Jun Takeuchi: Resident Evil must target 'Mass Audience' not (small) Hardcore market

[RetroRain]

Resident Evil 5 sucks, but it makes Resident Evil 4 look better. Really. I don't even think that RE4 is all that bad anymore, when you look at how RE5 turned out. Sure I'm disappointed with how RE4 was in its style, but I would play it anyday over RE5, given the choice between the two.

Speaking of RE4, did anyone else think that the second half of the game (from the beginning of the Island to the end) really dragged out? The village and castle weren't that bad at all, but I felt that the island part was just un-necessarily long. I kept saying to myself "When the hell is this game going to end?" Still, it was impressive on how they were able to fit that whole game onto a single PS2 disc.

[Canas Renvall]

^I felt that dragging with the castle. THAT took way too long.

[Vector]

RE4 drags SO much, so much so that it really turns me off from replaying it. I play it, enjoy the village and part of the castle, but then after a while it's just like...blah. Enough's enough. The entire second half of the game feels like a chore to play. RE5 was no different at times, but co-op with a friend made it tolerable.

[Scream]

The castle part makes me turn it off sometimes too. Usually around the time when Leon has to go through the sewer, it just doesn't feel fun anymore. I wish they never worked on those Ada sub-games and instead concentrated on a sort of Director's Cut for the main game. Sometimes its feels like I'm just playing and hoping the game will suddenly change by itself, I think that means RE4 has a lot of potential (never to be used fully I guess).

[Alexia_Ashford]

I didn't really feel like it dragged on. I thought it was just about the right length, I enjoyed the whole thing so it didn't really bother me. I like the whole castle part. The island is probably my worst part of the game compared with the other two, but that's because I don't like the regenerators and it just feels a bit more drab and dreary (and I don't like the military ganados all that much).

[Darkmoon]

Yes, but you don't like Dead Space's setting for the same reason. I feel the need to post one of those 'Your Argument is Invalid' memes now, for some reason.

The problem I have with RE4 isn't that I feel the pacing is poor, there simply isn't enough content to go through each area. 'Oh, another trapped room with Ganados everywhere. How surprising. Ashley has been kidnapped again. I am shocked.' Etc. There's relatively little variety in both the battles and the plot. It's just all...stretched a little too much, by maybe half an hour. Such as giant Robo Salazar and the random tower beyond.

It actually feels a little better on easy, which removes a couple of the less needed areas. But is, you know, easy.

[Alexia_Ashford]

Not really. I don't like Dead Space because it's repetitive and every level feels exactly the same and it just got boring very quickly for me. The only time it varied a little was the final level, by which point I'd already switched off a fair few hours before.

RE4's environments differed, and it's divided mostly into 3 main areas. Dead Space's environments were all on a spaceship and it differed slightly for the last 30 minutes or so. I'm hoping they will change that in Dead Space 2 given what I've seen so far.

RE4's Island bit, even though it looked drab and dreary, was fast paced action as well compared to Dead Space's "go to point A to fix this, go to point B to fix that". That was another thing that did my head in. I'm hoping Dead Space 2's action will also have more of a direction than simply fixing a ship. Not that RE4's plot was any better, it was just more fun because you weren't tracing through countless corridors that looked exactly the same to go and fix something, you went through different areas each time, blasting loads of enemies and hoarding monies.

(I love loot.)

(I also love hoarding monies and buying stuff off a weird guy who looks like he belongs down the canal at 3am than in a videogame.)

[Stu]

Resident Evil 4 is simply put, the best videogame of all time. Pretty much perfect.

There, i said it.

[Scream]

It actually feels a little better on easy, which removes a couple of the less needed areas. But is, you know, easy.

Which areas does it remove? Can't recall ever playing it in on "easy"?

[Darkmoon]

I see to recall that it was a EU only thing. It removes three bits off the top of my head...one a sort of side passage just after you meet Luis in the castle to find an item to unlock the main door, the tower after you run away from Robo Salazar and the King's Puzzle with the armoured plagas. You also get more ammo in each slot of the case and start with a shotgun rather than finding it in the village.

Resident Evil 4 is simply put, the best videogame of all time. Pretty much perfect.

There, i said it.

To each there own. It certainly has a lot of positives but, for my money, the best video game of all time also needs a good plot and compelling characters. RE4 plays like a wet dream, and look nice even today. But it's story and characters feel like they were writen by me.

When I was seven.

[Alexia_Ashford]

Resident Evil 4 is simply put, the best videogame of all time. Pretty much perfect.

There, i said it.

Wouldn't exactly say it's the best videogame of all time, but definitely one of the best action games.

I'm not sure if there's an easy mode (could be wrong). I know there is a mode that does the things Darkmoon describes, but I think it's normal and the harder levels start you off with only a handgun and make you do more.

[Gradon]

Easy was only included in the European and Japanese(?) version, it gave you a shotgun at start, the enemies died easier, items were more to come across, attacks hurt you less etc.
Some places skipped, and other misc changes.

[Det. Beauregard]

Dead Space did indeed get old for me, too. The locales rarely varied, and when they did, they were as drab and bland as before. There were some interesting areas (the hydroponics deck and the final level), but in general the game just felt very "trapped." This may have been the developers' intent, as it felt more realistic, but if I want realistic I'll go play the old Rainbow Six games.

As for RE4, I'll take the castle and island over 75% of RE5's locales. Bright and sunny does not a Resident Evil game make. I'd also rather run from a giant robot statue or ride through an obnoxious mine cart tunnel than be trapped in a jeep for a Michael Bay-influenced rail shooter level.

[Scream]

Oh yeah I think I remember now. I wouldn't remove those parts though, I would get rid of the robo statue, the garden area (sure it doesn't do this one already?), the area where Ashley has to turn the two cranks (its just a big unrealistic room with lots of enemies and not much else) and some parts on the Island I can't think about right now..

[BrionIrons]

Resident Evil 4 is simply put, the best videogame of all time. Pretty much perfect.

There, i said it.

Resident Evil 4 is not the best game of all time.It is one of the best games ever made.but not the best game of all time.and Resident Evil 4 was not perfect.No game is perfect.every game has something in it that someone doesn't like(a flaw).Im not looking for an arguement.Im just being realistic.thats all.Every game has its ups and downs.