Tag Archives: survival horror

First Impressions of the Resident Evil 2 Remake

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As big a fan I am of the Resident Evil game series, I have never had the chance to play every single game—particularly the early ones. The three sequels to the original game—2, 3, and Code Veronica—were only available on consoles by the time I really got in the franchise. I never got into playing games on the Playstation, Xbox, or Gamecube, and I doubt I will ever invest in one of those consoles.

Which is why I was elated when I first heard news in 2015 that Resident Evil 2 would be completely remade as a high-definition game. Past the initial announcement by the production company, Capcom, there was zero news or updates on the remake’s development until late last year. I got more hyped for this new game the more I learned about it, but I also tried to stay spoiler-free until I could experience it for the first time.

In anticipation of the game’s release on January 25, I invested in a better computer that would be built according to my preferences. While I didn’t get my new PC as soon as I wanted, I was able to play the remake for the first time on January 27 on a Surface Book.

And—aside from the glitches I experienced on the less-than-optimal hardware—the game definitely didn’t disappoint.

As with the original game, the plot follows the adventures of rookie cop Leon Kennedy and college student Claire Redfield—each of them braving a zombie-infested city for their own reasons. You can start the game with either character, but neither impacts how the other’s story plays out like it did in the original—more on that later. It was nice to see more realistic versions of all the characters from the original story, as well as the reimagined and very detailed environments to explore. Graphics-wise, the remake is spectacular.

Lack of knowledge on what to expect made the new and improved Resident Evil 2 a very nerve-wracking experience, though I wouldn’t call that a bad thing. Part of what made it so was that there were certain creatures that didn’t show up in the same locations where they were first seen in the original game. Since I didn’t know where I’d encounter a monster, I was very cautious on my first run through the police station. I very much enjoyed this venture into the unknown—I don’t think it would have been as enjoyable if everything had played out exactly the same.

Another source of tension stemmed from how hard it was to determine if a creature was down for the count. My reaction to a monster getting back up after I thought I’d killed it went as follows: Oh, my God, you’re not dead! Panic fire!

I started my first run playing as Claire. It took me near 11 hours just to get through her campaign—9 hours for Leon—but I enjoyed every minute. Part of what took me so long was that I got stuck at various points—sometimes on a puzzle that should have been easy to figure out. And the locations were at times difficult to traverse—I had to keep consulting the maps for each area to determine how to get to a certain room.

Even the glitches I encountered on the Surface Book made the remake an interesting experience. At one point early in the game, I actually had a zombie walk right through me. The other glitch that really stood out was when I was trying to get supporting character Sherry to hide from one of the bad guys—she kept spazzing out and repeatedly bobbing up and down. In retrospect, I wish I had a recording of the latter—it was really funny to see.

There are many creatures to fear in the remake. But the most daunting has to be Mr. X, a titan who relentlessly pursues you through the different areas—especially if you’re playing Leon’s campaign. And I found out the hard way that hiding from him doesn’t work—if you stay in one place too long, he will inevitably find you. Since he can take away half your health in one hit and will only drop for so long if you shoot him enough times, running is more advisable. Even the sound of his pounding footsteps—whether he’s on the same floor or overhead—can easily work your last nerve.

What made the game even more entertaining were my own blunders. You’re limited on how many items you can carry at one time. My inventory was full when I stumbled upon an item I needed to get through a nearby locked door. I had to discard some ammo I thought I could do without—you can’t retrieve something after it’s thrown away. Ironically, I found the gun that this ammo went with minutes later.

One of my other mistakes originated when I was running from Mr. X. I ended up trapped in a hallway surrounded by three different creature types. In spite of how harrowing that situation was, I could help but start laughing when I was killed.

Another thing I loved about the remake was how well the characters—main or supporting—were fleshed out. I found it easy to feel sorry for police lieutenant Marvin Branaugh, gun shop owner Robert Kendo, and even Umbrella scientists William and Annette Birkin with how their respective stories played out. Not so much with police chief Brian Irons, who is just as vile as he was in the original game.

What makes the remake even better is that it recreates a pair of mini-games that were presented in the original version. Firstly, there is a scenario called the 4th Survivor that has an Umbrella soldier code-named HUNK (Human Unit Never Killed) who must run through a monster-laden gauntlet to an extraction point. I attempted this mode once, but didn’t make it very far before I got overwhelmed. 4th Survivor is a difficult game to beat—stopping to shoot the creatures in your path is a waste of ammo. But I will definitely keep trying.

The other mini-game is identical to 4th Survivor except that you’re playing as a joke character from the original Resident Evil 2. The Tofu Survivor has you as a human-sized block of tofu armed only with a knife who must run through the same gauntlet. Even the Tofu character looks incredibly realistic from the texture to the way he jiggles when he runs. What makes it funnier is that Tofu gets chunks taken out of him as he takes damage. I haven’t yet played this mode, but YouTube videos I’ve watched have shown me you can unlock four additional Tofu characters, each with a different arsenal to help them get through the gauntlet. I very much look forward to trying out this mini-game for myself.

On February 15th, another mini-game titled Ghost Survivors was released as a free add-on to the remake. Ghost Survivors explores what-if scenarios for several characters who perished in the main story—what if they had lived to see another day? The roster includes Robert Kendo, mayor’s daughter Katherine Warren, an Umbrella soldier code-named Ghost, and sheriff Daniel Cortini. As entertaining as it was to see each of them escape their fate, Ghost Survivors is an extremely challenging mode to get through. You must make every bullet count—if playing as Kendo, Katherine or Ghost, you must carefully decide what items you’ll need to advance. I’ve yet to beat any scenario on standard mode—each campaign in Ghost Survivors features a training mode that reduces the number of enemies and makes them easier to eliminate. It may take time, but I believe I’ll find strategies that will help me get through each scenario in one piece. And it would be a treat to see a Ghost Survivors 2 that changes the fates of other supporting characters in the remake.

My only gripe is that Leon and Claire’s stories don’t really sync up in the remake. In the original game, the character you started with dictated the path taken by the other—if Leon unlocked a door in his campaign, it stayed accessible for Claire. In the remake, the second character must track down the same keys and solve the same puzzles as the first in order to advance. What further separates the two campaigns is Annette’s actions—if Leon and Claire’s stories were connected to each other, then the ending would have Annette in two places at once.

The Resident Evil 2 Remake is such a fantastic game chock full of content that I don’t see it getting old anytime soon. The developers have done such a great job revitalizing what made the original game so enjoyable that I can’t wait to see what will come next for the franchise. I have heard rumors that the third game in the series would also be remade if enough fans demanded it—rumors that look very likely to become a reality. Since the original Resident Evil 3 was the biggest nail-biter in the franchise, I imagine that a new and improved version will be an even bigger scare-fest.

Bring it on.

Resident Evil: Vendetta – Movie Review

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Warning:  There are spoilers in this article.

It’s no secret to anyone who knows me is aware I am a huge fan of the Resident Evil video game series.  The same cannot be said for the live action “adaptation” films starring Milla Jovovich.  Though they featured many of the same characters from the game series, it was in name only.  My main problem with the live action movies are their complete disregard for the established stories, conflicts, and character histories that make the games so resonant and fantastic.

I much prefer the anime films which are more closely tied to and expand on the game series.  I enjoy Degeneration (2008) and Damnation (2012) so much that I’ve made them part of my DVD library.  When I first heard news of a third animated film called Vendetta, it instantly was added to my list of movies to see.  And that was before I found out it would mark the return of a character – Rebecca Chambers – who hadn’t been seen since the first two chronological games in the series.

I was even more excited to find out I would be able to see Vendetta on the big screen.  I purchased a ticket ahead of time on the site, FathomEvents.com, for a one-night showing on June 19.  This was something I had never done before, but it is a site I may go back to since they also bring older films back to select theaters for special showings.

I was pleasantly surprised by the décor of the theater – AMC Livonia 20 — showing Vendetta.  It looked much nicer and neater than the one I usually frequent – Star Southfield.  The one thing I was even more surprised about was that there was even a bar serving alcoholic beverages on the premises.  I’ve never been to a theater that featured such a thing.

As an added bonus, the theater had airplane seats that were quite cozy.  It wasn’t long before I settled in and waited for the film to start.  I was the first one there, but the place gradually filled with at least twenty to thirty more people.  I even struck up a short conversation with one of the movie-goers, whose husband was a bigger fan of Resident Evil than she was.  We didn’t exchange names, but I did find out the latest entry in the game series terrified her.

What made Vendetta even more enjoyable was that a documentary was shown prior to the actual film that talked about the making of the movie.  It even had the three main voice actors sharing their thoughts about the film.

Though I had seen a YouTube video depicting the first nine minutes of Vendetta ahead of time, the theater had such a good sound system that it made the opening sequence very creepy.  There were parts that were so explosively loud that it raised the tension level, especially when preceded by a quiet moment.   The sound of a gun being fired was at such a volume that it seemed like it had leapt off the screen.

Clockwise from top left – Leon, Glenn Arias, Chris, Rebecca

 

Joining the ranks of the many villains in the series is Glenn Arias, a bad guy with a tragic backstory.  In an effort to take out the notorious arms dealer, the government launched an attack on Arias’ wedding day.  Though he survived, he lost many of the people he cared about, including his new bride.  In retaliation, Arias went from dealing in conventional weapons to bio-weapons.

While it’s unlikely that Arias knew how to manufacture a new virus to threaten and potentially destroy the world with, he is quite the formidable villain.  I thought he was very similar to the franchise’s biggest baddie, Albert Wesker, but without the superpowers.  Arias is still a fast and spry enough fighter to give experienced soldier Chris Redfield a run for his money.

The movie’s fights are spectacular, especially for an animated film.  The mix of motion capture and choreography churns out some of the most amazing battles I’ve seen.

However, there were also moments that seemed a bit over-the-top and unrealistic.  For instance, seeing government agent Leon Kennedy shoot and take down a creature while leaning off the side of a motorcycle he’s driving on the freeway can’t be physically possible.

I also loved the story and the character arcs.  Each of the main characters is given their moment to shine, especially university professor and biochemist Rebecca.  Not only does she break up an argument between Chris and Leon, but she also reminds both why they’re in the fight against bio-terrorism.

One thing I found a bit iffy is that Rebecca becomes the damsel in distress in the second half of the film.  Arias abducts and attempts to woo her because she bears a strong resemblance to the wife he lost.  The mere fact that he believes she’ll reciprocate demonstrates just how psychotic he is.

Overall, I really enjoyed the movie – though I would have liked to know more about this new virus and how it worked.  Creating a strain that allows the host to differentiate between friend and foe rather than attack everyone in sight seems to be too complex for an arms dealer.  I’m inclined to think that Arias had help in this endeavor.

I look forward to more animated films in the future, especially if they match the caliber of Vendetta.  And it was good to find a new favorite movie theater in the process.

 

Photo credits:

Glenn Arias — https://images.nowloading.co/images/c_limit,q_auto:good,w_600/uvj7sycwjrjglfbsfrch/let-s-take-a-closer-look-at-the-player-characters-of-resident-evil-vendetta.jpg

Chris – http://scontent.cdninstagram.com/t51.2885-15/e35/15337152_1833873270157948_2646422972209823744_n.jpg?ig_cache_key=MTQxMjYwMjk1NDc1ODcyMjY0NQ%3D%3D.2

Leon – http://www.imfdb.org/images/thumb/f/ff/Resident_Evil_Vendetta_05.jpg/600px-Resident_Evil_Vendetta_05.jpg

Rebecca — https://i.ytimg.com/vi/C5uGdP_xtxo/maxresdefault.jpg

First Experience with Dead Rising 4

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Note:  There are spoilers in this article.

 

Though Dead Rising 4 was released in December 2016, I was unable to play it until mid-March.  I had to wait until it was made available for my favorite gaming hub, the Steam Network, before I could download it.  Unlike Resident Evil 7, my resolve to stay spoiler-free until I could experience the game for myself was successful.

Like Resident Evil 7, I was certain that Dead Rising 4 would not run on my computer.  I chose to test it anyway and was pleasantly surprised when it booted up – although the load time for the starting screen took a while.  The only nitpicks I initially had were that shadows appear as distorted, blocky shapes, and there was a bit of a lag in the gameplay.  But that’s nothing that ruined the experience for me.  All I care about is that a game runs without crashing.

After the ending of Dead Rising 3 seemed to guarantee that there would be no more zombie outbreaks and that the story was over, the fourth game added another layer to the overall narrative.  In a lot of ways, Dead Rising 4 goes back to the roots of the series – it features photojournalist Frank West as the lead protagonist, takes place in the town of Willamette after a zombie outbreak has started, and has an intriguing mystery at its core.  It even lends some more depth to Dr. Barnaby, one of the antagonists in the original game who was responsible for starting the zombie epidemic in the first place.

One of the things I liked best about Dead Rising 4 is that, unlike its predecessors, there were no time constraints.  Instead of rushing through the game to solve the mystery before the clock ran out, I took my time exploring and killing zombies to my heart’s content.  I also love that the game brought back the option to dress the main character in a variety of wacky outfits, as well as create combo weapons and vehicles.  To take it one step further, Frank has access to a piece of military tech called an Exo-suit that can amplify his speed and strength.  In this outing, he throws cars at zombies to off them if he wants.  So far, I haven’t made much use of the Exo-suits apart when the game makes it a mission objective to put one on.  It is something to explore further.

While I encountered more than a few game glitches – my PC is old – nothing ruined the overall experience.  The one that really got annoying was when I undertook a mission to take out all the zombies present inside a pool hall.  Toward the end of the fight, the camera panned up to show a shot of some second story windows before a handful of the more aggressive zombies crashed through them; the camera angle remained fixed on the windows all through the ensuing fight and its aftermath.  While I worked out a way to kill the remaining creatures regardless, I was unable to exit the building since I couldn’t face the door.  Fortunately, this problem was corrected by loading the checkpoint given to me at the conclusion of the fight.

Apart from that glitch and the general lag in the gameplay, the other bugs I encountered regularly were seeing one or two zombies embedded inside a wall or walking into a room that is completely black.  I couldn’t see anything even with night vision enabled inside these black rooms.  While I enjoyed the game even with these glitches, I hope a newer, better computer will help eliminate them.

Overall, I liked the story developed for Dead Rising 4, but I also feel there are ways in which it could be better.  For starters, the character of Vick, one of Frank’s journalism students, didn’t live up to her potential.  In the opening chapter, I got the sense that she had a personal stake against the military group called Obscuris that was secretly creating and experimenting on zombies.  Had Obscuris taken someone Vick cared about for their experiments?  I was disappointed when this idea didn’t play out; Vick was simply a budding journalist out to write a prize-winning story.

I was also a bit disappointed with Calder, the “uber-zombie” hinted at during the first half of the game.  I remember feeling a sense of dread as I chased him through a train yard filled with mangled, heavily dented cars and then into the sewers.  I didn’t know what kind of monster to expect, but a highly intelligent former soldier decked out in an Exo-suit wasn’t quite it.  What made it weirder was when Frank caught up with Calder, the latter was, for some unknown reason, hell-bent on destroying the research that created him.

I felt that Calder and his motives could have been fleshed out better.  And if I had written the story, I would have had it so Vick and Calder were blood-related.  That would have made for quite the dramatic climax.

The ending to the main game still had its share of drama.  The final scene had Frank pulled from the rescue chopper by a horde of zombies and supposedly killed.  However, there has been news of an expansion pack called Frank Rising that will continue the story and have Frank striving to find a cure for zombie-ism before he fully joins the ranks of the undead.

I don’t know if there are any revelations that would allow for another game in the series.  Unless the company behind the Dead Rising franchise can come up with an intriguing, believable story for a fifth game, this may truly be the end of the road.  Whatever the future holds, I’ve definitely enjoyed the ride so far!

Despite my enthusiasm for Dead Rising 4, the game got pushed to the side for about a week in favor of Mass Effect: Andromeda – more on that in my next blog.