One of the biggest improvements in the recent remake of Resident Evil 4 was undoubtedly the evolution of Ashley Graham and her impressive upgrade from an almost two-dimensional figure to a full-shaped character with realistic reactions and human emotions which she expressed in a most natural way. Her interactions with Leon mostly, but also with the other characters, gained now a lot more gravity and importance, as they helped form her personality even more, and establish her as a stand-alone unity who may still depend on Leon for her survival, but she can also have a mind of her own.

Even so, her role in the game remains the same as before: she is still the kidnapped daughter of the USA President, waiting for rescue, locked in the attic of a church somewhere in rural Spain, and then after Leon arrives and frees her, she follows him until they finally make their way back home. More or less, her part in the story unfolds in a similar way as in the original game, without affecting its progress in any different way; and her playable section, albeit a lot more intriguing and challenging than in its past version, still leads to the same end. There is one special part, however, a very brief but extremely significant segment in Separate Ways, where a most interesting transition takes place and it happens with the aid, so to speak, of the most unsuspecting character, which is the leading lady Ada herself.

 

Ashley's appearances in Separate Ways are extremely limited, as we only see her a few times through Ada's eyes, and there is no interaction with her at all during the full course of the story. Almost no interaction at all, in fact. In the original main game as well as in the remake, Ashley only finds out about Ada being around and helping her and Leon close to the end of the game: as Saddler is about to sacrifice her, and an infected Leon has just reached the altar to save her, Ada makes her dramatic appearance, successfully distracting Saddler for a few minutes, so that Leon can have enough time to take Ashley and leave. Then, after they have both gotten rid of their infection, upon arriving at the docks, Ashley sees Ada hanging from the rafter where Saddler has tied her up to lure Leon closer to him. Leon then frees Ada by cutting the rope that was holding her, and goes on to finish Saddler off. Up to this point, the sequence unfolds the same way in Separate Ways as it does in the main game, in both the original and the remake, albeit in Separate Ways we see everything from Ada's perspective. 

There is this instance however, very close to the end, where the transition happens. In the original Separate Ways, as Ada makes her way towards the higher dock where the Special Rocket Launcher is held, just before she reaches that part, she exits out to the place where Ashley has been all this while, waiting on her own in full agony as she watches Leon fighting Saddler. In the original game, the place where Ashley is standing is on lower ground, and as soon as Ada exits out close to that spot, Ashley turns around and looks up, catching a glimpse of her.

We cannot be sure if Ada even notices Ashley, though, as her eyes seem to be fixed on the moving bridges where Leon's fight with Saddler is in its full swing. The distance between Ashley and Ada does not leave room for any interaction, and this is the closest that they can get to each other throughout the adventure.

In the remade Separate Ways, however, the scene unfolds in a different way. As Ada gets closer to the platform with the Special Launcher, she exits out on a rocky area, where Ashley is standing just a few steps away from her, again watching Leon battling Saddler.

She pauses for a few seconds, giving Ashley time to realize that she is not alone and turn towards her.

 And then it happens. Ashley talks to Ada.

And not only that, but they stand still for a moment looking at each other, or rather it is actually Ada who steals a few seconds so as to observe Ashley. 

This is the moment which, I think, marks more than anything else in both the main game and Ada's campaign the transition between the Ashley of the original and the one of the remake, establishing her new version more than anything else in the revamped Resident Evil 4. Although all the characters have evolved more or less, one way or the other, Ashley's upgrade has been so impressive, that it is as if we have a different character in front of us. It is somehow as if the new Ada has been carrying the memories of the original Ada, keeping record of an Ashley that was marginally paper-cut, who only said a few scripted lines and could do almost nothing on her own. In this unexpected tête-à-tête now in the remake, she sees the new Ashley in the flesh just a breath away from her, and as her eyes follow the girl in the next frame, it is as if she is wondering "So you can really talk like a real person, and you do not just scream 'Help me, Leon' all the time anymore." 

We could say that, in this scene, Ada steps out of her set role for a few seconds and becomes an observer, watching how the new Ashley took over the old one in full dynamic. Considering also that Ada is the character who had the least evolution and even saw her role getting a downgrade in the remake, it is as if in this scene she realizes that the story in which she was acting all the while is not the original game anymore, but a new, completely revamped version; a version where the once wooden and even annoying Ashley emerged as a character with actual human traits. Although not exactly an instance of breaking the 4th wall, it still is a brief moment of metagaming, probably unique to the Resident Evil universe. Ada does not address the "audience" - in this context: the players; but she takes on the part of a watcher analyzing the facts from the outside - in this context: the broader environment outside the more precise environment set around Ashley's character in those specific frames.

Seen with the perspective of time, this scene may have not worked in the original; Ashley's character there, albeit important for the plot, was at times invisible: in the sections where she was not around or where she was but not in danger, it felt like she was not existing in the story at all and you could easily forget about her. In the remake, you have to keep an eye on her always when she is with you (a good example is the revamped maze in the castle which now you must navigate with her, unlike the original where Leon was on his own) and have a part of your mind constantly on her when she is elsewhere. In the original game, Ashley was just a bit more substantial than her wooden cutouts in the shooting range games; and playing with her in that brief section in the castle's basement felt more like a chore and less like an adventure, because she lacked those features that would make her stand on her own without Leon around. Except for Leon, she only had a brief interaction with Luis during the Cabin Fight intro, and even her scenes with Salazar or the one where Saddler hypnotizes her were somehow utilitarian. Any further interaction with anyone would have been too much for her scripted persona, and would even not make much sense. Ada realizing in the remake that she has to do with a realistic character now, pretty much sums up Ashley's welcome evolution and her upgraded role in the game's new era.

Ramón Salazar's Unlikely Legacy

When I played Assassin's Creed III a while ago, I was struck by how familiar Haytham Kenway's look and posture was to me, although back then I could not decipher any of his look's details that could lead me to the solution of this unexpected yet so interesting riddle. And how could it be possible, since the character he seems to nod to as far as his iconic outfit is concerned is no other than Ramón Salazar from the original - and now cult classic - Resident Evil 4, who is Haytham's exact opposite in terms of appearance, although they do share common elements when it comes to cunning and evilness. Released in 2012, Assassin's Creed III is a gloomy, deeply pessimistic tale with one of the saddest twists ever; and its protagonist-turned-antagonist Haytham Kenway is undoubtedly the most fascinating and complex villain of the Assassin's Creed Saga. As for Ramón Salazar, the villainous diminutive aristocrat whom we first met in Resident Evil 4 in 2005, he has left his own mark in the Resident Evil series, and the gaming world in general.

Haytham Kenway and Ramón Salazar do not have anything in common as far as their of physical appearance and temperament are concerned; Haytham is tall, good-looking and attractive, with a sharp, cunning mind and an even sharper arsenal, and equally uses his disarming charm, his mental gifts and his literal blades as lethal weapons in any given case. Gifted with high intelligence, intuition, insane physical strength, and all kinds of charisma, he is an unstoppable force of evil who is able to trap everyone around him in his seductive yet lethal web. What makes him so frightening as a villain is the fact that he is a debonair, stunningly handsome man who is always calm and collected and speaks like a nobleman; it is almost impossible to tell, by just looking at him, how merciless he can get and what extents his cruelty can reach.

 

 

Ramón on the other hand, hit by an incurable sickness and later affected by a devastating mutation, is trapped in a sick, diminutive body, doomed to look like an evil child for as long as he is destined to live; and his cleverness, albeit considerable, is consumed in spitting out smartass insults and setting up lethal traps to capture or even eliminate his enemies. His evilness is instantly obvious, but truth is he is incapable of reaching Haytham's level of cruetly because he lacks the self-confidence and physical strength to do so on his own.

 

Regardless, you cannot ignore the paranoia that shines in the eyes of both of them, although for each one it stems from different roots.

But it is their choice of outfits that is strikingly akin. Haytham and Ramón are dressed in a similar style, even wearing hats of the same type. Their preferred colors are also matching, with variations on their accessories and the details. They can be seen sporting blueish purple outfits with several layers and white shirts underneath. Ramón 's outfit is more simple, with rows of embroidered golden roses decorating its edges and part of the back and a yellow vest with what looks like vine motifs over his shirt, while Haytham's is more elaborate, with golden studs, buttons and threads, and he additionally has a red tie-ribbon and a red vest, as well as an impressive dark blue / grey cape which is red on the inside and has a fancy design on the back. They also both love to walk around with their arms behind their backs.

Haytham is always armed and ready to fight, with his Assassin blades, his pistol and sword, and wearing fancy leather brown boots with gaiters of the same color. Ramón does not carry any weapons and he prefers to show off his tiny calves covered with white stockings and wearing his favorite dress slippers.

They both have long hair, tied in queues with red ribbons. A style that was common in Haytham's era (mid-18th century) but not in Salazar's contemporary years. But we know how Ramón likes to dress like a nobleman of the old times.

Haytham Kenway's historical time is placed two centuries before Salazar's (Assassin's Creed III takes place in the mid-18th century, while the story of Resident Evil 4 unfolds in 2004), but his creation as a character follows that of Salazar by a nearly a quindecennium. Ramón may have influenced Haytham with his dressing style, but Haytham made that style grand and left the original bearer miles behind. Noticeably, the outfit that little Haytham is wearing in the epilogue of Assassin's Creed IV Black Flag (2013) where Edward is holding him in his arms at the theater loge, looks even more like Salazar's costume (minus the hat).

It is also worth-noting that there is a striking similarity between Ramón's outfit in the Resident Evil 4 Remake (2023) and the one that Edward Kenway can be seen wearing in the very same epilogue of Black Flag, with all details matching as well: the deep purple colour (it may not be evident from the screenshot, but Edward's jacket is the exact same color as that of the revamped Salazar's), the decorative motifs made of golden thread and the voluminous white cravat. Edward has his golden hair tied back in his classic, trademark style, and Ramón has what looks like a wig set in a similar hairdo.

Just like his son, Edward as well leaves Ramón miles and miles behind with his unmatched style. Then again the Kenways are such a gorgeous bunch, that even if you dress them in rags they will still look dashing. Poor Ramón can never win. 

Supporting Characters As Friends That Define The Protagonists

Supporting characters are, in video games as in movies, the often unseen heroes. With the term "supporting characters", I refer to those who are less prominent, in terms of plot and screen time, than the secondary characters or the deuteragonists, but they still may play an important role in the development of the leads, albeit this may not be always obvious on first look. Many times, such characters are friends or allies of the protagonists, but the weight of the presence in their lives varies. Usually supporting characters are not offered the chance to unfold their personality in full, which is why they may be equally underrated or overrated. Their interactions with the protagonists, however, can tell us a lot of things about them if explored carefully. They sometimes affect, directly or indirectly, the emotional and intellectual development of the lead characters, although on a first level their conduct may be misleading. In this article, I will focus on interesting supporting characters from five video games that deal with different themes and the protagonists of which follow completely different paths in their individual stories, therefore the influences that they may receive are also varied.

Lyla Park in Life Is Strange 2

In spite of being a fan favorite, Lyla is, in fact, a rather dark character. Lyla appears in the first episode and her role is overall quite brief, yet you can see, even from that limited appearance, that her influence in Sean's life is not exactly a good one. Lyla is introduced as one of Sean's best friends at school and although she seems to genuinely care for him, her attitude, surprisingly, has several layers. Taking advantage, albeit subconsciously to a degree, of Sean's mild and shy temperament, she has the tendency to always push him towards doing things the way that only she thinks is the best. Lyla obviously suffers from mood swings, and can easily fall into depression, but tries to hide her insecurities behind a supposedly confident facade. In reality, though, she is authoritative, manipulative and lacks self-esteem, but puts forward a loud, seemingly careless persona in order to be able to survive. On top of that, her biggest problem seems to be the crush that she clearly has on Sean, which makes her obsession to hook him up with Jenn, his initial love interest, marginally creepy. Lyla is an extremely toxic person, and her presence in the first episode sort of represents Sean's stagnant life in the dull and depressing suburb where he lives. Sean is obviously a lot more close to his Latin heritage than the much younger Daniel; and he has an artistic side that always wants to find expression. Daniel is the one with the "obvious" diversity (his superpower), but it is in fact Sean who is the real "rebel". Lyla is, for Sean, the balancing power that keeps him collected, but at the same time she is also the chain that holds him tied down to a life that is clearly not made for him. Breaking away from this life (albeit in a tragic way), and from Lyla as well, gives him the chance to claim his freedom and find himself, no matter the cost.

Cor Leonis in Final Fantasy XV

Cor may not have a direct impact on Noctis's development but his influence is clearly defining. He has an imposing personality and an impressive (to say the least) background story. When he was just fifteen years old, he fought against a ferocious warrior and managed to come out of the battle alive, an achievement that won him the moniker "The Immortal"; yet he never ceases being down to earth, thus being the perfect mentor and instructor for Noctis and his friends. He used to be a trusted companion of Noctis's father, and he remains close to the boy as well, offering his valuable expertise and advice when needed. Noctis has grown up somewhat isolated, having only his three close friends by his side, but his rebellious character often makes him appear cold and distant towards them, although he loves them so much. However he treats Cor with respect and always listens to him and his advice. Cor is tough and brave but he is also gentle and wise. His presence in Noctis's life has only positive things to offer, especially after Noctis's father is killed. Not so much a father figure, but more like an older brother, Cor guides Noctis to face difficulties and take responsibilities, gradually making him grow into a kind and caring man, even when he is not there to openly support him. It is not random that when Noctis wakes after his long sleep inside the crystal, Cor is among the very few people from Noctis's past, along with his three friends, who is physically there to help him fight the monsters.

Sofia in Rise Of The Tomb Raider

When Lara first meets Sofia, it is not under the best circumstances; and their second meeting is also eventful. However their relationship gradually gets better and they become good friends after a while. Although Lara's character is more or less already formed and she is confident enough to not need any particular influence, still Sofia's faith and her genuine struggle to help her people offer our heroine an extra boost of inspiration to keep going. Through Sofia's bond with her father, Lara subconsciously "sees" her own relationship with the late Lord Croft, and in that sense she kind of identifies with Sofia, becoming herself, for Jacob, a daughter that will be equally willing to help him unconditionally, somehow making up for all the time that she has lost, and will be losing, after her own father died and she missed every chance to live her life by his side. In Sofia, Lara partly sees her own self and in Sofia's relationship with Jacob she sees reflected how herself and Lord Croft could have grown together, had he not lost his life so unjustly. It is more of a personal development for Lara, but it unavoidably affects her attitude as well, and her decisions that define her connections with other people.

Luis Sera in Resident Evil 4

Luis is, in the essence, more than just a supporting character, since he plays a major role in the development of the story, although his appearance is quite limited. Initially a mysterious man, obviously keeping many secrets, Luis is revealed to hold the key to Leon's infection. Leon seems to be fond of Luis right from the start, in spite of his inexplicable attitude. But Leon is known for his unerring instinct, which means that when he likes someone, it is for a good reason. Luis is a native, and his family has a long story connected to the case of the Plagas. His knowledge of the the subject and his involvement in Saddler's plan cost him his life in the end, and he literally dies in Leon's hands, but not before he manages to give him the pills with which Leon will be able to keep his infection under control until he has access to the antidote. Luis becomes a very close friend of Leon's despite the very short time that they know each other, and he functions both as Leon's life-saver, and as the cause that gives him an additional motive to want to stop Saddler, since he was obviously devastated by Luis's death. Luis kind of stands for all the partners, friends and comrades that Leon has lost, and would keep on losing in the future, during his life as an agent, and by swearing to avenge his death, Leon claims justice not only for Luis and all those lost friends, but for himself as well. 

Francis Pritchard in Deus Ex: Human Revolution

Francis is, at the beginning of the game, rather bitter towards Adam, tending to degrade and underestimate him, but as the story progresses there is a big change in their relationship. A programming and hacking expert, Francis seems to think low of Adam at first, but as Adam proves that, apart from being physically powerful, he is also very smart, he manages to gain Francis's respect and, progressively, his friendship, although Francis is too proud to openly express it with words. Francis is, in reality, probably the only absolutely clean and sincere person in Adam's environment, and he is the one to secretly guide him towards important revelations regarding either himself or Sarif on more than one occasions. While Adam is out in the world investigating or dealing with criminals, Francis is like his eyes inside the Sarif corporation. This may also have a dual interpretation since Adam has enhanced sight, which may help him see farther, but it may prevent him from identifying what is close to him. Francis has only had one optional augmentation to better his programming skills, and in that sense he can maintain his technically enhanced side and his human one in a relative balance, since his human self is almost intact. Adam's humanity is at a very high level in spite of the many augmentations that he has received, which makes him also highly perceptive of the people he interacts with, but his intimidating appearance prevents him from forming close relationships with them. Francis sort of connects him to the world, albeit discreetly and from the shadows, and his pointed, often sarcastic input acts as a reminder for Adam of human interactions that are not based almost entirely on enhanced means.

Doors As Passages In Video Games

If we examine video games as a contemporary and unique form of artistic expression - which they actually are - we could classify them as modern fairy tales. While many of them carry a good amount of realism in their plots, their stories are usually based in elements of fantasy, science fiction or post-apocalyptic theories. In the Devil May Cry universe, we may have a modern-day environment as a setting, but there are demons hiding in every corner. Or take, for example, Lara Croft's adventures: although rich with historical facts, the games of the Tomb Raider series feature a good deal of fantastic elements that are in perfect balance with their realistic aspect.

The main characters in Action games are brave heroes who fight their way through hordes of enemies and obstacles, while they must also solve several tricky puzzles. Puzzles and riddles in video games are among the strongest references to fairy tales, especially those which result in opening doors. Just like in fairy tales, doors several times open with magic means or keys - either literal keys or objects used as keys - that need to be obtained by going through generally difficult trials. Similarly, in video games doors are passages: they lead the heroes one step further, to another part of the world, where, usually, a revelation or a fight awaits.

Resident Evil HD Remaster takes place in a huge villa, the Spencer Mansion. The main characters, Chris and Jill, together with their team, seek refuge inside the house at the start of the game and it is impossible for them to get back out, as there are ominous threats awaiting. Early on, they discover an imposing metal gate at the back of the main hall, which seems to be their only way out of there. The gate is locked and requires two key items in order to open. The biggest part of the game consists in exploring the mansion, which is full of zombies, monsters and traps, so as to find said items. The door needs two identical objects made of stone and metal which can be placed on two receptacles on the metal bars, serving as keys. The first object is found in a crypt in the back yard of the mansion, but actually opening the crypt and being able to unlock the coffin that contains the object requires a lot of searching and solving more riddles. Interestingly enough, they are only able to look for the second object once they have found the first, as they have to unlock another door with it, gaining access to another huge area at the back of the mansion, which has to be explored. The second object is made of two separate components: the metal object, which is found in a locked office of the mansion, and the stone ring, which is hidden in the secret cabin of Lisa Trevor, a girl who is now roaming the grounds of the mansion in the form of a hideous monster. Once both stone and metal objects are found, they can be placed on the metal gate and now Chris and Jill are able to proceed to the eerie undergrounds of the mansion.

Opening this gate and stepping out marks the transition to a world where all the horrors that they have already met in the mansion, are now intensified. The fact alone that the keys to open this door are so hard to find is a strong indication that what lies beyond it is extremely dangerous. The powers that dominate those grounds are inconceivable, and Chris and Jill have to use both their physical and mental strength in order to survive.

In Resident Evil 2 Remake, the main characters, Leon and Claire, are trapped in a similar situation. They find themselves in the imposing and mazey Police Department of Raccoon City and, as they cannot get out on the streets that are filled with zombies, they have to look for another way. Following the notes of a deceased police officer, they find out about the existence of a secret passage that is located just beneath the huge goddess statue that decorates the main hall of the station. They need to find three medallions and place them on the pedestal of the statue so as to reveal the passage. The three medallions are locked in their receptacles on three statues that are found in equal areas of the station. The Lion statue, which holds the Lion Medallion, is on the balcony overlooking the main hall, the Unicorn statue, which holds the Unicorn Medallion, is on a lone gallery outside the Library, and the Maiden statue, which holds the Maiden Medallion, is in a secluded section of a storeroom, also next to the Library.

Finding the medallions is not a very hard task per se, but it becomes quite tough due to the several zombies and monsters that wander in the corridors of the station. Every time that a medallion is placed on the pedestal, one part of the secret opening is revealed. Once all three medallions take their place, Leon and Claire discover a small metal gate that leads to a secret round room, just beneath the statue.

What is ironic is that although this passage is supposed to lead to a way out, there are more riddles lying ahead, the danger becomes even bigger and our heroes will have to struggle a lot more before they are able to leave the station. The underground however becomes the place where both Leon ad Claire meet their allies, Ada and Sherry respectively, and from that point and on they will not be completely alone in their quest.

In Resident Evil: Code Veronica, there are several doors that need a special key or item in order to open, however it is two of them that are particularly interesting. The first is the elaborately decorated door in the Secretary's room that leads to an isolated area of the Ashford mansion. Its upper section is a huge receptacle where two identical guns, the Gold Lugers, need to be placed for it to unlock. The quest for these guns is rather complicated, and it will be a long time before Claire, the main protagonist, is able to use them on the door after she finds them. Even from their first appearance, the Gold Lugers are connected to trouble. They are found in the back room of the Armory in the mansion, and as soon as Claire takes them down, a trap activates and the room fills with poison. Being forced to place them back, she seems to have no way of retrieving them so as to open that door. A bit later, Steve, her partner for this story, finds himself in the Armory and, being attracted by the shiney pistols, takes them off the wall. The room again fills with poison but Steve panics and does not consider placing them back. Claire arrives just in time to unlock the trap from the outside, and so Steve runs out safely with the guns, which he refuses to give over to Claire. It will not be very long however before Claire offers him a pair of loaded Submachine guns in exchange with his Gold Lugers. Steve gladly makes the trade and so Claire is able to finally place the Lugers on the door and get it to open.

This door stands for a major passage in the story, as it opens to a secret office which, in turn, leads to a hidden palace where Alfred, the game's minor villain, lives a life of paranoia and illusion, playing the roles of both himself and his deceased twin sister, whom he adored. Thus it is not random that Claire needs a pair of twin guns to open the door. The world beyond the Luger door is that of a sadistic madman who impersonates his dead sister and finds extreme pleasure in making innocent people suffer. In connection to this comes the second door that stands out, which is located in the Morgue. Technically not a door, but a secret passage that is revealed beyond a raised wall, it opens by placing a glass eye on a life-size anatomy model. Claire has to kill a doctor who has become a zombie, take his glass eye and place it on the model, thus gaining access to the basement of the Morgue, where she comes across a horrifying room with torture machines.

In Resident Evil: Revelations 2, Claire finds herself before yet one more puzzle that involves a locked door and an eyeball. This time, things are more complex and the door in question has a retinal scanner which needs a specific artificial eye in order to unlock. Claire finds the eye in a trapped room inside a factory but she first needs to replace it with a glass eye so as to be able to take it without activating the trap. She must then use the eye on the retinal scanner outside the locked door so as to gain access to the nearby slaughterhouse.

What is interesting about this puzzle is that it opens the way and is connected to another puzzle that also has to do with a locked door that requires a special kind of key item. The same artificial eye has to be used on another retinal scanner outside an office, where Claire finds a liver replica. Later, in the slaughterhouse, she has to find another liver replica and use them both to open another door. While the first liver replica is in plain sight inside a corpse in the factory, the second is stuck in a bucket of blood in the gory slaughterhouse. Some kind of mincing machine above it has to be operated a few times, so that enough quantity of blood fills the bucket, allowing the liver replica to be released. The two liver replicas have to be placed then on a statue of Prometheus that blocks a door in the yard of the factory and the slaughterhouse. Doing so, causes the statue to explode, thus revealing the door that leads to another part of the factory where a tense timed event takes place.

Apart from being a passage leading closer to Alex, the story's villain, the Prometheus door has yet one more major significance. Alex uses both Prometheus and the livers as symbols, to hint at the fate of a man who turned out to be a traitor, both to her and Claire. Neil, Claire's boss and friend, secretly worked with Alex, aiding her in her evil plans, but at some point attempted to betray her, so she punished him, injecting him with a virus that turned him into a monster. In the myth, Prometheus was punished for stealing divine power, by being bound to a rock while an eagle would come every day and feed on his liver, which would grow back overnight and this torment would go on eternally. Alex identifies herself as a God and Neil as Prometheus; and the liver parts being replicas signify Neil's false faith to both Claire and Alex. Given that, soon after going through that door, Claire finally faces Neil in his monster form and has to fight with him, the passage revealed by it gains a very important symbolism, at the same time serving as a foreshadowing of what is about to happen.

In Deus Ex: Human Revolution, a door opening with a retinal scanner reveals a hidden elevator which leads straight to the lab where Burke, a very dangerous and twisted man, uses prisoners as lab rats. Adam, the protagonist, watches Burke using his augmented artificial eye on the scanner and then, following instructions, he steals a new replacement eye from Burke's office, all the while hiding from the guards who are looking for him. He then visits a technician who fits the eye on him, so that he is then able to use the retinal scanner himself and subsequently open the door.

While the passage that the door reveals brings forward a terrifying truth about the man involved, at the same time it becomes a means of salvation, as Adam then has the option to save the prisoners and the doctor who was forced by Burke to carry out the experiments on his behalf. In that sense, opening that door affects positively the lives of several people, including Adam, as he was himself a prisoner of Burke and possibly one of his potential victims.

In Resident Evil 4, Leon, the main protagonist, uses the false eye of Bitores Mendez, a minor villain, to open the gate that leads to Salazar's castle. He first must fight with Mendez in a barn and defeat him, so as to be able to take his eye and unlock the door with it. Although there are several doors in the game that open with impressive puzzles, this specific one is of a very high importance because it marks a passage from on world to another. Up to that point, Leon was wandering in the country, and the enemies he had to face were ignorant victims that had been turned into puppets in the hands of the evil Lord Saddler. By opening the castle gate and getting inside, he finds himself in a place where time seems to have stopped and from where there seems to be no obvious way out. Everything inside the castle looks like it belongs to past times, and even Salazar himself is dressed in a style that goes quite a few centuries back. Additionally the enemies, although of the same kind as the villagers, seem to have a certain level of intelligence and they are much more dangerous and bloodthirsty. The castle is full of traps and monsters and the trials become tougher in every new area.

In Resident Evil 7, Ethan, the protagonist, finds himself trapped in the house of Jack Baker's family whose members became deranged, following their infection by a degenerative virus. The exit door, which will temporarily offer him some freedom, is of course locked and needs three special items in order to open: three dog heads that are hidden in certain areas of the house. The blue head is hidden inside a book and it is the easiest to find. The white head is hidden in a grandfather clock and requires another brief puzzle to get it. The red head involves a long and dangerous exploration of several areas of the house, resulting in a terrifying boss fight with Jack Baker himself. Once all three dog heads are placed on the door, it is unlocked and Ethan can get out, although he has a long way to go before he is finally free.

The creature with the three dog heads that is depicted on the door is Cerberus, the three-headed dog that guarded the gate of Hades in ancient Greek mythology. While the Baker house is no less than Hades itself, the real nightmare begins once Ethan steps outside. Cerberus in this case is not guarding the entrance, but the exit; and in that sense, the passage that is offered to Ethan after he unlocks the exit door is one that is set up in such a way so as to lead him to his death.

In The Evil Within, Sebastian, the lead character, gets trapped inside the mind of Ruvik, a genious madman with a painful past, and finds himself wandering in places connected to his memories. The most prominent one is Ruvik's family home, where the dark secrets of his past are gradually revealed. There is a huge door in the main hall, that Sebastian has to open so as to proceed deeper inside Ruvik's mind, and to do so he has to carry out three simple Phrenology tasks. There are three Phrenology tables in the house and on each one there is a human head with the brain exposed. Sebastian has to hit a specific part of the brain with each probe, and if done correctly, blood flows away from a tube above each table, filling a similar tube on the locked gate. Once all three tubes fill with blood, the door opens.

As the story of the game has to do with mind games, it is not random that this specific gate is like a simulation of the brain: during the Phrenology tasks, Sebastian hits the sections of fear, hope and consent, which send the blood flowing in the tubes on the door. The gears on the door then start moving all together, unlocking it, just like the human emotions keep the brain's gears working. It is a concept that is as complicated as it is ingenious. The passage that is revealed beyond the door is literal: it is a long passage, a hallway, where Ruvik awaits to lure Sebastian even deeper in his memories, leading him to the root of his life's tragedy.

In The Evil Within 2, the gate that dominates as a major point of transition is not an actual door but more like an artificial barrier, made up of barbed wire and two framed photos depicting two girls in a macabre setting, that seem to be surrounded by an aura of black magic: they have flaming blood around them and they are impossible to touch. This peculiar installation is the morbid work of Stefano, a twisted photographer who is able to control Union, a virtual environment made especially for the people taking part in STEM, a nightmarish experiment aiming at controlling minds. Sebastian has to find a way to destroy the gate, in order to enter the Theater, where Stefano is hiding, and fight with him.

Stefano is like a magician; and as such, he creates illusions. Sebastian has to apply reverse magic in order to make the illusions disappear. In reality, or at least in the twisted reality of STEM, there is no tangible barrier in front of the theater. The two framed photos that block the way forming a makeshift gate are not really there. The first one is in the back room of a bar and the second is at the end of the upper corridor of a hotel. Sebastian has to locate them, literally get in their interior and destroy them from the inside. By doing this, their illusions in front of the theater shatter and disappear. The "magic" that Sebastian performs so as to fight Stefano's evil tricks is basically the opposite of what Stefano did. Simply put, Stefano made the photo artworks and Sebastian destroys them. What Sebastian does is like a voodoo process: he "kills" the essence of the photos, stabbing the frozen corpses that form them, just like a voodoo magician sticks pins on his dolls, resulting in hurting the person that those represent.

Mythological Symbols in Resident Evil 4

There are three instances where mythological symbols become prominent in the Resident Evil 4 story, something that is, by default, an extremely interesting element that is worth exploring; moreso since, not randomly, I would guess, those symbols are borrowed from three different mythologies around the world. While they can be all viewed simply as aesthetic additions and, in the two of the three cases as the puzzles that they essentially are, their literary and factual interpretation is equally important, in relation to the game's characters and their (back)stories.

The most obvious symbol is the Chimera mural in Salazar's castle. Coming from the ancient Greek mythology, the Chimera was a monstrous-looking, fire-breathing lion with a goat head emerging from its back and a tail with a serpent's head at its end, which was killed by Bellerophon, a hero and slayer of monsters.

The impressive relief shows Bellerophon attacking the Chimera

The mural in Resident Evil 4 appears in chapter 3-1, when Leon enters the main section of the castle with Ashley. The wall that it decorates drops down, blocking the passage leading forward, and upon seeing the impressive relief, Leon mentions that it is 'a beautiful decoration'. After taking a few seconds to admire our fearless hero for being an art-loving and cultivated zombie killer, we realize that what we actually see is half the mural: Bellerophon is there, but the three pieces of which the Chimera is comprised, are missing; so we need to find the three respective ornaments: the Lion, the Goat and the Serpent.

All those three aforementioned animals carry some major and essential symbolisms on their own. The Lion, referring to the beautiful feline that is considered the King of the Jungle, represents grandeur, bravery, beauty and leadership. Considering that Leon's name also means 'lion', it becomes rather obvious that, from an allegorical / metaphorical point of view, the Lion symbol is related to him. He too, like the king of the jungle, is beautiful and brave; he is also a charismatic leader whom all the others respect.

Leon is a particularly dominant character throughout the whole Resident Evil series. Having appeared in six games as a main character (I also count Operation Raccoon City and the upcoming Resident Evil 2 remake among those) and all three CGI movies as a protagonist, he has clearly established his status as one of the most popular heroes not only among the fans of the saga, but also among the game's developers. The combination of high intelligence, excellent survival skills, good heart and great looks, quickly turned him into a hero that could be loved as easily as breathing the air. Leon's charisma is something that could never pass unnoticed, inevitably being also admired by his enemies.

Leon is as charismatic as a hero should be

The Goat, which generally and commonly symbolizes vitality and energy, is nonetheless associated with the dark powers of evil in several myths, folklore and religions. From that specific aspect, in its secondary but no less important allegorical depiction, the Goat is related to all the evil that dominates in the story of Resident Evil 4: Lord Saddler, Salazar, Bitores Mendez and last but not least Wesker, are the powers of evil that destroy, kill and spread infections wherever they go.

Set in the middle of the Chimera, the Goat has a very prominent role in the symbol, just like the villains of the story affect everybody with their actions and decisions. Hidden somewhere in the backstage, Wesker pulls the strings, attempting to turn the outcome of the events to his own benefit. Saddler, the typical egomaniac psychopath with the Messiah syndrom, has no moral barriers and is the definition of Evil in full. Bitores Mendez is his second-in-command, but no less lethal and determined to exterminate whomever he believes to be a threat. As for Salazar, he is more like a pawn in Saddler's game, but his inflated ego - in contrast with his diminutive stature - cannot let him see things for what they are, and he is doomed to follow the path of Evil for the rest of his short and miserable life.

Salazar is a miniature dictator with zero perception of reality

The Serpent may allude to Evil on several levels, with the most prominent being its connection to the Devil and the original sin, but in the case of the Resident Evil 4 story it acts as a much more specific and direct symbol, being obviously related to the game's most memorable villain, Jack Krauser. From his notable mischievous gaze, which looks exactly like a snake's, to his trademark combat knife that has a serpent carved at the bottom part of its blade, Krauser seems to be no less than the human manifestation of what is, apparently, his spirit animal.

Jack's connection with snakes goes even further, however. If we trace his story back to his jungle adventure with Leon in The Darkside Chronicles, we will recall how during the first meeting with his future partner he immediately sensed the presence of a snake that was about to attack Leon, and instantly stabbed it on the head. Later on, one of the first things that he noticed when the zombified soldiers attacked them at the village, was the snake tattoo that they had on them. Jack had always been fascinated by snakes, feeling at the same time attracted and compelled by them. By embracing them as his symbol / spirit animal, he was able to tame them and subsequently gain several of their traits and qualities. Thus he appears as a cunning, villainous and sly, but at the same time extremely intelligent and highly perceptive man who has a very strong instinct and relies heavily on it.

Krauser is a lethal and complex character

Leon as part of the Chimera symbol is an inseparable part of the story, leading to its conclusion which is the elimination of all the evil that the Goat and the Serpent represent from the hand of Bellerophon who, in turn, as a monster killer, is another manifestation of Leon, the zombie killer. This means that Leon is represented by two symbols here (Bellerophon and the Lion), which brings us back to the duality of Leon's character as it is illustrated in the symbolism of the Golden Lynx puzzle.

Much later, in Chapter 5-3, we come across another mythological symbol which may pass unnoticed as it is not part of any puzzle and it is located on a spot that can be easily missed. Above the huge double doors that separate the rest of the island from the ruins, there is a depiction of Melusine, the two-tailed mermaid of the Celtic folklore.

Melusine watches from high up

Melusine is a spirit of the water and is usually depicted with a dual tail, either of a fish or of a snake. According to her legend, she was able to change forms, and thus could also appear with the normal body of a woman. The pattern of transformation is very familiar to Jack Krauser's story, as we see him change forms during Leon's final fight with him, which takes place just beyond that specific gate. Melusine as a symbol of Krauser's imminent shapeshifting acts as a minor allegory that kind of brings together his two appearances - the one that belongs to the Earth element (the Snake) and the one that belongs to the Air element (his final mutation which will grant him the wing-like arm).

In the same chapter, we come across the final important mythological symbol of the story. The Holy Beast that can be seen as a relief at the end of Chapter 5-3 is a variation of a triptych of the Incan mythology with the original sacred animals being the Puma, the Snake and the Condor. In the Resident Evil 4 story, we have a mural that depicts a Panther, a Serpent and an Eagle. Just like the Chimera mural in the castle, this here too is missing its three pieces, which in this case are three insignias with the three animals carved on them. Two of them, the Panther and the Eagle, are found laying on the ground in different parts of the ruins, and the last one, the Serpent, can be obtained only after Leon kills Krauser, as he is the one who holds it.

The Holy Beast relief is an exceptional symbol

The Snake here carries a more inclusive role than in its Chimera depiction. Considering that it is an animal that has the ability to change its skin, it represents transformation and rebirth. The Panther as a spirit animal symbolizes courage and power, but also aggression and fierceness. The Eagle symbolizes immortality and connection to the divine, as it can fly higher than any other bird.

The three animals depicted in the relief are interconnected, and the two of them are symbols of the same person, that is Krauser. Both the Serpent and the Eagle relate to him - the Serpent as a constant allegory of his inner self, which probably also explains why he decided to keep that specific piece with him, and the Eagle as the manifestation of his final mutation in which he appeared with a graceful but extremely lethal arm with blades that look like wings (as if foreshadowing this, the Eagle insignia is found on the ground, just below the pedestal where Jack's aformentioned mutation takes place). Because of the Eagle's allegory of immortality, it also hints at Krauser's desire to possess superhuman power, as well as at the possibility that he might not have really died in the end.

Jack's final mutation is as impressive as it is terrifying

The Panther, on the other hand, represents mainly Leon, but also Krauser on a sublevel: as a powerful and brave feline, it is Leon's symbol; but as an aggressive protector, it is more like Krauser. Somewhere deep inside him, Krauser had several things in common with Leon - he even mentions in The Darkside Chronicles that Leon and himself are two sides of the same coin - but at some point he decided to bury them and let the darkness inside him prevail. In the mural, the Panther subdues the Snake from which an Eagle rises. In other words, Leon defeated Krauser as well as his mutated form, and while Krauser was apparently exterminated, that original part of him that was the good soldier whom Leon met in the jungle, presumably still exists in Leon's memories, given the comment that he makes concerning his opponent at the end of the fight. Which, in turn, signifies that, under that light, the two characters are united in their common symbol of the Panther.

The Colours As Magical Elements of Puzzles: The Golden Lynx Puzzle in Resident Evil 4

In spite of being a survival horror game based on action, Resident Evil 4 has several puzzles that its protagonist, Leon Kennedy, has to solve, which are either part of the main plot or that he can simply put together to get items that he can sell and buy weapons in exchange. Several of these puzzles include colored items or precious gems. The Insignia puzzle in the church with the three colored disks that you have to turn so as to open the prison door, the butterfly lamp, which needs a red eye, a green eye and a blue eye so as to be a complete artifact, the elegant mask, which requires a red gem, a purple gem and a green gem to be attached to it so as to gain its full value, are just a few of such examples.

There is one specific color puzzle however that stands out and is different from the others; it is the puzzle involving the statuette of a golden lynx that you have to make complete with finding a red stone, a green stone and a blue stone. Although this puzzle is not necessary to solve for progessing in the game and its use is mainly practical (Leon can get lots of money by selling the resulting complete artifact), it seems to carry some interesting symolism as a whole, and also as far as its individual parts are concerned, as its three stones are not simple ones; they all represent something.

Leon finds the golden lynx statuette near the start of Chapter 5-1. This section takes place in the isolated island that Lord Saddler has made his base, and where Leon goes with Ada's help after defeating the mutated Ramon Salazar in the castle. The precious statuette is hidden in a treasure chest that is sitting on a rock, deep inside a cave that is guarded by three soldiers. To get to it, you have to shoot a barrel causing an explosion that will shatter the rock behind it, revealing the secret area with the lynx.

Leon finds the beautiful statuette

First Leon finds the red stone, which is called 'the red stone of faith' and is located in Chapter 5-1 as well, inside Saddler's headquarters, in a basement room where the kitchen is, hidden in a metal case.

The red stone is in an aluminium case in a dirty basement

The second stone to be found is the green one, called 'the green stone of judgement' and it is inside yet one more aluminium case in the room where Chapter 5-2 ends and Chapter 5-3 begins, just a few areas away from the place where Leon and Krauser meet and have their knife fight.

The green stone is in another aluminium case

The last stone that Leon finds is the blue one, located again in Chapter 5-3, close to the end; specifically it is in a side room in the underground cave that leads to the ruins where the final fight between Leon and Krauser takes place. This stone is not hidden in a case, and it has a special name too, it is 'the blue stone of treason'.

The blue stone is in plain sight, in a cave

From her very first appearance in the Resident Evil series, Ada Wong was almost always wearing red. The only time when she can be seen sporting a different color is in her Assignment Ada mission, where her outfit is grey, but even then there is a red butterfly stitched on one of her top's sleeves. In the main Resident Evil 4 game she is wearing a long red dress, in Resident Evil 2 she has a mini red dress on and in Resident Evil 6 she is wearing a bright red shirt. There is no doubt that red is her associated color and therefore the red stone of faith seems to be connected to her.

Ada in her red dress

Despite the mystery that surrounds her, Ada is a constant value in the Resident Evil world. Although she avoids to open herself up to Leon, she is always there to help him and back him up. Leon may be fond of her but he does not trust her completely; he even doubts her from time to time, and Ada is unable to show him that he is wrong because that would mean exposing her real identity as well as her mission each time. But the truth is that she is a reliable person and faith is a value that describes her very well, although it may not always be so clear.

Jack Krauser, as the mercenary and soldier that he is, is associated with the green color as he is seen wearing camo-based outfits, both in Resident Evil 4 and in The Darkside Chronicles: Operation Javier. In Resident Evil 4, Jack views himself as Leon's nemesis, having returned after his fake death and seeing Saddler's orders as the perfect chance to cross paths with his ex-partner again and take revenge. In his own mind, Jack has always been right, so facing Leon and even killing him looks like a way for him to be vindicated at last.

Jack Krauser is always seen wearing green camo pants

This makes the green stone of judgement his own personal symbol, although he is not really in a position to judge anyone, having a distorted aspect of reality in his mind. However he does see himself as someone who has been misjudged and treated unfairly, therefore his judgement will put everyone (specifically, Leon) in the state where they deserve to be.

The blue color is connected with Leon, as almost all his outfits are in the blue/grey shades, the only exception being his appearance in the Tall Oaks episodes of Resident Evil 6. In Resident Evil 2 he has his blue RPD uniform on, in Resident Evil 4 his outfit is blue/grey and in the China episodes of Resident Evil 6 he is wearing a blue shirt.

Leon with his gray/blue outfit

Leon is undoubtedly a bright, good-hearted and honest man, but Jack Krauser, who obviously aknowledged and appreciated his ex-partner's qualities in the past, has stopped seeing him as such ever since he found out about Leon being in fact a government agent and not a simple soldier like himself in Operation Javier. Jack, who always sought a high rank in his career but kept struggling for it to no avail despite his intelligence and ability, got extremely disappointed when Leon revealed to him that he was literally blackmailed into accepting such a position, because in reality he didn't want it. Although this clearly was not Leon's fault, Krauser blamed him for it, although he never actually told Leon, because he saw it as some sort of treason from his partner's part. Which was a very stupid thought, since Leon didn't know Jack back then and even if he did, he wouldn't have much other choice than accepting the position of the government agent that was offered to him. From that point of view, Leon is a traitor in Krauser's eyes, which associates the blue stone of treason with him.

The golden lynx artifact with its three precious stones

These three individual stones are all attached to the golden lynx statuette, which in turn carries a major symbolism. The lynx has always been considered a powerful spirit animal with second sight, able to see what is happening in other dimensions, as well as things that other creatures are unable to see. It represents qualities such as honesty, patience, caution, reliability and great charm. All these elements seem to describe Leon perfectly; moreover, the 'golden' element matches his blond hair, his name comes from the feline realm and considering his facial features do resemble those of a lynx, we could say that the lynx statuette is associated with Leon's real self.

The lynx could be Leon's spirit animal

This means that Leon has two symbols to represent him: the golden lynx artifact, which is his own symbol, and the blue stone of treason which is the symbol that is associated with him in relation to Jack Krauser and his altered view of Leon. Nonetheless, Leon has a strong connection with him, as he does with Ada; both Jack and Ada are integral parts of Leon's life and memories, no matter how well or bad his relationship with them turned out, which is why the symbolism of the three stones being attached to the lynx becomes even more powerful and emblematic.