JBoc924We still have a few months left in 2011, so that means we’re still celebrating Resident Evil’s 15th anniversary. Capcom’s been celebrating it as well– if you haven’t noticed. Just this year alone we got Resident Evil: The Mercenaries 3D for the Nintendo 3DS, and two HD remastered editions of two classic entries: Resident Evil 4 and CODE: Veronica X. But that’s not all. We still have Slant Six’s Operation Raccoon City looming in the horizon, set for a Winter launch. And then we got the big gun, Resident Evil Revelations, which is set for release on February 7, 2012.
Yeah, that’s a lot of Resident Evil games– despite some of those not being actually “new.” The two key games from the aforementioned line-up are Operation Raccoon City and Revelations. The former presents a more radical change to the Resident Evil formula– which can be seen as having started with the release of Resident Evil 4. While the latter is a true-to-the-bones survival horror entry in the series– exclusive to the 3DS, though being developed as a full-blown home console title. It’s easy to see how Capcom is approaching this beloved gaming property just by looking at these two games.
Whereas fans are crying foul at the third-person shooter, squad-based Operation Raccoon City and its action-packed antics taking things up a notch from Resident Evil 5, there are still those who actually prefer this type of Resident Evil– which is, of course, free of the many elements that make up a classic, traditional, survival horror game. Hell, even the game’s producer, Masachika Kawata, himself stated how Capcom wanted “to make a shooter, not a survival horror game.” Those words aren’t exactly all that amiable to fans who’ve been yearning for the series’ triumphant return to true survival horror. But rest assured, Operation Raccoon City will still retain series staples that have been long established (it’s set between the events of Resident Evil 2 and 3 for crying out loud)– it’s just going to be taking things to a whole other level in terms of where the series could go if it took its once-light third person shooter approach down a more traditional (meaning more action-oriented) route, complete with cover and *gasp* the ability to move and shoot simultaneously.
Having said that, we then have the highly-anticipated 3DS-exclusive, Resident Evil Revelations. This game, taking place between Resident Evil 4 and 5, brings backs series’ all-STARS, Chris and Jill, this time separating them and teaming them up with new faces, Jessica and Parker, respectively. This is the game where we’ll be seeing the early days of the BSAA which was already in full effect in Resident Evil 5. This is also the game where things will go back to how they used to be, pre-Resident Evil 4 (as masterful as that game was and continues to be to this day). And this is where Capcom’s current plans for the series are quite evident: there’s two audiences within the fanbase, one loves the more action oriented entries, while others loathe them and prefer true horror experiences; Capcom’s going to cater to both going forth. And as a result, we have Operation Raccoon City and Revelations for both camps to look forward to.
Which side are you on? I know where my loyalties reside. Quite simply I’m down for wherever the series may go. I’ve been a fan since the launch of Resident Evil 2 and continue to be. This is my all-time favorite game series, and I’m not going to start hating it just because Capcom is trying new things with the property. Instead, I’m going to continue supporting them going into the future (though I’m sure the words “support” and “Capcom” aren’t really meant to reside in the same sentence, to some fans). Yeah, like almost all of you, I prefer the series to be all about survival horror at its finest, but a little change and experimenting won’t hurt. Operation Raccoon City and Revelation’s producer, Masachika Kawata, puts it best with this, possibly initially harrowing, statement:
“I’m thinking that if we would have brought out all these Resident Evil titles, and they were all focused on survival horror, absolutely I think people would be really sick of Resident Evil.”
Deep breath. Inhale, and exhale. Okay, now. This may be a rather hard pill of a statement to swallow, but Kawata’s right. Think about it. If every single entry were to play it safe– in not just this series but in every other as well– then fans will come to a point where their interest will slowly start degrading, in which they’ll start looking for other alternatives to get the fix they used to get with their initially favored series. It’s just the way things are– which can be a good or bad thing, of course. But it’s nice to see Capcom at least attempting to reach out to both audiences, instead of opting to favor one over the other. It’s a great time to be a Resident Evil fan, so let’s continue celebrating the series’ 15th anniversary and continue loving to step back into the world of survival horror for many more years to come– even if said world of survival horror can at times be a bit more action-packed.
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