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Forums - Gaming Discussion - Shinji Mikami explains why Resident Evil series became more action-oriented

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darkknightkryta on 30 September 2013
attaboy said:
I only read the OP.

Resident Evil was the first game I got with my Playstation 1. I loved Resident Evil 2 and thought it deserved to be game of the year more than Metal Gear Solid back in 1998. I kinda forced myself to finish Resident Evil 3 and Code Veronica. I purchased RE on the Gamecube and Resident Evil Zero. Old school Resident Evil fans, I'VE PLAYED YOUR GAMES AND I LOVED THEM until the formula got old.

Now, I purchased Resident Evil 4 as many times as legally allowable and I loved it every time. I purchased Resident Evil 5 and 6 on the Xbox 360. I played Resident Evil 5 so many times, it's ridiculous. I knew the complaints that many had with the game and I agree with them and yet, I always found myself playing the game again. That's the reason why I think Resident Evil going the action route is a good thing.

Maybe the name Resident Evil should have been laid to rest. I don't know. I do know that the old school gameplay had run its course. RE4 was a different beast and it was so much fun. Such a good game. While RE on the Gamecube was the scariest game around, it relied on atmosphere and graphics to wow. After the scares were gone and the graphics weren't so amazing (actually, they're still kinda amazing...), what was left? The game wasn't fun to play and the story wasn't really all that. The action route made the series addicting and fun. I'll take fun over tradition any day of the week. The old style just doesn't work anymore.

Yeah, believe it or not, RE5 is my most played game this gen.  I've beaten it over 10 times with various people.  I just wish I had people to play RE6 consistently with.



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ishiki on 30 September 2013
KylieDog said:
DieAppleDie said:
RE 4 sold exactly the same as Remake on GC...how does make any sense


RE4 sold 250k more lifetime, in the space of a few months mostly, compared to REmake's years of sales including as a budget platinum hits title. In other words RE4 sold copies for a higher price as well as selling more copies.

It wasn't entirely wrong to expect better sales from REmake, Code Veronica on Dreamcast sold 200k less than REmake in a short span of time before the Dreamcast died, and with a port to PS2 in only a year from first release which would have lessened Dreamcast sales by a lot.  So REmake being exclusive on a console that wasn't going to die really should have pulled in much better numbers and made most of its sales near release.

Not that it wasn't a totally stupid idea to jump ship from Playstation where the series was born and made a success, for no real benefit (at least when FF did it from Nintendo to PS there were benefits like CD memory capacity).  Should have been multiplat.  RE0 too.

Also, they would have no idea what RE4 would sell when making RE4. They just knew that REmake didn't sell what they wanted it too, so they would try something else.



DanneSandin on 30 September 2013

I honestly don't understand the hype surrounding RE4; I'm playing it on my Wii right now - and it's not even close to as good as people make it out to be... I'd personally be more interested in a more horror oriented theme than this.... shoot 'em up



I'm on Twitter @DanneSandin!

Furthermore, I think VGChartz should add a "Like"-button.

oldschoolfool on 30 September 2013

If it was'nt just on gamecube,then maybe he would have a point. smh!!!!!!!!!!!



DieAppleDie on 30 September 2013
DanneSandin said:
I honestly don't understand the hype surrounding RE4; I'm playing it on my Wii right now - and it's not even close to as good as people make it out to be... I'd personally be more interested in a more horror oriented theme than this.... shoot 'em up


exactly. RE4 is overrated. I like it, actually finished it 3 times on GC and another on Wii, but it is what it is. A shooting game.



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DanneSandin on 01 October 2013
DieAppleDie said:
DanneSandin said:
I honestly don't understand the hype surrounding RE4; I'm playing it on my Wii right now - and it's not even close to as good as people make it out to be... I'd personally be more interested in a more horror oriented theme than this.... shoot 'em up


exactly. RE4 is overrated. I like it, actually finished it 3 times on GC and another on Wii, but it is what it is. A shooting game.

Exactly! Its not a horror game any more, its more of a shooter. As far as survival horror goes, I think there are far better games oit there. Not that RE4 is bad - not at all! Its a good shooter.



I'm on Twitter @DanneSandin!

Furthermore, I think VGChartz should add a "Like"-button.

NoCtiS_NoX on 01 October 2013

If REmake was multi-plat from the start then the sales wouldn't have been terrible. Bad decision from Capcom and Shinji Mikami.

The history of why it happens why I started hating Shinji Mikami. He even blasted KH franchise for crying out loud because it outsold his beloved REmake. >_>

I am still gonna buy Evil within because I want it to succeed becaue I want RE to return to it's roots with balance Horror and action and puzzle solving.



fatslob-:O on 01 October 2013

Is mikami dumb to think that REmake would have done gang busters on gamecube ? I thought it did pretty well considering the disaster that was gamecube.



attaboy on 01 October 2013

What we have is a situation where the Gamecube was banking on the Resident Evil franchise (as well as other Capcom exclusives--Killer 7, PNO3, Viewtiful Joe, and somethig I don't remember) to boost Gamecube sales and Capcom was expecting great sales too. It was a gamble that didn't pay off.



Zkuq on 01 October 2013

So the decision was made based on a remake's sales on the least popular platform (that survived) of the gen? Riiight...