Some cool 1.5 exclusive screenshots (**As seen on TV!**)

[Rick Hunter]

Leon's personality and backstory was also completely different from what it is in the final version.

Different how exactly? As for the backstory, what was it already? There's nearly nothing in BH2 talking about that...

[randomwab]

Claire is also a student, and she also protects Sherry. "Racer" was a crutch for Elza which was foregone once they made Claire the younger sister of Chris, changing her voice actor, fleshing out her backstory (vibrant, lots of boyfriends, rebellious hence the lockpick) and generally making her "stronger" to represent the fact that she was trained in self-defense by a Special Forces member. I never said changing her name added any depth. Changing her backstory and motivations did, Elza remaining the weaker refuse who probably would've worked better for Outbreak. Not saying Elza was a "bad" character, but she wasn't what they wanted and was pretty bland as far as BIO characters go.

Wasn't there also something about Chris and Claire's parents? They're either dead or the kids weren't close to them or something? I seem to remember that but it could be from some bullshit source like the SDPerry books.

Different how exactly? As for the backstory, what was it already? There's nearly nothing in BH2 talking about that...

I don't know about his backstory, maybe NewsBot knows more, but changing his scenario from a then current officer of the RPD in the middle of the outbreak to a rookie just entering town with no idea what's going on was a much better setup for him. The same goes for Elza being a resident of Raccoon University who, presumably would have been aware of what was going on, to Claire entering Raccoon unknowing of the situation.

With the 1.5 characters, any attempt at explaining the outbreak to the player through the characters would have been inconsistent and jarring considering their back stories. Both characters realistically should have known what was going on and wouldn't be talking about it in an informative way to the player. Changing that to neither character knowing the situation gives an opportunity to explain everything to the character, but in reality, it's really there to inform the player. It really is just one of the many scenario problems 1.5 was plagued with.

[Rick Hunter]

I didn't see it that way, that's interesting.

[News Bot]

The stuff about Chris and Claire's parents dying in a car crash came from S.D. Perry. However, it's mentioned somewhere in supplemental material that Chris and Claire are each other's "only surviving relative." A lot of the character's don't get a lot of exposition. For example, Jill is half-Japanese and has artwork of her shopping in Raccoon City with a visiting Japanese cousin. In final BH2, Leon's family were criminals who "died by the sword", which made him want to become a police officer. So on, and so forth.

randomwab also covered one of 1.5's issues pretty well. A similar situation popped up with the Metal Gear series after MGS1. Snake was meant to be a hardened, grizzled veteran who has seen some shit and done some shit. Telling him (again) to press action buttons and treat him like another dumbass pawn for the sake of the players, after how he came out of MGS1, would have been terrible. So they created Raiden who could play the part of the new guy completely oblivious to everything, while also having the side-effect of making Snake look like an even better character since he is viewed from the eyes of another outsider rather than the player, who is already well-appointed with him. Leaving aside whether you thought Raiden was a good character or not, his inclusion did wonders for the game's story (also leaving aside its convolution).

[braders1986]

A similar situation popped up with the Metal Gear series after MGS1. Snake was meant to be a hardened, grizzled veteran who has seen some shit and done some shit. Telling him (again) to press action buttons and treat him like another dumbass pawn for the sake of the players, after how he came out of MGS1, would have been terrible. So they created Raiden who could play the part of the new guy completely oblivious to everything, while also having the side-effect of making Snake look like an even better character since he is viewed from the eyes of another outsider rather than the player, who is already well-appointed with him. Leaving aside whether you thought Raiden was a good character or not, his inclusion did wonders for the game's story (also leaving aside its convolution).

This post is deserves one of these...

[chrisliam2]

I did kinda like the idea that Elza was just a bland character just like everyone else in raccoon city , it makes her look far more vulnerable in this kind of situation.
But If I had my way Claire and Elza would of been best friends That shared the same interests.

[Carnivol]

But simply adding in the name 'Redfield' does not add depth.

It adds relationship, purpose and reason. Elza's "relationship" to the player was none, her "purpose" was simply "outbreak; survive" and her "reason" was "I'm in a whole lot of fuck". Not very future proof, compared to Claire who sets out with the relationship status to the player as being the sibling of the main character from the first game, giving her a more personal and direct purpose and reason in the form of her "must find my brother" quest ... which she, to the player's ultimate surprise, actually doesn't even find (despite going through hell and back again).

While there'd of course be plenty of room to probably expand on Elza in the game, chances are she'd probably just end up being thrown away like most one-shot "guest starring" characters in the later RE games -- unlike Claire, who thanks to the Redfield name, got another game, a supporting role in a movie (one might argue that Elza could've done the same; but let's hold that thought until Sheva, Billy or Rebecca chimes in again in any new incidents), and she's also probably likely to make more future appearances (despite seemingly being oddly absent from Resident Evil 6)


Still think it's sad that there's been no nods to Elza Walker in later games, though. Either in the form of alt-outfits or in the form guest appearances.

[chrisliam2]

It adds relationship, purpose and reason. Elza's "relationship" to the player was none, her "purpose" was simply "outbreak; survive" and her "reason" was "I'm in a whole lot of fuck". Not very future proof, compared to Claire who sets out with the relationship status to the player as being the sibling of the main character from the first game, giving her a more personal and direct purpose and reason in the form of her "must find my brother" quest ... which she, to the player's ultimate surprise, actually doesn't even find (despite going through hell and back again).

While there'd of course be plenty of room to probably expand on Elza in the game, chances are she'd probably just end up being thrown away like most one-shot "guest starring" characters in the later RE games -- unlike Claire, who thanks to the Redfield name, got another game, a supporting role in a movie (one might argue that Elza could've done the same; but let's hold that thought until Sheva, Billy or Rebecca chimes in again in any new incidents), and she's also probably likely to make more future appearances (despite seemingly being oddly absent from Resident Evil 6)


Still think it's sad that there's been no nods to Elza Walker in later games, though. Either in the form of alt-outfits or in the form guest appearances.

yeah also it seems capcom have no use for claire anymore even though fans keep asking for her to appear again , People say nowadays Claire has no point to the story , so it can happen to anyone , but they could easily add her to re7 if they wanted to , she could be protesting with her terrasave group when another bio attack happens , and claire would have to survive on what she could find ect ect.

[News Bot]

Another bioterror attack happening at yet another TerraSave protest would be a bit contrived. The series needs less of that, not more.

[Biohazard 1995]

It's hard to say if her suit is leather or not, but it's her protective suit for riding in whatever the material is. It reminded me of this picture, I believe this is official art? This is her bike.

Elza's bike is a Ducati 900
(Click to see the full size!)

[chrisliam2]

Another bioterror attack happening at yet another TerraSave protest would be a bit contrived. The series needs less of that, not more.

I was just giving a simple way to add her into the game , the thing with the old resident evil games is the story did not have to have mega blockbuster style story lines it was short simple and sweet but now with games like re4 5 and 6 we get all this over the top action and some people expect big blockbuster story lines all the time.
I still enjoyed those games but they never really left an impact on me like the classics.
But to each there own. It just seems now that Claire has turned into Elza anyway in the sense that we never see her anymore.

[chrisliam2]

Elza's bike is a Ducati 900
(Click to see the full size!)

always loved elza's bike , claires was nice too though.

[Eteponge]

I read in one of the interviews with the creators that Elza's personality was "spunky" and that was her intended draw, but as you went through the game with her, she more and more came across as just a bitch, and they didn't like that.

[yurieu]

Elza's bike is a Ducati 900
(Click to see the full size!)

amazing, youngling!

on topic, i agree, 1.5 is much more bunch of survivors trying to scape, than the little novel from retail RE.

[Darkness]

1.5 would have had more character development. That's what interests me. That's because of More working together. Which doesn't kill the survival horror because there were alot more enemies and 1.5's scenery was much more morbid.