swarms of enemies and several surprises during each encounter, because autosave guarantees you won't lose an hour of progress by failing a situation you couldn't possibly be prepared for. A game like the original RE had very limited action, and the limited saving options worked well to accommodate the length of the average gaming session. You just didn't really need to save all the time.

It's like the difference between Tomb Raider 1 and 2. 1 could get away with the limited save points because combat was sparse and the gameplay was slow and methodical. You had no real need to rush anything, there were very few surprises that could insta-kill you, and the save crystals were usually right before the worst gauntlets. In TR2 they went all out with traps and shooting enemies because you could save anytime, anywhere. The game design is influenced by the saving system, and vice versa.
Click to expand...

ok... that goes out the window with Resident Evil 7 tho.
RE7 has none of the things you just said, and was clearly designed like a modern RE1, yet had auto checkpoints.

not because of the "evolution" of anything, but simply because the devs would be scared to release a game like RE1 today.

they even added optional modes where you actually had no auto checkpoints, and RE9 will also have such a mode apparently... but it's always just an optional thing now, because they were scared to actually go full RE1 with 7, even tho it seemed like that was the intent.


NeoIkaruGAF said:
Regarding the character in RE being able to shoot only while standing still was a complaint even against the first game, and the whole world criticized it when RE4 still worked like that. But again: it suited the gameplay of those games. Being able to move while shooting would have made some tense encounters a cakewalk, and anyway, there was no situation you couldn't get out of because you couldn't move while shooting.

But yeah, today everything is standardized because nobody wants to be the one who makes things differently and have people bitch online for a couple of weeks before they adapt and realize your game works well after all. By that time, the game's reputation and its sales have already been damaged.
Click to expand...


that's the issue. it's not important anymore if anything suits the game's design or not. as soon as it's not like other games, devs are scared to do it.
 
NeoIkaruGAF said:
For me, the electric lights in the original gave it the feeling that something real bad had happened suddenly, and then nobody ever came back to turn off the lights.
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Yeah that's the feeling i was trying to describe. Never thought of it that way consciously but i think my brain was trying to tell me this and i couldn't put my finger on it.
 
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NeoIkaruGAF said:
For me, the electric lights in the original gave it the feeling that something real bad had happened suddenly, and then nobody ever came back to turn off the lights. In the REmake, it's like there's somebody actively going around the mansion to make sure the candles never stop burning. Cool scenery, but it makes no sense.
Click to expand...
The aesthetic of the original makes more sense canonically for what the Spencer Mansion actually is/was. It being extremely sparsely decorated aligns with what Umbrella used it for--as a front/cover for their underground lab. REmake gave it almost a Disneyfied Haunted Mansion look. Vastly more detailed, but more "on the nose" visual horror when the real horror is due to the fact that this facade of a home became a tomb for Umbrella employees who were attempting to flee from the lab/mansion grounds after the T-Virus began spreading.

There's also something very disturbing about knowing many of the employees had been zombies for around a month or so by the time S.T.A.R.S. reaches the mansion. Everything had been in total stasis for weeks, lights still blazing, as the infected employees continued to rot and decay while roaming aimlessly around the hallways and rooms.
 
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OG RE1, especially DC version, is peak Resident Evil. Remake is great on its own, but og hits different. Aesthetically and soundtrack are definitely better and the life action intro (uncut) introduces you into the terror way better.

Also the Remake sucks when it comes to unlockable weapons. OG let's you play with the inf. Python unlike the remake. Even zero has far better unlockables and as a game, it isn't even bad, people cry about it because of one stupid item you have to backtrack to, which won't be a problem on replays.
 
Aesius said:
The aesthetic of the original makes more sense canonically for what the Spencer Mansion actually is/was. It being extremely sparsely decorated aligns with what Umbrella used it for--as a front/cover for their underground lab. REmake gave it almost a Disneyfied Haunted Mansion look.
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Exactly!
This is the reason most of the additions in the REmake never felt right to me. The backyard cemetery, and everything about Lisa Trevor, are the epitome of this Disneyfication. Also some new traps, like the armor corridor, are ridiculously elaborated even for classic RE standards.
And while I do like the Aqua Ring aesthetically, it's another overelaborated thing that makes little sense with the premise of the story.
 
MrJangles said:
Great timing. I bought the gog trilogy a few days ago and frankly I'm amazed how well og RE stands up. I completed Chris's mission last night for the first time in 30 odd years. I had a blast. Its a lot easier than I recall but that made for a relaxing nostalgic experience. Obviously the remake is better but I'd in no way disregard the original. There are graphical mods for the trilogy that really spruce them up too so I'm looking forward to giving 2 & 3 a going over this coming week with a fresh lick of paint.

*btw, I don't recall Chris getting an automatic rifle with infinite ammo after completing the game back in the day. Was that always the case?
Click to expand...
The PC has 2 unlockable weapons that aren't in the console versions, so most aren't aware they even exist.
 
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