Resident Evil vs Itself
Resident Evil is terrible… Let’s discuss the issues with Capcom’s premiere survival-horror title and why it was never good
This article going to be quite a bit different than normal. The routine has been to talk about two games, one universally considered better than the other, and find out why the lesser title is better in some capacity. Instead we’ll be looking at finding something positive about the Resident Evil (RE) series. This may seem unusual, so let me explain.
The RE series is well-received by many people and the number of games is a reflection of that (Capcom loves their sequels). But not by me. I hate these games. I have tried 2-6 and Outbreak and hated them all. Every time I talk about the series I grow less fond of it. If you want a pleasant conversation ruined in a hurry you can just mention RE and watch the grand spectacle (please don’t tell the leader of the Leftover Culture Review HQ, he’s quite fond of the RE series). I don’t like hating games or picking on them. It’s gotten to the point where I have played some multiple times to give them more of a chance, but alas my opinion hasn’t changed. So let’s try and get into the spooky season by finding something positive about RE.
I suppose if we are going to find something positive about the series I need to explain why I hate almost everything about it. We’ll talk broadly so it doesn’t turn into a novel. Firstly, I find most characters to be loathsome. Whether it be the spicy as flour muscle mass, Chris Redfield, the totally not Denis Leary, Albert Wesker, or the video game DeviantArt fan-art amalgamation, Leon Kennedy, there is nothing likable about these characters. I find their personalities lack depth, or the basic tendencies and functions of normal people to make them relate-able. When you get a first impression of a character, development never seems to get any deeper.
Secondly, the series seems to have an inconsistent tone, where games seem to attempt seriousness but wind up goofy and sometimes outright hilarious. This is a result of the, at times, poor voice acting and strange plots. Pairing those with the unlikable characters makes for great difficulties when trying to create an emotional connection with the games. I often don’t care about anything that is happening and the games never seem to attempt to give me a reason to. RE6 being the greatest offender in my experience.
But the biggest atrocity in my experiences are the controls. I have no idea why Capcom insists that their horror games mostly have tank controls. Don’t get me wrong, tank controls can work, like in the recently release Until Dawn. But that was more of the video game equivalent to the ‘choose your own adventure’ book. So slightly more intuitive quick time events took the place of action. RE games are action games that seem to demand quick, precise movements. Tank controls can certainly achieve precision, but speed is definitely an issue. This conflict makes me feel like these games have been programmed by different departments that never communicate with one another. One department said that action is needed in order for players to be scared. The other said they need to use tank controls in order to induce fear from lack of control like in more non-action counterparts in the genre. Then when they got together to finish the game they had realized they programmed two completely different games and made an awkward hybrid. This hybrid just doesn’t work for me. RE6 tried to rectify this concern but made so many other things worse in the process. Well, enough context. I could go on into further detail, but I think you get the point. I don’t like these games.
So what can I find that is positive about this series? Well, nothing about the games themselves. But, I can say that I happy that they exist. They have provided countless hours of entertainment at the LOCR HQ, as well as even further countless hours around the world. Many people love these games and will go out of their way to purchase every piece of merchandise pertaining to the franchise. They may love a few, they may love them all, regardless, people love these games. And that is so wonderful. It doesn’t matter what my thoughts are on the franchise are. The games will probably never be something I will like, but I don’t want them to change. Not everything is about me. The fact that so many people love these games is brilliant, and I wouldn’t change them for anything. Happy spooky holidays all!
Is there a franchise that induces the same frustration with you? Let me know in the comments below.
Bruiser here, on the Leftover Culture Review, we’ve tried to cover the best of the Resident Evil series (Outbreak File #2) as well as the worst (Resident Evil Survivor 2 Code Veronica) and even their Gameboy Spinoff, Resident Evil Gaiden. The series itself has been through a lot and it’s been fascinating seeing how far it’s come.
