Frostbyte
14 Apr 2009, 01:41pm
Spoilers. But they are kinda obvious.
To ease some minds, let's start with what I think is good about the game.
Just so no one gets me wrong, while I am a big fan of the 3rd person perspective (original RE game angels), this new over-the-shoulder view is ok too. The entire gameplay itself isn't something that I would consider to be a game-ruining factor. While it is new and slightly un-REish, I'm not that picky, because afterall, RE4 WAS fun. Also, the graphics in RE5 are really beautiful, there's no denying that. I'm glad they took away a merchant character, I personally found that kind of stupid from RE4 (as much as everyone loves him, they could of at least given him a backstory).
The partner system also seems pretty cool, especially the fact that it can be 2player. I always thought, even back during when I got RE2 that it would be cool to have multiplayer options. Though back then, I thought more along the line of separated at the beginning of the game (Leon & Claire) and having to exchange needed items, solve puzzles and such to help each other progress through, and of course fight off the undead, eventually side by side. Kinda similar to RE0 now that I think about it, minus the multiplayer option. Sheva's AI is meh.
The last thing I like is somewhat bittersweet. The little loading screen tidbits of information they give about previous games. It's a nice, reminiscent visit for long-time players. In turn though, I realize they probably did it more so for new fans; people who know NOTHING about the old RE series, and have to be filled in with little paragraphs of info. Well, at least they learn SOMETHING about it, so I guess I shouldn't complain.
Now on to what everyone's probably been wanting to hear and argue with: What I dislike and/or HATE WITH THE BOWELS OF MY SOUUUUL... About RE5.
Where the hell do I begin? How about the beginning? Opening scene, immediately showing Jill's grave. PAUSE RIGHT THERE! One thing about this game that irritates me so much, is all this 'history' that they make up, and we know NOTHING about until right at that moment. It seems really shoved on and unfair in ways. That whole scene about Chris and Jill going to the (lawl) 2nd Spencer Estate to find Wesker? Come on now, am I really the only one who would of wanted to actually PLAY that in a game rather then just watch it in a fleeting flashback cutscene? That's something about both RE4 and RE5 that bugs me. Capcom's attempt to 'keep up with the times' has really put a damper on the timeline and storyline of RE. I'd still like the game if it took place back in 1998, or hell, even in the early 2000. They could still design a few things to look more modern, I don't think it would be that much of a stretch to make a few designing sacrifices? Not nearly as big a stretch as what they've already done with the series. So basically what I'm saying is: The jumps in time are really pulling this all down, in my opinion. And adding in all this 'history' and flashbacks, etc? If they're so deeply thought out and 'cannon', why couldn't they make an actual game about them? Having Jill vanish at the end of an RE game would be an amazing cliffhanger, and to have her return in a later RE with the backstory would have much more of an OMG JILL IS ALIVE! Impact rather then the sorry excuse slopped together in RE5.
The same thing goes for RE4. The beginning of that game shattered my soul. BTW LOL UMBRELLA ISH GONE! I felt my stomach drop. Granted yes, they made Umbrella Chronicles later on, but that game was more slopped together and hastily made then RE4 or RE5. That's a whoooole other story. To make it brief, I pretty much believe it was made to simply shut fans up about RE5, as well as the fans who complained about the HUGE GAP between RE:CV and RE4. But moving away from these spur-of-the-moment histories and stoylines?
Why don't they fill in the gaps of already started but never finished storylines? Or characters for that matter? If you sit and think, just how many unanswered questions does RE have still?
Where is:
Barry Burton? Rebecca Chambers? Billy Coen? Carlos Olivera? Sherry Birkin? Ark Thompson (lol)? Bruce & Fong Ling? Does Wesker, or some secret Agency still have Steve Burnside? Is he dead or was he really revived? What happened to the T Virus and G Virus? Wesker''s entire mission in Code Veronica was to obtain the T-Veronica Virus. It was made out to be one bad-ass mother-fuckin', rare virus. He got Steve, didn't he? He got a sample, right? So where did that story go to? Even if Steve did die for good, what about this all-powerful virus that was in him? I'm sure there's plenty more questions where those come from? So why can't Capcom at least answer SOME of those questions before just making up even more confusing bullshit?
I know some of the files in RE5 mention the viruses Wesker stole, as well as the fact WHY Umbrella set up in Africa to begin with. But from what I rememeber, Uroboros is made from Plagas and Progenitor virus (correct me if I'm wrong though). So where are all the others? It was a nice attempt to bring some nostalgia told old RE fans but... still is generally unanswered. Not to mention most of the nostalgia is brought back via files... besides Lickers actually, I think ALL old references are in files. I dunno, I know some of the older RE's do some file flashback... but damn, remember CV, the Mansion replica in the Arctic Base? I got chills. It was so cool. And seeing the R.P.D. station in RE3. Actual, physical visits to the past, that's good remeniscing.
RE4 and RE5 are just pathetic reaches at current events, in my opinion. Terrorism? Foreign countries? Sounds a little familiar if you ask me (war on Iraq lol?). Sure, I can understand Capcom wanting to sell out and give into a gameplay style and theme that?ll get them some cash off of brainless, trigger happy kids, sure. I just wonder why they had to pick the RE series to be the sacrificial lamb. As I earlier said, I'm up for new gameplay, it is fun and all. But changing the story like that for such obvious reasons is just mind boggling. Then again, it's not even the same writing team, so I guess it's not at fault of the original people. Hell, the original writer of RE himself shook his head in shame over the turn this series has taken? That's gotta say SOMETHING to you people XD
Moving on to more history butt-fucking... the Wesker thing. Hones-fuckin-ly. Les Infantes Terriblesese lefook? Wow. Wowwww. I could of sworn Wesker was just an ordinary human at first... a power-hungry douchebag with some smarts, but normal nonetheless. Til he injected the virus into himself, anyway. So he's part of some Umbrella experimantation, he didn't find out til Spencer told him in RE5 and... yeah. No kidding he didn't know. Because the creators of Resident Evil back in the day didn't even fucking know! DON'T YOU JUST LOVE SPUR OF THE MOMENT MADE UP HORSE SHIT! :D!!!!!!!!! Just... the whole fact that Wesker was apparently raised in some Umbrella lab, with a bunch of other kids nabbed away from their parents... all named 'Wesker' and given some 'inner desire to seek out Spencer' really kills his character. It gives fan-girl-twats reason to be like AWW WHAT A SAD DISTURBED PAST! No, just no. Wesker is just a cold hearted bastard, fuck all this dramatic past bullshit. It really doesn't bother me that he died (possibly), but the final battle was a fucking joke. Sheva shooting a rocket? Bitch please. Fuck off already.
Also, let me make a comment about Spencer. The Spencer Estate. Something that's both haunted and mystified RE gamers since the beginning. Who is Spencer? Where is he hiding? When will our heroes find him and take him down? Well, it's all answered in RE5, but very, very, very SHITTILY. Hay guess what! He's in Africa. Guess what else?! He's got a cliche dream of 'purifying the planet'. Moonraker, anyone? Oh and guess what else, else?! Wesker already killed him in a flashback. Mystery solved, lol. That's just as bad as Umbrella being pre-destroyed. Fucking bullshit.
Ok, let's all take a breath and move to a calmer, but just as retarded topic. Sheva. I talked about the ability of 2player and AI already, but her as a character. Her personality so far seems kind of annoying, a little anyways. Like as soon as Chris tells her about what happened to Jill, she's all like I'LL BE YO PARTNER~~ and proceed to use the word 'partner' 400 more times throughout the game. And her backstory is almost identical to Angela's from RE Degeneration. LAWL BOOHOO UMBRELLA KILLED MAH FAMILY SO REVENGE TIME! We're all SO fucking sad for you, your story is truly moving. -_-! But personality aside, let's talk about her creation for a bit. Did anyone else notice in the early releases of RE5 gameplay? hmmm something's missing? Oh! Sheva isn't fucking there. That's strange... and yet there she is not long after the racist claims arose? So my theory is: A hastily created, pointless character just to ward off angry mobs. Sad, really.
I got plenty of other things that make my piss boil, to briefly name them: The advertisements for RE5, the sad little homage to the original RE, that was insult onto injury, the non-scary environment, recycled animations, a piss poor ending, the fact Jill is... Blonde? And many more. But I won't drone on and on about em, I've made all my bigger points. *EDIT* I know Jill is blonde cuase of her bullshit virus. But come on, when you were wee children playing RE1... Did you think the series would ever in a million years turn out this way? To mind control and other completely unrelated bullshit? Sigh. At least she can dye her hair back and what not.
So now, in conclusion, you can say that I'm not a 'true' for clinging onto the old games and not accepting the new. But with everything I've stated and feel, I don't see how I can NOT be appalled with the turn this series has taken. I'm not saying that people who DO like this game though aren't real fans, I'm sure there are quite a few who are hardcore old RE fans.. just.. I dunno, a little too easily pleased as long as Resident Evil is slapped on the title. And I've been hollered at a few times like OMFG Frost, it's a game just shut up and enjoy it!1!!11? Well, I say this with all the power of my geeky nerdom and pride of it... It's more then a game to me! XD It's my favorite fucking game series ever, it's like... the ONE thing in life I'm a die-hard-core fan for. If you felt the one thing you were an uber-nerd fan for was slowly dying... you'd be upset too. I love RE not just for omg lol shoot zombehs!!! I love the plot, the storyline, the characters, the pairings, the old school gameplay, the cheesy lines, the history, everything! ....Until now, at least. But I'm sure you figured that part out.
So like.... Yeah. There's your answer.
Fuck.
To ease some minds, let's start with what I think is good about the game.
Just so no one gets me wrong, while I am a big fan of the 3rd person perspective (original RE game angels), this new over-the-shoulder view is ok too. The entire gameplay itself isn't something that I would consider to be a game-ruining factor. While it is new and slightly un-REish, I'm not that picky, because afterall, RE4 WAS fun. Also, the graphics in RE5 are really beautiful, there's no denying that. I'm glad they took away a merchant character, I personally found that kind of stupid from RE4 (as much as everyone loves him, they could of at least given him a backstory).
The partner system also seems pretty cool, especially the fact that it can be 2player. I always thought, even back during when I got RE2 that it would be cool to have multiplayer options. Though back then, I thought more along the line of separated at the beginning of the game (Leon & Claire) and having to exchange needed items, solve puzzles and such to help each other progress through, and of course fight off the undead, eventually side by side. Kinda similar to RE0 now that I think about it, minus the multiplayer option. Sheva's AI is meh.
The last thing I like is somewhat bittersweet. The little loading screen tidbits of information they give about previous games. It's a nice, reminiscent visit for long-time players. In turn though, I realize they probably did it more so for new fans; people who know NOTHING about the old RE series, and have to be filled in with little paragraphs of info. Well, at least they learn SOMETHING about it, so I guess I shouldn't complain.
Now on to what everyone's probably been wanting to hear and argue with: What I dislike and/or HATE WITH THE BOWELS OF MY SOUUUUL... About RE5.
Where the hell do I begin? How about the beginning? Opening scene, immediately showing Jill's grave. PAUSE RIGHT THERE! One thing about this game that irritates me so much, is all this 'history' that they make up, and we know NOTHING about until right at that moment. It seems really shoved on and unfair in ways. That whole scene about Chris and Jill going to the (lawl) 2nd Spencer Estate to find Wesker? Come on now, am I really the only one who would of wanted to actually PLAY that in a game rather then just watch it in a fleeting flashback cutscene? That's something about both RE4 and RE5 that bugs me. Capcom's attempt to 'keep up with the times' has really put a damper on the timeline and storyline of RE. I'd still like the game if it took place back in 1998, or hell, even in the early 2000. They could still design a few things to look more modern, I don't think it would be that much of a stretch to make a few designing sacrifices? Not nearly as big a stretch as what they've already done with the series. So basically what I'm saying is: The jumps in time are really pulling this all down, in my opinion. And adding in all this 'history' and flashbacks, etc? If they're so deeply thought out and 'cannon', why couldn't they make an actual game about them? Having Jill vanish at the end of an RE game would be an amazing cliffhanger, and to have her return in a later RE with the backstory would have much more of an OMG JILL IS ALIVE! Impact rather then the sorry excuse slopped together in RE5.
The same thing goes for RE4. The beginning of that game shattered my soul. BTW LOL UMBRELLA ISH GONE! I felt my stomach drop. Granted yes, they made Umbrella Chronicles later on, but that game was more slopped together and hastily made then RE4 or RE5. That's a whoooole other story. To make it brief, I pretty much believe it was made to simply shut fans up about RE5, as well as the fans who complained about the HUGE GAP between RE:CV and RE4. But moving away from these spur-of-the-moment histories and stoylines?
Why don't they fill in the gaps of already started but never finished storylines? Or characters for that matter? If you sit and think, just how many unanswered questions does RE have still?
Where is:
Barry Burton? Rebecca Chambers? Billy Coen? Carlos Olivera? Sherry Birkin? Ark Thompson (lol)? Bruce & Fong Ling? Does Wesker, or some secret Agency still have Steve Burnside? Is he dead or was he really revived? What happened to the T Virus and G Virus? Wesker''s entire mission in Code Veronica was to obtain the T-Veronica Virus. It was made out to be one bad-ass mother-fuckin', rare virus. He got Steve, didn't he? He got a sample, right? So where did that story go to? Even if Steve did die for good, what about this all-powerful virus that was in him? I'm sure there's plenty more questions where those come from? So why can't Capcom at least answer SOME of those questions before just making up even more confusing bullshit?
I know some of the files in RE5 mention the viruses Wesker stole, as well as the fact WHY Umbrella set up in Africa to begin with. But from what I rememeber, Uroboros is made from Plagas and Progenitor virus (correct me if I'm wrong though). So where are all the others? It was a nice attempt to bring some nostalgia told old RE fans but... still is generally unanswered. Not to mention most of the nostalgia is brought back via files... besides Lickers actually, I think ALL old references are in files. I dunno, I know some of the older RE's do some file flashback... but damn, remember CV, the Mansion replica in the Arctic Base? I got chills. It was so cool. And seeing the R.P.D. station in RE3. Actual, physical visits to the past, that's good remeniscing.
RE4 and RE5 are just pathetic reaches at current events, in my opinion. Terrorism? Foreign countries? Sounds a little familiar if you ask me (war on Iraq lol?). Sure, I can understand Capcom wanting to sell out and give into a gameplay style and theme that?ll get them some cash off of brainless, trigger happy kids, sure. I just wonder why they had to pick the RE series to be the sacrificial lamb. As I earlier said, I'm up for new gameplay, it is fun and all. But changing the story like that for such obvious reasons is just mind boggling. Then again, it's not even the same writing team, so I guess it's not at fault of the original people. Hell, the original writer of RE himself shook his head in shame over the turn this series has taken? That's gotta say SOMETHING to you people XD
Moving on to more history butt-fucking... the Wesker thing. Hones-fuckin-ly. Les Infantes Terriblesese lefook? Wow. Wowwww. I could of sworn Wesker was just an ordinary human at first... a power-hungry douchebag with some smarts, but normal nonetheless. Til he injected the virus into himself, anyway. So he's part of some Umbrella experimantation, he didn't find out til Spencer told him in RE5 and... yeah. No kidding he didn't know. Because the creators of Resident Evil back in the day didn't even fucking know! DON'T YOU JUST LOVE SPUR OF THE MOMENT MADE UP HORSE SHIT! :D!!!!!!!!! Just... the whole fact that Wesker was apparently raised in some Umbrella lab, with a bunch of other kids nabbed away from their parents... all named 'Wesker' and given some 'inner desire to seek out Spencer' really kills his character. It gives fan-girl-twats reason to be like AWW WHAT A SAD DISTURBED PAST! No, just no. Wesker is just a cold hearted bastard, fuck all this dramatic past bullshit. It really doesn't bother me that he died (possibly), but the final battle was a fucking joke. Sheva shooting a rocket? Bitch please. Fuck off already.
Also, let me make a comment about Spencer. The Spencer Estate. Something that's both haunted and mystified RE gamers since the beginning. Who is Spencer? Where is he hiding? When will our heroes find him and take him down? Well, it's all answered in RE5, but very, very, very SHITTILY. Hay guess what! He's in Africa. Guess what else?! He's got a cliche dream of 'purifying the planet'. Moonraker, anyone? Oh and guess what else, else?! Wesker already killed him in a flashback. Mystery solved, lol. That's just as bad as Umbrella being pre-destroyed. Fucking bullshit.
Ok, let's all take a breath and move to a calmer, but just as retarded topic. Sheva. I talked about the ability of 2player and AI already, but her as a character. Her personality so far seems kind of annoying, a little anyways. Like as soon as Chris tells her about what happened to Jill, she's all like I'LL BE YO PARTNER~~ and proceed to use the word 'partner' 400 more times throughout the game. And her backstory is almost identical to Angela's from RE Degeneration. LAWL BOOHOO UMBRELLA KILLED MAH FAMILY SO REVENGE TIME! We're all SO fucking sad for you, your story is truly moving. -_-! But personality aside, let's talk about her creation for a bit. Did anyone else notice in the early releases of RE5 gameplay? hmmm something's missing? Oh! Sheva isn't fucking there. That's strange... and yet there she is not long after the racist claims arose? So my theory is: A hastily created, pointless character just to ward off angry mobs. Sad, really.
I got plenty of other things that make my piss boil, to briefly name them: The advertisements for RE5, the sad little homage to the original RE, that was insult onto injury, the non-scary environment, recycled animations, a piss poor ending, the fact Jill is... Blonde? And many more. But I won't drone on and on about em, I've made all my bigger points. *EDIT* I know Jill is blonde cuase of her bullshit virus. But come on, when you were wee children playing RE1... Did you think the series would ever in a million years turn out this way? To mind control and other completely unrelated bullshit? Sigh. At least she can dye her hair back and what not.
So now, in conclusion, you can say that I'm not a 'true' for clinging onto the old games and not accepting the new. But with everything I've stated and feel, I don't see how I can NOT be appalled with the turn this series has taken. I'm not saying that people who DO like this game though aren't real fans, I'm sure there are quite a few who are hardcore old RE fans.. just.. I dunno, a little too easily pleased as long as Resident Evil is slapped on the title. And I've been hollered at a few times like OMFG Frost, it's a game just shut up and enjoy it!1!!11? Well, I say this with all the power of my geeky nerdom and pride of it... It's more then a game to me! XD It's my favorite fucking game series ever, it's like... the ONE thing in life I'm a die-hard-core fan for. If you felt the one thing you were an uber-nerd fan for was slowly dying... you'd be upset too. I love RE not just for omg lol shoot zombehs!!! I love the plot, the storyline, the characters, the pairings, the old school gameplay, the cheesy lines, the history, everything! ....Until now, at least. But I'm sure you figured that part out.
So like.... Yeah. There's your answer.
Fuck.