About this game
Resident Evil (Biohazard in Japan, 1996) is the game that created the survival horror genre — and named it. Directed by Shinji Mikami at Capcom, it combined pre-rendered 3D backgrounds with polygonal characters, fixed camera angles, and a deliberate scarcity of resources to produce a new kind of dread: slow, tactical, and atmospheric. Set in a mansion on the outskirts of Raccoon City, players controlled either Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine investigating a viral outbreak. The game sold over 2.75 million copies, launched one of Capcom's most enduring franchises, and established a genre template that survival horror games still follow today.
Key Features
Two playable characters (Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine) with different inventories, abilities, and story pathways. Pre-rendered backgrounds with polygonal 3D characters — a visual approach that allowed highly detailed environments within the hardware's polygon limits. Fixed camera angles that deliberately withheld information, building tension through what the player could not see. Limited inventory management and item storage mechanics that forced strategic decision-making. A Mercenaries unlockable mode rewarding quick efficient play.
The Story Behind
By 1996, the PlayStation had proven its technical capabilities through racers and fighting games. What the platform had not yet demonstrated was that it could carry a genuinely frightening game — the kind of sustained dread that required players to think carefully before acting. Resident Evil arrived as a deliberate answer to that gap. Shinji Mikami had been tasked by Capcom producer Tokuro Fujiwara to create a game drawing on elements from Sweet Home, Fujiwara's 1989 Famicom horror RPG. Mikami shifted the camera from top-down to fixed cinematic angles, rebuilt the combat around scarcity, and used the PlayStation's hardware to pre-render environments with far more visual detail than real-time polygons could produce. The term "survival horror" was coined by Capcom specifically to market this game. The game's Western name — changed from Biohazard to Resident Evil for North American release — became the globally recognised franchise title. Its success led to three PlayStation sequels in the series's classic era, all of which are among the platform's most important games.
Tricks & Tales
The game features a live-action FMV introduction sequence — actual actors performing a scene in the Spencer Mansion — that was a distinctive production choice at a time when most games used in-engine cutscenes. Jill Valentine's larger inventory (8 slots versus Chris's 6) and access to a lock pick make her the easier character for first-time players; Chris's lower inventory is compensated by higher health. The "Itchy. Tasty." diary found in the kennel has become one of gaming's most recognisable pieces of environmental storytelling. The Hunter enemies that appear after a certain plot event cannot be heard until they are very close — a deliberate sound design choice to maximise the moment of ambush.
Collector's Guide
Region & Compatibility
Released simultaneously in Japan (as Biohazard) and North America on the same date — 22 March 1996. The Japanese version retains the original Biohazard branding. The game plays on Japanese PlayStation hardware and region-free modified units. The live-action FMV intro sequence is present in all regional versions. Western versions had minor edits to certain in-game images.
Maintenance Tips
Resident Evil for PlayStation is a single-disc title — verify the disc is free of scratches, particularly on the laser-read underside. The game's pre-rendered backgrounds require sustained disc access; a disc-read error during a tense moment is a common failure mode on ageing units. Memory cards save game progress; keep a backup save where possible. The game's FMV sequences are stored on the disc alongside game data — any sector damage can cause specific cutscenes to fail while gameplay continues normally.
Available in our shop
Hand-cleaned and tested units shipped worldwide from Toyohashi, Japan. HP direct purchase exclusive: we include a printed shop owner's note card with every order.
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