The impact of Resident Evil 4 on the Survival Horror Genre (Video)

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Great Games, Terrible Legacy - Resident Evil 4 - GameSpot.com

I don't usually post videos from gamespot, but this was a pretty good feature and I am torn on the RE4 debate. I said it when it was released on the GameCube that it was about to change games forever and 8 years later I was right. Its a GREAT game, probably my favorite game of all time. I do think Dead Space has the best balance for big budget horror games today.

So let's see here...RE4 has impacted ALL horror games. Silent Hill is pretty much garbage now as a result. RE5 and RE6 are trash in which shows Capcom trying to capitalize on what they thought made RE4 great. Amnesia is a great game also, but I have only played a small bit of that and from what I see Lone Survivor is great. I would say the impact has been negative so far as other publishers are scared to take risks now with these crazy budgets for games, but hopefully the independent scene continues to step up.

To add a little more to this, its a little disturbing how easy games are now. I have been playing Syphon Filter on my vita for the past week and literally looked at the screen like....uhh I finished this game years ago and now have NO IDEA on what to do next. I was expecting Xian to guide me through like these past 2 generations have been doing to gamers

 

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@Kodie @Cockmeat Sandwich @MightyHealthy @NZA @Loose @Demonic Jenkins share your thoughts on this as a new gen is about to hit.

 

[Mr. Somebody]

We got something out of it. Dead Space/Trash Effect.

 

[Dwolf]

So basically, "back in my day games were better"?

 

[Liquid]

So basically, "back in my day games were better"?

The survival horror genre? Yeah I would say so. Games overall are better now, but they are easier to cater to the casuals...it sucks that not many can find that right balance. Dead Space is one of the best doing it IMO.

 

[Mr. Somebody]

So basically, "back in my day games were better"?

Yea. This guy sounds like he misses his games from his day but this, is a new day and this is what we like now. Im glad they've empowered the player more. If they want to bring survival horror back they have to make a game that has more options to survive. It has to be more open ended to accomodate the imagination of friends in how they handle certain situations. Those old games were structured in a way where your options were limited to run or die in some cases. That doesnt accomodate the players imagination. I like where the games are now. High intensity thrills and grand scale big budgets. Makes you feel like you're doing something important, saving the world. Escaping a mansion these days, is corny. Especially when the heroes are cops and military members.

Again, the only thing that can bring survival horror back is mixing all elements together so the player can run or he can use his wits to deal with problems. Till then, we're destroying zombies and demonic forces with high end weaponry.

 

[Dwolf]

The survival horror genre? Yeah I would say so. Games overall are better now, but they are easier to cater to the casuals...it sucks that not many can find that right balance. Dead Space is one of the best doing it IMO.

Been hearing that, back in my day argument, for almost everything these days. Some times thats not the case. I feel like what made most of those games scary back then was the lack of control due to the limitations of the systems. I think RE6 is just RE4 with more gameplay options.

 

[NZA]

one of the greatest games of all time, and yeah, it killed the survival horror genre as we know it.

i think i may have even been the first poster in the rec room to have it and type about it. at the time it was a gamecube exclusive, and there werent as many dedicated gamecubers. that game was a LEAP in just about every category. it appears that maybe last of us can be this gen's equivalent of a game that almost seems too next gen to be of this gen.

but back on subject, that video was totally right. this game caused a serious problem. none of the imitators, including RE sequels after this, are as well made. because they arent up to par, they dont have the atmosphere, pacing, and set pieces that still make you feel like you are in a horror movie. all you are left with is an action game mixed with a horror game that doesnt do either genre justice. im done with survival horror completely until they make something reminiscent of earlier REs.

 

[Liquid]

Been hearing that, back in my day argument, for almost everything these days. Some times thats not the case. I feel like what made most of those games scary back then was the lack of control due to the limitations of the systems. I think RE6 is just RE4 with more gameplay options.

Did you even watch the video?

It was mostly because the player was weaker with fewer weapon options AND nobody else to watch your back like you can now. I do agree that gaming overall is better these days, but the survival horror genre? Hell nah

 

[Liquid]

@hexagram23 I see you, comment

 

[MightyHealthy]

Been hearing that, back in my day argument, for almost everything these days. Some times thats not the case. I feel like what made most of those games scary back then was the lack of control due to the limitations of the systems. I think RE6 is just RE4 with more gameplay options.

Close, but I think it was less about the tank controls...more about limited ammo, building up dread, and focusing on escape.

RE2 was the perfect balance of gameplay and story for me...Chris's sister looking for him, Leon's first day on the job...going through the RPD building, Racc00n City in mass chaos, that big ass alligator in the sewers

 

[NZA]

i think they should switch from zombies over to slashers.

have you play as some generic chick from a slasher film. one girl hosts a slumber party in her grandparents' old mansion, they invite some boys, it's all the usual slasher flick debauchery until the lights and phone are cut off. people start making bad choices, talking bout "lets split up" and "i'll check that noise in the attic" or "hey, that large man in the gazebo is waving at us, i'll ask him if he knows what happened to our lights"

your only weapons would be stuff you expect to find in an old mansion, and you would only wield those weapons with the skill of a typical teenage girl. man, the controversy would send the hype into overload and sell about 30 million copies.

 

[Liquid]

one of the greatest games of all time, and yeah, it killed the survival horror genre as we know it.

i think i may have even been the first poster in the rec room to have it and type about it. at the time it was a gamecube exclusive, and there werent as many dedicated gamecubers. that game was a LEAP in just about every category. it appears that maybe last of us can be this gen's equivalent of a game that almost seems too next gen to be of this gen.

but back on subject, that video was totally right. this game caused a serious problem. none of the imitators, including RE sequels after this, are as well made. because they arent up to par, they dont have the atmosphere, pacing, and set pieces that still make you feel like you are in a horror movie. all you are left with is an action game mixed with a horror game that doesnt do either genre justice. im done with survival horror completely until they make something reminiscent of earlier REs.

Hmm I never thought about "The Last Of Us" being the RE4 of this generation, but you might have a point if that AI is as good as it appears to be. Did you ever play Dead Space? I think you would like that game.

I will take for example RE and RE2 as Chewy mentioned. You were searching all over the mansion for ink ribbons, ammo, chests to store things in, searching for a radio signal to contact other team members, looking for keys and forced to make decisions on who and when to dodge enemies because you never had all the resources at your disposal.

Remember Chris? Dude had 6 pockets in RE and you had to use that for...Herbs, Weapons, Ammo, First Aid Spray, Ink Ribbons, etc. shyt got real when you were low on Ammo and were in a spot that had hunters around.

 

[hex]

@hexagram23 I see you, comment

I feel like blaming "RE4" is a cop out.

Let's be real here, the OG "Resident Evil" games controlled like a drunk person driving a tank. And the shooting wasn't much better. The focus was on being scary, and everything else was secondary.

Well, as time went on, technology got better. So did game play. So "RE4" was just the same exact games, but with better control/shooting. We had the same argument with "Mass Effect" 1 and 2. People complained Bioware turned the 2nd game into a shooter. No, the first game was supposed to be a shooter and Bioware didn't know what the fukk they were doing.

Anyway, "RE4" is so great because it struck the perfect balance between the horror of the old games and the more precise controls of the new gen. Since then Capcom has moved farther and farther into the "new gen" with more action, more elaborate controls, action set pieces, an AI partner....basically the technology and gameplay kept advancing, but they left the horror behind. Yeah the first step was "RE4" but people can't blame it, as if they're too stupid to come up with new ways to scare people. You don't see them doing it in any other genre of gaming...."well, that's about as good as it can possibly get, it's all down hill from here".

Fred.

 

[hex]

And "Dead Space" just proves my point. The dude is lumbering around slow as fukk. And that shyt was scary.

He ain't doing flips and SWAT rolls and all kinds of crazy shyt. It's kinda hard to be scared in a game when you're basically Jason Statham. The "RE" series turned what was supposed to be outgunned underdogs into action heroes.

Fred.