Reggie Fils-Aimé famously said “if it’s not fun, why bother” during Nintendo’s E3 2017 showcase. For some, these have become words to die by. An easy phrase to parrot when the individual faces a system they can't come to terms with. Some see it as a harmless way of saying they don't enjoy what they're playing, but I have never appreciated its implications.

If your definition of “fun” equates to anything you like, this quote probably resonates with you. But I've rarely seen the word used that way, and instead, this obsession with fun’s necessity in games seems more damaging than anything.

“Fun” is fast, approachable, and easy to control. An immediate stoking of the attention span, constant engagement, or a light enjoyment lessened in friction. Some see Dark Souls as unfun due to its slow, heavy movement and methodical combat. Dark Souls 3 is “fun” because it's quicker and lighter; you can roll faster, further, and more often. Nothing is wrong with either approach, yet one is sometimes dismissed.

Not everyone defines the term this way, but I’ve seen it used to debase games with an unconventional design. Traditionally “unfun” foundations have a harder time finding their place in communities who won’t acknowledge its worth unless it’s immediately satisfying. I remember this phrase being used during Death Stranding. It was picked apart, labeled as “unfun” because it’s a package delivery walking simulator. Who wants to be a delivery man, right? Even “walking sim” has become dismissive, used to label things as lesser.

Regardless of Reggie’s intention in the full quote, which specifically emphasizes that games are also a journey, even inviting the player to “open their mind,” that snippet has shifted into a rallying cry for people to do anything but. If something must be “fun” to be worthwhile, and that definition of “fun” is remotely limited, it denies ideas that don't fit under a narrow bracket. It is a quote accompanied by frustrating ignorance.

Not everything needs to be fun. Other artforms aren't seen this way, so why are games different? Is it because they're interactive? Is interactivity meaningless without fun? Art is feeling, and there’s no single feeling a work has to evoke to be successful.

Playing Resident Evil reminded me of my stance on this.

It isn't fun. It's claustrophobic, stressful, and frustrating. No encounter, room, boss, or weapon is traditionally “fun.” It's an unforgiving, labyrinthian puzzle; a constant check of resources where memorizing rooms and locations is vital. Even saving the game is limited to a resource, one I often found myself without and had to make huge stretches of progress knowing one mistake could send me back an hour.

Bosses are a cold, calculated check of your mindfulness towards collecting and preserving as much ammo as possible. You enter a boss room, move only a little, and fire everything you have. They die and you move on. You wasted ammo, and that made progressing more difficult. No part of this balance between figuring out the path forward while wasting as few resources as possible was fun, alongside trying to figure out at what point the player should save.

Yet Resident Evil is enormously good and I’m enamored. I've reversed my tune on the Ink Ribbon system after years of avoiding it in other titles in the franchise. The fear that arises from knowing one mistake can ripple; your decision to not save means you're risking everything, or being too frugal by going nearly an hour without a save, brings rise to an unmatched tension.

Games don’t have to be fun to be worthwhile, successful, or good. Art is too complex, and limiting any medium in this way sucks. It’s not something to be afraid of, either. Fun absolutely rules, but I’m tired of people treating it as a necessity. I’m tired of being seen as lesser when expressing love for old, unconventional, or mechanically complex experiences. I’m tired of new things being inherently better because they’re faster, more fluid, and easier to control. No feeling is worthless and games can accomplish anything. Just keep an open mind, experience it, and vibe. Fun isn’t everything.

If you support that quote and think “that's not what fun is, it's just whether or not you like something,” then that's fine. We can disagree. But I’ve seen people use the requirement of “fun” to shit on non-traditional systems before. People shouldn’t be afraid to say something isn’t fun yet still love it. There's so much more to feel :)

What can be said about REmake that hasn't already been said? This is the pinnacle of classic survival horror. Lush visuals, unmatched atmosphere, and challenging but fair gameplay. Every room, pre-rendered background, and camera angle is expertly crafted to suit the mood and needs of the scene, whether that is building suspense, drawing your eye to a specific location, or offering a reprieve from the horror.

I played the Steam remaster using Jill on the Normal difficulty, with tank controls. I appreciate the option for newer players to go with modern controls, but as far as I am concerned there is no option, tank controls are the way to go.

This is the fifth classic RE game I have played, having previously enjoyed 1, 2, 3, and Code Veronica. At first I was surprised at some of the changes compared to Code Veronica. Jill is a lot heavier and slower than I was used to my main character being. An individual zombie is a legitimate threat, able to take you down in 3-4 bites. If you are grabbed, you will receive a bite, unless you use one of the new defense items. The pistol no longer has any knockback on zombies, meaning you have less room to operate in while taking them down. Once I adjusted to the changes, I came to appreciate them for making this experience feel truly unique among the series. The first RE doesn't actually have that many zombies in it, mostly due to technical limitations at the time. REmake is faithful to the enemy count but has incorporated it into the gameplay design by making each encounter more important and memorable.

The Spencer Mansion is still the greatest setting the series has seen. The story is fun, with the new twists involving Lisa Trevor doing a great job at shaking things up and subverting expectations. The voice acting isn't as cheesy as the original, but it has plenty of charm.

The game has plenty of replayability. The protagonist selection, along with numerous small choices along the way, the multiple endings, the unlockable difficulty settings, costumes, and weapons. It is a complete package. I just finished the game but I am already looking forward to eventually replaying as Chris one day. I am sure this is a game I will come back to many times in my life.

In short, REmake is a masterpiece, and a must play for everyone.

When I first played RE1 Remake it didn't do much for me. Maybe it was because it wasn't what I expected after RE4, maybe it's the fact that I was unknowingly playing it on easy mode which made the game not as tense as it should've been, but as a whole my first playthrough didn't leave much of an impression on me. But now that I played it with the OG RE1 still fresh in my mind, I think I love this game now.

For the most part, everything I liked about the OG, I like here even more. For starters, the game is more tense than ever thanks to the addition of the Crimson Heads. So, whereas in the original, when you cleared an area of zombies, you were completely safe to go through it, in this game, downed zombies stay there and if they weren't burned or headshotted, then they eventually come back as a Crimson Head. This addition alone makes this the scariest RE game I've played so far since the amount of tension it puts on the player as they walk past downed zombies, never knowing when they'll spring back up is really unnerving. It also adds another welcome layer of decision-making in having to decide which zombies are most worth burning with the finite amount of kerosene at your disposal.

The game changes a lot of things but for the most part, they're all good additions. The puzzles are slightly more interesting here, examining items plays a much bigger role here which is cool since it was underutilized in the OG and zombies can now burst through certain doors which really caught me off guard the first time it happened. Another new addition would be the defensive items like daggers or flash grenades that can help to avoid damage and offer another way of dealing with enemies if you want to conserve ammo. One nitpick I have with them though is that by the endgame, enemies like Crimson Heads and Hunters mostly just swipe at you, instead of grabbing you, so the items just become somewhat useless by the end. Getting them is also way too easy since areas that aren't fully explored are now marked as red on the map and by the endgame, I had about 9 of them saved up in total. My favourite change though, would be to the game's structure. In the OG, after you got the 4 Crests the game basically became a linear set of levels and the areas felt much more isolated. REmake rectifies that since after you clear the guardhouse, the second mansion visit is slightly more non-linear which makes going through it way more fun for me.

Visually the game looks stunning and holds up today, not just graphically, but the cinematography has also seen a big boost. For example, I love the use of canted angles when descending down a flight of stairs, or how in one hallway, you can see the shadows of zombies banging on the windows before they break in. It's minor stuff, but as a film nerd, I can't help but appreciate things like that. The voice-acting is also much better (not that it could've been worse), it's a little wooden and lacks the campy charm of the original but it doesn't murder the atmosphere like in the OG.

My only real problems with the game would be that the bosses still suck and feel unnecessary and I wish Chris' campaign didn't still feel like a worse version of Jill's. He has the lighter on by default now atleast but he still only has 6 item slots and has to use small keys to open drawers so playing as him can often feel tedious with the amount of backtracking that's required. With RE2, 3 and CV all giving characters 8 or more slots I think it would've been better if they did the same for Chris here. Neither of these issues are a huge deal though, the bosses are over in a few seconds and I can always just play as Jill instead of Chris.

But yeah, this is basically everything I could ever want out of a remake and out of a survival horror game and I'm glad it clicked with me on a second playthrough.

The pinnacle of survival horror and one of the greatest games ever made. It's been over 20 years and I still love it just as much if not more.

Survival horror gameplay is so satisfying, especially in Resident Evil Remake. When you start out you feel like a mouse trapped in a violent maze. Then you start to learn the map, figure things out, get better and make your way through. Then the replays begin. You go from fumbling your way through to attempting things like harder difficulties, speed runs, no save runs, no hit runs, etc. It is so enjoyable, rewarding and fun. If there was any game I could forget and experience all over again it would probably be this.

Every enemy encounter is meaningful because they don’t go down quickly and you have to consider the risk, limited resources, item management and backtracking. When you approach a zombie or hear one around the corner you need to stop and make a decision. Do I take it out or try to run past? Is there another way to go? How much health and/or ammo do I have? How much health and ammo is back in the item box? When am I going back to the item box? How often am I going to come back here? If I put it down will I come back and burn it so it doesn’t get back up? What do I do if I get hit? Do I have any self defence items? How much progress will I lose if I die? The game allows you to screw yourself and never holds your hand but this makes overcoming it so much sweeter. It is utterly fantastic.

Then on top of this there is enjoyable exploration through creepy, atmospheric environments that you slowly unlock your way further into. With tense action against tough, scary enemies that forces you to stand your ground or run. The weapons hit hard and can produce graphic headshots and you can die just as horrifically. And the puzzles that are just right. Nasty traps, horror, gore and jump scares. This game recipe is f**king exquisite.

The presentation is stellar. The fixed camera angles allow the developers to perfectly frame the whole game to increase the atmosphere, horror and player discomfort, and to highlight or hide things for the player. The visuals and art direction are excellent. The environments are gorgeous and detailed or dirty and gruesome when needed. The mansion is stunning and has so much atmosphere. It is my favourite video game location ever, it’s that good. The character and enemy models are great. The game is getting old now but still looks so good. Of course the audio is top notch too. The music, sound effects and ambient noises are so well done but they also knew when to have restraint and it’s all such a big part of the game's unnerving atmosphere.

I love the characters, story, lore and dialogue too. The history of the mansion, Umbrella and the experiments is fun to dive into and all the notes/diaries/documents are worth reading. Jill, Chris, Barry, Rebecca, Wesker, even poor Richard, I love them all. The famous dialogue is a joy as is the B horror movie vibe.

The only thing I can think of that is wrong is that I wish there was more of it and that we still got games like this regularly. A little bit longer, more options, more unlockables, more variety on further playthroughs. But I’m probably just being greedy, this game is near perfect. The only other issue is that the cave and laboratory areas are not as memorable as the mansion and residence for me.

It improves on everything from the original while staying true to that vision. It doesn’t really throw anything away or remix stuff too much. It just makes it better and the new additions fit in so well it’s like they were always meant to be there.

Go play this now if you've never tried it. I’m serious, I don’t care what your plans are. If you’ve never played Resident Evil Remake, fix that as soon as possible. I’m jealous that you get to experience this for the first time and wish I could again. Give it some time, you will get used to the older gameplay style and find it really works for this type of game. I hope as many people as possible enjoy this. Resident Evil Remake is how remakes should be done and how well games in general should be done.

9.7/10

Sorprendente!
Luego de haberlo terminado en sus tres modos principales (Normal, Difícil y Supervivencia; no pienso tocar el Modo invisible btw) puedo decir sin pelos en la lengua que estamos ante uno de los mejores juegos de la historia, un estudio sobre diseño y aprendizaje bastante increíble de parte de Mikami en donde no importa que tanto hayamos aprendido durante nuestras partidas siempre nos pondrá a prueba de una u otra forma gracias, en donde el Backtraking no solo es penalizado de forma psicológica (el cansancio de parte del jugador por volver a repetir una y otra vez una zona porque se le olvido equiparse un objeto indispensable) sino también jugable con los Crimson Heads y la re-aparición de nuevas criaturas en una zona antes barrida por nosotros haciendo que cada planteamiento de acción, cada movimiento y cada retroceso que planeemos en pensar lo hagamos dos o hasta tres veces antes de ejecutarlo porque un solo error de calculo se nos es fatal (gastaremos munición, tiempo, ritmo y probablemente salud).

Siento que es esta filosofía de diseño la que hace a esta entrega la mas redonda dentro de la franquicia (o por lo menos de los que he jugado) usando de base el diseño de su contraparte de PlayStatition dotándola de mucha mas profundidad en el proceso haciendo que las nuevas zonas sirvan mas para una interconexión de mapa mucho mas orgánico que por un nuevo Appeal, aquellos guiños hacia los veteranos subvirtiendo las expectativas ante lo antes visto en la primera entrega volviendo casi esta como una especie de tutorial para el desafío puro y duro que no pudo transmitir Mikami en ese entonces.

I thought that getting into this series with 4 would make the fixed camera angle games seem obtuse and difficult to get into, but I'm pleasantly surprised to say that this game is probably even better than 4! The oppressive mood and atmosphere is overwhelming, it's genuinely scary and I feel so tense when playing, and peeling away at the INCREDIBLY designed mansion through Metroidvania-esque progression is so satisfying. Immaculately designed game, I absolutely adored it and can't wait to play the original version of 2 next.

despite having been a fan of resident evil for over half my life at this point (and in fact owning the game as a child), it's only now that i've beaten this game for the first time. you tend to hear people talk about REmake in hushed whispers, hailing it as not only the best resident evil game alongside 4, but in fact one of the best games ever made. i think i would agree w/ that assessment. i just wish the game didnt get easier once you got back to the mansion though. who cares if hunters can one shot you when you basically never run out of magnum/grenade launcher ammo? for the record i played on normal, i imagine that would be an entirely different story on hard.

I'm a huge fan of Resident Evil '96. I've played it beginning to end at least 6 times at this point, and I don't plan on leaving it behind anytime soon. That being said, I actually never properly sat down to fully complete a run through of it's 2002 remake. If you're familiar with me, you know I have…. choice words about the implications of a remake and how they influence the games industry, but REmake 1 in particular always looked like the one to break the mold of issues MOST remakes have. And I'm glad to say that after playing it, it pretty much did everything I wanted out of the experience and more.
I need to start things off by saying how fucking BEAUTIFUL this game looks. This is a game that looked a generation ahead when it first came out and visually speaking it's still one of the best games out there. The backgrounds are all pre-rendered images, meaning that the game can run higher quality character models over them compared to fully 3D games at the time and it is drop dead gorgeous. The best looking classic RE by a mile, not to discredit the fantastic backgrounds of RE2 or 3 though.
Every single area has been greatly expanded, tons of new puzzles, items, etc. The first mansion visit is still the meatiest and nonlinear part of the game, just like the original, but I do think that the succeeding areas are still given a good upgrade. Pretty underwhelming segments from the original like the shark arena, or the caves for example are a significant improvement here. Also worth mentioning that the new puzzles are probably some of the trickiest in the classic entries, and some are extremely tense too!
The biggest new addition adds to the increased tensity of this remake, that being the crimson heads, transforming one of the weakest enemy types from the original game, the zombie, into a ticking time bomb that is ready to strike once more after you've "killed" it. Would you rather let it rise once more, or waste your precious kerosene to permanently be rid of one…? REmake is a genuinely scary game, the amount of new jumpscares and door opening enemies makes truly any room feel unsafe, you can't always have a breather area anymore. I felt tense my entire playthrough, even shaking a bit in some areas like the caves.
But what is without a doubt the most genius aspect of this game to me, is how it works as a REMAKE. Unlike plenty of other remakes across the years, this one does not fall into any of the common traps that they usually do. It's a full realization of the original artistic vision, it preserves all the prior content while adding ONTO what was there originally to such a natural degree it's hard to believe it wasn't there to begin with. All of the changed puzzles, item placements, and scares also makes this an astounding HORROR game remake, because even veterans of the original game have no idea what to expect, it's like actually so crazy how well this remake really works.
Alongside the 1996 original, REmake has easily placed itself among one of my favorite games of all time. Please play this game, and if you can, play the original too! Because all it does is elevate an already fantastic survival horror experience. It's among Capcom's finest and easily one of the best games I've ever played.

About as perfect as a game has any right to be. It takes what made the original amazing and improves every aspect of it. The introduction of Crimson Head zombies makes every room in the mansion scary throughout the entire game. Having expert modes like Invisible Enemy mode is something other survival horror games should have borrowed in the future, it rewards the player for perfecting their strategy to a point of knowing where enemies will be in rooms before they enter. One of the best games ever made, and the best survival horror game ever.

I’ve considered myself a fan of the Resident Evil franchise for a few years now and to say that I was ecstatic to have finally played the seminal classic that started it all would be a seismic understatement. Put bluntly? This remake fucking rules. It completely executes everything that it sets out to accomplish and it does so with aplomb, creating an incredibly immersive, deep, atmospheric survival horror experience that had me thoroughly enthralled from beginning to end. Couple that with a solid story that presents you with just enough intrigue to keep you engaged and gameplay that honestly hasn’t aged all that much. If anything i’d argue that the tank controls and the fixed camera system are only a boon to the tone that this game is going for rather than detrimental flaws that detract from it. From the expertly crafted and intrinsically connected level design, the deeply rewarding exploration loop, the puzzles that are simple, well designed, and immensely satisfying to solve, to the beautifully haunting soundtrack from the musical genius Masami Ueda which adds a ton of emotional resonance to the game. It’s all so deftly handled. Add to that the tight inventory mechanics, the resource and item management, coupled with the punishingly limited checkpoints, the frequent sprinkling of frantic combat encounters and set pieces, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a scorching powder keg, making for moment to moment gameplay scenarios that are both palpably intense and positively thrilling. The only aspect of this game that I’m not totally crazy about are the frequent door loading screens. They are incredibly archaic and they have a tendency to bring down the game’s otherwise flawless pacing to a languid halt at points. I also found the boss fights to be somewhat lacking (the final one is especially disappointing when you consider the build up prior to it) despite them being consistently enjoyable to play through. Otherwise though? Resident Evil is pretty much pitch perfect and it’s every bit the unassailable masterpiece that it has been hyped up to be.

The first / original RE on the PlayStation captivated me and became my first favorite "Adult" and survival horror game thanks to its realistic presentation with FMVs and pre-rendered backgrounds. When REmake was announced for the Nintendo GameCube I was completely floored at the jump in graphical quality and pre-rendered background details and perhaps became my most anticipated game of all time. The hype was well justified with Capcom pulling one of the most impressive remakes of all time and bringing the game to life by providing more detailed backgrounds, new files, areas, and even expanding the story a bit more over the original.

The presentation is top-notch and graphically this game still looks amazing thanks to the level of detail in the backgrounds that come to life with different lighting effects such as thunder/lightning and fire. Every room becomes a museum piece worth of checking every detail, nook, and cranny making the Spencer mansion one of the most remarkable and iconic settings in gaming.

Fixed camera angles are still present in this game for the better (in my opinion). Tank controls can deter gamers that are not used to these controls but as an "OG" RE purist, they feel natural to me and add charm to how the game is controlled and end up feeling natural and the best way to play the game due to the fixed camera angles.

The soundtrack sets the tone and is masterfully implemented in the game along with detailed sound effects. The voice acting is not as cringe as the original game but still maintains the staple cheesiness to keep things in check for RE fans.

All in all, REmake for the GameCube is one of my favorite games of all time thanks to its presentation and immersive setting. If you are a survival horror fan or feel like exploring the genre, it doesn't get any better than this.

Resident Evil Remake/Rebirth (2002) é um Survival Horror focado em exploração e solução de puzzles. O jogo possui duas campanhas e você pode controlar Jill Valentine ou Chris Redfield, a dificuldade depende de qual personagem você escolhe, sendo Jill o modo facilitado e Chris tendo um pouco mais de dificuldade em sua experiência. Existem poucos inimigos, mas possui uma variedade ''ok'', a munição é limitada, então é necessário saber quando e onde usar, os chefes são desafiadores, porém nada muito excepcional. Resident Evil Remake/Rebirth é uma boa pedida pra quem curte o gênero e deu um salto enorme se comparar com o original de 1996, os gráficos são de uma qualidade absurda, principalmente se você lembrar que foi lançado em 2002, a atuação dos dubladores também evoluiu bastante e o Remake conta também com modos extras e alguns desbloqueáveis, fazendo com que o fator replay aumente. O tempo de jogo é entre 9-11 horas na sua primeira jogatina, mas quando terminado da primeira vez, esse tempo cai bastante. Recomendo jogar de mente aberta, pois os controles não são convencionais e talvez uma pessoa mais nova pode acabar se frustrando em sua primeira vez jogando, mas se você gosta da franquia ou curte um Survival Horror completinho, esse aqui não irá te decepcionar <3

I am not the survival horror genre's biggest fan, but I really wanted to try the Resident Evil games so I could form my own opinions on them. I started with this one first, then moved my way up through the remakes.

There is just something about survival horror that just pisses me off more than it scares me, so it puts a damper on my enjoyment of this genre, depending on how it's done. Having played some of the other games though, I do think this one sits perfectly fine in mid-tier since this series has puzzle mechanics that give them a more unique, and engaging edge in comparison to other games like it.

I think I am much more affected by "run away from it horror" than I am of "shoot it before it kills you horror" so I could still have some fun with it. While you did have to fight some enemies and bosses, you're required to be a little more careful of your resources and sometimes sneaking by is the better option. You can permanently remove some annoyingly placed enemies and make your life so much easier later as well. Those are the parts that I do like.

I do however dislike the tank controls and camera angles, they are very frustrating for me and I guess I'll just die on this hill. I will graciously accept my position as a person who enjoys the other remake's controls more. This is a perfectly fine game for me though.

Jill Valentine is my wife.

Tbh the first true survival horror game I’ve ever played and holy hell what an amazing introduction to the genre. Feels legitimately perfect from a gameplay perspective. Cohesive in its design to a degree I don’t think I’ve ever encountered previously. Absolutely everything - the backgrounds, the camera angles, resource scarcity, health pool, carry capacity, the save system, the crimson heads - works in concert to create an experience of constant tension and uncertainty for the player. An experience where you have to really think about every item collected, every item left behind, and every route taken because making the wrong decision means losing significant progress. RE requires the player to respect its gameplay systems and in return it respects the players intelligence and their time; deaths absolutely never feel cheap or unavoidable. Honestly worth playing just to see how well designed it is even if you - like me - don’t have a ton of interest in the survival horror genre.