Parents' Guide to

Resident Evil

By Chad Sapieha, Common Sense Media Reviewer

age 18+

Classic survival horror game is well-made, gory, tad corny.

Game PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox 360, Xbox One 2015
Resident Evil Poster Image

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this game.

  • Resident Evil Game: Screenshot #1
  • Resident Evil Game: Screenshot #2
  • Resident Evil Game: Screenshot #3

Community Reviews

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age 12+

Based on 4 parent reviews

Matthew D.
Matthew D. Adult
October 15, 2016
age 18+

Does not have respect for woman!

This game has a lot of gore and violence. Which, lets face it, it's resident evil. You should expect that! However, what was not expected is the nudity! The M rating doesn't even talk about the sexuality in this game. I had a lot of fun playing this remake of the ps1 classic! That is, until you leave the mansion to go to the residence past the pool out back. This remake not only added sexual posters to show, sexually woman's breasts but also added a brand NEW puzzle where you have to rearrange a picture to open the door. Once you complete the puzzle, i was shocked to see a completely NAKED woman from head to toe! Nothing covered up or cencered! The original game had none of that! But thisHD remake does! :( whatever happened to teaching our kids to respect the body of a woman? Now they just teach how to look at them as sex objects! :( one pic even zoomed into her butt while wearing a gstring. :( and the rating didn't notify me of this at all. Not even to say nudity. Heck not even to say sexuality. Nothing. :( like they were hiding this from us. :( highly recommend to but the original. At least in those capcom knew how to respect woman as human beings. i don't even feel this is for adults. Because it's not too late for adults to start resoecting the opposite sex. Skip this disgraceful game.

This title has:

Too much sex
1 person found this helpful.
Big B.
Big B. Parent of 6-year-old
January 18, 2023
age 2+

Great Game!

I Think Teaching toddlers at a young age stimulates the brain and causes a huge spike in learning My 4 year old was taught about vires and corruption in this game 10/10!

This title has:

Educational value
Great messages
Great role models
See all 4 parent reviews

What’s It About?

This remastered version of Capcom's 1998 survival horror classic is actually based on the remake that arrived on GameCube in 2002. Renowned as one of the games that kick-started the genre, RESIDENT EVIL puts players in the shoes of one of two characters: Chris Redfield or Jill Valentine. Both are part of a special team of police officers in the fictional American town of Raccoon City. They're sent to investigate the disappearance of a group of fellow officers near a mansion on the outskirts of town but quickly find themselves fighting for their lives as they encounter a house full of biological experiments gone awry. Play involves exploring the old manor room by room, solving puzzles, and finding keys to unlock new areas. As the story progresses, tougher and more aggressive monsters begin to show up more frequently. However, limited ammunition and finite saves mean players need to be wise about when they want to fight, when they want to run, and when they ought to record their progress. Once the game ends, players can work through the story again from the perspective of the other hero, with some puzzles and story elements slightly altered.

Is It Any Good?

Our review:
Parents say (4):
Kids say (7):

Resident Evil -- or at least the GameCube remake of it -- has aged surprisingly well. Younger players likely will find the dated controls a bit awkward (camera angles change automatically, and controls for aiming map to the character's perspective rather than the player's), and the writing is undeniably corny by today's standards. But the graphics, including some lovely real-time shadow and reflection effects, hold up nicely, and there are still some legitimately creepy moments, especially when off-screen sounds alert you that something's coming without revealing what it might be.

The real fun, though, is in exploring the mansion. The satisfaction and excitement that come with each new discovery of a puzzle piece, key, or artifact is tangible, and the slow but steady tension-building pace is a nice change from today's overly frenetic horror adventures. Many players -- even returning fans -- likely will get a bit frustrated with quaint old game concepts such as Jill and Chris's tiny item inventories and the inability to fast-travel to previously visited locations, but if you can settle in with these old-fashioned quirks you'll quickly come to remember and/or realize that this game of thrills and chills, puzzles, and exploration deserves its status as a classic within the genre.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about the impact of violence in media. Do you find violence has a different impact on different members of your family? How has violence in media affected people you know?

  • Families can talk about what they find scary. Do you think fantastical monsters in games and movies are frightening? What about media that realistically depicts other, more lifelike forms of terror?

Game Details

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