Upcoming Horror Game Has Serious PS1 Resident Evil Vibes

Upcoming release Alisa: Developer’s Cut looks to be a nostalgic reminder of PS1 horror games Silent Hill and Resident Evil. Many games from the PS1-era popularized a lot of familiar tropes, such as Resident Evil‘s tank controls, pre-rendered backgrounds, pre-set camera angles, and even darker lighting. While these were mostly a product of system limitations at the time, they added to the additional scare factor that horror games from that time were trying to achieve, making the experience more memorable.

While some modern games such as Outbreak have tried to emulate the feel and look of the aforementioned PS1 classics, not all the games which follow these mechanics seem to have hit the sweet spot. However, those that have had their own success look to be extending their reach to more platforms. Such is the case with Alisa: Developer’s Cut.

Related

The Argument For and Against Another Resident Evil 1 Remake

There are some pros and cons for Capcom to consider if it wishes to re-imagine the halls of Resident Evil 1’s Spencer Mansion like its recent remakes.

In a trailer released on YouTube, Alisa: Developer’s Cut has confirmed that it will be releasing on Xbox, Switch, PS4, and PS5 on February 6, 2024. The game’s premise is that Alisa, the titular character, is whisked away to a Victorian-style mansion populated by mechanized monstrosities and creepy dolls. The trailer shows several scenes which seem to be a fusion of PS1’s Resident Evil games’ location, setting, and feel, with the lead character clearly reminiscent of Alice from Alice in Wonderland. Even some of the visual backgrounds are similar to RE1‘s mansion and corridors, which should take players on a highly familiar yet new experience. The last shot in the trailer even emulates RE1‘s first zombie encounter.

While it was reported in 2020 that Alisa was originally in development for Switch, the game was first released on PC in 2021. That version of the game has got very positive reviews due to how many consider the premise interesting, and the nostalgia level high. However, this new Developer’s Cut release for multiple platforms is reported to include all previously released new content, as well as introduce quality-of-life improvements that are intended to make gameplay smoother and better.

With the jump to multiple consoles, Alisa: Developer’s Cut has a new audience to pursue. While games similar to it can be hit or miss, the clamor for classic and nostalgic horror games is high. Its positive PC reception may be a good determinant of whether Alisa will join the ranks of Fatal Frame and Eternal Darkness as cult classic horror games, but the trailer alone warrants enough attention for many players to check out this hidden gem coming soon.