Faded Dreams V
Retired June 2012. Unretired June 2013.
Capcom is too focused on catering to the West by borrowing elements from our top-selling games, and straying away from the source material of the Resident Evil games. If they want to create an action-orientated shooting game, then they should make a new IP instead of changing the genre of the series that, ironically, coined and popularized the term "Survival Horror."
It makes no sense either because Resident Evil 4 had everything this series needed--the tone, the atmosphere, and the GREAT GAMEPLAY. They don't need to go all the way back to the RE1-RE:CV formula. It's true, that won't sell well in this generation. However, they shouldn't forget what made those games so popular during their respective era, and among their market niche. IMO, Resident Evil Revelations almost had it right (my favorite 3DS game, btw). However, there were several shortcomings that held the game back: mandatory action orientated segments that shifted the game away from Jill, and killed the momentum of the story; interactions with characters via radio or walky-talky, as well as partners; and missed opportunities for cheap startles (it's like they're scared to scare the players....wut?).
Those issues with Revelations are actually general design choices they need to remedy if they decide to reboot the series. Here are some ideas that would help keep the survival horror aspect of the game prevalent without having to change the modern gameplay:
1. A new protagonist- Someone who does NOT possess superhuman combat and survival skills (but isn't whiny either...). I know everyone likes Chris, Leon, Jill, etc, but come on....the creators have developed them into super characters. They just don't fit a survival horror environment anymore. In Resident Evil 2, Leon was just a regular cop, and Claire is just an average girl. They were ordinary characters that had to go through ridiculous odds to survive. Mind you, characterization doesn't need to affect gameplay--it can still be an over-the-shoulder shooter like the recent games, only with the pace of Revelations and RE4. Also, fan favorite characters can still appear.
2. Tone/Atmosphere/Music - These are the most important elements to ANY horror media. Recent Resident Evil games have action-packed music, and they're set in broad daylight. Back in Resident Evil 4 (the first half, anyways), you had to walk around in woods, at times in the dark, and other times foggy; it was unsettling, and that worked. Works even better when they implement cheap scares in specific areas because why the fuck not? Also, monster aesthetics by themselves don't do ANYTHING. The music accompanying their appearance is what makes them frightening.
For example, Regenerators:
.
How about U3?
Tyrant?
Now let's take a look at this shit:
...Yeah. -.-
3. Partners. Lose them - When the main character has a partner, the mood is killed. When that sense of loneliness and helplessness is gone, the game is not scary. Back in RE1, Jill had her partners, but they weren't in contact with her at all times, or following her everywhere. We can still have Co-Op without this, mind you. It just wouldn't feel very...well, believable.
4. Leave action-packed segments for optional modes like Mercenaries or Raid - Speaks for itself. BTW, I loved Raid Mode in Revelations. Better than Mercenaries imo.
And with that....I have wasted 30 minutes of my 4 hour lunch break. Yay me! =D
It makes no sense either because Resident Evil 4 had everything this series needed--the tone, the atmosphere, and the GREAT GAMEPLAY. They don't need to go all the way back to the RE1-RE:CV formula. It's true, that won't sell well in this generation. However, they shouldn't forget what made those games so popular during their respective era, and among their market niche. IMO, Resident Evil Revelations almost had it right (my favorite 3DS game, btw). However, there were several shortcomings that held the game back: mandatory action orientated segments that shifted the game away from Jill, and killed the momentum of the story; interactions with characters via radio or walky-talky, as well as partners; and missed opportunities for cheap startles (it's like they're scared to scare the players....wut?).
Those issues with Revelations are actually general design choices they need to remedy if they decide to reboot the series. Here are some ideas that would help keep the survival horror aspect of the game prevalent without having to change the modern gameplay:
1. A new protagonist- Someone who does NOT possess superhuman combat and survival skills (but isn't whiny either...). I know everyone likes Chris, Leon, Jill, etc, but come on....the creators have developed them into super characters. They just don't fit a survival horror environment anymore. In Resident Evil 2, Leon was just a regular cop, and Claire is just an average girl. They were ordinary characters that had to go through ridiculous odds to survive. Mind you, characterization doesn't need to affect gameplay--it can still be an over-the-shoulder shooter like the recent games, only with the pace of Revelations and RE4. Also, fan favorite characters can still appear.
2. Tone/Atmosphere/Music - These are the most important elements to ANY horror media. Recent Resident Evil games have action-packed music, and they're set in broad daylight. Back in Resident Evil 4 (the first half, anyways), you had to walk around in woods, at times in the dark, and other times foggy; it was unsettling, and that worked. Works even better when they implement cheap scares in specific areas because why the fuck not? Also, monster aesthetics by themselves don't do ANYTHING. The music accompanying their appearance is what makes them frightening.
For example, Regenerators:
How about U3?
3. Partners. Lose them - When the main character has a partner, the mood is killed. When that sense of loneliness and helplessness is gone, the game is not scary. Back in RE1, Jill had her partners, but they weren't in contact with her at all times, or following her everywhere. We can still have Co-Op without this, mind you. It just wouldn't feel very...well, believable.
4. Leave action-packed segments for optional modes like Mercenaries or Raid - Speaks for itself. BTW, I loved Raid Mode in Revelations. Better than Mercenaries imo.
And with that....I have wasted 30 minutes of my 4 hour lunch break. Yay me! =D
