Resident Evil
A survival horror series with scarce supplies and tense exploration.
Where Resident Evil comes up2 episodes and tests
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testThe 100 Games That Taught Me Game Design
Gcreator of Game Maker's Toolkit testThe World Design of Dark Souls | Boss KeysResident Evil makes players feel weak through scarce ammo, limited healing herbs, and a cramped inventory grid. Its Spencer Mansion rewards navigating by memory, which later inspired Dark Souls' map-free design. Sources give no numbers. The lesson: tune the resources dial to control how empowered players feel, and let spatial memory make exploration part of the challenge.
- 1Ration suppliesAmmo, herbs and inventory space are scarce
- 2Players can't blast everythingShots and healing run short
- 3Conserve, run, choose carefullySave shots, flee, pick what to carry
- 4Players feel weakFear without stronger enemies
From Mark Brown on the resources dial
What was said about Resident Evil
Resident Evil makes players feel weak by rationing ammo, herbs and inventory space. Ammo and healing herbs are rare, and the inventory is a tiny cramped grid. Players cannot blast everything, so they conserve shots, run away and choose carefully what to carry.
Scarcity creates fear without making enemies any stronger. Mark Brown uses it as the example of turning the resources dial to make a player feel empowered or disempowered.
The Spencer Mansion rewards players who learn its layout from memory. Navigating the mansion from memory is part of the challenge, because efficient pathways are something the player has to learn.
Mark Brown cites it as an ancestor of Dark Souls 1's map-free world, alongside Metroid 1 and the first Zelda. He says there is a quiet satisfaction in navigating a complex place through memory alone.
Resident Evil 4 changes the activity before the player gets bored. The game keeps players engaged by switching what they are doing before any one activity goes stale.
Mark Brown suggests playing the 2005 original of Resident Evil 4 first, before the 2023 remake.
The 100 Games That Taught Me Game Design
Scarce ammo and healing herbs plus a cramped inventory grid make players feel weak. Resident Evil 4 keeps players engaged by changing activity before it gets stale, and its 2005 original is the suggested start before the 2023 remake.
Resident Evil makes players feel weak by rationing ammo, herbs and inventory space. Ammo and healing herbs are rare, and the inventory is a tiny cramped grid. Players cannot blast everything, so they conserve shots, run away and choose carefully what to carry.
Scarcity creates fear without making enemies any stronger. Mark Brown uses it as the example of turning the resources dial to make a player feel empowered or disempowered.
Resident Evil 4 changes the activity before the player gets bored. The game keeps players engaged by switching what they are doing before any one activity goes stale.
Mark Brown suggests playing the 2005 original of Resident Evil 4 first, before the 2023 remake.
The World Design of Dark Souls | Boss Keys
Navigating the Spencer Mansion from memory, where efficient pathways are part of the challenge, is the model for Dark Souls' map-free exploration.
The Spencer Mansion rewards players who learn its layout from memory. Navigating the mansion from memory is part of the challenge, because efficient pathways are something the player has to learn.
Mark Brown cites it as an ancestor of Dark Souls 1's map-free world, alongside Metroid 1 and the first Zelda. He says there is a quiet satisfaction in navigating a complex place through memory alone.
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