The original Resident Evil is a must-play for all survival horror lovers. Despite being fairly old by now, this title set the foundations for the zombie-driven subgenre. Most modern games with similar themes can't help but draw inspiration, in one way or another, from this timeless classic. The best way to experience Resident Evil is to get your hands on the remastered HD version of the game.

Unlike lazy rereleases that minimally upscale the resolution of graphics, Resident Evil HD Remaster makes significant changes to the original game that came out in 1996, improving on the limitations imposed by the time's technological setbacks.

8 Polished Graphics And Characters

A screenshot from the remastered HD version of the first Resident Evil, featuring the main characters of the game

Naturally, the most obvious departure from the original release lies in the remaster's updated graphics. The lush environment and improved character models abandon the polygonal look in favor of more contemporary visuals. Although the textures are nowhere near the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3, they still hold up well.

Overall, the redesigned look of the game stays faithful to most layouts of the original playable areas. Because of this, the atmosphere and ambiance are better able to convey the ominous sense of dread that characterizes the franchise's gameplay style.

7 Goodbye Clunky Controls

The original control scheme for Resident Evil REmake

Most 3D games from way back in the day, like the first Tomb Raider, utilize a tank control scheme. That basically translates to headaches for people holding the controller. All jokes aside, tank controls are based on the direction a character is facing, rather than the more intuitive alternative reliant on the camera's perspective.

Luckily, the remaster of Resident Evil opted to implement the latter. The direction you input with your analog stick is the one the character will run, at maximum speed, towards. Furthermore, the controls feature a helpful scheme to allow sudden 180° turns.

6 Crimson Heads Join The Fight

Jill using a shotgun to fend off a Crimson Head

The original release of Resident Evil did not feature Crimson Heads. These enemies are, arguably, among the scariest and most dangerous in the remaster. They are faster and considerably more aggressive than regular zombies, making them much harder to deal with.

The worst part about them is that they can pop out at any moment during gameplay. If you kill a zombie without destroying its head or burning its body, it might eventually reanimate and mutate into a crimson head.

5 Harder Mode Always On

The different difficulty modes for the original Resident Evil

Resident Evil titles feature various difficulties you can play on. The same is true for this remaster. At the beginning of the game, a prompt asks if you like to climb mountains, go on hikes, or take walks. That basically translates to normal, easy, and very easy difficulty modes.

Regardless of what you pick, the remaster is harder at overall compared to the original. The zombies take longer to kill, and they will hunt you more effectively, significantly boosting the overarching tension buildup during gameplay. Moreover, the remake also comes with an unlockable harder difficulty that adds replayability value.

4 Expanded Playable Areas

A view of the mansion's map in the pause screen

Sometimes it's hard to distinguish a remake from the original game. Not when it comes to Resident Evil, though. The original Spencer Mansion and estate are actually smaller than their counterparts found in the remake. The map itself is a bit larger than the original, though environments remain somewhat the same.

However, the wooded area and graveyard that surround the mansion are expanded in the remake, letting you explore new places that do not exist in the 1996 title. It makes sense for a remake to introduce additional playable areas, which are always a welcome surprise for fans.

3 Scrambled Item Placement

The inventory screen in Resident Evil HD Remaster

The best survival horror games borrow from Resident Evil's idea to scarcely supply you with precious resources. To make matters significantly spicier, the remaster positions items in different spots than the original, creating a more effective sense of danger.

As you rummage through dark hallways and creepy bedrooms, you are constantly looking for more bullets or healing herbs. This applies to most consumable objects in the game, though key items are still found in the same spots as the original.

2 New Gear For A New Experience

Chris Redfield using a shotgun to fight a zombie

The remaster makes important changes to how you control Jill and Chris, generally improving the feel of each character, especially with regard to facilitating movement. Because of this, it's only natural for the game to implement a couple of new items to aid you in combat.

Defensive Daggers and the Stun Gun are added into the game to help you escape from a zombie's grappling bite, which can prove lethal depending on how much health you have left. The inclusion of these items enriches the gameplay experience by making encounters a great deal more dynamic and fleshed out.

1 No More Grenade Glitch

The grenade launcher from Resident Evil HD Remaster

The remake of the original Resident Evil was first released for the GameCube in 2002, and then it was remastered again in HD in 2015, releasing on both consoles and PC. The GameCube version of the game had a glitch that would allow players to obtain infinite ammo for the grenade launcher.

This incredibly handy bug, which essentially turned you into a zombie shredder, was patched out of the HD remaster for obvious reasons. Resident Evil is reliant on the tension it builds, and having infinite explosive ammo eliminates any feeling of immediate danger.

NEXT: 10 Horror Games That Play Just Like The Original Resident Evil