Resident Evil: "Capcom will never turn the series into a zombie."
To understand why, I just tried to check different parts of the game that I enjoy so much...
I always asked myself, "Why I like the RE series???".
Is it the monsters...?
...Somehow yes and no.
yes: Zombies and lesser creatures are always really well made in these series, I can still remember the Giant Spiders of the first episode, the dogs, the wall crawlers which were even used in the movie!
no: Except for the "nemesis", all the big bad looking Bosses, are always a masses of muscles and tentacles. When they appear, they should freeze the game and present to the player a 30 min conference on how this monster can breathe walk, feed, live, so we know what we are dealing with.
Is it the Story...?
yes: The story is never simple, but never too complicated. it always contains some intriguing mysteries leading to a suspense which will end on a basic event: We kill everything that moves.
no: well, in these kind of games the only thought they give to the story, is only on one base: ”How to make it Bigger!" Example: The President Daughter. Next time: The president himself.
Although the story line goes much more different and enjoyable than the firsts episodes, there are still similarities that should be worked on, to escape this fatal question that the player will always ask to himself:
"Why the hell this bad dude wants to live among creatures like these???"
Is it the action...?
yes: I never played another game, where you really feel like you are shooting some monsters and using some real guns. I may even say that all the "resident evil" series would be lame without the spectacularly realistic "Shooting actions". In this last episode I was glad to see that the action’s tension was increased with "selevtive shooting points" (shooting at the legs, or hands) and a new "demo interactivity" (when u dodge people's attack or u try to jump at the time), (bless "god of war").
no: I miss somehow a bit of freedom. I never liked the "I am on a rail, and got to go where I am told to.
Is it the Atmosphere...?
yes: The look of the game must be the best I saw on PS2. Correct loading time, (at last auto save points), nice worked environment. Well designed graphics.
no: Some lightening effects would be nice in such a game, shame that they didn't use more shadows, darkness, mist. Perhaps its the price we pay for the graphic quality. (Silent Hill 1 is still ahead of all games on that subject).
What is it than?
I guess what makes this game a "hit" and "will be copied for sure", is the sum of all the "yes". It makes this game a "must have at home".
Because a game is not made by it's story.
It is made by it's Game play experience.
Conclusion:
As long as Capcom makes "Zombie hitting and killing" rail, more fun, realistic, and as long as they envelop all it on a fair story line, good atmosphere, followed by instant interactive actions, to surprise the player , I guess I will like this game, and those to come.
NomailX