Ep.30 – The Pandemic We Should All Be Afraid Of: How Resident Evil Defined Survival Horror

In 1996, Resident Evil staggered onto the PlayStation and gave birth to survival horror. Conceived by Tokuro Fujiwara and directed by Shinji Mikami, it drew on Fujiwara’s Sweet Home while swapping ghost stories for Romero-inspired zombie horror. Our conversation traces how Alone in the Dark influenced its fixed-camera angles, how pre-rendered backdrops solved PlayStation limits, and how infamous localization gave us lines like “You were almost a Jill sandwich.” We revisit staples like typewriter saves, ink ribbons, herbs, inventory puzzles, and traps like the shotgun room. Critics praised its tension and atmosphere, even as dialogue became meme-worthy, and players remembered both iconic scares and clunky controls. From sequels to films and TV shows, Resident Evil grew into one of gaming’s most enduring franchises. Join us as we return to the mansion on today’s trip down Memory Card Lane.

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