If you still get a deep pall whenever someone says , “ That was too penny-pinching ! You were almost a Jill sandwich ! ” then you probably spent the recent ‘ 90s tackle giant spiders and zombie firedog inResident Eviland its sequel . Between carry typewriter ribbon and rationing your ammunition , though , there are a few fact about the nightmarish game ’s early days that might have stayed buried until now .
1. IT NEEDED A NEW NAME WHEN IT CAME TO THE U.S.
Although director Shinji Mikami and the Capcom crew free it asBiohazardin Japan , the original 1996 plot need a raw name before bring down on American shores — partly because it ’d be severe to brandmark the terminus “ biological agent ” as a name , and partly because there was already another biz and also a New York alloy set using it .
2.RESIDENT EVILWAS A “SUPER-CHEESY” PUN CHOSEN THROUGH A CONTEST.
Capcom organized a company - wide contest to get a new name , and not everyone was happy with the last solution . As Chris Kramer , Senior Director of Communications and Community at Capcom U.S. , explained toGamesRadarin 2009 , “ After combing through a huge list of entries , the merchandising chemical group decided that ‘ Resident Evil ’ was the best , as it was a clever pun — the first plot was do in a sign of the zodiac , get it ? I voted against the name — I thought it was super - cheesy ; ca n’t remember what I felt was a good alternative , probably something stupid about zombies — but the rest of the selling crew loved it and were ultimately capable to convince Capcom Japan and Mikami - san that the name fit . ”
3. IT WAS AN INSTANT HIT…
The firstResident Eviltopped best - vendor lists through 1996 and early 1997 , ultimately selling around 2.75 million copy for PlayStation . The next two titles , 1998’sResident Evil 2and 1999’sResident Evil 3 : Nemesisfor PS1 , moved 4.96 million and 3.5 million building block respectively , respectively , sound off off a franchise that would expound to include a first - individual shooter , a serial of films , and various Mobile River and console version in the days to come .
4. …THAT SET THE STANDARD FOR BLOOD-SOAKED GAMEPLAY.
The first threeResident Eviltitles , however , did the major work of giving an entire propagation of players a serious gustatory sensation for stock . WhenResident Evil 2hit shelves , one reviewer — who noted that the two - disc game “ [ featured ] so much adventure it could n’t be hold on a single CD”—gushed that the “ spooky sequel [ was ] was even more graphic ” than the original , and “ In many arena it [ appear ] as if the Blood Mobile had an accident . "
5. THE GAME DEFINED A GENRE: “SURVIVAL HORROR.”
While laterResident Eviltitles have taken on many of the dynamics of shooter game , the serial ’ first few games are credited with defining the “ survival repulsion ” musical style , in which characters clamber to survive — somewhat more realistically than in other genres — while managing stocktaking of needed items , their strong-arm limitations , and ( actually taxing ) wave of enemies .
A review of the gameSilent Hill , a 1999 music genre heir from Konami , mark that it was the main character ’s limitation as Italian sandwich that made playing it such a thrill : “ His bearing is unspeakable and his running footstep , though quick than most enemies , still keep on him only a pulse away from being mowed down by the devil run amok on the streets . ”
6. THERESIDENT EVILMANSION IS BASED ON REAL-LIFE ONES THAT CREEPED OUT THE GAME’S CREATORS.
Tatsuya Minami , Senior Manager of Product Planning forResident Evil , toldMaximum Newsin 1996 that to " create a feeling of horror " the squad postulate a " solid background " and settled on a " European - style house " because it seemed like the creepiest option : " Personally speaking , I ’ve been to America and England many times , where I visit stately menage in the area , and in reality matte quite frightened ! " Minami said the developers also took cues from European wraith stories , which , unlike those usual to Japanese culture , feature the Devil .
7. THERE’S ALSO A SUBTLE KUBRICK NOD.
The game ’s pre - rendered backcloth were also reportedly also inspire by the main setting of Stanley Kubrick’sThe shine : the severely frequent Overlook Hotel ( a hypothesis gage up by the fact that , inResident Evil 2 , the word “ REDRUM ” is scrawled in red in the Hallway area ) .
8. THE SEGA SATURN PORT HAD SOME EERIE EXTRAS.
If you put in most of your time battle the Umbrella Corporation on a PS1 , you likely lack out on a few feature article that were sole to the Sega Saturn porthole ofResident wickedness . A very tough - to - kill automaton interpretation of Albert Wesker resided in the Saturn adaptation ’s Battle Game , for example , as well as a second Tyrant ( which stayed hold back in its stasis container until the first one was killed ) . Hunter Alphas changed for the larboard , too : after clearing the courtyard , Saturn owners amaze to get by rather with Tick character , whose insectoid bodies included sickle - like arms for slice up player to morsel .
9. THE GAME WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE A MULTIPLAYER MODE AND TWO OTHER CHARACTERS.
The 1996Resident Evilwe have it off and loved could have turned out very differently if developers had gotten their way about a few thing . From the beginning , Capcom planned forResident Evilto support two players alternatively of one , allowing partner to help each other and make tackling the infect / undead hordes a two - pronged amour . This less - scare away variant of the game wasnixed early ondue to ironware restriction .
The secret plan ’s centre cast of characters was almost quite dissimilar , too : Jill and Chris werealmost accompaniedby Dewey , a ‘ comic relievo ’ medic ( who later add his name to a STARS pilot light ) , and Gelzer , be after to be the team ’s ( monumental ) radio operative .
10. MISSRESIDENT EVIL’S MUSIC? CHECK OUT THE BIOHAZARD ORCHESTRA.
Composed by Masami Ueda ( who depart on to grade music for later serial titles ) , Makoto Tomozama , and Akari Kaida , the soundtrack to the firstResident Evilwas put with tunes fromResident Evil 2and3for arecorded concert carrying into action — calledBiohazard Orchestra — by the New Japan Philharmonic orchestra .
11.NEMESISMAKES SHOUT-OUTS TO HUGH GRANT, A NICKELODEON SHOW, AND CLEANING UP AFTER YOUR DOG.
about - hidden capacity inResident Evil 3 : Nemesisperformed a public service , too . When jeopardize near the Grill 13 restaurant to collect the Future Compass , a actor might have seen the words " SNAILIVIC TSUM EVOMER GOD TNEMERCXE"—or , when learn backward , " CIVILIANS MUST REMOVE DOG EXCREMENT . " After give-up the ghost the warehouse , they might have also spotted a long version of the warning which advised , " dog , BE ON LEASH AND possessor MUST REMOVE DOG EXCREMENT . "
12. THE GAMES ARE OUT OF CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER.
Starting with the first sequel , the timeline of theResident Eviluniverse have passably complicated . The storyline ofResident Evil 2,for deterrent example , got pick up in two Nipponese radio dramas , Chiisana Tōbōsha Sherry(Sherry , the Little Runaway ) andIkiteita Onna Spy Ada(Ada , the Female Spy , is Alive ) , though they ’re not considered canonical .
One continuity break that ’s impossible to disregard , though , chance betweenResident Evil 2and3 : according to developers , Resident Evil Code : Veronica , turn internationally for PlayStation 2 in 2001 , is the dependable sequel toResident Evil2 — notResident Evil 3.And if glimpses of the 2002 releaseResident Evilseemed conversant , it ’s because it ’s a full remake of the original .
13. THE GAME WAS INSPIRED BY (AND GOT HELP FROM) THE GODFATHER OF UNDEAD HORROR HIMSELF.
The original biz was inspired by Graeco-Roman horror gore - fests such asNight of the Living Dead , one of the seminal zombi flicks from filmmaker George A. Romero , a.k.a . “ Godfather of the Dead / Godfather of All Zombies . ” Romero return the compliment by head the Japan - onlyTV commercialforResident Evil 2 .
With key undead influence in its DNA , Resident Evilhas operate down in history as " one of the all right revulsion - themed games ever,“Retro Gamerwrote in 2004 . The situation also point out that the game , being " full of shocks , surprise and perfectly poor B - movie talks , [ is ] the play equivalent ofNight of the Living Dead”–possibly give context of use to the fact that …
14. IT HOLDS THE WORLD RECORD FOR “WORST GAME DIALOGUE.”
In 2008,Resident Evil ’s lackluster scriptwasrecognizedby theGuinness World Records Gamer ’s Editionwith the honor of " Worst Game Dialogue Ever , ” a doubtful honor that ’s only conform to for parentage like “ Jill , here ’s a lockpick . It might be ready to hand if you , the sea captain of unlocking , take it with you ”
15. IT WAS, NEVERTHELESS, A HUGE SUCCESS.
As of 2015 , theResident Evilseries has sold around 64 million units worldwide , is Capcom ’s top seller , go forward to make‘best secret plan ’ lists , and , asG4tv wrote , “ launch one of the most successful serial in gaming history and render one of its most memorable scare . ”
