Wow, I wrote this in 2017! Since then, I have attempted to play Resident Evil 7, but never completed it because I never got used to the first-person view. My brother told me it was pretty good. Totally skipped Resident Evil 8. From what I have heard, the developer has turned back to its horror roots. Will I play Resident Evil Requiem? Maybe since there is a third-person option. I have played Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 Remakes. The only remake I haven’t played is Resident Evil 4. Maybe I should play that for this upcoming Halloween. I was debating between Song of Horror and Dead Space Remake. Anyway, enough rambling. Here is the original post published on January 12, 2017.
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I don’t know what happened, but gradually over the few years, I begin to lose interest in the Resident Evil franchise despite the fact, I enjoy playing all of the RE games, but I think I’m getting tired of playing them and I’m losing faith that it will ever return to its roots as a survival horror genre.
It all started with RE4, RE5, and RE6 on how the games are broken into chapters/campaigns. At the end of each chapter, I was given a “report card” on how well I did: hit ratio, the number of times killed, enemies routed, etc. Because I am forced to acknowledge my performance, I spent more time focusing on how well I played and not so much on the survival aspect of the game. This report card sort of destroyed the survival horror experience, I had with RE1, RE2, and RE3.
I remember the earlier Resident Evil games were more story-driven and suspenseful. For example, in RE1, the characters are chased into the mansion. The mansion seems like a haven in the middle of the woods. They thought they are safe, but they are wrong. As they venture deeper into the mansion, they uncover its secret. Then with the realization that they might end up as zombies, they attempt to escape, knowing what they uncover is an epidemic. To escape from something horrific is survival horror.
I didn’t feel this way about RE4, RE5, and RE6. There is too much action going on in these games which makes it difficult for me to follow Resident Evil’s timeline. Both RE4 and RE5 are very similar, in terms of structure. The environment did not feel claustrophobic. It didn’t make me feel as if I need to escape since I am already out in the open. In RE4, the appearance of the Merchant acknowledges that this is a shooting game. It allows me to tune up my weapons right before when there is a serious zombie action event. RE5 is even worse, in terms of survival horror, Chris and Sheva are given handguns right after they walk past the villagers. The way how the handgun is given to RE5 is not subtle compared to RE1 when Chris finds a handgun on the floor in the lobby and wonders where Jill and Wesker disappear to. Lastly, RE6 starts dramatically with an explosion. This is just a pure action-based game.
My argument is that the way how RE4, RE5, and RE6 were introduced and narrated, made it less suspenseful, which in turn, made it less about survival horror. So, I can’t say whether I am too excited about RE7. RE games have always been cinematic but how well it is executed will determine whether it falls into the survival horror category or not. I wish I could enjoy the demo, but sadly the first person-view made me sick. I think I am going to wait for this one to go on sale instead of playing it on launch day.
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I agree that the more enclosed environments of the early games were as much a part of the experience as the charters and the enemies. Even RE3 managed to stick to the tight alleys and backstreets when roaming racoon city.
I can’t comment on 5 or 6, but like you, some of the magic of the series was lost for me with the checkpoints and reports that were introduced in 4. I guess it’s not necessarily bad, just not the same type of game that I was originally so attracted to. Nice post as always! ☺️
Thank you! 🙂 This has been on my mind for awhile. I think one of your posts, you mentioned about how RE4 is so brown. That in fact made me giggle because when I was playing Evil Within, I felt that it was brownish green. I think atmosphere is very important in survivor horror games.
The last game i played was RE4 and i wasn’t too impressed with it.. When i played Devil May Cry i was fine with the ‘report card’ at the end but it felt kinda wrong in the RE franchise. I agree that the earlier games had a better survival feel.
I think I felt there were still some scary stuff in RE4 even though it was clear that it was the point at which the series turned into action. I still think the lab at the end and the regenerator enemies were really scary. But the series just got worse from there. RE6 in particular just went completely off the rails with the “bang-bang we’re in an action movie” stuff. Ugh, such a painful game, I have no idea what they were thinking.
Great post. I definitely prefer the Resident Evil games with the more closed quarters approach.
Haha, I think I can tell you what I think happened with RE6, someone watched way too many action movies. 😀
Thank you 🙂
I haven’t played Devil May Cry actually. I guess the “report card” is more appropriate for an action game.
You’re welcome ^-^
Just curious, but do you share your posts on any other websites? I work over at Creators .Co (we’re part of Movie Pilot and Now Loading) and this is the sort of content that makes for an interesting read. If you were open to the idea of posting your work on our Creators site in addition to also having your blog/site here, I’d be more than happy to help you get started. My e-mail and more info can be found on my page. (o^.^)b
I created this blog for personal reasons. If people enjoy it, I am happy, if not, oh well 🙂 But Glad you enjoy it.
My series favourites are Resident Evil 1,2 and 4. You are right, something important to the series was clearly lost along the way. Especially with the fifth and sixth instalments.
Despite this though I am cautiously optimistic for Resident Evil 7.
Yeah, RE7 also failed to capture my interest due to the first-person aspect. Like how RE4 seems like it changed to appeal to fans of the too popular war/action games of that time period, RE7 seems like it changed to appeal to fans of the “first-person, jump-scare” horror games that are trending now. I guess that bothers me because RE defined survival horror, and it seems like the definer is now just a follower. But in all fairness, I haven’t played it, and I keep hearing nothing but good things about it. I’m still skeptical, though. I’ll wait until it goes down in price (greatly) to give it a go.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts 🙂 Currently I tried not to pay attention to anything related to Resident Evil 7 because I still want to play but I will wait for the price to go down. I’m glad I’m not the only person who is bit turn off by the first person view. 🙂
Resident Evil 4 is my fave game from the series, but I will admit that five and six could have been better. The franchise has moved away from survival to shooter in recent times. Since writing this post have you checked out RE7? I hear it is more horror focused.
Resident Evil 4 is great! I didn’t think I’d like it when I first played it, but I had fun. No, I haven’t checked out RE7, although many people have said that it was good. Oh boy, I guess I have to put this on my list of games to play. My biggest concern is, I hope the game doesn’t make me sick. Oh well. I will play it anyway! 😀
Speaking in 2025, I think Resident Evil might be better than ever. The remakes of 2, 3, and 4 are exceptional, and with 7 and 8 Capcom managed to find a way to reinvent the series whilst still keeping elements of the lore and world that fans love. I am very excited for Requiem, and hoping that previous characters other than Chris Redfield show up too. I like Chris, but he has had all the fun in 7 and 8, and I’d really like to see others (especially my favourite Jill) turn up too. As they are going back to Raccoon City, I think this will happen! Very very excited for Requiem!
Oh wow, I didn’t know that Chris was in RE7 and RE8, haha. You make me want to play those games now! I am sure I am missing out a lot as a RE fan. Jill is a likable character. I have always preferred her to Chris, even in Re Revelation. It would be nice if she had as much spotlight as Chris! I am excited for Requiem, too!
Ah yeah, a small role and then a DLC for 7, and then a more major supporting character in 8! If you are a fan of the series than I reckon give both a go!
Jill and Chris are the OGs of course, so I think both should get a focus. Revelations was my first game actually, I would really like to see a third one!
Glad you are excited 😀
You really did convince me to play! Yes, that would be so awesome to have Revelations 3! I would also really love to play Dead Aim and Resident Evil Outbreak Files 1 and 2 on the PlayStation 2. I am not sure if the PS4 Outbreak Collection consisted of those two games. Well I got to go do my research now! 🙂
I am very glad to hear that 😀 I like how the Revelations games allowed side characters such as Barry to take the focus, so it would be great to see that again.
I happen to have bought the two PS2 Outbreak games from a local second-hand shop, before it was revealed that the main character of Requiem has a connection to those games, so I am motivated to play them before Requiem now! If you have any stores like CeX there, maybe have a look to see if anyone has traded them in! I’m not sure about an Outbreak collection, the Origins Collection is Zero and the Resident Evil remake, if that’s the one you mean?
I really hope you find them! I’ll keep an eye out for Dead Aim too 😀
Thank you! I hope Capcom would make a remake for Outbreak files1 and files2. I have always enjoyed playing Resident Evil games for a shooting aspect as well. I have to confess, I actually enjoyed RE5 as a co-op game.
I can’t think of any characters I don’t like from Resident Evil games, including Jessica Sherawat and her weird outfit, haha. I would love to see a return of Rebecca and Billy. I also like Piers Nivans from RE6. He is level-headed.
You are very lucky to have those copies of Outbreak! Hold onto them tight. They are expensive online! I guess I got confused because there are so many Resident Evil spin-off games.
That would be very cool but I sadly can’t see it happening… Maybe a re-release of the original games as straight ports to new consoles is more realistic? I hope that they become more accessible!
RE5 is a great co-op game! There are lots of great elements to it, like the cinematic qualities it has. It just gets a bit muddled in the amount of stuff going on. I definitely think it is better than 6, which went way too far into action territory imo.
Hahaha that really was quite an outfit in Revelations wasn’t it! A Rebecca-led Revelations game would be so good! They could lean into the medic side to differentiate the game.
Thank you! I think I bought them at the right time, before it was announced that they would be relevant! The price has probably skyrocketed since Requiem being announced. I hope to play them and write up something on my site about them 😀
Me too, I prefer RE5 over RE6!
Looking forward to what you have to say about those games if you do decide to write about them on your site. 🙂