Resident Evil 6 HD for the PS4 is another attempt by Capcom to convince fans that this was a fun title, but it ends up becoming a sorry way to promote a failure with shinier graphics.
As someone from the Silicon Valley, the tech culture is not embarrassed by failure, as it promotes a plethora of fresh ideas and the results serve as a learning experience. Sadly, Capcom is trying too hard to pretend that Resident Evil 6 was a good title, while missing the point of learning from one’s mistake.
Having released Resident Evil HD and Resident Evil 0 HD while working on a remake of Resident Evil 2, it’s actually really baffling that Resident Evil 6 would be re-released. Most of the fanbase has already forgiven Capcom, so it’s a counter-productive PR move to remind gamers that this installment exists.
The New Evil
As RE6 HD opens, gamers are welcomed to a world where it’s common for terrorists to use the bio-organic weapons (that was not a joke, that’s the actual background story). Gamers take on the role of either Chris Redfield, Leon Kennedy, or Jake Muller (illegitimate son of Albert Wesker) as they each try to contain a viral outbreak and stop Neo-Umbrella.
Resident Evil 6 HD features graphics that are a slight improvement over its PS3 predecessor, while including all the DLCs. Unfortunately, those are the only good things about this title.
Compared to the classic stories that have defined the series, the plot of Resident Evil 6 lacks substance, while being so entangled that it becomes a chore trying to figure out what’s happening.
It’s obvious at this point that Capcom is out of ideas — and instead of starting a new Resident Evil storyline that breaks free from the current arc, they have opted to just keep adding on an unnecessary continuation. Just don’t repeat the mistake of Dino Crisis 3 with “zombies in space”.
Resident Evil: Modern Warfare
Story is just half the problem. The second half is the gameplay, which has abandoned almost all elements that define a horror game. This no longer feels like a survival game, but a fast-paced third-person shooter with “zombies”. It’s a shame that such an iconic series has fallen into the trap of trying to imitate Call of Duty.
Gaming has changed a lot since 1996, but rather than taking advantage of the available resources, Capcom has followed in the footsteps of so many publishers by pandering to the Call of Duty demographic. The result is what feels like a horror game directed by Michael Bay with a fear factor that is the equivalent to a Twilight film.
Finally, the pièce de résistance — a shoehorned multiplayer gameplay that fails to add anything to the overall experience. While multiplayer adds longevity to most gaming experiences, not every game needs it (Resident Evil being an obvious example). Seriously Capcom, stop trying to make multiplayer Resident Evil happen, it’s never going to happen.
Final Thoughts
Overall, the only thing that has been accomplished by Resident Evil 6 HD for the PS4 is reminding fans (who are hooked to Resident Evil HD and Zero HD) that this game unfortunately exists.
Like The Godfather Pt. III, this installment is such an embarrassment to the overall series that most fans would prefer to not recognize it as canon.
Did you play Resident Evil 6 HD or the original PS3 version? Let us know what you think of the game.
