Resident Evil 6 Disappointment

The wait is over and fans of the Resident Evil games are flocking to the stores and shopping online to get their hands on Resident Evil 6. The towering behemoth franchise has raised some eyebrows over recent years with the new directions and twists integrated and emphasized with the more recent games. Many have claimed the new approach of the series is sapping away the vim of what made the older games household names of gamers around the world. Many wondered if Resident Evil 6 would continue the string of summer blockbuster movies, I mean, games and brush aside elements of fear and suspense that were groundbreaking achievements of games past. In my mind, it's actually the die-hards of the games that may want to steer clear, and those who are new or who have never played that may consider picking this one up. Why do I say that? For many who placed their hopes into the new release, I'm sorry to say, you're in for some disappointment, this is a very different Resident Evil. On the other side of that coin, those of you who get your kicks from intense action and instant thrills of the exploding nature, you're in for a treat. Because Resident Evil 6 may be closer to an action movie with cool special effects and infected monstrosities, than it is to a survival horror-story video game.

Resident Evil 6 Trailer Youtube vid by CapcomUnityVideos

The Good

• Visually, Resident Evil 6 is a sight to behold (in most cases). Most of the levels provide that feeling of the whole world going to hell with superb and highly detailed graphics that still maintain the Resident Evil feel. In the corresponding story modes, Leon's especially, it's easy to become immersed in the new breakout of hungry hungry zombies as the visuals provide the perfect atmosphere to evoke a real sense of dread and suspense.

• The voice acting of the seven, yes, seven main characters in their intertwined roles are very well done. Let's be frank, Japanese-influenced games, whether developed or produced, love their character development, a good story, and plenty of cut scenes for you to drool over. Now, many of us are aware of one problem many game developers have run into, bad voice acting. Whether its a bad script or the voice actor isn't right for the part or simply doesn't perform, it's noticeable in the worst possible way. The cast of Resident Evil 6 did a superb job in my books. Not much seemed overacted, and there were very few times when what was supposed to be a serious moment failed to deliver due to the voice acting. Very well done, overall.

• There are four separate although not entirely distinct stories in Resident Evil 6. Each has a role to play in the overreaching arch of the story and it's fun to strap yourself in and discover parts of the story through the various perspectives of familiar charters and a few new ones. Each story has its own story arch, but much of the information one character doesn't have is filled in by a separate character's story, or something they discover may not make sense to you until you work through part of another story. This is good for two things. One, it's just interesting to begin with and keeps you hooked. And two, it makes for a longer game when so many in recent years take your $60 bucks and laugh when you complete everything there is to do in about four hours.

• There has been some mixed feelings about the enemies in Resident Evil 6, old and new. I for one feel the enemies were executed to the standards of the Resident Evil franchise. The enemies are varied, have their own unique feel, and many require different strategies to take down in addition to simply hosing them down with lead. Firefights are, in my opinion, one of the weaker mechanics driving the enemy AI (For those new to the games, not all enemies will be shooting at you.) though I will say they seem improved quite a bit for the newest release.

• For those who like constant action and in your face mayhem, this is the game for you. As many have said, resident Evil 6 plays like, or at least aspires to create the feel of a summer blockbuster with a seven to eight figure budget. This game is, by far, the most action oriented Resident Evil to date.

• Cooperative play is, for the most part, a success and very fun to play. However, I say this with some reservation as there were times when the game will have you and your bud working together in tandem and implementing some strategy. and there were times when one player is left just standing there while the other player gets to actually do something. But if you're willing to hold tight once in a while, the overall experience can be rewarding.

The Bad

• There are far too many quick time events in Resident Evil 6. Though fun at first, they quickly become old as the excitement soon dissolves into the mundane. Quick time event after quick time event, you'll begin to feel the repetition. There are so many quick time events that, unfortunately, you'll become so accustomed to seeing them every thirty seconds of gameplay and they will feel bland and uninspired. Most of what you'll do is more or less the same. For a pulse pounding, action-packed game, this would be fine, but even games that utilize quick time evens in abundance must pick and choose how and when to slip them in.

• The camera in Resident Evil 6 is one of the worst cameras I've endured for a while. As you run, jump, pump the bad guys and hungry zombies and monsters and other abominations with lead, you'll notice something very strange happening. As you run and gun,take cover, struggle and grapple with fiends trying to rip your head off, or even simply run from A to B, the camera takes a mind of its own and swings, pivots, and snaps to the most inconvenient angles that will make even the more simple tasks harder or more awkward than they have any right to be. It's a real pain considering you'll have enough on your plate with guys shooting at you, infected victims smacking you around, and far too many scripted events that can kill you instantly. 

• The scripted events are made worse because of the camera and many are near impossible to avoid if you're simply at the wrong place at the wrong time.Normally scripted events such as these are fine, nothing wrong with upping the difficulty, but it's that camera that will frustrate you when these scripted events occur and you get plastered against a wall simply because the camera was bugging out and you couldn't respond or react in time.

• While I'm the kind of gamer who enjoys and appreciates well done cutscenes, I have to say, I agree with the majority of those who complain about how many there are in this game. I don't want to watch a cutscene, walk down the hall, open a door, walk down another hall, and then sit through another cutscene. More isn't necessarily better and doesn't necessarily equate to a better gaming experience for the player. 

• The other side of cooperative play is that there will be times when one player is left just standing there while the other player gets to actually do something. But if you're willing to hold tight once in a while, the overall experience can be rewarding. And with a game that has quick time events left and right, you can expect most quick time events that you and your friend will do together are nothing more than kicking open a door at the same time. A very big missed opportunity.

• There is one thing Resident Evil needs to slam the brakes on with future installments  I understand, today's gamers want bigger and flashier thrills, but that also depends on genre. Resident Evil started out as a horror survival game. The developers are more than welcome to add in sections of the game with intense action and explosions and stunts and all that, but at its core, the main focus and emphasis should maintain that level of desperately struggling to survive against those monstrosities that made the original games such an exciting and suspenseful experience. It's a different kind of thrill, but I personally think it would behoove the next Resident Evil if it took a step back and reexamined its roots, and ensuring the next game has a bit more of what made its predecessors so much fun to play.

Resident Evil 6 Final Verdict

Resident Evil 6 is a good game overall. There were moments so pulse-pounding events and moments aplenty. The visuals and cinematics are superb and made all the more organic and rich with a strong cast of talented actors. The story itself isn't much to brag about, and unfortunately, it's the most important things the players want out of a Resident Evil game that are lacking. For that, Resident Evil 6 earns a 6 out of 10.