Welcome to this beginners guide for the original Resident Evil game. This guide will give you lots of useful tips and information that will help you understand the mechanics and how to survive this rather difficult entry to the RE series.
- Ammo is precious: Save your better gun ammo for later stages in the game. Use the shotgun as your primary gun in the latter half of the game.
- Herbs: Collect and use herbs to maintain your health throughout the game. Green herbs heal; blue herbs cure poison; red herbs boost the healing effect when combined with green herbs.
- Ink ribbon: Find and use ink ribbons to save your game progress. Keep some in the storage item chest.
- Snapping heads: Aim for the head when using the shotgun to quickly kill zombies.
- The Hunters: Remember, hunters are fast and relentless. Fight them head-on instead of trying to escape. It takes about 4 shotgun shells to kill them.
- Running away: Run away and dodge zombies in wide-open areas where fighting isn’t necessary, especially if you won’t be returning to that area.
Health Chart
- Green/Fine: Health between 75% and 100%. Keep your character in this range for optimal performance.
- Yellow/Caution: Health between 50% and 75%. Use a single green herb to recover.
- Orange/Caution: Health between 25% and 50%. Use a double herb healing item immediately. Hunters can do head-removing shots from this level on.
- Red/Danger: Health between 0% and 25%. Find and use a healing item immediately. Hunters will likely kill your character if encountered.
Herb Mixing Chart
- 1 green + 1 green = 2 greener (Medium health restoration)
- 1 green + 1 green + 1 green = 3 greener (Full health restoration)
- 1 green + 1 red = full healer (Full health restoration)
- 1 green + 1 red + 1 blue = super healer (Full health restoration, poison cured, temporary invulnerability)
- 1 green + 1 blue = small poison curer (Small health restoration and poison cured)
- 1 green + 1 green + 1 blue = medium poison curer (Half health restoration and poison cured)
Individual Herb Effects
- 1 green: A quarter of your health is restored
- 1 blue: Poison is restored
- 1 red: Unable to act itself; boosts the power of other herbs
- First aid spray: Instant full health, but no cure for poison
Game Controls
Here is the default control scheme for Resident Evil:
- D-PAD UP: Move the character forward
- D-PAD DOWN: Move the character backward
- D-PAD LEFT: Turn character left
- D-PAD RIGHT: Turn the character right
- START: Open the inventory menu
- SELECT: No function
- R1: Aim weapon
- Circle: No function
- Square: Press this with the Dpad to run
- X: Check, press this with R1 to fire
- Triangle: Cancel, escape menus and files.
Resident Evil 1 Beginners FAQ
How do I optimize the use of ammo in Resident Evil?
Ammo is precious in Resident Evil, so it’s wise to save your better gun ammo for the later stages of the game. The shotgun works well as a primary weapon in the latter half of the game. Aim for the head when you’re using the shotgun to quickly kill zombies, as it can often take them down with a single shot.
What is the role of various herbs in Resident Evil?
In Resident Evil, you’ll find three basic types of herbs: green, blue, and red. The Green herbs heal; blue herbs cure poison; red herbs, though useless on their own, boost the healing effect when combined with green herbs. You can also mix them in different ways to optimize their effects according to your health condition.
What is the function of the ink ribbon in Resident Evil?
Ink ribbons are crucial for saving your game progress in Resident Evil. You won’t find them everywhere, but the game provides enough to get you through. It’s recommended to always keep some ink ribbons in the storage item chest.
How do I effectively deal with hunters in Resident Evil?
The hunters in Resident Evil are fast and relentless. Instead of trying to run away from them, it’s often more effective to fight them head-on. It usually takes around 4 shotgun shells to kill a hunter.
How do I understand my health status in Resident Evil?
Your health in Resident Evil is indicated by the status color in the game:
- In Green Fine status, your character’s health is between 75% and 100%.
- In Yellow Caution status, your character’s health is between 50% and 75%.
- In Orange Caution status, your character’s health is between 25% and 50%.
- In Red Danger status, your character’s health is between 0% and 25%.
Depending on your health status, use healing herbs or mixes accordingly.
How do I mix herbs in Resident Evil for maximum health restoration?
In Resident Evil, you can mix herbs in various ways for optimal health restoration:
- 1 green + 1 green gives 2 greener which restores medium health.
- 1 green + 1 green + 1 green gives 3 greener which restores full health.
- 1 green + 1 red gives a full healer that restores full health.
- 1 green + 1 red + 1 blue gives a super healer, which restores full health, cures poison, and makes your character temporarily invulnerable.
