After finishing his first playthrough, Hubert felt a little empty — like something was missing.
That's right! There was still a second character to play. And no one ever said you couldn't play it more than once, right?
But for a game like Resident Evil, with exploration and puzzle-solving elements, the sense of discovery definitely fades on a second run.
Still, even so, it remained an excellent game.
At that point, the online community was still pretty quiet. Perhaps most players hadn't finished the game yet. Or maybe it was just that the game's sales weren't high enough — not on a blockbuster level — so there simply weren't enough people discussing it.
By the time Hubert had excitedly completed a second playthrough, Aiko, Kazumi, and Ne-chan had just finished their first run.
The three of them, in contrast, played the game like regular players — taking their time through the first experience.
...
...
"This game… honestly doesn't seem that scary," Ne-chan mumbled.
Kazumi immediately let out a dramatic wail, "Not scary?! I clearly remember you screaming just as loud as me during that one scene!"
Ne-chan quickly defended herself, "That was only because it came out of nowhere! I wasn't expecting it, that's all."
They were referring to one of Resident Evil's most iconic and classic scenes — the zombie slowly turning its head with a bloodied mouth, gazing at the camera.
It was so impactful that it would later be recreated in the Resident Evil movies, and even referenced or mimicked in other films. It had become one of the most famous visuals in gaming history.
Aiko chimed in, "To be honest, I actually don't think it's that scary either. And if we're judging by how fun it is, I'd say this game is really fun."
Aiko was the type to analyze everything calmly and logically — even while playing games. She constantly studied what made a game appealing, what moments stood out, and what emotionally hooked players. Based on how she felt while playing, she could determine whether a game was good or not.
Her learning ability was genuinely impressive.
Ne-chan immediately added, "See? If our genius Aiko says it's not scary, then it's obviously not that scary."
Kazumi, however, still felt uneasy. Even now, if you asked her to play Resident Evil alone, there was no way she'd agree.
That said, she did appreciate some of the game's puzzle mechanics, and the aesthetic design of the mansion had left a strong impression. Perhaps her artistic instincts were kicking in.
This version of Resident Evil had visual quality roughly on par with the Resident Evil 1 Remake from Capcom in Takayuki's past life — though with key differences. The awkward fixed camera angles were gone, replaced by the now-classic over-the-shoulder third-person perspective, which felt far more natural.
The third-person view struck the perfect balance — immersive for all players, without the motion sickness some experienced in first-person games.
"Aiko," she asked, "Ne-chan — putting the horror aside, do you think this game is fun?"
Aiko loved it. The game's pacing was tight and satisfying, without any filler content. Open-world games could sometimes drag, making players feel aimless or bored.
But Resident Evil kept players constantly engaged. The playtime was just right too — long enough to feel like a full experience, but short enough to finish in a night, like watching an extended film.
She was really hoping her two friends felt the same.
Kazumi shook her head. "I don't know… I just don't want to play it. But the art and visuals were really good."
During gameplay, Ne-chan occasionally helped solve puzzles and assisted Aiko during the more difficult sections. She clearly had a knack for gameplay mechanics.
Kazumi, however, hadn't contributed at all. She didn't even want to look at the screen for too long. Even though the game wasn't as terrifying as some horror films she'd seen, it still triggered that instinctual fear in her.
After thinking for a moment, Ne-chan said, "I think it's a really fun game. If I had to rate it, I'd give it four stars."
"Why not five? Because of the horror elements?" Aiko asked.
"Hmm… not exactly. I just felt like the ending wasn't very satisfying. I think a game should leave you feeling complete at the end, and this one didn't — it felt like it wasn't really over yet."
Aiko nodded. "Well, they do plan to make sequels, so of course they wouldn't wrap up the whole story in one go. But I agree — I'm definitely interested in seeing where the story goes next."
The zombie setting was originally very overused. In this world, zombie movies were mostly B-grade gore flicks aimed at niche audiences.
But Resident Evil had taken the classic zombie trope and refined it, replacing the crude shock factor with a scientific, grounded narrative.
The T-virus, and the way it was explained, made the plot more believable and cohesive. Aiko had always wanted to go into narrative and game design, so a good story meant a lot to her.
If there were a zombie movie this well-written, she'd definitely buy a ticket and support it.
Ne-chan wasn't wrong either. Because the game deliberately left several plot threads unresolved, it made the overall experience feel less complete.
If the story had wrapped up more tightly, both Aiko and Ne-chan probably would've given it at least four and a half stars.
As for Kazumi… there was no need to ask her. She was still muttering about that one zombie turn-and-smile scene. She probably wouldn't be able to sleep tonight unless someone stayed over.
Seeing that it was getting late, Aiko suggested, "Since it's already this late, why don't we play one more round? Ne-chan, you and I can analyze some of the game's systems and see what ideas we can use in our own project. Sound good?"
"Wha?! Again?! If I play this one more time, I'm definitely going to have nightmares!"
Kazumi was not on board.
What she really wanted now was to unwind with some Stardew Valley.Resident Evil was definitely not her thing.