Aside from the critical failure of the recent Netflix series, Resident Evil is very hot right now. Last year's Resident Evil 8 was one of the biggest games of the year. The upcoming Resident Evil 4 remake has a lot of people talking as that game in particular was one of the most influential games of the Aughts.
Plenty of games drew inspiration from Resident Evil. Some of them take inspiration from the earlier PS1 titles, while others look to the more action-focused installments. What's clear, though, is that the series as a whole has its fans in high places. Some of these Resident Evil-inspired games are just as influential and others are just plain tons of fun.
You Will Die Here Tonight
You Will Die Here Tonight is an upcoming survival horror game releasing on Steam later this year. The game has taken inspiration from classic RE games, according to the creative director in this interview from Bloody Disgusting. The game sees a group find a mysterious mansion infested with the undead. While that sounds like the original RE, the game also has plenty of its own tricks.
The game switches between a first-person and third-person viewpoint and features a large cast of characters who can permanently die. These are big changes that make players excited to see how it will compare to its inspiration.
Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel
The 2022 release Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel takes more inspiration from the recent survival horror titles. This game has a first-person perspective. It also adds a more psychological and biological bend to it. Some have compared the game to the stealth horror game Outlast as a result of this.
Although not confirmed by the developers, given the game's set pieces look to heavily allude to the famous Resident Evil mansion, the inspiration this 2022 title takes is clear. Additionally, Fobia's puzzles will remind players of RE's puzzles and the limited ammo shows this game has plenty of Capcom's DNA in it.
MADiSON
MADiSON clearly takes a lot of inspiration from Silent Hill. Yet, Resident Evil also has a part to play in this horror game's themes and mechanics. In MADiSON, the player takes on the role of Luca. Similar to the protagonist of Resident Evil 7, Ethan Winters, Luca is forced to do puzzles against his will by a monstrous entity.
In this case, it is the titular demoness MADiSON. Although the developers haven't stated their inspiration, the first-person perspective adds to the horror and is reminiscent of being chased by Jack Baker or Lady D from RE. MADiSON is relentless, but there are a few ways to fight back against her, preventing the player from being helpless like other non-RE horror games.
God of War (2018)
One might not think God of War would owe anything to Resident Evil. The former is a massive action series with over-the-top conflicts with the Gods. The latter has its action but is mostly about quaint inventory management. The director of the 2018 game actually explained the connection in an interview with Gamespot.
Cory Balrog cites the gameplay of Resident Evil 4 as a major influence on the game. He explained how the camera positioning over the shoulder, like how Resident Evil did it, created "more of an intimate, visceral perspective." So God of War's camera swapped, and it's all because of the zombie-based series.
Nightmare of Decay
A cursory glance at Nightmare of Decay is enough to see its Resident Evil influence. In the Steam forums for the game, the developer makes it clear Resident Evil and Blood were their inspirations if one weren't otherwise convinced. Just like the 90s survival horror classic, the game takes place in a mansion overrun with undead. Unlike the original, it casts the player as an average joe rather than a police officer.
Still, many of the same mechanics are in play. There are limited weapons and ammunition scattered around the mansion, encouraging rationing of supplies. While RE's staple zombies appear, so do other RE classics like cultists. The game isn't a direct RE1 clone, though, instead bringing the horror to a first-person perspective.
Deep Fear
Most of the games inspired by Resident Evil tend to be newer titles. The forgotten SEGA Saturn cult hit game Deep Fear, though, was released the same year as Resident Evil 2. While information regarding its development inspiration is sparse, gaming publication 1up named it one of the best Resident Evil clones. So it's unfortunate that the game was only released in Japan and Europe.
Like RE1, the game is displayed on pre-rendered backgrounds with a focus on exploration and ammo conservation, but there's another resource in the form of the air meter. The entire game takes place in the underwater research facility The Big Table. As it's been damaged and overrun with mutants, it makes a treacherous environment for the protagonist John Mayor and the player.
Devil May Cry
Resident Evil 4 had one of the most tumultuous development cycles in Capcom history. The game went through several revisions before it became the game it's known as today. Given how action-packed the final product became, it's perhaps unsurprising that, according to a developer comment archived by IGN, Devil May Cry was one of its early incarnations. So it's technically accurate to say DMC was inspired by Resident Evil.
It's easy to see where Resident Evil's DNA affected Devil May Cry 1. The original game features mostly fixed camera angles and puzzles and keys are still essential parts of the level progression. This game also takes itself more seriously than later entries, which are more over-the-top. This title acts as a middle point between DMC's anime-like antics and RE's action movie-style action.
Alisa
On its own website, Alisa advertises itself as "a genuine throwback to the golden age of 90s 3D games." Looking at screenshots and trailers, it's clear that Resident Evil's 90s entries are being referenced here. The player takes on the role of the titular Alisa. As to be expected by games of this influence, she finds herself trapped in a disturbing mansion.
However, the enemies in this game aren't zombies, but instead doll-like robots. The game also sets itself apart with its era, which eschews contemporary settings for an alternate 1920s. The game also features plenty of mechanics completely foreign to RE, like currency and equip-able armor. This keeps the game familiar but still flush with new ideas.
The Last of Us
The Last of Us simply wouldn't exist without Resident Evil 4, at least according to developer Ricky Cambier on GameSkinny. Both games feature a gruff but caring hero teaming up with a helpless younger girl against an unrelenting horde. Ironically, Resident Evil 4 is lighter on the undead than other Resident Evil games while The Last of Us has its villainous cordyceps infection. The biggest influence RE4 had was likely on gameplay.
Third-person shooters don't always position the camera directly behind the player. This can make it difficult to aim, but Resident Evil 4 showed off how well it could be done. The Last of Us took this approach to its combat, locking the camera behind Joel's shoulder. Both of these games are all-time greats, and while their tones are different, the actual gameplay couldn't be more similar.
Dead Space
Aughts horror juggernaut Dead Space has a remake coming up, just like Resident Evil 4. However, this isn't the only similarity the two franchises have. Dead Space takes a lot of lessons from both 4. According to developer interviews on PCGamer, Resident Evil 4's success turned a System Shock sequel into Dead Space.
While RE4 leveraged its camera for action, Dead Space uses it for action. The screen real estate is taken up by protagonist Issac's body and actually creates brilliant forced helplessness. Adding to the horror is the fact that true weapons are hard to come by, although the protagonist is never helpless. Enemies are frequently stronger than the protagonist, and several pursue the player like RE's famous Nemesis. The two series are linked, but they're both great series survival horror fans should check out.