RE4 vs. RE5: Voice-Acting

[Becky's Butt]

You say that it is a gross exaggeration to compare RE4 to RE1, yet RE1 is essentially the exact same game as REmake, which you rank just below RE4.

No it's not...there was no "Chris is our old partner ya know" or "OH MY GODDDDD" or "sleeping with the ultimate failure" in REmake.

RE1 and REmake follow a similar path, which is different in several cases like the introduction of Lisa Trevor, but the script is much better.

If we are merely looking at the "script" - the cheese factor of dialogue, and pisspoor narrative justifiably ranks RE4 near the bottom, especially considering that it came out in 2005, 9 years after RE1, when video games had just entered a new era of storytelling.

Except RE4's storytelling was just fine. The lines used by he protagonist and antagonist were intended to be that way. It's clear from the horrid CVX script that they were actually trying to make a serious game and thus their nauseating dialogue is that much worse.

You try to point out relative era to demean RE4 but what is really important is intent. RE4 was not intended to be serious and it wasn't.

RE4 is widely regarded to have a very, very poor story (which comes from the "script") - even amongst RE4 fans. And it is a reason many resort to claiming the game is a parody, to try to salvage a modicum of credibility.

Yes, Resident Evil 4 has a bad storyline.
Like every single other Resident Evil game ever.

Face it, RE4 has a BAD script, from the story to the dialogue to the worst video game villain ever in Salazar. It's still an amazingly well done game, with fun gameplay and great graphics.

Sure it has a bad story and script..compared to good stories and scripts ie. not any other RE game.

And Salazar the worst villain ever? One would think a villain is only a sgood as they were intended to be and how they fulfill their role. Salazar was meant to annoy and irritate and he did that.
Contrast with Wesker who was intended to be awesome and failed every single time.
Douglas and Waugh tried to make him a good villain but their voicework just didn't compensate for the simple fact the source material was godawful.

But to rank it above REmake, RE3, and RE2 is ridiculous. I'd even rank it below RECVX, which is executed poorly and has some questionable content.

I'd rather "no thanks, BRO", an obvious joke, to a constant assault of "Ada, wait!" and "SHERRY!!!", a piss poor attempt to be serious.

I disagree. RE4 and RE1's script are actually quite similar. Badly executed, intentionally cheesy horror lines. It's difficult to take your points seriously when you label anyone else's opinion as "illogical" or a "gross exaggeration".

I see...so if someone posted right now they felt the Resident Evil serie shad the best storyline in all video games, you wouldn't call that a gorss exaggeration?
If they said the storytelling was better than anything ever written by Mark Twain or William Shakespeare, you wouldn't call that illogical?

[Alexia_Ashford]

I see...so if someone posted right now they felt the Resident Evil serie shad the best storyline in all video games, you wouldn't call that a gorss exaggeration?
If they said the storytelling was better than anything ever written by Mark Twain or William Shakespeare, you wouldn't call that illogical?

Yes I would, but you're twisting the point I'm making. You're using completely irrelevant points to back up your argument. No one's compared RE's scripts to Shakespeare, and no one's said it's the best script of all games. They were comparing it to RE4, not Shakespeare. Please don't seriously tell me you're comparing RE4's script to Shakespeare?

Your "logic" also wasn't comparing RE to Shakespeare, it was comparing RE1 to RE4, which at the end of the day, is an opinion. It's not "illogical", and in my opinion it's a correct statement. RE1 and RE4's script are comparibly bad. Both cheesy rubbish, but at least RE1's script was enjoyable and true to the RE games.

[Becky's Butt]

Yes I would, but you're twisting the point I'm making. You're using completely irrelevant points to back up your argument. No one's compared RE's scripts to Shakespeare, and no one's said it's the best script of all games. They were comparing it to RE4, not Shakespeare. Please don't seriously tell me you're comparing RE4's script to Shakespeare?

I was simply readying a defense in case you used the copout "everyone has their opinio and no opinion is wrong" approach.
I figured that's where you were going. Guess I was wrong.

Your "logic" also wasn't comparing RE to Shakespeare, it was comparing RE1 to RE4, which at the end of the day, is an opinion. It's not "illogical", and in my opinion it's a correct statement. RE1 and RE4's script are comparibly bad. Both cheesy rubbish, but at least RE1's script was enjoyable and true to the RE games.

RE1's script was enjoyable to laugh at, not as storytelling. RE4's script is fine with both. At the end of the day the story presented in RE1 is of no value anymore as it was:
A) retconned out of existence
B) even the repackaged version in REmake is of no consequence since Umbrella and Wesker are both finished.

[Sina]

If you want a bad script play Code Veronica. THere's a game on par with RE1.

Oh fuck off. Claire, Chris and Rodrigo were top notch in RECV. Alexia and Alfred were batshit insane and acted that part well. Steve and Wesker weren't very good, but granted most of Wesker's bad dialogue was added in CVX. I don't see how you can warrant saying RE3 had better VA than RECV, though. And you forget that videogame dialogue standards depend on what year you're talking about. RE4 had no excuse in 2005.

[Becky's Butt]

A. RE4 came out in 2004. And the dialogue sounded just fine..for a Resident Evil game.
B. The hypocrisy of RE fans is truly a sigh tto behold. "Leon is emotionless and isn't phased by anything in RE411111"
Not only was Claire, I'm just a stupid biker college girl, wiping out whole teams of armed guards, she fought and killed a Tyrant. WHen asked about it, she calmly replied "Oh nothing, just a giant cockroach that had to be stepped on."

And while you're spot on about Wesker, Steve was one of the few good characters in that travesty. He acted, sounded and talked like someone his age. His dialogue did things like...develop his character. I know that's shocking and not what you'd expect from an RE character but it did.

And if you want to know how bad the script was in CVX just tally up all the "evil laughter" in the game.

[Darkmoon]

I think part of the problem with Steve is he evolves from an annoying assclown who makes your life more akward with his demands and shows nothing remotely resembling gratitude to a creppy and stalker like freak. 'I've known you for almost half a day now, Claire, and as the only women to stay anywhere near me for more than fifteen seconds you are my one true love!' The one thing possibly worse than character development is bad character development.

Plus his voice just grated on my nerves.

And yes, Claire's trick was attrocious. The RE developers had obviously been watching the Matrix too often. The intro scene was on par with RE4. And the cockroach line is certainly cheesy. No has ever said RE doesn't have some god awful one liners. I've said it myself.

What RE4 did, though, wasn't have some bad one liners. Most of the fucking script was a bad one liner and cheezy dialogue. If the old RE games had the odd cheese grenade or maybe a cheese bomb RE4 carpet bombed the damned script with gouda. Not only that but Claire did look surprised and, yes, afraid on occasion. Blowing off steam by downplaying a Tyrant was silly but not completely unheard of in people facing life threataning situations.

Whereas Leon, and his dialogue, met every single challenge, from Ganados to El Gigante to Saddler himself with a witty one liner and some more smug self conceit. The difference is not in quality, which isn't high in either case. It's quantaty. There was simply far, far more to be annoyed about in RE4.

[nemesiswontdie]

RE5 has the better voice acting and script but 5 still has some pretty stupid lines in there but still the voice acting was great. way better than 4.

[Sina]

A. RE4 came out in 2004.

January 11th 2005... The dialogue would've been pathetic for 2004 aswell, though, so I don't see what point you tried to make before failing miserably.

And the dialogue sounded just fine..for a Resident Evil game.

Well, I see that the President has equipped his daughter with ballistics too!

I knew you'd be fine if you landed on your butt.

Where's everyone going? Bingo?

Your right hand comes off?

Uh-uh! No Way, Leon!
Way!

Hasta luego.

Saddler, you're small time.

I'm sure you boys didn't just tag along so we could sing Kumbiya together at some boyscout bonfire, then again, maybe you did.

So ehm, after you take me back to my place, how about we do some overtime?

Better try a new trick, cause that one's getting old.

I've been expecting you my brethrens.
No thanks, bro!

You know you're kinda cute without those glasses. Gimme your number when I get back?
May I remind you that you're still on duty.
Story of my life...

Rain or shine, you're going down!

If you don't need me, then get off my back, old man!

Monsters...

B. The hypocrisy of RE fans is truly a sigh tto behold. "Leon is emotionless and isn't phased by anything in RE411111"
Not only was Claire, I'm just a stupid biker college girl, wiping out whole teams of armed guards, she fought and killed a Tyrant. WHen asked about it, she calmly replied "Oh nothing, just a giant cockroach that had to be stepped on."

Yeah, that one line really is comparable to every single instance Leon opened his mouth in RE4... Claire was atleast capable of showing fear.

And while you're spot on about Wesker, Steve was one of the few good characters in that travesty. He acted, sounded and talked like someone his age. His dialogue did things like...develop his character. I know that's shocking and not what you'd expect from an RE character but it did.

I don't know where the hell you're from where 17 year olds act, talk and sound like spoiled, nasal 11 year olds. Hell, I was exactly 17 when CV came out and I had the same vomit enducing reaction to Steve as I do today. I'll believe you if you say that you acted this way at 17, though, since it's appearantly a perfect representation of the age in your opinion.

And if you want to know how bad the script was in CVX just tally up all the "evil laughter" in the game.

And if you want to know how bad the script was in RE4, scroll up abit.

[Becky's Butt]

On your quotes...

1. I counter with..what was Carlos' line..
"My accent drives the ladies KRRAAAAZZYYY" or something similar?

2. A good-natured jibe ot shut her up.

3. Showed Leon's awesomeness.

4. Awesomeness.

5. What? She said no way..so he said way. You are really nitpicking.

6. Obviously Leon trying to speak Mendez's native tongue in a sign of good will.

7. Awesomeness.

8. Well the cops were dickign around with him. So he dicked back.

9. A clumsy pickup line from a clumsy character. Who'd ahve thunk it.

10. There's not anything even vaguely wrong with this line.

11. Awesome.

12. I guess flirting is just bad script writing now.

13. Yeah I never liked this one either. It would have been better if it had been prceded by some comment as to the weather. As is it doesn't fit.

14. Nothing wrong with this. Salazar says he doesn't need him and he looks old. Fitting enough.

Yeah, that one line really is comparable to every single instance Leon opened his mouth in RE4... Claire was atleast capable of showing fear.

Yeah she was really scared when she picked up a rocket launcher when facing a Tyrant and, before shooting it, stopped to say "you lose big buy!"
I could feel her fear and terror!

Then again that's probably the only good line she has ever had.

I don't know where the hell you're from where 17 year olds act, talk and sound like spoiled, nasal 11 year olds

All Steve ever did was hit on Claire and have fun with guns. Oh and show a distinct lack of trust in people due ot his father's actions.

Yeah those damn eleven-year-olds. Oh wait..99% of the male populace are fall into the first two descriptions at the very least.

And ya know, I've heard so much about how all of RE4 is bad one-liners. I gotta read the script one day in its entirety because I'm positive not even half or the game is that way. I'd give it at best 40%.

[Mr_Zombie]

Wasn't this topic about voice acting and not scripts?

Both games have good or even very good voice acting that suited characters. Yes, you can moan about how irritating Salazar's voice was, but the character was meant to be an annoying little bitch, just like for example Excella was meant to be spoiled rich seductive sexbomb with strange accent. And it that case I really don't understand why are you nitpicking about that?

Whether you like it or not (I don't ), all characters in RE4 were meant to be those over-the-top super agents or comic villain, it was intentional to make game full of one liners; it was intentional to make every Leon's line or move scream "yeah, I'm cool and awesome!"; it was intentional to make Salazar and Saddler those comic book villains with their crazy plan to take over the world (or at least America). And for that purpose all their voices suited very well, no voice sounded off.

But back on topic, I prefer RE5 voice acting, because like Darkmoon has said, there was more emotions in the VA in RE5 (no Leon, screaming "MIIIIIIIIiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike!" or "LUUUUUuuuuuuuuuuis!" does not meant you're showing emotions...). Also, characters were more interesting, thus making voice acting better (truth is, Irving's voice is very similar to Salazar's, but just because Irving was more human and not just plain and simple evil guy, his voice acting sounded better).

[Darkmoon]

...I think I may have blown brain cells. When does having even 40% of a game's dialogue being teeth grindingly bad become a good thing?

But yes, all the other Resident Evil games had there moments. No one denies this. And Claire showed fear on several occasions...that O face when she sees a Licker, for example, is not a happy O face. Leon looks a little surprised, I must admit, but he was younger then and didn't have super secret ninja agent training.

Issue is...if you add up all the cringe worthy moments in all the other games, all the terrible puns and, 'You want S.T.A.R.S? I'll give you S.T.A.R.S' moments in the other games you might, possibly, get the same level of wanting to scrub out your ears with a metal scouring pad and bleach as RE4. But that's, what, a dozen games? Compared to the level of cheese in a single games dialogue.

No one's saying RE doesn't have cheese, because it does. There are always moments when characters act like super people, or say something stupid. RE4 just went too far. Then it looked behind it, saw it had crossed the line, had Leon piss all over the line and start tap dancing even further away.

[Mr_Zombie]

I dunno, as much as I hate RE4 being a Resident Evil game, all those cheese in it didn't really bother me. That could be because I've played the full game long after it was released (PC version), so I already know what to expect (James Bond meets Joker), and what to not expect (a serious story).

Leon looks a little surprised, I must admit, but he was younger then and didn't have super secret ninja agent training.

Leon's "Oh boy." when he sees Licker for the first time always makes me laugh.

[Becky's Butt]

But yes, all the other Resident Evil games had there moments. No one denies this. And Claire showed fear on several occasions...that O face when she sees a Licker, for example, is not a happy O face. Leon looks a little surprised, I must admit, but he was younger then and didn't have super secret ninja agent training.

This is what I don't get. I've been hearing it for years.
"Oh we know the RE series has lots of action and cheesy dialogue..but not as much as RE4!" So basically you gave Capcom a license to put as much cheese and action as they want in their games by tolerating it through 1, 2, 3, CVX and 0. You shouldnt' be surprised or angry at anyone for Capcom simply continuing what they thougth would work because it had worked in the past.

Oh and Zombie...Chris actually calls Wesker a comic book villain. he fits the mold as much as Saddler or Salazar.

[Mr_Zombie]

Oh and Zombie...Chris actually calls Wesker a comic book villain. he fits the mold as much as Saddler or Salazar.

RE5 ending spoilers:
Spoiler:

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Source: NeoGAF

[Dark_Chris]

LOL