Classic Resident Evil is notable for its fixed camera angles, tank controls, and pre-rendered backgrounds. Some players deride these design choices, but truth is they were necessary to overcome technical limitations of the era they were created. True products of their time. On the flipside, there’re those who’re fanatical about this approach. There’s nothing quite like the shuffling tension of vintage Resident Evil. Coupled with establishing the framework for survival horror’s now long-established tropes – its scant resources, a pittance worth of bullets, and zombies lurching in overwhelming numbers – it’s not surprising there’re numerous developers who have emulated the aesthetic pioneered by Resident Evil games of old.
Signalis
A grainy, psychologically traumatic dread-fest, Signalis incorporates all classic Resident Evil’s ingredients and remixes them into a cosmic exploration through the psyche of Elster, herself a humanoid android awaken on a derelict ghost ship. Forging carefully through darkness to uncover the mysteries behind the vessel’s abandoned populace, Elster confronts her fears in the face of strange horrors all whilst utilising ammunition and repair resources sparingly and figuring out how to repair the ship’s technical infrastructure. Signalis is out now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.
