What Are You Playing?

Yeah I guess if "old games" are abhorrent to you, it'd be better to go with the remake. Although Resident Evil isn't that old to me. 1996 feels like yesterday. :SK:
Haha, I barely have real life memories of 1996.

As for avoiding older titles, it's not an absolute rule for me. I very much enjoyed Final Fantasy VI, VIII, and IX when I played them not long ago. I just thought if on top of being old, CV was as you described it, I'd better stay away.

From what I've seen of the gameplay of the older REs, though, it's clear that the remakes do not entirely offer what they had. Weirdly, I like the fixed camera in those, as it adds to the horror; you never know what you'll run into as you turn a corner. The ink ribbon save system makes the games a lot more intense too. The loading screens when you open doors are also pretty creepy. I like the way they use silence too (RE3R had too much music imo). They're a lot more atmospheric than the remakes.

Too bad I missed out on these. But if they aged well, guess I'll try them out for myself. Might as well, since I have them on PSN anyway.
 
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Resident Evil was a self-contained story. After its huge success, they made Resident Evil 2, which continues its storyline but with new characters. Resident Evil 3 returns to one of the main characters from RE1. I consider this trilogy of games to be basically the first part of the series. They're supplemented by Code Veronica, which was released on Dreamcast and stands in a strange place. It's a sequel to these games and features Claire and Chris Redfield after the events of RE1 and RE2. It's also infamous as far as I'm concerned for reviving Albert Wesker in the "extended edition" of the game (he only appears in cutscenes) and making him into some superhuman mastermind. This game to me is where the story stopped making any sense. It was just really weak, and it's not like the first three games had super solid stories to begin with, but they at least were competent. A side story, Resident Evil 0, was later released exclusively on the GameCube and featured the same sort of gameplay. It's a prequel to RE1 that's pretty forgettable.

After that, Resident Evil 4 was basically a soft reboot. It technically stars Leon (from RE2) and has cameos from Ada but honestly just rename Leon to Johnny Johnson, Special FBI Agent, and the game becomes unrelated to the RE storyline. Which is fine really, because the story is the weak part of that game anyway. Its novel gameplay, more oriented towards action, inspired basically every third person action game that came after it. Resident Evil 5 kept RE4's gameplay but got even more actiony (can't really be called "Survival Horror" anymore) and got back to starring Chris Redfield facing a bunch of ridiculous villains, with Wesker taking center stage again as the final villain. RE6 was a continuation of that, with many old characters returning.

RE7 was another reboot, starring new characters with a different kind of story. It's kind of a return to survival horror but with a focus on horror more than action and resource management. And with completely new first-person gameplay. I honestly feel like that was the right choice to make, although to be clear, at this point this has got nothing to do with the original games other than "let's explore this mysterious, dreadful mansion". In a perfect world, RE4 would have been a standalone title, and RE5 and RE6 would have been sequels to that. RE7 would also be a new title in a new series. The reason this isn't the case is that the Resident Evil brand has a lot of power to it and that helps drive sales a lot.

Also worth noting are the Resident Evil: Revelations games. The first one was a Nintendo 3DS title released in 2012 that returned to a more survival horror type of gameplay and starred Jill. Was a great game, and its success led to a sequel, also starring a mix of new and returning characters. It was also very nice, and in these Revelations titles they're trying to stick to the "bioweapon zombies and monsters" storyline, but honestly it's kind of a ridiculous mess too. Oh and there are the remakes, of course, because this is Capcom.


Wow this is a great summary of the RE games. Would you now please explain the storylines for the movies now? :ganishka:
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Aaz basically covered it all, but I gotta get in on this opportunity with my takes as a huge Resident Evil nerd. =)

I know you've played most of them but I'm zooming way out before coming back in. The series as a whole is basically a largely campy mix of a few truly transcendent games, some good ones, and a lot of bad ones. I would definitely play RE1 (just do REmake at this point) and RE4; those two games are arguably the most important in the series along with the original RE2 (the best IMO).

Like Aaz said, RE1-3 is like the original trilogy covering Raccoon City, they're basically PS1 versions of low budget B horror movies. I might be looking at it with rose-colored glasses, but I would still recommend the original RE2 despite it being a 20 year old PS1 game. They did cool shit in there they haven't been able to pull off since, even in the remake. RE3 was also very good and a lot of fun as a last hurrah (and it wrapped up the plot as well as has ever been done =). Anyway, they're all good and in my mind this is the real Resident Evil and everything after is sort of a sequel, spinoff or spiritual successor to those games.

Code Veronica, which was the equivalent of RE4 at the time, was supposed to be a true follow up with the characters from both 1 and 2 but actually felt like more of a departure. Suddenly all these small town characters were like international agents and action heroes traveling to Paris, secret prison islands and the Antarctic, like it springboarded from John Romero to James Bond. Very weird, ambitious and infamous entry, the only with old school fixed or dynamic cameras, but mostly significant because this is where the series sort of fractured. That's why the follow ups were REmake, which was like an awesome director's cut of RE1, and RE0, which is a completely unnecessary prequel.

The series came back with a vengeance with RE4, which both killed off the whole Umbrella plotline but fully embraced the international secret agent and action hero angle of CV and married it to the series campy roots, but on purpose and on steroids now. This game is an epic action horror pastiche and a pure gameplay masterpiece. Unfortunately, the controls now seem dated because of refinements by the hundreds of imitators it inspired, but it's still a must-play and arguably the most significant game in the series. It revived and reinvented everything.

RE5 and 6 basically run back the RE4 formula but refine it with multi-player support and improved controls, but they're not even close to as good or impactful. RE5 seemingly took all the wrong lessons from CV and RE4, and RE6 is like a greatest hits album where they re-recorded all the songs so they actually sound worse. It's a mess. RE: Revelations came out between those two, originally a nice little portable variation of RE4-style gameplay for 3DS, and was also somewhat a welcome return to the game's simpler classic survival horror roots. This was the post-RE4 bright spot until...

Resident EVII reinvented the mainline series for the second time. This was a full return to the series' classic horror movie roots, this time adding some Texas Chainsaw Massacre to the monster mash, and much more immersion, intimacy and genuine horror scares in first person. It's like Gone Home but at Leatherface's house and the whole family IS home. This would seemingly be the beginning of a third wave of the series in this style, and presumably where RE8 will start, but a successful remake of RE2 in the style of 4, a fan dream, and follow up RE3 skin pack show that style still has some life, so we'll see how Capcom continues to juggle the series' sequels, remakes, and styles.

TL;DR the must-plays are RE1, RE2, RE4, and RE7... and that's it. RE3 and REmake are great and relevant entries as well. Revelations and RE0 are good, but not essential. Code Veronica is a more relevant artifact and has some good old school RE action, but is also where the wheels came off. The rest should be ignored unless you've played all the previous'y listed and can't get enough.

Resident Evil Rankings:
RE2/RE2make
RE4
RE1/REmake
RE7
RE3
RE CV
Revelations
RE0
RE5
RE6
RE3make
 
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Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
From what I've seen of the gameplay of the older REs, though, it's clear that the remakes do not entirely offer what they had. Weirdly, I like the fixed camera in those, as it adds to the horror; you never know what you'll run into as you turn a corner. The ink ribbon save system makes the games a lot more intense too. The loading screens when you open doors are also pretty creepy. I like the way they use silence too (RE3R had too much music imo). They're a lot more atmospheric than the remakes.

Too bad I missed out on these. But if they aged well, guess I'll try them out for myself. Might as well, since I have them on PSN anyway.

I mean, they've certainly aged, there's no way around it, and the tank controls are somewhat painful to deal with today. But I personally like the originals better than the remakes (including RE1's remake), and that's not because of nostalgia.

Wow this is a great summary of the RE games. Would you now please explain the storylines for the movies now? :ganishka:

Of course! Not. :iva:
I only saw the first movie and I didn't like it. Didn't bother with the rest, they all look absolutely terrible.

Aaz basically covered it all, but I gotta get in on this opportunity with my takes as a huge Resident Evil nerd. =)

Nice post! I'm trying to refrain from nerding out further. :schnoz:

Edit: Alright my restraints are failing just like a Tyrant's in a secret facility where the self-destruct sequence has been activated (all employees proceed to the emergency car at the bottom platform). Going on a tangent, I am convinced/desperately hoping that Oculus is secretly funding Dead Space VR. Dead Space isn't part of the Resident Evil series, but it's basically RE in space and is an amazingly good game. I strongly recommend it to anyone here who hasn't played it. Much like I hope RE8 is fully VR compatible, Dead Space VR would be a dream come true.
 
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Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Nice post! I'm trying to refrain from nerding out further. :schnoz:

Good to know you tacitly approve of all my unassailable RE opinions and rankings, saves me the trouble of having to prove you wrong on any of these points. :daiba:

Edit: Alright my restraints are failing just like a Tyrant's in a secret facility where the self-destruct sequence has been activated

That's what I'm counting on. :carcus:

God, I'm bored. =)

Going on a tangent, I am convinced/desperately hoping that Oculus is secretly funding Dead Space VR. Dead Space isn't part of the Resident Evil series, but it's basically RE in space and is an amazingly good game. I strongly recommend it to anyone here who hasn't played it. Much like I hope RE8 is fully VR compatible, Dead Space VR would be a dream come true.

As I already told you, I would love that/shit my pants. I love Dead Space, I remember when it first came out it was like Instant Franchise with the lore and crossover media, like figures and an anime and shit (I actually have a pretty cool Isaac toy =). They went all out and the game was GREAT, basically RE4 in space but truly worthy of the comparison, except more serious (classic horror ending too). Then Dead Space 2 (Hell on Earth) was kind of a disappointment because it really only added Isaac swearing (but when you return to the ship from the first game though... :magni:), and I still have Dead Space 3 just sitting on my hard drive basically unplayed and that's the last I'd heard of it. So yeah, Dead Space VR would be awesome, even if, or maybe even better if, it was just a reboot of the original.


Oh yeah, playing:

Half-Life Alyx - Beat it and am now replaying it more aggressively on hard difficulty. Great game, great ending, don't want to spoil anything but this is definitely a real Half-Life game and hopefully just the beginning. *knock on wood* Probably my game of the year unless something dramatic happens (you know what won't be displacing it no matter what? The Last of Us Part Deux! =).

Final Fantasy VII - Hanging with Aerith in the Sector 5 slums, where I did all the sidequests again because that warning you can't do them later is damn effective! They were better this time though, and we're actually headed back to Sector 7 already, but I'm in no hurry because I ultimately know what happens there and in this version it'll probably take several hours. :ganishka:

The second reactor mission, particularly once you get there and work your way to the boss, is a blast and you really start to get some chemistry between the main characters in and out of battle. Barret is a lot of fun, Tifa is already friend-zoned to Hell despite being objectively the most attractive character in the game, and Aerith is totally the odd, free-spirited art girl in the romantic comedy that changes your stuffy perspective on life. She literally talks to flowers, man, but will also exclaim, "shit." Cool. =)

Vader Immortal - Thanks to a head's up from Aaz, I can now play Oculus games through Steam! This was my test game since it's cheap and I wanted to check it out anyway. It feels a little stiff and staid after Alyx spoiled me out of the gate though. This is purported to be some kind of interactive narrative experience as opposed to a "game," but it sounds like semantics for limiting the scope of play (or avoiding EA's exclusive publishing license). We'll see though, I've really only started, but I indeed don't like how often it locks me in place to view exposition or perform tasks, including combat... Still, the production values are excellent, flying over Mustafar in a star freighter or having a bemused Lord Vader standing over you IS an experience, and so far the plot is more intriguing than your typical Star Wars smuggler and bounty hunter shit, so we'll see how it goes. Could be good.
 
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I mean, they've certainly aged, there's no way around it, and the tank controls are somewhat painful to deal with today. But I personally like the originals better than the remakes (including RE1's remake), and that's not because of nostalgia.



Edit: Alright my restraints are failing just like a Tyrant's in a secret facility where the self-destruct sequence has been activated (all employees proceed to the emergency car at the bottom platform). Going on a tangent, I am convinced/desperately hoping that Oculus is secretly funding Dead Space VR. Dead Space isn't part of the Resident Evil series, but it's basically RE in space and is an amazingly good game. I strongly recommend it to anyone here who hasn't played it. Much like I hope RE8 is fully VR compatible, Dead Space VR would be a dream come true.

Now this I have to hear. You prefer the original RE1 to the remake? I’m not familiar with what it has to offer other than camp. Do tell what else makes it great? Is it like MGS1 versus twin snakes? Where they changed too much stuff.

I think that as long as dead space is owned by EA that it has about as much chance of coming back as a franchises like silent hill or castlevania do. By coming back I mean a strong RE4 style comeback too.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
prefer the original RE1 to the remake? I’m not familiar with what it has to offer other than camp. Do tell what else makes it great?

Well, other than camp, it was one of the best games of 1996, is considered one of the best and most influential games of all time with impact across multiple genres, launched one of the most successful game franchises in history, helped define and popularize the survival horror genre, and is actually credited with the revitalization of the entire zombie film genre in the 90s before becoming the highest-grossing video game film franchise itself. Being dated now or having laughable voice acting doesn't change what made and makes it a great and significant game, especially in its time, nor does being less dated or campy make REmake a better one, but I like both almost equally for different reasons.

Is it like MGS1 versus twin snakes? Where they changed too much stuff.

Actually, that's not unfair, to call REmake significantly different, but unlike Twin Snakes it was made by the original game's director and is a faithful update or retelling, in spirit if not always literally. It can allow people to see the appeal of the original in its day better and was quite an impressive and influential game in itself, particularly when it comes to game remakes.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Good to know you tacitly approve of all my unassailable RE opinions and rankings, saves me the trouble of having to prove you wrong on any of these points. :daiba:

I mean this sounded about right to me: "TL;DR the must-plays are RE1, RE2, RE4, and RE7". And in the proper order, too. :carcus:

Vader Immortal - Thanks to a head's up from Aaz, I can now play Oculus games through Steam! This was my test game since it's cheap and I wanted to check it out anyway. It feels a little stiff and staid after Alyx spoiled me out of the gate though. This is purported to be some kind of interactive narrative experience as opposed to a "game," but it sounds like semantics for limiting the scope of play (or avoiding EA's exclusive publishing license). We'll see though, I've really only started, but I indeed don't like how often it locks me in place to view exposition or perform tasks, including combat... Still, the production values are excellent, flying over Mustafar in a star freighter or having a bemused Lord Vader standing over you IS an experience, and so far the plot is more intriguing than your typical Star Wars smuggler and bounty hunter shit, so we'll see how it goes. Could be good.

Unfortunately Vader Immortal is really more meant to be a short interactive experience, and it is quite short. I didn't recommend it to you for that reason. It comes free with a new Quest I think, and it's great for Star Wars fans, but it's very expensive relative to the amount of "game" you get as far as I'm concerned. Especially since it's composed of three episodes, each sold separately, and each shorter than the one before it. Also it was produced directly by ILM so I don't think they need to care about licensing.

Now this I have to hear. You prefer the original RE1 to the remake? I’m not familiar with what it has to offer other than camp. Do tell what else makes it great? Is it like MGS1 versus twin snakes? Where they changed too much stuff.

They changed quite a few things, to the point where I think it is a different experience. It's still a great game, but yeah I prefer the original. I think it's more focused and I just like some of the things it had better than what REmake replaced them with. Now to be clear, REmake's still a great game in many ways, but it's not simply a better version with better graphics. Also, as far as the campy voice acting goes, it's true it's campy but it's still got some of my favorite lines ever from a video game. Meanwhile I couldn't even begin to remember one single line from REmake.

I think that as long as dead space is owned by EA that it has about as much chance of coming back as a franchises like silent hill or castlevania do. By coming back I mean a strong RE4 style comeback too.

Respawn is doing Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond for VR (Oculus exclusive), and they're owned by EA too. As long as they get funding for it, I could see it happen. I also don't think it's fair to compare EA to Konami. The latter has basically exited the video game business.
 
Aaz basically covered it all, but I gotta get in on this opportunity with my takes as a huge Resident Evil nerd. =)

Yep. Aazealh's post and yours summed the series up quite nicely. Getting series veterans' perspectives is always more rewarding than watching those sometimes quite uninformative "series history" videos on YouTube.

I know you've played most of them but I'm zooming way out before coming back in. The series as a whole is basically a largely campy mix of a few truly transcendent games, some good ones, and a lot of bad ones. I would definitely play RE1 (just do REmake at this point) and RE4; those two games are arguably the most important in the series along with the original RE2 (the best IMO).

From my experience with the series so far, this seems like an accurate description. Other series have their ups and downs, but this one fluctuates more than the pulse diagram health-bar you see in the games!

And yes, RE1/REmake and RE4 are definitely on my radar now, so I'm looking forward to them.

Like Aaz said, RE1-3 is like the original trilogy covering Raccoon City, they're basically PS1 versions of low budget B horror movies. I might be looking at it with rose-colored glasses, but I would still recommend the original RE2 despite it being a 20 year old PS1 game. They did cool shit in there they haven't been able to pull off since, even in the remake. RE3 was also very good and a lot of fun as a last hurrah (and it wrapped up the plot as well as has ever been done =). Anyway, they're all good and in my mind this is the real Resident Evil and everything after is sort of a sequel, spinoff or spiritual successor to those games.

The first 3 certainly have their own feel, which even the remakes didn't quite capture. My image of the RE series was always defined by the little bit of RE3 I played (and got traumatized by) as a child, so I can't say I disagree.

At some point I will have to play the first 3 in the original versions so I can truly say I experienced the Raccoon City story.

The series came back with a vengeance with RE4, which both killed off the whole Umbrella plotline but fully embraced the international secret agent and action hero angle of CV and married it to the series campy roots, but on purpose and on steroids now. This game is an epic action horror pastiche and a pure gameplay masterpiece. Unfortunately, the controls now seem dated because of refinements by the hundreds of imitators it inspired, but it's still a must-play and arguably the most significant game in the series. It revived and reinvented everything.

This seems to be a universal assessment: aged controls but still a must-play. I think I'll just go for it at this point, even if a remake is on the way (since we all saw how RE3make went). Hope the escort segments where you have to protect that girl will be few and far between though. I already dislike this gaming trope and I heard that it's particularly annoying in RE4.

RE5 and 6 basically run back the RE4 formula but refine it with multi-player support and improved controls, but they're not even close to as good or impactful. RE5 seemingly took all the wrong lessons from CV and RE4, and RE6 is like a greatest hits album where they re-recorded all the songs so they actually sound worse. It's a mess. RE: Revelations came out between those two, originally a nice little portable variation of RE4-style gameplay for 3DS, and was also somewhat a welcome return to the game's simpler classic survival horror roots. This was the post-RE4 bright spot until...

That's the thing for me, though: I go into RE for the horror. And RE5 was the first game in the series that I played since my childhood encounter with RE3. So when it failed to deliver on the horror aspect, I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the game and have some wonderful memories cooping it with friends, but the horror classic-zombies aspect was sorely missing.

That's why I greatly preferred Leon's campaign over the other ones in RE6. The only thing I remember from the other campaigns was being chased by that big guy in Jake Wesker's story. Otherwise, RE6 was pretty forgettable.

Resident EVII reinvented the mainline series for the second time. This was a full return to the series' classic horror movie roots, this time adding some Texas Chainsaw Massacre to the monster mash, and much more immersion, intimacy and genuine horror scares in first person. It's like Gone Home but at Leatherface's house and the whole family IS home. This would seemingly be the beginning of a third wave of the series in this style, and presumably where RE8 will start, but a successful remake of RE2 in the style of 4, a fan dream, and follow up RE3 skin pack show that style still has some life, so we'll see how Capcom continues to juggle the series' sequels, remakes, and styles.

7 was a lot of fun and it's the main reason why I bothered getting the RE2 remake to begin with. It revived my interest in the series.

The only issue I had with it was how totally unrelated it was to the previous games and that it should have just been given another title. But like Aaz explained, the RE brand carries a lot of weight, so it's only natural they would call it RE7 and that it's better to think of this game as a reboot. I'm definitely looking forward to RE8 if it's going to expand upon what 7 did. Although, I hope it will be a little longer. I don't wanna keep dropping 90 bucks on 6-7 hour games.

TL;DR the must-plays are RE1, RE2, RE4, and RE7... and that's it. RE3 and REmake are great and relevant entries as well. Revelations and RE0 are good, but not essential. Code Veronica is a more relevant artifact and has some good old school RE action, but is also where the wheels came off. The rest should be ignored unless you've played all the previous'y listed and can't get enough.

So I'm halfway through the must-plays (unless we don't count RE2make). I must say I'm surprised RE3 isn't in your must-play list. But what surprised me more was...

Resident Evil Rankings:
RE2/RE2make
RE4
RE1/REmake
RE7
RE3
RE CV
Revelations
RE0
RE5
RE6
RE3make

...the RE3make ranking! I never thought I'd see it ranked below even RE6.

You really didn't like RE3make, did you? :ganishka:

But yeah, this ranking overall makes sense and just goes to show how much the series lowers in quality the more it strays from the horror aspect, with RE4 being the exception.

Edit: Alright my restraints are failing just like a Tyrant's in a secret facility where the self-destruct sequence has been activated (all employees proceed to the emergency car at the bottom platform). Going on a tangent, I am convinced/desperately hoping that Oculus is secretly funding Dead Space VR. Dead Space isn't part of the Resident Evil series, but it's basically RE in space and is an amazingly good game. I strongly recommend it to anyone here who hasn't played it. Much like I hope RE8 is fully VR compatible, Dead Space VR would be a dream come true.

Dead Space was really awesome and atmospheric and weird. Now I have the urge to play it again.

I never got around to playing its sequels though. Griffith expressed his disappointment with DS2 above, and that wasn't the first time I've heard that it was not as good as the first one. Are they still worth checking out anyway?
 
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Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Dead Space was really awesome and atmospheric and weird. Now I have the urge to play it again.

I never got around to playing its sequels though. Griffith expressed his disappointment with DS2 above, and that wasn't the first time I've heard that it was not as good as the first one. Are they still worth checking out anyway?

I did not play the sequels (except Dead Space: Extraction on the Wii), which should answer your question.

Regarding the rest of your post, what's sure is that if you're in it for the horror, you definitely should play the original RE games. Something people underestimate about them is the survival aspect, which concretely means strategic planning and inventory management. Trying to use as few ink ribbons as possible but also saving ammo and healing items. "Just one more room to explore and then I'll save", and then shit happens. Also the relief of entering a safe room. I don't scare easily and the RE games were never horrifying to me, even as a kid, but the reassurance of entering a safe room in Resident Evil is something I still remember well.

Since we're on this topic, I would be remiss if I didn't also mention Silent Hill, but those games have in my opinion aged less well than the original RE titles. They were absolutely crazy at the time, though.

Hope the escort segments where you have to protect that girl will be few and far between though. I already dislike this gaming trope and I heard that it's particularly annoying in RE4.

It's not that bad. Plus you'll feel like a Real American Hero™! :badbone: "Don't worry Ashley, I'm coming for you!"
 
I mean this sounded about right to me: "TL;DR the must-plays are RE1, RE2, RE4, and RE7". And in the proper order, too. :carcus:



Unfortunately Vader Immortal is really more meant to be a short interactive experience, and it is quite short. I didn't recommend it to you for that reason. It comes free with a new Quest I think, and it's great for Star Wars fans, but it's very expensive relative to the amount of "game" you get as far as I'm concerned. Especially since it's composed of three episodes, each sold separately, and each shorter than the one before it. Also it was produced directly by ILM so I don't think they need to care about licensing.



They changed quite a few things, to the point where I think it is a different experience. It's still a great game, but yeah I prefer the original. I think it's more focused and I just like some of the things it had better than what REmake replaced them with. Now to be clear, REmake's still a great game in many ways, but it's not simply a better version with better graphics. Also, as far as the campy voice acting goes, it's true it's campy but it's still got some of my favorite lines ever from a video game. Meanwhile I couldn't even begin to remember one single line from REmake.



Respawn is doing Medal of Honor: Above and Beyond for VR (Oculus exclusive), and they're owned by EA too. As long as they get funding for it, I could see it happen. I also don't think it's fair to compare EA to Konami. The latter has basically exited the video game business.

I understand. I still think lighting and even the sound design blow the original out of the water. But from a gameplay perspective I can see why the original would still hold up well since it has something different to offer.

As for dead space, I still think it won’t come back in any meritable form (at least Konami mad metal gear survive:troll:) Let alone in VR. Medal of Honor is a more lucrative thing for EA. Also a first person shooter which lends better (in the corporate mind I’m sure) To VR. Not to mention the added problem of EA gathering a competent team to make the game since former Visceral members either left or were moved around. I’d love to be wrong though.:shrug: Meanwhile I’ll keep dreaming for the supposed new time splitters game to be good.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
I mean this sounded about right to me: "TL;DR the must-plays are RE1, RE2, RE4, and RE7". And in the proper order, too. :carcus:

Are you sure RE3 shouldn't be in there!? I ranked Revelations below Code Veronica, you gonna let that stand!? C'MON, KILL ME, I'M HERE!!

On a serious note those bottom RE games were really hard to order because how do you decide if RE0, which really is like true neutral mediocrity, versus RE5 or 6, which at least have some fun action, are "better" than the others (I erred on the side of which ones had more bad in them than whatever good)? Actually, I should have ranked Revelations above CV and then the bottom five could really be any mix one wants to argue.

Unfortunately Vader Immortal is really more meant to be a short interactive experience, and it is quite short. I didn't recommend it to you for that reason. It comes free with a new Quest I think, and it's great for Star Wars fans, but it's very expensive relative to the amount of "game" you get as far as I'm concerned. Especially since it's composed of three episodes, each sold separately, and each shorter than the one before it. Also it was produced directly by ILM so I don't think they need to care about licensing.

Ah, well, I'm probably not going to get the others unless they go on sale.

From my experience with the series so far, this seems like an accurate description. Other series have their ups and downs, but this one fluctuates more than the pulse diagram health-bar you see in the games!

They literally released among the best and worst of them back to back in my book. =)

The first 3 certainly have their own feel, which even the remakes didn't quite capture. My image of the RE series was always defined by the little bit of RE3 I played (and got traumatized by) as a child, so I can't say I disagree.

At some point I will have to play the first 3 in the original versions so I can truly say I experienced the Raccoon City story.

Sounds like the perfect way for you to play RE1 and 2 before coming full circle with RE3! :zodd:

This seems to be a universal assessment: aged controls but still a must-play. I think I'll just go for it at this point, even if a remake is on the way (since we all saw how RE3make went). Hope the escort segments where you have to protect that girl will be few and far between though. I already dislike this gaming trope and I heard that it's particularly annoying in RE4.

There's a bit of it in RE4, but there's a bit of everything in that game, it's pretty epic, and I wouldn't trust another outsourced remake to translate it unless it's really more of a remaster.

That's the thing for me, though: I go into RE for the horror. And RE5 was the first game in the series that I played since my childhood encounter with RE3. So when it failed to deliver on the horror aspect, I was disappointed. Don't get me wrong, I still enjoyed the game and have some wonderful memories cooping it with friends, but the horror classic-zombies aspect was sorely missing.

Yeah, until they pulled it off in the RE2 remake the RE4 style didn't seem to lend itself to horror, too empowering and the tone of the games wasn't helping, but they managed to largely make it work in RE2, which was never a game I wanted to return to and feel like I was really there, if you get my meaning. Some of those dark hallways... :magni:

That's why I greatly preferred Leon's campaign over the other ones in RE6. The only thing I remember from the other campaigns was being chased by that big guy in Jake Wesker's story. Otherwise, RE6 was pretty forgettable.

Leon's campaign was the highlight of RE6, and the closest thing to the RE2 remake before it actually happened. Of course the pursuer plotline/chapter with Jake also had shades of RE3.

7 was a lot of fun and it's the main reason why I bothered getting the RE2 remake to begin with. It revived my interest in the series.

Those were two great back to back releases, honoring something old and giving us something new. Despite some of my issues with it recreating RE2, the remake was a great game in its own right that definitely updated the old school RE zombie scares formula effectively. That's another part of why I was so disappointed with the new RE3, it kind of fell back on those old shooter habits and therefore wasn't very scary or challenging.

So I'm halfway through the must-plays (unless we don't count RE2make).

I would still play the original RE2. =) True story, when I played the remake I was also replaying the original RE2 simultaneously with touch controls on my phone, both the A and B scenarios.

I must say I'm surprised RE3 isn't in your must-play list. But what surprised me more was...

...the RE3make ranking! I never thought I'd see it ranked below even RE6.

You really didn't like RE3make, did you? :ganishka:

Well, PS1 RE3 is still very good, but it's the third one of a kind, so it almost can't be as essential by default. They can't all be the best effort. =) Also, I may enjoy it or other games lower on the ranks as much or maybe even more than RE7, but it offers an experience unique and different that those don't, and what I like about them is derivative of others already ranked higher. So, innovation counts, which also keeps older ones up there, and really hurts the new RE3 because it just felt like a poor retread of the RE2 remake with an RE3 skin.

But yeah, this ranking overall makes sense and just goes to show how much the series lowers in quality the more it strays from the horror aspect, with RE4 being the exception.

RE4 definitely ramps up the action and the attitude so it doesn't really play up or even undermines the scares, but it does have some inherently genuinely scary shit going on at times too. Particularly some of the early encounters and bosses, but also some creepy-ass cultists. So, it's got a variety of tones it mixes for an overall great package, but yeah, the cheesy one-liners almost let too much air out of it.


A sad final note, but coincidentally it seems the voice of the original Leon, Paul Haddad, has died.
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Are you sure RE3 shouldn't be in there!? I ranked Revelations below Code Veronica, you gonna let that stand!? C'MON, KILL ME, I'M HERE!!

On a serious note those bottom RE games were really hard to order because how do you decide if RE0, which really is like true neutral mediocrity, versus RE5 or 6, which at least have some fun action, are "better" than the others (I erred on the side of which ones had more bad in them than whatever good)? Actually, I should have ranked Revelations above CV and then the bottom five could really be any mix one wants to argue.

Haha, I mean my take is basically that RE3 nicely complements RE1 and 2 and introduced several great gameplay mechanics that are still in use today (like the quick turn). I think it makes sense to bundle it with the other two in that regard. However it's not as big of a milestone as RE1 and RE2 were for sure. Basically what you say in the below quote.

Well, PS1 RE3 is still very good, but it's the third one of a kind, so it almost can't be as essential by default. They can't all be the best effort. =) Also, I may enjoy it or other games lower on the ranks as much or maybe even more than RE7, but it offers an experience unique and different that those don't, and what I like about them is derivative of others already ranked higher.

As for CV and RE: Revelations, I don't know. Revelations was nice, but it sure wasn't transcendant and I have never felt the need to replay it. It mostly gets credit in my book for reviving the "survival horror" element of the series. And also for starring Jill <3. On the other hand, while CV has glaring flaws and became cult among the old RE fanbase for the wrong reasons (reviving Wesker), it's not 100% terrible and has some good segments. My most controversial take on the must-play list would probably be "is RE7 a must-play?" However I once again agree that it gets points for being different and for pushing the envelope as far as visual fidelity goes.

Anyway, my personal recommendation would be what I said before: the original RE1, 2, 3 as a trilogy, then RE4 and directly to RE7. Once that's done, if someone wants more, they can explore the rest of the series, including the remakes, CV, Revelations 1 and 2, etc. The order doesn't really matter.

Ah, well, I'm probably not going to get the others unless they go on sale.

Wise choice.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
Haha, I mean my take is basically that RE3 nicely complements RE1 and 2 and introduced several great gameplay mechanics that are still in use today (like the quick turn).

Fun fact: I never liked and rarely used the quick turn or dodge intentionally (though sometimes I would accidentally execute it against Nemesis =), but in the remake it makes the zombies, and even Hunters and Nemesis, too easily avoided and wholly uninteresting. I went from wishing it was in RE2 to wishing it were gone from RE3.

As for CV and RE: Revelations, I don't know. Revelations was nice, but it sure wasn't transcendant and I have never felt the need to replay it. It mostly gets credit in my book for reviving the "survival horror" element of the series. And also for starring Jill <3.

Yeah, it's good, but not great. I too credit it with the back to basics approach as well as a few cool or unique features or innovations, like being handheld, 3D, adding movement while aiming/shooting (and I like the first person for that on the small screen). It's in the relatively lonely RE middle class between genre defining hits and derivative misfires or monstrous experiments.

On the other hand, while CV has glaring flaws and became cult among the old RE fanbase for the wrong reasons (reviving Wesker), it's not 100% terrible and has some good segments.

Wow, your most controversial take is saying something positive about CV! This one I still have a soft spot for despite being annoyed by it, similar to MGS2 or something, though that game has a much stronger case. Anyway, I hated the Wesker reveal for a different reason I've shared before; the water cooler talk at school about RE3 was Nemesis was actually the revived, mutated remains of Wesker, fittingly changed into a Tyrant, thus explaining their shared love of black and hatred for S.T.A.R.S members, its human-like intelligence, and why it was their, and particularly Jill's, "nemesis." At least that was my theory, and I was disappointed it didn't come to fruition in RE3 since I was waiting for some kind of big explanation of Nemesis. Wesker's return in CV, and supernatural abilities, rather than feeling like a partial redemption of the idea, only made it worse because it was so close but as executed didn't make sense to me, so seemed all the more a wasted opportunity. Then he basically did become a Tyrant in the end, again semi-fulfilling the prophecy, except by then it was so stupid it was a case of be careful what you wish for. I still think he should have been Nemesis, "S.T.A.R.S!" =)

My most controversial take on the must-play list would probably be "is RE7 a must-play?" However I once again agree that it gets points for being different and for pushing the envelope as far as visual fidelity goes.

I get this, RE7 is really good and a bold new direction after some stale efforts, but part of what made it refreshing and more intimate also made it feel smaller somehow, like not even an RE as you said. It's certainly not like one of the classic PS1 games or RE4 where its shaking everything up, even beyond the series and genre itself. It's just a really good, scary game. Oh yeah, and I was similarly disappointed it didn't tie in with Revelations!

Anyway, my personal recommendation would be what I said before: the original RE1, 2, 3 as a trilogy, then RE4 and directly to RE7. Once that's done, if someone wants more, they can explore the rest of the series, including the remakes, CV, Revelations 1 and 2, etc. The order doesn't really matter.

Well, consistent with my rankings, I agree with those top 5 obviously, but I'd definitely put the first two remakes ahead of any of the remaining games, and among the best the series has to offer. RE2 remake may not recreate RE2 properly, but it's still gotta be considered top of the form in its own right, at least in my book. It's like RE2 and RE4 had a baby that gave me literal night terrors. Respect. :badbone:
 
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Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
I still think he should have been Nemesis, "S.T.A.R.S!" =)

I think getting impaled by the Tyrant was a fitting end. :iva:
Putting this in spoilers for the members who haven't played RE1 although it feels a bit silly.

I get this, RE7 is really good and a bold new direction after some stale efforts, but part of what made it refreshing and more intimate also made it feel smaller somehow, like not even an RE as you said. It's certainly not like one of the classic PS1 games or RE4 where its shaking everything up, even beyond the series and genre itself. It's just a really good, scary game. Oh yeah, and I was similarly disappointed it didn't tie in with Revelations!

Yeah or even RE5 really. The mold looks nearly identical to 'Ourouboros' as far as I can remember (and I can't be bothered to look), so linking the two would have been a matter of one line of text in a file somewhere. Wouldn't want to make things too coherent though! Plus the fact they look similar is probably more indicative of laziness on the creature design front than anything else. William Birkin's transformations were in another league in comparison.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
I think getting impaled by the Tyrant was a fitting end. :iva:
Putting this in spoilers for the members who haven't played RE1 although it feels a bit silly.

Haha, you don't have to put spoilers around someone GETTING SUPERPOWERS! :ganishka: Yeah, if only the ending of RE1 had remained in place, but my preferred scenario arguably doesn't fundamentally alter his fate from RE1 in either case, depending on how you see these things. For example, I consider Birkin's fate sealed with the attack on his lab and his ingesting the G-Virus, what happens after is something else, like being a zombie, basically. And it spares us all the arch-villain "muahahaha" bullet-time bullshit in CV and later games.

Yeah or even RE5 really. The mold looks nearly identical to 'Ourouboros' as far as I can remember (and I can't be bothered to look), so linking the two would have been a matter of one line of text in a file somewhere. Wouldn't want to make things too coherent though!

Yep, if as scenario writers you find yourself 99% of the way there, by accident apparently, there's even wrecked ships involved in all three scenarios, can't you go the last yard with some purpose or at least not to look totally self-derivative? If I recall all they do is say enough to confirm or infer it's not related but just a ridiculous coincidence. Oh well, probably best they stuck to almost completely separating from the previous RE story because they would have screwed it up and been worse for it, but it almost feels like a botch due to this anyway.

Plus the fact they look similar is probably more indicative of laziness on the creature design front than anything else. William Birkin's transformations were in another league in comparison.

If they created RE2 from scratch today instead of the awesome designs of the original and the revamped ones in remake, Birkin and the other monsters would be lazy amorphous black sludge monsters like the aforementioned, or the leeches from RE0, and probably some more not worth remembering. I feel like it also requires less thought or explanation of powers via their traits, as opposed to something like Las Plagas. No need to design how it works when black sludge can just do anything... Because!
 
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Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
Yeah, if only the ending of RE1 had remained in place, but my preferred scenario arguably doesn't fundamentally alter his fate from RE1 in either case, depending on how you see these things. For example, I consider Birkin's fate sealed with the attack on his lab and his ingesting the G-Virus, what happens after is something else, like being a zombie, basically.

True!

And it spares us all the arch-villain "muahahaha" bullet-time bullshit in CV and later games.

Indeed, and that goes all the way up to RE7 (with the hillbilly son somehow behind a mastermind that outsmarted the mind-controlling bioweapon...?). It seems it got lost on the devs that the charm of early RE games was "experiments gone wrong", and that the story was told through found documents because the "masterminds" were all dead in the first place.

Oh well, probably best they stuck to almost completely separating from the previous RE story because they would have screwed it up and been worse for it, but it almost feels like a botch due to this anyway.

Yeah I mean at least Wesker's not in that one, so I count that as a blessing. :ganishka: Buuuut they revived Umbrella as a "private military contractor" for which Chris Redfield now works... And it comes as a completely unnecessary epilogue, of course. *deep sigh*

If they created RE2 from scratch today instead of the awesome designs of the original and the revamped ones in remake, Birkin and the other monsters would be lazy amorphous black sludge monsters like the aforementioned, or the leeches from RE0, and probably some more not worth remembering. I feel like it also requires less thought or explanation of powers via their traits, as opposed to something like Las Plagas. No need to design how it works when black sludge can just do anything... Because!

...Indeed. Well, after that talk that does not make me particularly eager to experience RE8, let me share that I started playing FF7's remake today and I am PUMPED. The graphics, the music, the gameplay... it's everything it should be so far. Brings me back! I will share more impressions once I get further into the game.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
It seems it got lost on the devs that the charm of early RE games was "experiments gone wrong", and that the story was told through found documents because the "masterminds" were all dead in the first place.

Yeah, that moron and his shit was the most contrived, and my least favorite, part of the game. RE villains are supposed to basically be retched scum messing with forces they can't control, with no regard for human life... But they're also just typical small, petty bureaucratic traitors that get what's coming to them. Just more wish fulfillment. =)

Yeah I mean at least Wesker's not in that one, so I count that as a blessing. :ganishka: Buuuut they revived Umbrella as a "private military contractor" for which Chris Redfield now works... And it comes as a completely unnecessary epilogue, of course. *deep sigh*

I tried to warn you without spoiling it.


Yeah... I couldn't even play the free DLC, heart just wasn't in it anymore. Zero Puncuation broke it all down pretty well too.


let me share that I started playing FF7's remake today and I am PUMPED. The graphics, the music, the gameplay... it's everything it should be so far. Brings me back! I will share more impressions once I get further into the game.

Now I feel like such a heartless nitpicker! :judo: As I said, it really got to me most during the second reactor mission actually, no special reason, just stayed up all night fighting and progressing and having fun like the good old days (when I stayed up all night storming Shinra Tower and felt close to beating the game =). Barret is pretty funny in this version and that's when the characters back and forth started having some real chemistry to me, like I was meeting old friends again for the first time.

I'm currently working my way through Wall Market, literally because there's so many side jobs, and not to return to complaining, but I really hate the new choice of music for this location and Sector 6! The original songs are still present at appropriate points and locations in the game, but the Midgar Slums theme and Oppressed People, particularly synonymous with Wall Market, are iconic and evocative and should NOT have been moved, especially in favor of some really goofy shit that honestly breaks the mood. Just want to know if this stuck in anybody else's craw. /rant
 

Walter

Administrator
Staff member
I really hate the new choice of music for this location and Sector 6! The original songs are still present at appropriate points and locations in the game, but the Midgar Slums theme and Oppressed People, particularly synonymous with Wall Market, are iconic and evocative and should NOT have been moved, especially in favor of some really goofy shit that honestly breaks the mood. Just want to know if this stuck in anybody else's craw. /rant
I didn’t even notice. :shrug: What I did like about Wall Market is the layered/location-based music that sets a good atmosphere for wandering around a busy, dense city. Those side quests though — FOLKS, SKIP’EM! I’ve done 8 total in the game and not a single one has been worth the time.

I’m just last Wall Market, and it’s a SLOG getting back to any sense of story progression. One whole evening for me.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
I didn’t even notice. :shrug:

Ok, I'm fixin' to ride on this now. :zodd:


THIS is what Wall Market sounds like! Now that's sleazy, not that Sonic Adventure shit they put in its place.

What I did like about Wall Market is the layered/location-based music that sets a good atmosphere for wandering around a busy, dense city.

The sound design on the other hand, the music in specific locations and how it dynamically changes, IS cool and impressive. I just wish they'd properly set the general mood. If you're going to change the theme to Wall Market to make it more in-depth and alive it should be to something like this:


The silly music and the... limited set design make it feel less like the sleazy underbelly of a real big city, as its still purported to be here, and more like an amusement park; I can see the virtual plaster, scaffolding, and plywood holding up the very specific play zones created for us, with their equally specific quests like the last two Sectors. It's not New Orleans so much as it's New Orleans Square at Disneyland. Now, to be fair, this is what the original actually looked and sounded like...


...so maybe I'm grading the new one relatively tough. =)

Those side quests though — FOLKS, SKIP’EM! I’ve done 8 total in the game and not a single one has been worth the time.

I've done them ALL, and actually gotten two weapons for Aerith, plus all the extra gil and exp, so worth it for that at least, plus I liked listening to the cowboy who sounds like Sam Elliot. And actually, you do sometimes learn stuff about the other characters' backstories. Biggs used to be a teacher at the children's center in Sector 5, and the current teacher there is also a stripper! =)

I’m just last Wall Market, and it’s a SLOG getting back to any sense of story progression. One whole evening for me.

Yeah, everything in this game takes an evening, and usually I'm in a mad dash to move along story progression as fast as I can, compulsively, until a game is finished. For some reason though, and I'll credit the game for this, I'm taking my time and doing everything. Maybe it's because I've replayed the plot of FF7 so many times I'm in no hurry to rush through the familiar again; lets see what's going on down those new alleyways instead.
 
Regarding the rest of your post, what's sure is that if you're in it for the horror, you definitely should play the original RE games. Something people underestimate about them is the survival aspect, which concretely means strategic planning and inventory management. Trying to use as few ink ribbons as possible but also saving ammo and healing items. "Just one more room to explore and then I'll save", and then shit happens. Also the relief of entering a safe room. I don't scare easily and the RE games were never horrifying to me, even as a kid, but the reassurance of entering a safe room in Resident Evil is something I still remember well.

I felt that relief recently, as I started REmake. Weird tank controls aside, it's pretty good so far. I love how atmospheric and intricate the mansion is, and I'm already a big fan of "centralized level design", where you have one place you explore many times as opposed to a string of unrelated locations in the story (looking at you, RE3make). The fixed camera adds to the horror and it feels weird to experience Capcom like that after so many years (the last time for me was DMC3, I believe. Or was it 4? I don't remember if that had a fixed camera). Figuring out how to proceed next is refreshingly challenging, as opposed to how dumbed down the more modern Capcom games are. And those extra-aggressive zombies...

You guys weren't kidding, this still holds up.

PS: I felt a strange mix of relief and disappointment when I reached the infamous sections where Barry is supposed to say "master of unlocking" and "Jill sandwich", only to find that those lines have been altered in this remake. :ganishka:

Since we're on this topic, I would be remiss if I didn't also mention Silent Hill, but those games have in my opinion aged less well than the original RE titles. They were absolutely crazy at the time, though.

Yet another series I missed out on. My only experience (if we can call it that) with it is the P.T demo. Would be nice if this series makes a comeback, but I'll check out the older titles anyway (this discussion has put me in the mood for a lot of PS1 titles :guts: )

It's not that bad. Plus you'll feel like a Real American Hero™! :badbone: "Don't worry Ashley, I'm coming for you!"
Sorry, I'm Canadian :carcus: "Sorry Ashley, I'll be right there, eh?"

Sounds like the perfect way for you to play RE1 and 2 before coming full circle with RE3! :zodd:

That's the plan :guts:

There's a bit of it in RE4, but there's a bit of everything in that game, it's pretty epic, and I wouldn't trust another outsourced remake to translate it unless it's really more of a remaster.

Well, as long as those sections aren't forced, I'm good. It seems that this game is also longer than the other REs, clocking at over 10 hours for some people. Hope that's because of more content as opposed to other reasons.

Yeah, until they pulled it off in the RE2 remake the RE4 style didn't seem to lend itself to horror, too empowering and the tone of the games wasn't helping, but they managed to largely make it work in RE2, which was never a game I wanted to return to and feel like I was really there, if you get my meaning. Some of those dark hallways... :magni:

Yeah, I loved those dark hallways. One thing I noticed about the original (the parts I saw, at any rate) was that the police station was too lit up. I'm glad they didn't do that in the remake.

I would still play the original RE2. =) True story, when I played the remake I was also replaying the original RE2 simultaneously with touch controls on my phone, both the A and B scenarios.

:isidro:

Yeah, will play it at some point, but I'm gonna stick with a controller for now. :ganishka:

RE4 definitely ramps up the action and the attitude so it doesn't really play up or even undermines the scares, but it does have some inherently genuinely scary shit going on at times too. Particularly some of the early encounters and bosses, but also some creepy-ass cultists. So, it's got a variety of tones it mixes for an overall great package, but yeah, the cheesy one-liners almost let too much air out of it.

Good to know it won't be pure action, then. Looking forward to it!

A sad final note, but coincidentally it seems the voice of the original Leon, Paul Haddad, has died.

RIP.

Those side quests though — FOLKS, SKIP’EM! I’ve done 8 total in the game and not a single one has been worth the time.

Agreed. It constantly amazes me how uninspired Square Enix is at making side-quests. Here, they're pretty much the same quests in different skins (Sector 7-find and return 3 cats home, Sector 5-find and return 5 kids home). That, or go and kill some random monster/group of monsters. They should have just skipped those and added more to the main story instead. The only reason I do these quests is to get experience points so I don't get too under powered later in the main story (and even then, I doubt it makes a considerable difference).

Still, it's better than Final Fantasy XV's side-quests as far as I remember. That one had you fetching tomatoes for a farmer, for example. Yeah, I waited ten whole years for this game, only to end up being tasked with vegetable delivery. :rickert:
 

Aazealh

Administrator
Staff member
I'm not reading you guys' FF7 comments for now because I don't want to spoil myself! :iva: I have the added benefit of not having replayed the game since I first played it, so a lot of the minutia is fuzzy or nonexistent to me at this point, which makes for an enhanced experience as far as I'm concerned. I'm rediscovering things!

PS: I felt a strange mix of relief and disappointment when I reached the infamous sections where Barry is supposed to say "master of unlocking" and "Jill sandwich", only to find that those lines have been altered in this remake. :ganishka:

Like I said, playing the original is another experience, and I wouldn't say a lesser one. You're missing out! It's cool that you're enjoying REmake though, as it was visually stunning for its time.

Yet another series I missed out on. My only experience (if we can call it that) with it is the P.T demo. Would be nice if this series makes a comeback, but I'll check out the older titles anyway (this discussion has put me in the mood for a lot of PS1 titles :guts: )

Fair warning: the controls are clunkier than in Resident Evil games and you shouldn't expect graphics on par with REmake. Still, I very much enjoyed the first three games at the time (didn't play the rest).

Sorry, I'm Canadian :carcus: "Sorry Ashley, I'll be right there, eh?"

Oh I was literally quoting Leon's line here, you won't have a choice.

It seems that this game is also longer than the other REs, clocking at over 10 hours for some people. Hope that's because of more content as opposed to other reasons.

As far as I remember all RE games are over 10 hours long for the first playthrough, except this new RE3 remake apparently.
 

Griffith

With the streak of a tear, Like morning dew
I have the added benefit of not having replayed the game since I first played it, so a lot of the minutia is fuzzy or nonexistent to me at this point, which makes for an enhanced experience as far as I'm concerned. I'm rediscovering things!

More like having false memories implanted with this game; you're going to be stumbling around as confused as Cloud for a truly immersive experience. :ganishka:

Speaking of which (stop reading Aaz =) FF7: I'm taking a break from my Alyx reply to focus on this since it's one or the other at night and got past Wall Market and almost out of the Train Graveyard. God damn, as much as I comment how big everything is in this game I keep underestimating it, I thought the sewers were big and THEN got to the part with all the drainage gates, thinking Sector 7 was next, only to come upon the Train Graveyard which I'd completely forgotten was during this part (I'm a little fuzzy on the order of certain events).

Combat is getting more interesting as they're getting more restrictive in what's effective in each fight or even moment to moment, as epitomized by the last annoying-as-fuck boss I fought. Certain enemies will just tear your ass up if you try to go lazily physical on them, and magic will end the fight just as fast in your favor. To that end, Aerith is a powerhouse! I use Cloud almost purely physically, because his inherent abilities are awesome so he's decked out in purple materia, Aerith for offensive magic plus her group healing abilities and Tifa designated for healing, revival and support otherwise (though she's a great fighter too and her limit break can end a boss fight). I'm probably going to follow a similar party makeup for the duration as long as it works, though once I can I'll just try to make everyone a swiss army knife of whatever they're best at offensively plus healing so we can constantly switch and go positionless like a modern basketball team. =)

Like I said, playing the original is another experience, and I wouldn't say a lesser one. You're missing out! It's cool that you're enjoying REmake though, as it was visually stunning for its time.

Though I agree, I think I'm more partial to REmake over the original than you are (though even REmake is relatively dated at this point). Probably because it has such a cool giant shark sequence! :chomp: :guts: <- Wow that looks dirty! :isidro::carcus:

Honestly, I do feel like it's the definitive telling of the RE1 story, but of course a lot of people probably feel that way now about RE2make for some of the same reasons and I would definitely balk at that.

As far as I remember all RE games are over 10 hours long for the first playthrough, except this new RE3 remake apparently.

Yeah, and RE4 in particular, while I'm sure it can be done quickly, covers a lot of ground and feels enormous.
 
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