Ranking The 7 Best Ways To Play The Original Resident Evil Game

Subsequent yr, 2026, will mark the thirtieth Anniversary of Resident Evil. The largest gaming horror franchise of all time kick-started the survival horror subgenre with exceptional execution again in 1996. It is no wonder Capcom is celebrating the instance with new thirtieth Anniversary art work, and, after all, the most recent mainline installment, Resident Evil: Requiem.
Resident Evil: Requiem arrives on February 27, 2026, however forward of this big day, why now not take a look at the sport that began all of it, Resident Evil 1? Whilst you’ll play RE1 in some ways as of late, some are without a doubt higher than others, whether or not in high quality, accessibility, or each. Some variations are relatively dear, whilst others are to be had on virtual storefronts at this time. All seven variations will probably be ranked from worst to perfect, beginning with the OG.
Resident Evil’s Unique Unlock Does not Grasp Up
A Tough First Move
To be frank, the unique 1996 free up of Resident Evil 1 is extra helpful as a collector’s merchandise than a playable enjoy. Each different model is healthier to play. The OG free up is naked bones, that includes best the bottom marketing campaign and a unmarried bonus gown in step with persona. To not point out, the OG US free up was once made unnecessarily tougher, it seems that to drive folks to shop for the sport as an alternative of completing it in a condominium.
A whole in-box reproduction of the unique Lengthy Field free up prices $150 in keeping with PriceCharting.
Those adjustments come with disposing of the auto-aim, a horrible resolution that makes the second one Yawn combat a irritating affair. The lacking auto-aim truly kills this model, making the sport unnecessarily tougher than it must be. Preventing the fatal hunters additionally proves to be a irritating time when you want to manually goal.
The OG free up is a foul model, however this can be a cool collector’s merchandise. I personal the unique PS1 Lengthy Field free up, and it is superior to have bodily, however it is simply now not nice to play.
Director’s Lower Twin Surprise Model Has One Giant Factor
And The Trumpets They Move
Very with regards to being the worst model, however now not relatively, is the PS1 Director’s Lower Twin Surprise Model. This version of the identify has just about the entire content material of the usual Director’s Lower, which is excellent, which means it comprises Novice and Complicated modes. Alternatively, what makes this model infamous is the brand-new soundtrack.
Composed by means of debatable musician Mamoru Samuragochi (in fact Takashi Niigaki, who was once his ghostwriter), this new soundtrack is an entire crisis. It sucks the entire surroundings from the sport, and whilst there are some just right tracks, maximum of them are horrible, together with the notorious Mansion Basement theme.
You’ll’t transfer over to the unique soundtrack, both. What makes this model worse is this was once the port to be had at the PS3 virtual retailer in the USA, now not the unique Director’s Lower. Fortunately, the new PS5 free up remedied this factor. Whilst the unique free up is worse, that is the model you maximum wish to avoid.
Resident Evil’s Saturn Model Is Cast
The Advent Of Struggle Recreation
Fortunately, from this level ahead, all of those variations are nice tactics to play Resident Evil 1, however the weakest of the great will be the Saturn port. It is an all-around forged model of the sport with some great additions. When enjoying as Chris, there is a nice wonder close to the tip with one of the crucial bosses, and the true giant juicy addition: Struggle Recreation.
Going via a lot of rooms, tasked with killing each enemy in sight, it is a beautiful amusing mode that ends with an unique boss for the Saturn port: the Golden Tyrant. Those additions are exceptional, however the Saturn port is missing within the technical sides. The burden instances are beautiful lengthy in comparison to the PS1 model. There may be additionally no auto-aim just like the OG free up, which is every other giant adverse.
Any other downside of the Saturn port is its worth. In keeping with PriceCharting, this sport will value you $240 for a whole reproduction, which isn’t price it. I’d say attempt to get it affordable, however let’s accept it, that more than likely would possibly not occur. For the general public, this model is a skip.
Resident Evil’s Home windows Port Nails The Fundamentals
A Nice PC Model
In spite of the just about 30-year age of Resident Evil 1, there are a couple of releases of it you’ll nonetheless purchase as of late on virtual storefronts. One among them is the PC model. To be had on GOG, that is every other forged port of the unique identify. The PC port is the one American free up to be utterly uncensored, with a full-color intro, plus the one free up to function brand-new guns.
You’ll skip door loading animations, which is superior, plus the graphics glance the most efficient by means of a long way out of the entire RE1 Vintage variations. It is a nice model to play and really obtainable now because of it being on GOG with complete controller strengthen, however it is not feature-rich.
There may be nonetheless best the bottom marketing campaign and not using a Novice, Complicated, or Struggle Recreation, which is slightly of a sadness. This in the end makes two particular ports edge out the PC model in the case of high quality.
Director’s Lower
The Director’s Lower You Need
Make sure to get the unique Director’s Lower, now not the Director’s Lower Twin Surprise Model on PS1. In contrast to on PS3, the PS5 virtual model of RE1 Vintage is the bottom Director’s Lower, however Capcom in fact made it even higher. The bottom Director’s Lower did not have analog controller strengthen, however this new PS5 model does, which is superior.
Director’s Lower added a couple of new costumes along side Novice and Complicated modes. Complicated, specifically, is an out of this world new technique to play RE1, providing a completely remixed marketing campaign with new merchandise placement and enemy spawns, new soar scares, and new backgrounds. Enemies are a lot more difficult to take down, making it one of the crucial toughest Resident Evil video games.
Plus, the unique soundtrack stays intact. The Resident Evil Director’s Lower is among the perfect tactics to play RE1, and the cherry on best is that it is loose on PS Plus as a PS1 Vintage sport. On the other hand, you’ll purchase it for $10 at the PS Retailer, as neatly.
Fatal Silence
The DS Port Is King
Some ports of RE1 Vintage excel in nice new additions and changes, whilst others upload improbable new content material. Resident Evil: Fatal Silence at the DS has the most efficient of each worlds. Such a lot of quality-of-life enhancements are added right here.
The knife is at all times mapped to the L button as an alternative of being within the stock. Door-loading animations (along side each cutscene) may also be skipped, you’ll do a 180-degree fast flip, and guide reloads make ammo control more uncomplicated. All of this makes Fatal Silence the model of RE1 Vintage that holds up the most efficient as of late. Plus, like Complicated mode in Director’s Lower, you might have Rebirth mode in Fatal Silence.
As soon as once more, Rebirth mode remixes enemy and merchandise places, however most significantly, provides a ton of latest DS-specific content material comparable to touch display screen. There are lots of latest DS-specific puzzles, and I beloved they all, minus the valve one within the Guardhouse Basement. Rebirth mode is a complete blast, and it may give even RE veterans some soar scares alongside the best way.
Resident Evil: Fatal Silence is considered one of my favourite video games at the DS, however this can be a bit dear. A whole in-box reproduction will value you $109 in keeping with PriceCharting, however saving up cash for this unbelievable port is easily price it.
GameCube Remake
A Survival Horror Masterpiece
One of the best ways to play Resident Evil 1 must be its 2002 GameCube remake. Nonetheless one of the crucial perfect online game remakes of all time, Resident Evil 1 Remake now not best improves the visuals and surroundings to new heights but in addition elevates the core survival gameplay. The volume of gameplay options and intensity added, making you propose the most efficient course, is perfected right here.
It is the perfect sport to play first for collection learners, however which model of the remake must you play? The unique GameCube model is a smart selection, however I’d pick out the PC model. The Resident Evil 1 Remake PC port now not best runs at 60fps, however you’ll mod it, which is vital right here.
Capcom did not do a really perfect task remastering the pre-rendered backgrounds, which lack element, not like the unique sport when performed on a CRT TV. You’ll mod RE1 Remake, alternatively, with the REupscale or Rescale mods, and the ones do a significantly better task updating the pre-rendered backgrounds to HD. It appears to be like a long way higher than the present PS4 and Xbox One ports, making the PC model the easiest way to play Resident Evil 1 as of late.

Resident Evil
- Launched
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April 30, 2002
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ // Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
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Capcom Manufacturing Studio 4
- Engine
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MT Framework
- Collection of Gamers
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1