The Resident Evil series may have defined the survival horror genre, but there’s no getting around the fact that the games’ more terrifying aspects are layered with a heaping helping of pure cheese. For every scare there’s a bit of B-movie goodness to be found. Fans embrace these cringeworthy moments, though, and it’s become a signature of the series. We’re hoping Resident Evil 7 will serve up more of the same. For now, though, let’s take a stroll down memory lane, remembering some of the series’ more ridiculous moments.
## Resident Evil — The Live-Action Intro
Resident Evil debuted in 1996 at a time where the FMV craze was still a thing. Naturally, the team wanted to show off their own FMV PlayStation 1-era prowess with this cinematic intro. Full of stilted dialogue, terrible special effects, and grainy video quality, the intro movie sets a delightfully campy precedent for the rest of the series.
Resident Evil 4 — Ramon Salazar
Easily one of Resident Evil’s least threatening antagonists, that didn’t stop Capcom from rendering Leon completely useless each time he was faced with this 4-foot tall Napoleon. Leon is thwarted by Salazar numerous times, despite the fact that Leon could simply pull out his gun and be done with it. Our favorite scene shows Salazar walking away for the umpteenth time, now with a captive Ashley in tow, while Leon mutters an emotionless “shit” as he looks on.
## Resident Evil 3 — Nemesis’s Tireless Chase
Nemesis’s hulking form is terrifying the first time around, but then he just keeps showing up for one tiresome fight after another. Eventually you can predict when he’s going to bust through the wall for another go, filling you with a renewed sense of dread each time.
Resident Evil: Code Veronica — Claire Falls in Love with Mutant! Steve
For much of Code Veronica, Claire didn’t really care about Steve, and for good reason — he’s whiny and lame. The two only realize their love for one another after Steve turns into a hulking, web-toed mutant. As Mutant! Steve attacks Claire, a light turns on somewhere in his now reptilian brain. “Cl . . . aiiiree, he stutters in a twisted grunt, before chopping off his own tentacle and professing his undying love for her. It would all be pretty vomit-worthy if it weren’t so laughable.
Resident Evil 4 — That Dog
Resident Evil doesn’t really trade in subtlety, so when Leon comes across a furry friend in Resident Evil 4, we all knew we’d be seeing it again. And what do you know, during the fight with Gigante, the dog appears, its white fur dazzling in the moonlight as it howls dramatically before jumping in to tear shit up. Leon’s flat, “Hey, it’s that dog!” really adds to the emotion of the scene.
Resident Evil — The Master of Unlocking
This poorly translated scene also happens to be one of the series’s most iconic. After aimlessly wandering through the mansion, Barry decides it’s best to split up, leaving Jill to examine an unexplored room. Before he heads off in the opposite direction, he hands her a set of lockpicks and dubs her the “Master of Unlocking.” If she’s the true master of unlocking, though, why does she need lockpicks?
Nemesis is always on the hunt.
