This weekend sees the release of 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple in theaters, and I'm already itching to see it again. Nia DaCosta takes over the reins from Danny Boyle, giving us a much darker and meaner entry into the series. It's proper nasty stuff. However, before the recent 28 Years Later trilogy began, Alex Garland revealed which classic Resident Evil game serves as the genesis for 28 Days Later.
If you're like me, when I see movies that are truly great, I try to find a gaming experience similar to them. I just want to live in some semblance of that world a little longer, and picking up my ROG Ally or PlayStation 5 controller can be the next best thing. I'm already considering giving Payday 3 another chance after watching Joe Carnahan's The Rip last night. In the case of The Bone Temple, revisiting Garland's interview with GQ last year reveals that Resident Evil is key to the series' history.
The first movie, 28 Days Later, came out in 2002 in its low-fi, DV aesthetic glory. Less than a decade before it, Capcom's horror masterclass Resident Evil showed PlayStation One owners a level of terror never quite seen before. Yet, according to Garland, it could be scarier. "Not long before writing 28 Days Later […] there was a game on the PlayStation, Resident Evil […] it reminded me how much I love zombie movies," he expresses.
Once Garland refined his skills playing the legendary horror game, he didn't find the undead to be that fearsome - apart from the kanines. He adds that "there was something else in the game, which were these dogs […] they actually would give me a jump sometimes, and I think that's the thing that gave me the idea of a zombie movie, but where the zombies move really quickly."
With so many movies in the wake of 28 Days Later, it's easy to forget that the concept of fast, sprinting flesh eaters wasn't so common beforehand. I still reckon that the slow, almost methodical pace of the enemies in Resident Evil is still pretty creepy, though. With limited camera angles and a short supply of ammo, the pressure is laid on thick pretty quickly. If you somehow haven't played one of the best Resident Evil games out there, then I recommend jumping in with the HD remaster.
Right now, you can pick it up on Fanatical for just $18.07/£13.50 for your Steam Deck, ROG Xbox Ally, or your preferred handheld PC. If you're giving it a go on Valve's console, the good news is that it's fully Steam Deck verified. The HD remaster includes updated controls, higher resolution textures, widescreen support, and remastered sound. As far as remasters go, this is one of the better ones.
However, should you be more of a purist when it comes to older games; the original version of Resident Evil is available on GOG for $7.99/£7.99. Whether you're new to these games or a seasoned player, you can check out Resident Evil Requiem pre-orders too, which include some bonus treats ahead of Leon Kennedy's return.