Zombies in Resident Evil

Zombies (ゾンビ, ''Zonbi'') are recurring antagonists within the fictional universe of Japanese video game company Capcom's multimedia franchise ''Resident Evil'', known in Japan as ''Biohazard''. First appearing in the 1996 video game ''Resident Evil'', they are mutated creatures with cannibalistic urges and severe epidermal necrosis, and their origins are explained from a scientific perspective. In contrast to zombies in other horror and fantasy genre works where they are traditionally presented as corporeal revenants with mythological and supernatural origins, zombies in the ''Resident Evil'' series are usually created through the use of biological weaponry, genetic manipulation and/or parasitic symbiosis. Subsequent sequels have featured other types of zombie as well as related creatures which are presented as more agile, vicious, and intelligent opponents.

The ''Resident Evil'' franchise's zombies and associated creatures, a staple feature in the video game series as well as film adaptations, are widely recognized as one of the most memorable video game depictions of horror themes, and represent an influential element of the survival horror genre which have inspired numerous works with similar themes.

Development

The director of the first entry in the ''Resident Evil'' series of video games, Shinji Mikami, cited '' The Evil Dead'' and ''The Texas Chain Saw Massacre'' as influences for his work within the ''Resident Evil'' franchise. To explain the origins of zombies within the ''Resident Evil'' universe, Mikami chose a virus as the infectious agent or pathogen which turn humans into zombies; during an interview with ''IGN'', Mikami recall "feeling excited by the new idea that a virus—a real enemy that can't be seen by humans—would cause tremendous fear in people". Mikami chose a fixed camera perspective and the implementation of tank controls, which he conceded to be awkward in movement but nevertheless insisted that it was the only method he could think of at the time that could make a horror game work: he explained that in this way the player could not see a zombie coming, yet could still hear its footsteps without knowledge of its exact position.

The depiction of zombie behavior changed greatly as the ''Resident Evil'' series expanded. Later titles released after the original ''Resident Evil'' would present an escalation of enemy types, introducing new creatures or reinventing pre-established ones. For example, ''Resident Evil 3'' introduced zombies which could sprint and lunge out towards player characters at an unusually rapid pace. For ''Resident Evil 4'', Mikami discarded tank controls which previously served the purpose of intensifying a scary experience, and introduced a new enemy type. ''Los Ganados'' ("The Cattle" in Spanish), which have variously been described as "zombie-like non-zombies" or "very-zombie-like-but-not-officially-zombies" by video game journalists, represented a further evolution of the zombie archetype due to their intelligence and nimbleness. In Mikami's view, the horror genre had since transitioned from a preference for direct, physical horror to quiet, psychological horror. He observed that while many players have since developed an immunity to physical horror and the idea of zombies as a scary experience from past decades, in his view nothing scares human beings more than themselves as well as their societies and cultures, which represents a certain horror element that is timeless.

For the remakes of older ''Resident Evil'' titles, Capcom's developers could revisit and realize the potential of the original design behind enemies without the technical limitations of dated technology. In the 2002 remake of ''Resident Evil'', zombies which are not successfully dispatched by a head shot may resuscitate as fast-moving "Crimson Heads" resembling the silhouette of the Nosferatu creature. In the original ''Resident Evil 2'', a specialized zombie called the Licker must first drop to the floor from walls or ceilings in order to engage the player character, even though it is capable of attacking from a distance by design: according to producer Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, this is because the original game was presented with a fixed camera and tank controls which mandated a "stop-and-aim shooting system". In the 2019 ''Resident Evil 2'' remake, the camera is placed behind the player character, which gives the player more freedom to control the camera and aim at enemies. This enables the player to search for a Licker that is attacking from an elevated position, in accordance with the original design. In acknowledgment of the high volume of gore depicted in the remake, producer Tsuyoshi Kanda explained that the notion of "truly terrifying zombies" is one of the title's major concepts, and that the developers spent much time and effort to convey "damage impact that feels weighty and real" when player characters repeatedly shoot at zombies as they come at them relentlessly. Kanda noted that high-resolution visuals are rendered and designed in incredible detail, which are then used as the basis to create their "world of wetness and darkness".

With regards to the primary enemy units of '' Resident Evil 7: Biohazard'' known as the Molded, producer Jun Takeuchi commented that their name infers that there may be a human intention to mould or create something as part of the backstory of these creatures, and that a deliberate creative decision is made by developers to move away from a virus as the source of mass infection that leads to the biohazard incidents in the narratives of previous titles.

Appearances

Video games

Zombies are introduced in the first ''Resident Evil'' as primitive yet deadly creatures roaming the derelict Spencer Mansion. They exhibit a shambling behavior similar to the zombie films of the 1970s, in particular George A. Romero's ''Night of the Living Dead'' film series. They moan and relentlessly shuffle towards player characters with arms outstretched and little finesse, and while their slow movement speed offers ample time for players to respond, zombies may absorb nearly a full pistol clip before falling. Unlike Tyrants, which are Bio Organic Weapons (B.O.W.) by design, zombies are often unintentional side-effects of humans who are infected by the T-virus, a name given to a series of Progenitor virus strains which causes death or drastic mutations to its hosts by the pharmaceutical conglomerate Umbrella Corporation, the primary antagonistic faction in the franchise's earlier games. A popular tactic to dispatch zombies is with precise lined up shots to the head, while other players may opt to conserve ammo by waiting for the zombies to veer slightly off course and attempt to run past them. ''Resident Evil 2'' and ''Resident Evil 3'' present a zombie apocalypse scenario where zombies appear in larger numbers, overrunning the entirety of the fictional Raccoon City which is located near the first game's mansion. They are presented as more limber in movement, though they may be knocked down when they take enough damage and dismembered if players target a specific body part.

Other zombie-type creatures in the series include domesticated canines infected with the T-virus, also known as the zombie dog (ゾンビ犬 ''zombi-inu''). Unlike the slower human zombies, zombie dogs retain much of their agility with a noticeable increase in durability and aggression. Zombie dogs are usually depicted with active necrosis, for example a visible eye bulge out of their otherwise savage but proportional facade, which makes for a fearsome appearance. Most of the zombie dogs encountered in the early ''Resident Evil'' games are of the Dobermann

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