The Resident Evil franchise began in 1996 and while it wasn’t the first survival horror game, it became the template for the genre for many followers. From main titles to spinoffs, there have been well over twenty games and it seems like the series is not slowing down for Capcom yet.
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It had some dips along the way in its middle years, but thanks to Resident Evil VII being a brave new invention of the series, it is now back on top.
That said, it has been a couple of years since the last title, the remake of Resident Evil 4. When will the next game get a trailer? Will there be a new announcement for the Switch 2 during the next Nintendo Direct? While waiting, let’s look back at some other great Resident Evil trailers ranked by impact.
6
Resident Evil Portable
A Promise Unfulfilled
Resident Evil Portable didn’t quite get a trailer in the tradtional sense but it’s an infamous game in the series and needs to be discussed. At Sony’s E3 2009 press event, the then President and CEO of Sony Computer Entertainment America came onstage with a backdrop showing key art on a PSP with the title Resident Evil Portable on it. Tretton went on to gush about how Resident Evil is tied to PlayStation in a major way and that this game would be exclusive to the PSP and would be released the following year.
At this point in the PSP’s lifecycle, the portable was still struggling to find a place in the U.S. market as only diehards were jumping on board. It made sense to bring a huge series like Resident Evil to the system but no footage or art has ever been uncovered from this project. Did it even make it out of the concept phase? It’s one of the greatest mysteries fans are dying to know more about and no matter how many times they watch this “trailer” presentation, nothing new will be uncovered from it. The promise is what had people excited back in 2009 and who knows how the series would have changed had it come out.
5
Resident Evil 4
A Game With Many Versions
Resident Evil 4 was first unveiled in 2002 during a presentation from Capcom, announcing their Capcom Five project for the GameCube. Later, Resident Evil 4 got its first trailer now dubbed the “Fog” version of the game showcasing Leon S. Kennedy walking through an airship, house, and perhaps even a castle. He can be seen running and shooting at a mist before the trailer ends but that was enough to get fans excited for those who could see it as coverage was limited online back then. The next trailer shown had Leon running around a house that looked like the same one from the original trailer.
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The big difference is that he was being pursued by a mist formed into a person wielding a hook thus being called the “Hook” version of the game. Either trailer sports a special place in the hearts of fans because they never came to be and more footage can be viewed on Unseen64. It’s such a well-documented development process. Visually, both versions looked on par with what Resident Evil 4 would become in 2005 complete with Leon’s jacket.
4
Resident Evil 5
Co-Op Has Arrived
Resident Evil 5 was announced in 2005 shortly after the release of Resident Evil 4. It would not get a trailer until E3 2007. In this trailer, Chris Redfield is voicing some backstory about the current state of Umbrella. The trailer itself shows Chris appearing in what seems to be an African country, fighting off natives who appear to be cursed like the people Leon encountered in Resident Evil 4.
Besides the graphics, it wasn’t that much of a wow-inducing trailer. At TGS 2008, they showed another and this was the introduction of Chris’ new partner, Sheva. This was also when it was announced the game could be played fully in co-op which was a huge deal for the series. While the final product is a bit decisive, this TGS trailer had a lot of promise to it. Also, it saw the return of Wesker in a proper role which hadn’t happened since 2000’s Resident Evil – Code: Veronica.
3
Resident Evil Village
It’s Just A Local Tale
Resident Evil Village was first announced during Sony’s reveal event for the PS5. The trailer began as a story about a girl in a village, showing off a winter setting with some villagers fighting off some kind of creature which is revealed to be a werewolf at the end. Also in this trailer, Chris can be seen executing Ethan Winters’ wife and kidnapping his daughter.
Ethan, of course, is the hero from Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Chris’ mysterious nature, the werewolf, and the village looks like the one from Resident Evil 4 were all cool things to get fans excited. However, the thing that truly got the Internet talking was Lady Dimitrescu and her “dommy mommy” features. Have Google Safe Search on when researching her memes.
2
Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
Go Tell Aunt Rhody
At E3 2015, Capcom released a demo for a game only known as Kitchen. It was a first-person horror demo set in a dilapidated house. At E3 2016, there was a trailer that seemed like it was advertising the whole version of Kitchen. Set in first-person again, there were grotesque images of animals decaying and someone trying to solve puzzles within this house while a creepy song played in the background.
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The trailer ended with a car, shining its headlights on a house when the Roman numeral “VII” appeared which then got stylized into Resident EVII: Biohazard. Based on the trailer, it was surprising to see it into the franchise. Also, it was coming out not long after its unveil, January 2017, which upped the hype even more. The quick reveal to release date would become a standard for Capcom following this.
1
Resident Evil 2 (2019)
It Finally Happened
Resident Evil 2 was released in 1998 which showcased the debut of Leon and Chris’ sister, Clair Redfield. While ported onto many consoles, the game never received an update. Capcom teased there might be a remake in 2015 but the statement was vague and no images were shown. Skip ahead to E3 2018 during Sony’s press conference.
The trailer begins with a rat going through this storage closet while a commotion can be heard outside. Said commotion busts into this room, revealing Leon fighting a zombie. The long-awaited remake of Resident Evil 2 revealed itself but the trailer didn’t end there. It showed a loving portrayal of the original game in a new HD setting that fans couldn’t help but weep for. Thanks to this remake’s success, Capcom would go on to remake the third and fourth games. What’s next?
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