Review: Did Hollywood Defile "Resident Evil 6"?

We take an in-depth look at the latest release in the bone-chilling franchise.

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Complex Original

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Ever go to a Japanese restaurant outside of Japan and order one of their Western-inspired entrees, like a hamburger steak with that spaghetti on the side? Resident Evil 6 is sort like that, a game influenced by the Western third person shooters that were inspired by Resident Evil 4.

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Price: $60

✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩
Score: 6/10

There result is something faster paced than any Resident Evil before it and with no restraint on showcasing large production theatrics.  Press releases tout a 600+ strong production team and you can see it in the set pieces (and their subsequent grandiose destruction) and in the play length, which will stretch the $60 of many Resident Evil fans. Yet you wonder if the creative direction was ready to handle a production of this size for it doesn't take long to see large cracks in Resident Evil 6.

There is both a positive sense of anticipation and relief going into Resident Evil 6. It's the feeling of excitement that, after 16 years since the franchise's debut, the bioterrorist threat has finally reached the inevitable stage of going global, more so than the foreign incidents in Europe and Africa in Resident Evil 4 and 5. With the terror of this magnitude, it feels natural that Resident Evil 6 is told through multiple storylines. Leon and Chris are back, and so are other familiar faces and host of new ones. There's a reunion feel to the game not unlike the fan-pleasing thrill of seeing the cast of the Metal Gear Solid series together in Metal Gear Solid 4.

 

Review: Did Hollywood Defile "Resident Evil 6"?

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Ever go to a Japanese restaurant outside of Japan and order one of their Western-inspired entrees, like a hamburger steak with that spaghetti on the side? Resident Evil 6 is sort like that, a game influenced by the Western third person shooters that were inspired by Resident Evil 4.

Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Price: $60

✭✭✭✭✭✭✩✩✩✩
Score: 6/10

There result is something faster paced than any Resident Evil before it and with no restraint on showcasing large production theatrics.  Press releases tout a 600+ strong production team and you can see it in the set pieces (and their subsequent grandiose destruction) and in the play length, which will stretch the $60 of many Resident Evil fans. Yet you wonder if the creative direction was ready to handle a production of this size for it doesn't take long to see large cracks in Resident Evil 6.

There is both a positive sense of anticipation and relief going into Resident Evil 6. It's the feeling of excitement that, after 16 years since the franchise's debut, the bioterrorist threat has finally reached the inevitable stage of going global, more so than the foreign incidents in Europe and Africa in Resident Evil 4 and 5. With the terror of this magnitude, it feels natural that Resident Evil 6 is told through multiple storylines. Leon and Chris are back, and so are other familiar faces and host of new ones. There's a reunion feel to the game not unlike the fan-pleasing thrill of seeing the cast of the Metal Gear Solid series together in Metal Gear Solid 4.

 

You Can't Please Everybody

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One measurement of a good series is when you have different fans who prefer different installments, something that certainly qualifies for Resident Evil. To that end, Resident Evil 6 feels like a very ambitious attempt at to please every single type of Resident Evil fan, from the gamer who can only stand to play RE4 to the Resident Evil: Director's Cut purist who won't touch the RE1 Remake. There are puzzles, but they are hardly challenging. RE5 fans will like the steady stream of out-in-the-open enemies in Chris' story. If you like the thrill of being chased in RE3: Nemesis, you can find that in third scenario. There's even a time attack Mercenaries mode as well as bonus story starring the frustratingly mysterious Ada Wong. By jam packing all these modes of play, Resident Evil 6 is unquestionably the biggest Resident Evil to date. Just the main story missions alone average about 90 minutes (if you try to kill every enemy in sight and destroy every barrel and crate) and there are 15 such chapters to play through.

If you are one of those slow, highly conservative players who had to explore every nook and cranny, you can still enjoy most of RE6 without feeling rushed and find hidden emblems.. Still, the game is really meant to be played with a sense of world-ending urgency. As one of those conservative survival gamers, I found it was a positive that I never had that compulsion to restart a section due to poor item management (something I would do in previous RE games). Resident Evil 6 seldom gives you that feeling of item scarcity, which helps move the game along.

Bring A Friend

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It turns out the pacing is one of the game's very few highlights as Resident Evil 6 is plagued with issues at every level. The save system is confusing; the game uses the same icon for saving statistics as it does for saving progress. Just because you see the icon doesn't mean you'll restart at that spot when you resume your playthrough later. The game also has some of the worst characters shadowing you'll ever see with rampant jaggies, most noticeable during the cutscenes. One minor bright side is that Capcom managed to remove the screen tearing that was present in the public demos.

Yet these issues pale in comparison to how the co-op was designed. Having seen success in cooperative play in Resident Evil 5, the same feature is available in all three scenarios of RE6. Unfortunately the game's liberal use of quick time events and protection missions make the co-op hard to enjoy. QTEs are challenging enough; even no matter how good your reaction time is, RE6 throws up a lot of variety in QTE commands that game overs will be inevitable for many. Now imagine having to rely on a friend to be on their toes as much as you, because there will be a number of such events where you're going to have to rely on each other.

Blind Marksmanship and Going Fisticuffs

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The most puzzling design choice of them all is with the camera placement. Considering how Resident Evil 4's off-center camera has been so influential in today's third person shooters, it's surprising that Resident Evil 6's camera work falls short, way short. Maybe it was an attempt to make the characters "pop" on the screen more, but they're just way too close to the camera. There's much less space between their heads and the top of the screen and they take up so much of the screen that they sometimes block your view of enemies that might be in front of them. It's especially troublesome for the handful of indoor areas, mostly in Chris' scenario. The camera can perform wildly when you're getting into a close quarters fight mixing shotgun blasts with melee attacks.

Speaking of melee combat, each character is well versed in close quarters takedowns, with often fatal results. It's come along way from the often cumbersome knife swings from the first Resident Evil; conservative player who are more comfortable attacking from a distance will feel empowered from being able to take on zombies up close in RE6. Being fully aware of the expanded attack tools for the player, Capcom has balanced this out by limiting melee attacks through a stamina bar. With enough stamina, you can execute some lethal combos and even more stylish ones if you melee attack while running. One gripe I have is that it's hard to appreciate the impact of some of the punches and kicks because they sound like muffled thuds. It's a notable contrast over the satisfaction of slicing someone up with knife or bashing a zombie's head in. Yet this issue pales in comparison to the contact issues players will come across when trying to execute melee moves. Imagine running up to a downed zombie with the intention of pulling off a head stomp, only to find yourself kicking in the air.

Good Kills, Bad Kills

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These close up actions work go a long way when they actually work, even if the hero is on the receiving end; just recall the gruesome kills from Resident Evil 4, such as the chainsaw decapitation and the numerous deaths from the game’s traps. So it's all the more disappointing that you can't even die with the same sense of satisfaction in RE6. Some deaths are played out and graphic, but no where to the level of polish that RE4 had.

The Verdict

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It's sad to say, but the one thing Resident Evil 6 manages to salvage is its plot. It manages to be as coherent as any Resident Evil game, movie or direct-to-video narrative, which doesn’t say much. If you remembered Albert Wesker's boss fight from Resident Evil 5, then you know not to expect grounded storytelling. The three scenarios intertwine adequately enough to satisfy fans who have been following the series these past 16 years. And ultimately, it’s these fans who Resident Evil 6 is meant for. It’s hard to imagine this underdeveloped release converting new fans unless there are folks who like bad co-op and and poor camera mechanics.

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