Resident Evil has maintained a strong feeling of continuity and chronology since the PlayStation original, despite the fact that the majority of games in the series can be played independently. The average fan isn’t interested in the plot, yet Resident Evil is a decades-old franchise that has appeared in a variety of media, including video games, books, and even movies.
Although it might not seem like it, Resident Evil prioritises continuity, and each mainstream game makes at least one reference to another in the series. From its level design, tempo, and game design priorities, Resident Evil 7 is an enormous homage to the original. Even though it happens infrequently, Capcom has occasionally used animated films to fill in the plot holes in Resident Evil, frequently connecting key characters and plot points.
Resident Evil’s animated films are strictly canon and frequently feature Leon, in contrast to the live-action films, which are loose adaptations of the major games. Resident Evil’s animated movies offer interesting insight into the world of the franchise that can’t be learned from just the games alone. Whether they’re any good is another story entirely, but at their best, the movies capture a level of mania Resident Evil has made a key part of its identity over the years.
Infinite Darkness, Netflix’s adaptation of Resident Evil, is now available. Infinite Darkness was theoretically a movie like the rest of the Resident Evil animated canon, despite the studio’s promises of a TV series. The four roughly half-hour episodes of Resident Evil: Infinite Darkness ultimately cover the same topic as movies like Degeneration or Vendetta. Although Infinite Darkness reunited Leon and Claire after a long separation, the show falls short in its attempts to engage viewers beyond serving as a nostalgic reminder of more memorable Resident Evil episodes.
1. Resident Evil: Vendetta (2017)
Resident Evil: Vendetta, the most recent animated film in the series, debuted in 2017 and takes place between Resident Evil 6 and Resident Evil 7. Although Vendetta is sometimes described as a prelude to Resident Evil 7, this isn’t the case, and the film likely contains the least amount of build-up for its follow-up game (arguably fitting considering Resident Evil 7 fashions itself as a soft reboot of sorts).
Resident Evil: Vendetta has Leon returning, Chris Redfield making his film debut, and Rebecca Chambers making her first appearance since Resident Evil 0 time. Although Rebecca’s role isn’t particularly interesting and she spends the second half of the movie doing little of importance, Vendetta is still worth seeing because of Leon and Chris’ interactions. The characters in Resident Evil: Vendetta have satisfying character arcs, which is possibly the film’s strongest point.
Chris, who recently went through the events of Resident Evil 6, is there to help Leon find himself again. Leon is at his most lowest point. Despite being completely based on Chris’ storyline from RE6, Vendetta manages to make it work for the most part. Vendetta, however, focuses mostly on the aspect of movies that shines the brightest: action. Resident Evil: Vendetta is undoubtedly the greatest of the bunch because it has the best animation in the movies thus far. even if the majority of the time it is narrative nonsense.
2. Terra Formars
Cockroaches take advantage of common human phobias and dislikes. They move in a manner that makes us think of the most creepy crawlies. Cockroaches appear much more ominous because of their inherent intolerance to light. Cockroaches are present in Terra Formars, but there are also giant mutant roaches. The plot starts out quite simple. To start populating the planet with life, cockroaches and samples of moss are being delivered there. After a few hundred years, cockroaches undergo an evolution that humanity could never have predicted. These enormous pests, known as Terra Formars, must now be captured and eliminated on the red planet by a group of superhumans.
With only 13 episodes, Terra Formars has all the makings of a fantastic anime series and is highly convenient to watch on the spur of the moment. The sci-fi film Terra Formars, which is set in the future, explores a mission to terraform Mars that goes catastrophically wrong and gives rise to a race of superhuman cockroaches that seize control of the planet. Man and the insectoid creature engage in a torturous conflict, with the boundaries between them becoming increasingly hazy. Although Terra Formars has an intriguing premise, its lack of compelling character growth and drab action scenes make it a dull sci-fi series.
3. Seoul Station
In the midst of their argument at Seoul Station, Hye-sun and her ex-boyfriend Ki-woong, who intended to utilise her as a means of income, just split up. Suk-gyu, Hye-father, sun’s queries Ki-woong about where Hye-sun is while she is imprisoned in a jail with zombies. Hye-sun, Ki-woong, and Suk-gyu must make every effort to survive as the zombie outbreak grows and the likelihood of a revolt increases.
Hye-sun is attempting to leave her life as a prostitute. Her father Suk-gyu is attempting to contact his estranged daughter in the meantime. Before either of them can complete their objectives, a zombie epidemic interrupts them, requiring all of their resources to survive. In reality, Seoul Station is an animated precursor to Train to Busan, a live-action film by the same director.
4. God Eater
The video game God Eater has an anime version called God Eater. After a one-week delay, it premiered on July 12, 2015 and is animated by Ufotable. MVM Films later purchased it, planning to distribute it in 2018 starting in December 2017. A group called Fenrir, located in the post-apocalyptic nation of the New Asian Union (NAU), aids humanity in 2071 by deploying divine weapons known as “God Arcs” to defend itself against the Aragami monsters.
God Arcs, which comprise of biological material known as “Oracle Cells,” are used by a type of soldiers known as “God Eaters.” In the beginning, the original (or “Old-Type”) arcs could only hold one form, either melee or ranged, but soon a new kind of God arc is produced that could flip between cannon and blade form.
5. Resident Evil: Damnation (2012)
Resident Evil: Damnation, which was released in 2012 and is only slightly superior to Degeneration, takes place between the events of Resident Evil 5 and 6 while (somewhat) establishing Leon’s campaign in the latter. The rigid character movements and expressions that plagued Degeneration are absent from Damnation thanks to a few years’ worth of technological advancements.
This also means that the action is far more entertaining to watch while remaining in character. The cast of Damnation is likewise more impressive than that of Degeneration thanks to the substitution of Claire for Ada and the introduction of a number of new characters, all of whom, fortunately, profit from a script with more concise dialogue (although not by too much).
In order to further develop each of their individual plots, Damnation also makes references to Resident Evil 2, Resident Evil 4, and Resident Evil 5. Despite the fact that Damnation significantly raises the stakes after Degeneration and is eerily reminiscent of Resident Evil 6 at its worst, it’s still a fun film that makes good use of its location and offers fans a healthy dose of subliminal fanservice.