The original Resident Evil launched in 1996, but the version you're likely familiar with is the 2002 remake which itself received an HD remaster in 2015.
However, the original version of the genre-defining classic has been rated for PC in Europe again after 28 years, so you might finally get a chance to see the birth of the survival horror genre as it was all those years ago.
The newest version of Resident Evil is 75 percent off on Steam right now.
As pointed out by Gematsu, the 1996 version did launch on PC back in the day, but it predated digital storefronts. That means you need to find a physical copy to play it all these years later, but they're extortionately priced, going for as much as £200.
Thankfully, if it launches on digital storefronts as this rating suggests, the original game—which spawned one of the most iconic horror series in the medium—will be widely available for modern audiences. A huge win for preservation.
Fans Are Hoping Resident Evil 2 and 3 Are Included
The very first Resident Evil remake is an almost 1:1 reconstruction. Given that it only launched in 2002, it even has tank controls. So, it's incredibly faithful, whereas the more modern Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes are complete reimaginings of their respective games. There's no way to play the originals or anything to them on modern hardware right now—your only options are expensive physical copies or emulation.
With news that the original Resident Evil might be coming to digital storefronts, fans are hoping to see RE2 and RE3 as well. Some are even hinging their bets on the three games being announced at today's Nintendo Direct, spurred on by a tease from prominent leaker Dusk Golem that "we all know what everyone's thinking with this news."
The original Resident Evil is available on PlayStation via PS Plus Premium, but RE2 and RE3 are nowhere to be seen.
Whatever happens, it looks like Capcom is working to bring the original to modern platforms across the board. The remakes are amazing ways to experience those old stories, but they shouldn't completely replace the classics that they draw from, and hopefully, this is a step in that direction.
What games do you want to see Capcom bring back as they were? Let me guess, Dino Crisis.
