Resident Evil did not invent survival horror (Alone in the Dark got there first), but Capcom's 1996 PlayStation classic defined and popularized the genre. The Spencer Mansion was a masterclass in level design, a interconnected puzzle box where players had to manage limited inventory, conserve ammunition, and solve obtuse puzzles while zombies lurked around every corner. The fixed camera angles created deliberate blind spots that amplified tension. The tank controls were clunky by design, making the player feel vulnerable. And the infamous live-action intro cutscene, while hilariously bad, set a tone of B-movie horror that perfectly matched the gameplay.