Making its debut in 1996 on the Sony PlayStation, Resident Evil (also known as Biohazard) hits the scene and becomes an over night sensation.
Capcom ran with its success releasing Resident Evil 2 in 1998 followed by Resident Evil 3 Nemesis in 1999, they were both available for the PlayStation and the Sega Dreamcast.
A port of Resident Evil 2 was released on the Nintendo 64 and all three were released for Windows-based systems. The sequels continued, fast-forward to 2009 with the release of Resident Evil 5 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and will also be available soon on PC.
At this point, one would think Capcom has everything covered. But they're not done yet. It's producing yet another Resident Evil for the iPhone and Pod Touch. This April, Resident Evil Degeneration hit the App Store. The game is based on the CG-animated movie of the same name. The controls for this third-person shooter are simple. navigation is done with an onscreen virtual thumb stick (left side) and the action buttons (right side). Priced at $6.99, this should make this a great infection for the iPhone
With all the success of the Resident Evil series, it's no wonder we've never seen another rendition of Dino Crisis.
So far 2009 is the year for Capcom with the launch of Resident Evil 5, Street Fighter IV, and now the upcoming Lost Planet 2. The hits keep coming, not to mention the newly released DLC for RE5 for both the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
Now Capcom has teamed with GameStop and the EVO Championship Series to "fight against hunger" at the Street Fighter IV National Championship Finals. This event is one of the largest and longest-running fighting-game tournaments in the world.
It's taking place Saturday, April 18 at 7 p.m. at Fort Mason in San Francisco. Sixteen national finalists will battle it out for the grand prize before advancing to represent the U.S. in an international exhibition featuring champions from Japan and Korea. Fans of the genre will be able to experience the action up close and personal as the finalists will be playing live onstage with a giant jumbo screen to show off every bit of the battle.
Not to be overshadowed by the tournament, attendees are invited to join GameStop and Capcom for the "Street Fighter Fights Hunger" charity food drive in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank. Guests are invited to do their part by bringing gifts of canned foods or nominal donations to be collected at the event.
The March 13 release of Capcom's Resident Evil 5 for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 (actually something like the 12th game in the series) makes it easily the highest-profile new video game of 2009 so far, and marks the end of the typically dry post-holiday game season.
We've been playing through a preview version of the game for more than a month now, and found it to be a largely successful mix of familiar and new elements. Like all the Resident Evil entries, this is essentially an action game where a somewhat generic protagonist has to travel through creepy houses, compounds, cities, or secret bases, shooting zombies, madmen, and other monsters along the way.
Two key elements separate games of this genre (the awkward Japanese translation is "survival horror") from straight-up shooters. First, there are occasional brain-twisters to solve, such as deciphering a puzzle to open a door; secondly, ammunition for one's firearms is relatively scarce, so making every shot count is important. However, RE5, like its immediate predecessor, Resident Evil 4, tones down both of these gameplay factors, at least compared with earlier games in the series, opting for a more fast-paced (some would say mainstream) approach.
What distinguishes RE5 from its forbearers and imitators is a change of scenery, moving the action to Africa, and trading the traditional Resident Evil look--dark, shadowy nighttime tableaus--for brightly lit, outdoor villages, where sunlight offers no guarantee of safety. This change throws a wrench in the classic "fear of the dark" instinct that we automatically fall back on in movies, video games, and real life.
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(Credit:
Capcom)
What could be better news for a gamer than knowing there will be downloadable content for a game before its release? Capcom just announced Versus mode for Resident Evil 5. So, when you get tired of playing with them, play Versus, and take 'em out. Resident Evil 5 will be available March 13.
According to Capcom, Versus allows up to four players to match wits in online battles across two very different game types. Slayer's Rule is a point-based game that challenges players to kill Majinis. In Survivor's Rule, players hunt the most dangerous game, each other! Players can begin the hunt as Chris, Sheva, or other secret characters, and choose from either one-on-one or two-versus-two team matches for either of the two gameplay styles.
Versus will be available on Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network a few weeks after Resident Evil 5 is available. And will be available for 400 Microsoft Points on Xbox Live or $4.99 on the PlayStation Network. Versus mode requires the Resident Evil game software to be played. A broadband internet connection also is required.
Resident Editor Dan Ackerman did a hands on with Resident Evil 5 here.
(Credit:
Capcom)
For gamers, March 13 is a special day. It's the launch of Capcom's Resident Evil 5. What makes this day even more special is Capcom has partnered with the American Red Cross to host a blood drive.
On the way to pick up a copy of Resident Evil 5, gamers in the Los Angeles area will be invited to give back to the community by donating blood at the World of Wonder gallery on Hollywood Boulevard in Hollywood, Calif., from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. In addition, fans of the series will have the chance to get exclusive limited-edition Resident Evil 5 Blood Drive collectibles, win copies of the game, enter a raffle for one of several exclusive red Xbox 360 Resident Evil limited edition consoles, and most importantly, do their part to help a good cause.
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Former radio DJ turned
journalist Dan Ackerman grew up in the Bronx and now lives in
Manhattan. He’s covered music, technology, and video games for
more than 10 years. His latest album, Tales Out of Night School
is available now. 
Joseph Kaminski,
when not juggling the dual demands of parenthood and HD gaming, is a
life-long Manhattanite and can be found testing the latest tech in
CNET’s Lab. 
Julie Rivera grew up
and currently resides in Brooklyn. When she's not deejaying,
bartending, or fixing gadgets for friends on the outside, you'll find
her testing, troubleshooting and developing benchmarks for laptops in
the "fish bowl" known as CNET Labs. 
Scott Stein, CNET's
newest laptops editor, was born in Queens and grew up a Long Islander -
and is now raising a kid in NYC. In addition to covering games and
tech, writing screenplays, and performing improv in seedy downtown
establishments, he's also a die-hard, season-ticket-holding Jets fan.
