Jawmuncher
Member
Today marks the 5th Anniversary of Resident Evil 6. Which is easily the most divisive entry in the series. Though against all odds has become a bit of cult classic even with it's flaws and has sold better than some would expect all things considered. Because RE6 and action related RE games seem to cause some strong feelings (So strong in fact that many posts won't even read the OP before decimating it). I'd figure we'd make this thread a bit of a celebration for those who enjoy it. As well as an informative piece for those still curious about the game and a discussion platform for what things could be improved if this style were to ever return. Even if you weren't a fan of the game at all. So without further ado.
The Good
For many fans of RE6 the best part of the game has always been in the gameplay itself above all else. While there is still those who dislike even that, it's easily the most appreciated aspect of the game itself when take as is. The main reason being that there isn't much else like it. In actuality the only series that has really mixed melee combat with guns to a successful extent and made it a core component of the gameplay itself is the Resident Evil franchise itself. Much like how the older titles put Survival Horror gameplay on the map. The later titles put that that style of Melee & Gunplay at the forefront. No other TPS offers the mechaincs of melee, countering, and dodging to the extreme that RE6 provided.
The next major positive for the game would be the characterization and the amount of content on display. Between 4 campaigns (All with co-op support) with a total of 7 canon playable characters (8 if you count the non-canon Agent in Ada's campaign). Between these 4 campaigns there's a lot of development in store for the character's present. It still stands as the biggest reunion of RE character's that in some way really celebrated the fact how long the series had been running at that point. This plus the Mercenaries mode and numerous MP modes on offer all in a $20 dollar package offer a lot of content to the player wishing to dig in.
The Bad
Even the biggest fans of RE6 know the game has plenty of problems. As mentioned earlier the huge size of the game. Especially with the campaigns in particular end up resulting in a lot of hands in the kitchen. So there ends up being a lot of inconsistency in the campaigns whether it be the gameplay or some of the story beats it hits. Especially when the more gimmicky sections such as vehicles come into play. On top of all that there are a lot of mechanics and features the game never even bothers to explain. Despite having a tutorial which is universally agreed on being the worst way to introduce the game ever conceived. Even to this day some of the bigger fans of the title are finding little things that change the way they play. Then there's of course the focus on action above all else. Which if anything is probably the biggest divisive factor of the game. A lot of people weren't pleased with such a turn in focus, especially when there was a chance this was the only future for the series.
The Future
So with all of that out of the way. What does the future hold for fans of action RE? In my personal opinion I think it'll return in some form. Hell it's already showing up in some ways in RE7's Not A Hero DLC. So it definitely seems like the legacy Action has had on the series as a whole won't be lost. While this is disappointing to some who prefer RE stay more survival horror than anything else. I find this is a good thing. Since it perhaps means that Capcom will finally do what many fans have been asking for. Offering titles in both forms so that the majority of the fanbase can get what they want in certain games. Even if it can't be every game that releases. This idea has been discussed numerous times. But it really stands as the best step forward. When looking at sales it's an obvious sign that there is more than enough fans to support both styles. Especially when you take the overlap of fans who're just here for the lore and characters more than anything else. Lastly between the recent interviews of RE7 and Vendetta. Capcom seems to be planning big things to try and bridge the fanbase more than it ever has in the past. Which would be something nice to see after the years of in-fighting.
Interested in trying the game?
Usually whenever one of these threads are made there's a few amount of people who want to give the game a go. To see if the years of backlash really stand out or if there is perhaps a bit of a diamond in the rough worth checking out. If that's the case i'd recommend checking out
Neiteios Guide on the game as well as the Recent OT or this very thread if you have further questions. The RE6 community here on GAF loves to help new players get into the game.
Also worth checking out: Sikshadow Remixes
My Fondest Memory of RE6
So the year RE6 was coming out I was deployed in Afghanistan. I did manage to get a 360 shipped down to me while I was down there though and this raggedy old TV someone prior had left behind. When I heard the news that there was a RE6 demo with Dragons Dogma. I remembered that on 360 (for whatever reason) you could burn demo files to a CD-R or DVD-R and play them just as is on the 360. I ended up finally getting off shift and sleeping by a computer in an office while the Demo Files downloaded. Once they downloaded and I finally had a chance to play it....I hated it. The camera was too close and it didn't sit quite right with me after so much muscle memory tied to RE4 and RE5. Once I started reading the demo thread here on GAF about the numerous things people were finding with the game play my interest was piqued however. Ended up getting pretty interested in how things might turn out for this. When the second demo hit I ended up doing the same thing as earlier to download it. With my newfound knowledge of the mechanics and the other hidden mechanics people were talking about. I came away enjoying the game far more than I had originally. So much so that when I finally came back to the states. It was the first game I went to. Ended up playing through the story both on PS3 and 360 back to back during my leave. It was nice having a such a fun game to come back home to (Along with all of the other stuff of course).
Images by Seyavesh
So what about you GAF? What are your fondest memories of RE6? If no fond memories what would you have liked to see improved in the game itself or action RE as a whole. If possible i'd like to see this thread as more civil than our usual RE discussions. We all have our preferences of course. But at this point I don't think there's any changing of minds with whatever you prefer. So better to just offer constructive criticism on wherever the discussion might go than any sort of vitriol on who's RE is the best RE.
