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You're Doing it Wrong
How the critics are missing the point with RE5
by Quackerdrill
I usually agree with game journalists. I treat what they say as gospel for the most part, weeding out the hyperbole whenever necessary. But the game critic is a stubborn creature. When the consensus on a game is that of disappointment, few feel the need to jump off the train and say something different. The most recent case is on Resident Evil 5, Capcom's follow-up to 2005's classic RE4. As soon as critics saw that the sequel would be a continuation of the prior game's control scheme instant depression fell over the game journalism world. Surely a game that doesn't do the same paradigm shift that part four did can't be worth our time, right?
Wake up, critics- expecting the crew to do another Resident Evil redux is just not a realistic expectation. New hardware doesn't have to mean new game mechanics; why can't we just enjoy a fancier, shiner version of the fun we had in RE4? Every professional review I've read dwells on how it doesn't innovate, following this up with discussion about how fun it is in co-op. Hello guys, innovation's staring you in the face! Surely having back-up from a sultry, high-kicking partner lessens the RE series' trademark eerieness, but whoever still thinks Resident Evil is a survival horror franchise after 4 is in that river in Egypt. You know, 'da Nile. Not all of co-op works (the inventory system, although interesting, sometimes makes for awkward item swapping), but it ups the importance of the combat scenarios. Playing through the game in co-op is an extremely fun experience, especially for a game that I went into expecting to hate.
I simply wish that instead of comparing it to its predecessor critics would compare Resident Evil 5 to other co-op shooter experiences like Gears of War 2 (a series that, ironically, owes a lot to RE4- just ask Cliffy). Treated as a seperate action game with no ties to a storied franchise would have allieviated a lot of the issues that the journalists have been discussing.
As for the racism thing? Now that's just stupid.
Comments
Awesome article! Your opinions are well noted. I just started playing RE5 today and while I can't say I love the whole "can't move while you aim" thing, I am really digging the co-op play. It's super fun and I look forward to playing more.
It's always interesting to hear what other people want from gaming journalists and reviews. Keep it up!
"Treated as a separate action game with no ties to a storied franchise would have alleviated a lot of the issues that the journalists have been discussing."
Imagine if Mikami stayed the course with his original conception of RE4? People would be making the same observation, and we wouldn't have Devil May Cry.
This is great!
I don't mind the controls. Yes, they are dated, but they are also totally resident evil. All it boils down to really, is if you can still play the game, or if it's broken. It's still 100% playable, and very enjoyable when played with a friend. Hell, I've already played through just the first 2 chapters three times over already with different people. It's fun, and it looks so damned good.
I never understood why "Same controls as RE4" was a bad thing. RE4's control system worked very well, so why change it?
Quackerdrill,
You have hit the nail right on the head.
For me, Resident Evil 4 is one of my favorite games. EVER. Literally, I place it in my top five.
I have been obsessed with the Resident Evil franchise since it's initial release back in March 1996 on the Playstation (ask Sarah, she knows, I'm a Resident Evil NUT.) Still, the one game in the series that makes my top five is Resident Evil 4. This isnt because of its addition to the RE Storyline. It had a story that somewhat intersected with the Resident Evil story arc I knew, and played like a fucking Die Hard movie; nonstop shooting and action were the name of the game.
So when I read the idiotic forum posts (specifically on Gamespot.com ) of these dumb halfwits who say that this is "Resident Evil 4 with good graphics," I feel the need to get angry. Not only are these the same morons who touted Resident evil 4 as one of the best games ever, these are the same assholes that dub Resident Evil 2 and RE3 as great games in the series. And while I love both RE2 and RE3, they are more of a complete carbon copy of what came before than RE5.
Anyway, to end this rant, Resident Evil 5 is a great game. It is something for both fans of the series and newcomers alike. I have been playing it nonstop since I got it on Thursday, and I would recommend it to any fan of action/horror games alike.
And also, the racism thing.
God help you if you think this game is in anyway racist.
You're spot on with this Quackerdrill. It's funny too, because the same reviewers that are going to complain that RE5 kept the same control scheme would be up in arms if, say, Street Fighter 4 had changed its controls. It's a "damned if you do, damned if you don't" kind of situation. And for Capcom, it comes down to, why fix what isn't broken?
Let me know if I did it right.
bravo!