With the release of Resident Evil 5 a month away, and with the recent addition of the two level demo on Xbox Live, I can’t help but get a little pissed off with all of the negative feedback the game has been getting. Resident Evil 4, arguably the greatest single-player game of last generation, is getting an upgrade in every single way, shape and form in Resident Evil 5. All across the web people keeping whining about this and that regarding the upcoming survival horror game. Things like, “This game is just like Resident Evil 4”, “there needs to be a strafe function” or “the controls suck” are littering video game message boards. It’s these new complaints compiled with the ongoing complaints that state, “RE 4 and RE 5 aren’t true Resident Evil games” that are really starting to piss me off.

I’m sorry Chris, but you’re going to have to check those guns at the door. That’s right all four of them, literally and figuratively speaking.

I’ve always been an avid and original fan of the series. Yes, I have played all of the first four Resident Evils (including RE 0), and yes, I have beat them all. I’ve even played the Gamecube remake of the original and the Dreamcast’s remake of RE 2 and 3. So, I am completely familiar with the more cinematic camera angles and the auto aim features familiar to the old games; however, that doesn’t mean that the new series makeover isn’t a forward step. It is true that the first three games provided gamers with a sense of fear and nervousness that the 4^th and probably the 5^th installment won’t have. Yes, I liked the idea of having very limited ammo and the sensation of not knowing what was going to be behind the next door. My favorite and most terrifying moments were when I’d open a door just to be met with a nonexistent view of a long hallway, in which I could hear the moans and groans of the undead at the other end. “How many are there?” “How close are they?” It was scary and amazing. I loved the first three games for everything they were worth.

However, many people didn’t share my same love for the old play style. In fact, it was that very play style that essentially began causing the series to take a downfall. After four games with mainly the exact same play mechanics, Capcom began looking for a new and refreshing take on the series. In addition, next generation fans were growing tired of the door load times, the annoying item boxes, the awkward camera angles, the boxy character movement and much more. Because of fast paced shooter/action games like Halo, people began crying out for new gameplay. It even took Capcom three different tries to finally come up with what eventually became the real RE 4.

Online co-op play? Where do I sign up?

Despite my love for the old Resident Evils, I will admit that I too fell in love with the new gameplay of RE4 and RE5. I know, it is much more action oriented with the over-the-shoulder camera and the action button sequences. Yes, I know that there is more ammo to go around, enough in fact to kill each and every villager/enemy in the game. Some people might think that these new implementations might have derived from the original sense of unease and terror of the original games. I agree with you. However, a new sense of horror and thrill has been instilled into the genre. For the first time in the series you have the option to full-out fight or to run hastily, and the best part is that you can choose which option to take with a partner, online or offline.

Originally, I was a bit skeptical of the co-op addition because I thought it would detract from the horror of the game; however, after playing the demo (far too many times I might add) I am sold on the inclusion of co-op. Having a partner will add a great new depth to the game and story. Working out how to plan your next move of attack with a partner/friend will be fun, suspenseful and satisfying. Resident Evil Zero tried a similar mechanic by allowing players to control two characters, Rebecca and Billy, one at a time (a novel idea), yet it wasn’t quite as polished as controlling Sheva and Chris in RE 5. Plus, in RE 0, a friend couldn’t assume the role of one of the characters.

Getting back to the much different, yet still intact sense of horror in the new Resident Evils, one of my favorite scenes in any RE game appeared in the opening of RE 4’s village scene. Leon first arrives at a seemingly quaint village, only to discover that two officers are dead and every villager wants his head. As a player, you’re running for your life, controlling Leon in and out of houses, up ladders, through windows, off of buildings – it’s terrifying. And just when you think it can’t get any worse, when you realize that no matter how many villagers you kill they just keep coming, you hear that initial, blood-curdling rev of the chainsaw. I don’t know about you, but I basically wet myself. 

Hey sack face, meet bag face. Why don’t you two get acquainted? After a little chitchat and a few dead bodies, you’ll find you both have a lot in common.

Likewise, there is a very similar scene to that RE 4 level in the demo for RE 5. The chapter called “Assembly” is very reminiscent to the village sequence of RE 4. Except this time, in RE 5, you have a giant bag-faced man with a ridiculously large axe instead of a mortifying chainsaw – still, equally as horrifying.

In essence, what I’m trying to convey in this seemingly endless blog is simply this: Resident Evil 5 may not be the true sequel to the original four Resident Evils (gameplay and mechanics – wise), it may not have the most responsive and adept controls, it may not be as scary (in the pop-out horror sense); however, it is Resident Evil, and it is suspenseful. Running from a mass horde of zombies or ravaging villagers just wouldn’t be as scary if you could run smoothly whilst unloading clip after clip into the enemy. If you didn’t have to STOP to turn around, reload and shoot, then taking aim at enclosing undead just wouldn’t be as scary. There is a reason why the controls are the way they are. Capcom didn’t just make them this way to purposely piss gamers off into thinking that they got lazy on the development side. Rather, they’re somewhat clunky to add that extra sense of unease while moving around in the game. If they would have made the controls exactly like Gears of War or Dead Space (which seems to be what people want) then it would be to easy to mow down enemy mobs by strafing back and forth and running while gunning. So, sit back, relax and get ready to play the next great installment to the Resident Evil series. Trust me, it’s going to be an amazingly epic experience. 

As always, thanks for reading. 

- Dillon (D Dub)

In less than one week, on July 14th, gamers around the world will once again lay witness to the biggest annual video game conference – a.k.a. the Electronic Entertainment Expo. Although the actual event has decreased in magnitude over the last couple of years, it still hails as the most exciting unveiling that the gaming industry has to offer. At every E3, the largest and smallest game publishers reveal their future company plans and in the end one lucky publisher gets the glory by having the best showcase. A few years ago, Nintendo won the showcase and the attention of millions with the unveiling of the innovative Nintendo Wii. A couple of years before that, the public got its first glance at Microsoft’s second installment, the XBOX 360. Hundreds of people pour into the expo to get the first hands-on with the newest and most anticipated games in development. Which publisher will steal the show at this E3? Which game developer will have the public drooling over its future releases? All these questions and more won’t be answered until the 14^th, but that won’t stop me from putting forth my two cents.

So, in order to prepare you for the upcoming E3, I’ve prepared a review for what to expect at Nintendo’s, Sony’s and Microsoft’s booths, as well as a few surprises that you might expect to see.

Behold the E3 in all its glory…Okay, I swear it looks way cooler when you’re actually inside the building.

Sony’s Conference

2009 could be the year that Sony regains control of the gaming world. Since its release in November of 2006, the Playstation 3 has undergone many makeovers and price changes. What started out as a high priced machine with no solid games has slowly shifted into the future of next gen graphics and power. With recent price cuts and Blu-ray laying waste to HD DVD, Sony has the upper hand going into next year. Priced as the most affordable Blu-ray player and pinned as the most technologically advanced of the three home consoles, the Playstation 3 has great potential to regain the public’s attention just like the PS2 did before it. With recent releases like Metal Gear Solid 4, upcoming blockbusters such as Resistance 2, Little Big Planet, God of War III, Grand Turismo 5 and most notably the future launch of Home (Sony’s online community), Sony is sitting fairly pretty trekking into the fall and 2009.

“Okay, so a bald guy, a monster and four little dudes walk into a bar……”
God of War III, Resistance 2 and Little Big Planet are three killer aps that may just hold the key to Sony’s future success.

Rumors are buzzing and everyone’s wondering…will Sony unveil the news on a successor to the PSP? It would seem like a logical step not only because the PSP has been out since 2005, but also because it’s currently getting thwomped by the Nintendo DS. Not to mention the several price cuts it has sustained in order to appeal to consumers.

Oh, and I’m sure we’ll be hearing news of more price cuts. Expect to see the PS2 and potentially the PSP drop in price again. News of a price cut for the PS3 is unlikely, but not necessarily unheard of.

From its release, the XBOX 360 has been the most popular buy for those wanting cutting edge graphics and true online play. Every game that’s made for multi-console purposes is rendered for the 360 first and then ported to the PS3. Yes, it’s true you have to pay to play online, but if you really want to experience the best online options available then it’s well worth your money to pay the LIVE fee. However, the XBOX has been out a year longer than the PS3 and Wii and as a result the PS3 has better technology and could outlast the XBOX in a technical endurance race. Could the XBOX slowly start to lose its lead over the PS3? I wouldn’t hold your breath…at least not yet. Microsoft has a pretty little lineup of goodies to present the public at this year’s E3 and possibly some surprises up its sleeve. Games like Gears of War 2, Fable 2, Halo Wars and Fallout 3 are among the elite titles sure to tear up eyes and cause hysteria at this year’s E3.

Gears of War 2 and Fable 2 will be two of Microsoft’s ring leaders at this year’s E3.

Will Microsoft reveal news of a new console in the works? It’s been two and a half years since the release of the 360, and most consoles’ life spans last around 5 years. It’s a bold statement to make, but this could be the first public news on the details of a 360 successor.

Could development of Bio Shock 2 be announced? It’s true that the title is in the works, yet no details about the game, plot, etc have been revealed.

Oh, and I’m sure there’ll be a price cut for the 360. Cutting the 360’s price will help XBOX start off the fall with a continuation of its edge on the PS3.

Just when the future looked bleak for Nintendo and its Gamecube, just when everyone thought the gaming giant had lost the war, Nintendo shocked the world and regained gaming recognition with the release of the Wii. Up until recently you couldn’t even find a Wii on your local game retailers’ shelves. Now, the Wii is the first system since the Super NES to lead its generation in console sales. So what does the hottest selling console have to offer at this year’s E3? To answer that question truthfully…it doesn’t look like much. With the recent release of Super Smash Bros. Brawl, Mario Kart Wii and Wii Fit, Nintendo doesn’t seem to have much else baking in the oven. In terms of Wii games, the lineup looks limited, and that’s an overstatement. There are a couple of new Mature rated games coming out in the likes of Fatal Frame: Mask of the Lunar Eclipse and Mad World. These two titles might help encourage gamers to see the Wii as not just a kiddy console, yet, other than those two games, the Wii’s lineup looks barren. However, I wouldn’t start getting discouraged just yet, because we should all be used to (by now) Nintendo’s routine of keeping every little interesting bit of information on the DL – completely under wraps. My relationship with Nintendo is strictly love/hate.

Fatal Frame and Mad World are currently two out of the very few titles Nintendo has officially announced, but you know the Big N has a trick or two somewhere up its damn sleeve. They always do…

So, as usual, we are left with our own dumb assumptions about what the Big N is planning to reveal at its conference. My guess is that they are planning to show sequels to Animal Crossing and Pikmin. However, the biggest rumor buzzing around is the possibility of a new and revamped Kid Icarus game for the Wii. With the emergence of Pit as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, the idea of a new Kid Icarus installment just seems logical. Also, if I keep my fingers crossed tight enough, Nintendo might even reveal its next brilliant idea for the Wiimote. We’ve all played Wii Sports and seen what Wii Fit can do…so what’s the big N going to do next? We’ll just have to wait and see.

Is there a possibility for a new Game Boy or DS successor? It would be about that time for Nintendo to start thinking of the possibility. The DS is still selling extremely well, but the technology is getting dated. Nintendo might reveal news of a new handheld, but I wouldn’t expect anything more than a few very scarce details.

Unlike the price drops that Sony and Microsoft will implement, don’t expect Nintendo to drop their prices anytime soon. There’s no point– the Wii and the DS are both selling like cupcakes at a fat camp.

My Top E3 Game Picks

I’ve given you a list of what you can expect to see from Sony, Microsoft and Nintendo’s conferences, and now I’m going to highlight a few select titles that have caught my eye and should catch yours as well. I’m a fan of the survival horror genre so most of my picks fall into that category.

Dead Space

EA’s Dead Space has promise to be one of the year’s most innovative and shocking survival horror adventures. With clever game design (there’s no onscreen HUD), intelligent enemies (targeting certain weak points) and original level design (anti-gravity rooms), Dead Space is shaping up to be the surprise hit of the fall. And who would have thought, its release is set for Halloween. How’s that for trick-or-treating?

Resident Evil 5

It’s been ten years after the mansion incident, and once again players will have the opportunity to take on the role of Chris Redfield as he travels to Africa and tries to uncover the origins of the virus. The game looks to follow the controls of Resident Evil 4 (camera over the shoulder shooter) closely while brining new gameplay mechanics into the works. This game is as vital to me as my kidneys – no lie!

Fallout 3

Fallout 3 looks like it’s shaping up to be the RPG of the year. With vast terrain, smart A.I., an interesting plot, gorgeous graphics and an overwhelming amount of upgrades and the likes, Fallout 3 will be Christmas come early.

Silent Hill: Homecoming

The last couple of console installments of the Silent Hill series have been far less than stellar. What started out as one of the pioneering survival horror franchises has turned into games featuring bad control, poor mechanics and sub par plots as of late. Hopefully, with the new American developers on the project (the makers behind Silent Hill Origins for PSP) SH: Homecoming will retain the series to its once revered and gore-tastic status.

Hope this little guide will help you ease the wait until next week’s main event. If there is something that I missed or something that you don’t agree with me on, I would love to hear your comments. As always, thanks for reading.

-Dillon (D-Dub)