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There's something I don't understand.

A few minutes ago, I stumbled upon this user-made video, which compares the Wii version of Resident Evil 4 and the latest build of Resident Evil 5 (or so I think it is).

At first, I thought, based on initial publicity and hype, that it would near-impossible to do the fifth iteration of the series for the Wii, as it was to sport the latest graphics, better AI and many new features. However, now viewing this side-by-side comparison, I have a hard time thinking that it can't be done for Wii. Aside from the high-end graphics, I don't see what's so different. A good number of animations seem to have been ripped off from 4, and to certain extent, so do some AI routines.

So in a search for more videos in order to do more comparisons, as well as topics on the matter to see if there's anything I'm missing, I of course come across some (interesting) comments.

There are the usual debate as to whether or not the damn game can be made for the Wii, one side stating that all it would need is to take a hit in the graphics department and the other saying that it simply isn't possibly to reproduce the same experience, even by lowering the resolution. This is when I spotted this witty comment:

"For the life of me, I can't [imagine somebody preferring a Wii version] either. Especially on a franchise that is about a whole hell of a lot more than pointing and shooting, I can't understand preferring the version that only excels in one area...pointing and shooting."

This is what confused me. Okay, so it's about more than just shooting. I can agree with that. I'd be stupid not to. However, it's more than just that, what else could it be?

Of course, a big selling point of Resident Evil (initially, at least) is the plot. It's pretty deep for a zombie-shooting game, but I can't see anybody making an argument that the Wii can't handle the story. Last I checked, it could still produce sound and images, even 3D animation. I have heard rumours though that it could also display text; more on that as I continue my research. [/sarcasm]

Okay, so it doesn't really matter that much which console it's on, it can still present the story right. What else? The characters? No, it falls under same category as the plot. The puzzles? Nah, I know some NES games with more complex puzzles than those found in Resident Evil. I know, there is this other thing that's pretty big about RE; it's the mood, the setting, the ambiance. The immersion. Granted, it might take a hit if the graphics were made a tad worse, but would it be really that bad?

Allow me to go off another tangent. (This is starting to feel like an episode of Family Guy.) RE4 was, and still is, considered to have a pretty good atmosphere. It may not be as good as the originals, but it cetainly had its moments. The game could very well put you in a false sense of security or keep tension high, and that's something that is generally accepted across gamers; that a game can manipulate your feelings and sense of awareness.

That is something that is done through designing the level correctly, assigning interesting tasks and objectives, placing the player in tense situations and choosing the correct locale and/or area to complement the action. If all these things could be accomplished three and half years ago (and even 20 years ago, on a grander scale), certainly it can be done today. 

Again, aside from higher resolutions and some graphical effects, I still don't understand why some say that RE5 cannot be done on a technically inferior machine. I may undestand that immersion may take somewhat of a hit if the graphics aren't as good, but if RE4 was heralded as one of last generation's masterpieces, both gameplay- and graphics-wise, why would it be so wrong do to something similar now? I mean, it's only been lees than four years since RE4 came out, and it's now considered ugly, obsolete and worthless? Of course not, nobody would dare say that. If that were the case, we'd all be spitting at everything that came out more than a year ago. Ocarina of Time and Final Fantasy 6 still draw me in as much as they did when I first played them. Just because something new is technically and arguably better doesn't make existing software, hardware and techniques any worse.

Back to RE5. I believe the game can be made for the Wii, the only home console I own, and I really hope they do. Maybe it really isn't possible, but from what has been shown and what is known of the game, I don't see why not. I know that game isn't hitting retail shelves for another year or so, and that I may be ignoring/misunderstanding a fact or two. If I am, please tell me.

To complement my first sentence: Why is the idea of RE5 Wii considered so blasphemous to some?

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