The Resident Evil series is iconic for pioneering the genre of survival-horror games, with almost every mainline title released being remembered as one of the best. However, not all titles followed the same pattern, with Resident Evil 6 being the odd man out.
Resident Evil 6 was directed by Eiichiro Sasaki, who also directed Resident Evil Outbreak (2003). It was produced and published by Capcom on October 2, 2012; the game was a commercial success. However, critics and reviews had other things to say about the game.
From Survival to Straight Blasting
The community’s biggest problem was how far Resident Evil 6 strayed off the path of survival-horror game and somehow became an over-saturated action game. A Metacritic reviewer, LEVEL(CEZCH REPUBLIC), describes it as “Abadoned the survival horror genre and has moved into the crowded field of action shooters.” It decided to experiment with its mechanics and how the overall game played out. Dodging mechanics turned into a sort of Max Payne-like movement. Then, the number of weapons you received in the first few chapters was obscene. It no longer felt like you were surviving but sweeping the floor with all the monsters in your path. The enemies were no longer a real challenge, which led to them losing their charm. Instead of monsters, they started feeling more like obstacles.
Don’t Change What Needs to be Changed
Some of the major changes made in some of the game mechanics made the game feel very tedious. The inventory system was over-complicated compared to the simple inventory system in Resident Evil 5, and the healing was watered down with annoying mini-health bars. When playing co-op with another person or a bot, you no longer have the ability to swap or give each other items. This was an extremely helpful mechanic, as it allowed people to build strategies and micro-manage each other’s inventories. However, they decided to just straight throw that idea out the window.
Cliched?
The story also makes me question why am I even here in the first place. It’s broken up into three small campaigns, each with a different set of characters. The story-telling in this cliched in some of the funniest ways but honestly leaves the player in the dark for the longest time. It gets to a point where it’s just frustrating hearing some of the characters act secretive for no reason at all. Side characters also barely play a part in the story. For example, in Leon’s storyline, every survivor he encounters perishes immediately. None of them live for more than one mission and seem to have no importance in the story.
It’s Still a Resident Evil Game
However, the community still has a soft spot for the game. Some love it for its effort to explore new territories. Others love it for its silly story-building and the action-packed gameplay. The story may seem bad to some people but others find a charm about the cliched narrative. More enjoy the game because you’re able to experience this beautiful mess with a buddy. The overall chaotic energy of the game draws in a variety of players who appreciate the game for the clear effort to innovate and try something new. My brother phrases it perfectly, “ The game tried something new, and I can’t blame them for it. It was stupid fun to play and just hilarious to experience with my friend.” The game isn’t meant for everyone, and everyone’s opinion differs, but experience it yourself. It’s not perfect, but that doesn’t mean it’s terrible.
