Summary
Resident Evilmight be one of the most celebrated gaming franchises, but it is not known for emotional depth. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Still, some bits of narrative gold seep through the cheesy dialog and absurd plots every now and again.
Not only do thesaddest quotes inResident Evilshowcase the maturing that the franchise has undergone in recent years; they also remind players of moving moments from older titles.Resident Evil’s main priority is to scare gamers, so it can be quite refreshing when a character delivers a devastating line to pull at the gamer’s heartstrings.
The remake of the first game,inititally a GameCube exclusive, is a beautifully refined and perfected version of the classic survival horror formula. It not only improves gameplay, but it adds important narrative elements and expands the story of the mansion itself. Lisa Trevor is George Trevor’s daughter, the architect of the mansion.
Journal entries detail the brutal experimentation the family went through at the hands of Umbrella. The grammar and spelling is so deformed in this quote because Lisa, just a young girl at that time, was undergoing a particularly heinous transmogrification. Players eventually have to put Lisa Trevor out of her misery, making this quote even more heartbreaking.
Some hints of Lisa’s tragedy are on the main path, but it is mostly fleshed out in the files.
TheResident Evil 2remake adds some real quality to its writing and acting. It is nothing Oscar-worthy, but it is a dramatic improvement by the series' standards. During Claire’s playthrough, she has tofind a cure for Sherry Birkin’s infection. Sherry’s mother, Annette, is there with her but, unfortunately, is bitten.
As Sherry recovers, Annette apologizes to her daughter with her dying breath. Sherry is not even allowed sufficient time to mourn her own mother’s passing, since the lab underneath the Raccoon City Police Department is on a countdown to destruction. As young as she is, Sherry understands this, gives her mother a goodbye kiss on the cheek, and leaves with Claire.
Claire works with Steve Burnside throughout most ofCode: Veronicato escape the Ashford’s island facility. Unfortunately,Steve is infected with the T-Veronica Virus. Steve turns into a giant green monster, and Claire runs away as he tries to control himself. Thankfully, Steve manages not to injure Claire and reverts to his human form.
The two then have a brief moment together where he confesses his love for her just as he is about to pass away. It is easy to look at Steve’s love for Claire as some spontaneous feelings sparked by the traumatic events around them, but it does not make the death confession any less romantic.
There’s a lot to be said about Ethan Winters, but one can say he does not love his family. FromResident Evil 7all the way through to theShadows of RoseDLC, all he does is protect and save his loved ones. Though he was thought to be dead by the end ofResident Evil Village, some hints of his consciousness living on are there, and the DLC chapter confirms this.
He and Rose are finally able to share a moment together right as Eva is defeated. Ethan reiterates his love for his daughter and even apologizes for her having to saving him, but Rose assures him that she is happy to have this face-to-face after all these years.
Both the main game and the DLC feature the same ending at the cemetery, recontextualizing it and hinting that both Rose and Ethan have a place inResident Evil’s future.
Sheva Alomar has only appeared inResident Evil 5.The game at least gives players her motivation for joining the BSAA. When she was just a kid, her parents died as a result of Umbrella’s bioweapon experiments. Just like Chris is motivated byJill Valentine’s apparent death, so too is Sheva brought to her vocation by a need for justice and revenge.
As any story about vengeance goes, completing the act does not actually make one feel better or bring closure. At least Sheva is using her motivation for something positive like ridding the world of bioweapons. All the same, it is sad to think that Sheva is only where she is now because of an unspeakable tragedy.
Brad Vickers is not inResident Evil 2, but it is possible to see his lifeless body by following a select series of steps. A journal players can find in the N64 version gives him more characterization thanResident Evil 3, where he actually shows up and is killed by Nemesis.
The nostalgia for home in a dire situation is something many can relate to. Did Brad appreciate those flowers when he saw them with his own eyes? Did he only realize the beauty of his hometown once he understood he would never see it again? No matter the answer, this quote is undeniably heartbreaking.
