@Evilpaul: Which boss fight in RE3 are you talking about? I don’t see it as a great entry into the series, but I like it about as much as the rest. (RE2 is overrated as hell, the remake on the Gamecube is THE pinnacle of the old version of the series)

@Lusi: I think something that shouldn’t be too hard to understand is that Survival Horror games focus more than other games on always keep you at arms length of that comfort zone that would make the game boring. You JUST have enough resources to get by, and the horror element gives good cause to be scared of… well, decidedly scary things jumping out at you when you don’t expect. Even your ability to save the game has to be rationed in the older REs! (Though, when you get good at it you have more than enough Ink Ribbons at your disposal, but going in for the first time can be another story)

Totally applies to Square-Enix as well. Its like the good games they made in the past are some sort of lost technology they can no longer understand as they lost their Rosetta Stone when all the talented people left and now they’re stuck making FFXIII sequels.

Doesn’t mean it isn’t valid: I’m just saying.

I, back in the day, played RE1 and RE2 to death getting the S status ending in both. I played through Hunk and Tofu (or whatever it was called; you were sour and hot soup except with a knife) I didn’t play the RE3: Nemesis game until this year, but it’s not good. I did play it on Hard, but I still don’t see how you’re supposed to win the boss fight immediately before the third act without cheating.

Resident Evil 4 just was great though. With the exception of, I’m so sorry, “Leon, Help!” “Leon, Help!” “Leon, Help!” “Leon, Help!” “Leon, Help!” “Leon, Help!” which just activated five readers who tragically murdered people.

With Resident Evil 5 Capcom decided to take the series in a grotesquely muscular with confusingly beautiful backdrop, if vaguely, and hilariously, compensatory racist direction (Africans in sombreros?). My point is it’s like a Silent Hill sequel. They know that they previously made something good, but they have no idea what that was.

Also, I have no idea what my point was because I wrote half of this while taking a phone call.

As for RE4 and Dead Space, they were slower-paced action games, with moments of high-action followed by moments of slow tension. RE5 and 6 on the other hand are far more one-note experiences in their action presentation, seeing as the campaigns have to stand up to multiple co-op playthroughs. Dead Space 3 will be the same.

Well put!

I have a place in my heart for action games and a place for slower more atmospheric and puzzley games. And RE is a long running example (starting with the otherwise excellent RE4) of action supplanting a slower pace. Dead Space 1 was the RE4 I probably really wanted, something more akin to that. Next gen controls, different camera management, but STILL a focus on horror and pacing. (However, DS has its own problems, to be sure)

Though to be plainly honest, I didn’t get tired of the older RE style of gameplay. Lots of people say they did, but I don’t think I’m alone in saying I wanted more. Nostalgia may be speaking here, but I had no issue with the controls, the camera, or the pacing of the action. And I replay the older REs regularly to this day.

That said, I was totally ready to play RE6 as an action game, but Capcapom completely screwed up the controls.