Worth Playing?
Capcom’s reinvention of a flagship title seems
to hold little water compared to its most recent counterparts. You don’t play a
big, muscular hero. Your character’s not used to the horrors you encounter. The
story itself is comparatively tiny. No world-encompassing, continent hopping
adventures here. So, can this possibly be a good game?
The short answer is a resounding yes. Despite
the linear gameplay, several factors come together to make this game squeeze
you from every direction…literally at times. From being locked into a
first-person perspective (a first in the series’ long history), the redneck
family you encounter from the beginning, and high resolution gore and lighting detailing
your surroundings, the atmosphere will grab you from the moment you take
control of Ethan, the main character.
Such a Character:
Ethan is a vast departure from the characters
you’re used to playing in Resident Evil. Whereas Chris Redfield was armed to
the teeth, Leon Kennedy a hero, Claire Redfield a vigilante, and Ada
Wong a super-agent, Ethan is a…regular guy…who decides to chase his missing
lady down to a broke-down Louisiana mansion. Capcom might have overdone it in
proving how un-heroic Ethan is in the beginning, but their point is soon clear: you
are not prepared, in any sense of the word, for what you’re walking into. And
it works.
Gameplay:
The gameplay feels clunky, which is straight up
old-school Resident Evil. It fits Ethan’s inexperience without bogging you down
and making the game feel unplayable. On top of that, inventory control is back
to being a huge, no…HUGE part of gameplay. How much healing do you keep on you?
Bullets? Weapons? When do you need them most? When is a big boss fight coming
up? Of course, with YouTubers playing this game extensively, you can cheat
learn all this beforehand. I hope most players aren’t watching first, just
because it would steal from the initial experience.
Puzzles abound, another nod to classic games of
the series. Most are tame, which will annoy old-school fans; but I believe this
ties as much into keeping the pace of the game going as the graphics, the story
itself, and the tight quarters you’re stuck in throughout most of the game.
Combat, when it happens, comes with a
difficulty spike some players won’t be expecting. Boss fights leave you feeling
drained, emotionally and items-wise. Still, victory tastes sweeter than the
bitterness of loss.
Fair warning: if you’re walking into this
expecting a high rate of head explosions, you will be disappointed. This game
is intense! You will not know what you’re walking into at any given time. To accomplish
this constant dread, the game leads you through areas where a lesser game would
use jump-scares. Resident Evil, however, leaves many of these areas empty.
Chances are good you’re going to scare yourself before the game does.
The ‘M’ Rating Matters
Many games hold a Mature rating just because America is a
bit wishy-washy on language and nudity. This is not the case with this game.
There is absolutely no reason a child under sixteen should be playing this
game. This is a grindhouse horror film in game form. Between the dread (both
imagined and real), the gore, the uncomfortably realistic surroundings, the
characters you encounter, and all that Ethan goes through…I’m a parent, and I’ll
not be letting my children experience this game. You can make up your own mind;
but I strongly recommend heeding the
rating in this particular case.
Pros:
·
outstanding gameplay returning to Resident Evil’s
roots
·
a tight narrative that still allows you to
explore, solve puzzles, and collect items
·
a new main character who is not super-powered or
previously heroic, but enjoyable to play
·
a grindhouse horror movie in game form, with
signature Resident Evil wackiness and gore
Cons:
·
puzzles are easy to solve
·
Xbox One players will have a lower visual experience
·
not child friendly (sorry parents)
·
not open world, events are tightly controlled
Final Rating: 9/10
James Neal is an avid gamer, and the author of the fantasy stories listed below. Click the links to learn more and purchase your own copy:
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