OK, it's about time I made a REAL God damn topic on this forum, and a God damn topic you will be presented with. :ok:

When it comes to Biohazard, I need to spread my tiny self-righteous wings...err...flippers. Something I haven't done in months. But believe me, I'm bored out of my mind as I write this.

OK....

I've always had a thing for horror...Is it the anticipation of entering a new area and not knowing what's on the other side? Is it the characters struggle to escape, while trying to maintain whatever sanity they have left? Or is it the good ol' marketing grip these games have on fans and retailists everywhere?

Actually, if I had to comment, I'd say it's a variety of all those keypoints.

Now onto the good and bad points:

Remember watching Dawn of the Dead as a kid? Dreading the sound of zombies clawing and hacking away at the last safe spot there is in this world? Ever wonder if they could do a game like that, where YOU were the last (or one of the last) people alive, armed with next to nothing and a whole undead army on your behind?


Well, someone did...And his name is Shinji Mikami. In 1996, he created Resident Evil, the granddaddy of survival horror. And as the PlayStation was relatively new back then, it couldn't have come at a better time.

Resident Evil stunned gamers everywhere, with its B-movie feel and classic camera angles. And don't forget...the windows in the hallway. Never had a game been so immensely scary and compelling. All the interesting notes and clues the players obtained only further helped to develop the series' trademark of suspense.

Then Capcom did the inevitable: They made a sequel!! And guess what it was called? Yup. Resident Evil 2.

Resident Evil 2 is arguably easier to complete than the first game, but has more modes, two characters (while RE1 had 2 characters, the stories weren't much different) and RE2 debuted the auto aim feature, which was brutally absent from the original.

Next up comes Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, released less than a year after RE2. Rumour has it that Capcom had already began work on Resident Evil: Code Veronica, the original RE3.

RE3: Nemesis was a bigger improvement over RE2, introducing the dodge technique, and the side step, as well as the handiest ammo tool known to man. This tool allowed you to customise your own ammo to even the score against the Nemesis. The titular character is like this huge repulsive zombie (who weights as much as a tank) yet is very agile and persistant. He even carries a rocket launcher from time to time, making certain encounters more threatening...And he wants all the S.T.A.R.S. members dead, and that happens to be YOU!!

Then the Dreamcast arrived, and I couldn't afford one at first. So I had to wait a long time to get one cheaper. Well, CVX was later released on the PS2. Not a lot of difference except it had more Wesker scenes and Steve had brighter hair.

About CVX: I hear a lot of fans whining about this game and it's so unfair. CVX has the best story out of all the others...Sure Steve was a bit annoying, but I didn't find him that irritating...If anything, he was a big help to Claire until her brother rescued her at the Antartic base.

Besides, what's scarier than being trapped on a prison island with a torture chamber, a transvestite and no rescue team in sight?

Now here comes the remake...One of the best remakes in history. Introduced a new enemy in Lisa Trevor and the defense items. Personally, they're a blessing. Remember RE1 in the PSOne days? A zombie grabs you and you cannot do crap about it? Well, not here.

The remake was followed by the prequel, RE Zero. Very similar to the remake in terms of graphics, I felt it did nothing for the story. As a RE game, it makes a worthy stand alone title. But ultimately, it falls short of being a classic.

Next up, the Gun Survivor titles. One of them was loosely based on Code Veronica, while the original Gun Survivor title was about a man with amnesia. The first two games had restrictive controls, bad aiming and terrible voice acting. Something that plagued all the main games as well.

To improvise, Capcom made Resident Evil: Dead Aim, a side story about a few characters attempts to put an end to Umbrella. As unlucky as one can be, you play a couple of government agents aboard a cruiseliner. As usual, a viral outbreak has occured and you gotta apprehend the man responsible. Unfortunately, the man soon becomes a woman, complete with boobs and lightning bolts. And so marks the weirdest RE boss character yet in Morpheus D. Duvall...

For some reason, Dawn of the Dead was resurrected as a remake and Capcom decided to pay tribute by creating the 'Outbreak' series. In my opinion, Capcom only got them half right and paying £40 for a half arsed sequel in Outbreak File #2 was like paying a fine for dropping litter...

After years of waiting for RE4, it finally came out in March of 2005 in the UK...A supposed sequel, RE4 turned out to be better (or worse) than the others with better controls, camera angles, weapons and a story straight out of a James Bond flick. However, it disappointed some loyal fans (myself included) by doing away with Umbrella and giving us a game with little to no scare factor.

Realistically, the plot of RE4 isn't as screwed up as it seems. For Umbrella are run by the government and all it takes is them to pull the plug. Any remaining criminals are caught and apprehended indefinitely. Why would they send humans to finish them off anyway? Anybody smart would have nothing to do with Umbrella or the zombies, etc. So RE4 just speeded things up and killed off Umbrella in one FMV.

So RE4 featured new enemies and a new threat with Las Plagas. Some say this is more science-fiction than horror, although some scenes are especially gruesome, like decapitation at the merciless hands of the chainsaw villagers. They had strange names, but I cannot remember what they were.

RE5 is still miles away. Looks like they're pulling an RE4 by making us wait, and the lack of news is starting to affect the die-hard RE community, who are now turning to Silent Hill instead.

Discuss.

Interesting topic, P3nguin. You certainly know the computer horror game genre. The most horror-filled game I've ever played was Zork Nemesis, so I can't really comment on the others you mentioned. I've been attracted to horror movies in the past, especially Vampire stories, and I think it had something to do with the spiritual element. I certainly didn't enjoy the blood and gore. I've never played Masquerade or the Vampire series of games, though, as I suspect they won't have the same impact....or that certain ingredient I like about the movie counterparts. I usually prefer horror entertainment that has an element of beauty as well...the contrast of the two elements of beauty and the beastly is usually delicious.

Sorry to be a bit off-topic. I really wanted to let you know that your post was interesting and appreciated.

Wow... wendymaree... it's the first time I see her... She really exists... :omg2:

OK.
Resident Evil is the best game series I played so far. I love these games!
Nothing even dragged me so close to the story and the character you play as the RE-series.

I played 1, 2, Nemesis and Veronica X.

The movies are an unbound cheek. They screwed the story the charcters and even the timeline. THE TIMELINE! One of the most important and interesting things in the series. It doesn't feel like Resident Evil at all.

@wendymaree (...miracle...):
I remember playing Zorc Nemesis with a friend. It was uneasing and eerie. And it was so SILENT!!! :ph34r: Every sound made you shiver it could happen something bad.
And I remember it was played on 7 (SEVEN!) CDs. <_<

Hi, Icewolf, are you saying I'm famous (infamous?) in my own lunch time? ^_^ :max:

Glad to meet another Zork Nemesis fan. About the silence, there weren't many appearances by other characters, although the ones who did appear (in flashbacks) were unforgettable. The acting was first-class, wasn't it? Loved the eerie music..also first rate. Wish they'd do another in the Zork series. Fan game, anyone?

Sorry, off-topic again.. :whistling:

RE has nice intro, but that's wehre it ended for me. The strange movement arround 3D space was too uncomfortable for me (the changing camera angle). i was a bit dissapointed because of that, cause i was eager to play it. i saw some nice things, but didn't really progress far in the game due to the way the surroundings is manipulated.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gregor @ Feb 1 2007, 01:19 PM) [snapback]277477[/snapback]</div>That's exactly why the graphics could be quite good on the PS1 and why it was so scary - you couldn't see everything. Uh, I just remember the scene, when the licker first appears... :ph34r:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(gregor @ Feb 1 2007, 01:19 PM) [snapback]277477[/snapback]</div>See? BTW: I was always comfortable with the controls. Pushing up is always running forward. No matter what the camera does. You simply move like you were playing in over-head-view. Left is always left and so is right. :w00t: (What a conclusion!!! ^_^ )

@wendymaree: Yes that's what I'm saying. You reviewed quite some games and seem to be a very valuable member here. :ok:
BTW: Zork Nemesis -> for AB?! I'm gonna check it out. ZN was exceedingly difficult. Or we were just too young. ^_^

EDIT: typos... <_<

I reviewed and uploaded Return to Zork at one stage, but it was removed during the ESA cull. All the newer Zork games are protected...and I think the early ones might be, too.

I now return you to your scheduled topic, Resident Evil. :ph34r:

:offtopic:

Zork Nemesis. Protected and still sold. <_<

Well, I can see you love Resident Evil, but saying that it is the granddaddy of survival horror seems a mistake to me, because before it (many years before) there was a game that had many of the features that RE uses. That game is the great Alone in the Dark, a true revolution when it appeared. It even had two sequels before Capcom's game first appeared.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Tito @ Feb 2 2007, 06:22 PM) [snapback]277740[/snapback]</div>That's true. :ok:

Resident Evil 5 will be in Famitsu's next issue.

didn't like them much since they were awkward to play. and the pc port of RE4 is out now (looks worse than ps2 and gc though) and it's basically a bad port

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JJXB @ Feb 7 2007, 09:12 PM) [snapback]278405[/snapback]</div>:ranting: Why, oh why, oh why!!!?!?!! Why does everybody say this?
Maybe it's so simple that it's awkward again... ?! (assuming you're talking about the controls) :blink:
No personal offense JJXB.
I always found ot so logically and easy! :huh:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Icewolf @ Feb 8 2007, 11:21 AM) [snapback]278466[/snapback]</div>:ranting: Why, oh why, oh why!!!?!?!! Why does everybody say this?
Maybe it's so simple that it's awkward again... ?! (assuming you're talking about the controls) :blink:
No personal offense JJXB.
I always found ot so logically and easy! :huh:
[/b][/quote]
the characters are clunky to move around, controls are a bit of a pain in the arse at times (on pc, psx and n64) and in general the whole system of movement is flawed. it also annoys me when i go up to a door/stairs and it goes though this whole stupid animation to demonstrate the action. and there's also the inventory system that got me wound up at times. so i have plenty of reasons not to like it.

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(JJXB @ Feb 8 2007, 12:25 PM) [snapback]278469[/snapback]</div>I don't understand this. The controls are just like bird's-eye-view all the time. So this is just a logic-thing. Pressing 'up' is walking/running forward all the time. If you run towards a wall and the view changes, you still run towards a wall until you steer left or right. It stays the same. I never got how people could bother. :huh:
I see but I like to discuss and still: no offense. It's occasionally you answering directly. Maybe you could explain closer why you don't like it. But maybe you just says "Dunno, I just don't like it!" I'm afraid I have to accept that. ^_^

"should" be thrilling. but it gets repetitive after a while when you just want to get to a location and your running away from zombies or something similar

it's basically the slot system (yes, realism is one thing but a gun taking 2 slots up? stupidity) meaning you have to keep putting essential items away in the chests when you need the room for something else (like ammo)

Agreed. If you just want to search something or get something from a chest it gets annoying.
Wouldn't you agree that a machine gun takes up more space in a backpack than a Barretta?
Basically I always made up my mind thoroughly when I was at a chest. I always kept my main weapon and the appropriate ammo. Sometimes a secondary weapon with ammo. Secret stuff like keys or coins. Ink ribbon went just back into the chest when I used it. And I always try just to keep one slot with healing stuff. You'll find something on the go.
I'd rather say clever management.
But hey - if it makes you go :vomit: anyways, it doesn't matter.
The Diablo equipment management just came to my mind. That was one clever invention (though it's not originally from Diablo).

I love the first person survival horror genre too. I remember RE1 on the playstation. I liked the quiet, unnerving atmosphere punctuated by bursting moments of terror. The rough Japanese translation of dialog was a bit laughable at times.

I watched RE4 on Youtube. The one that shows all the ways the main character dies. It looks good and I might check it out later. That one is more of an action game than survial/horror. To me, a true survival horror isn't loud and flashy, it's quiet. It's not what you see, it's what you don't see that makes you freak out.

I have to give a nod to one of my favorite games of the past that made me jump a time or two. Thief. The classic First person sneaker. That one made my heart race a time or two and the little hairs on my neck stand end-wise. Especially the Hammer Haunts. I loved the surreal cut-scenes on that one too.

RE4 is totally the best because the rest were as boring as rocks unless you were five years old.

The best bit about Resident Evil 4 is there is so many impressive ways to die, like come on....

RE2 is the easy one!

Just didnt like the same way to kill the Big Bad Dude Nemesis in the first 3 games in the serie...

didnt play the others...

In case someone find this:
I'm great fan of Re2. I opened every nitty-bitty extras, beaten even To-Fu. Got A rank for Hunk. Finished the game with only a handgun.

But one thing is still a mystery before me after all these years: HOW TO GET AN "S RANK"?

The manual says it can be achieved in the Arrange mode, but nothing else seems sure.
I'd ask CapCom directly, but their system doesn't allow me to register (their system doesn't send me the email with the activation link).

If anyone could help me out, please, do it!

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&s...=&oq=&gs_rfai=

Unfortunatelly I could link you other versions of that kind of description. Like:
http://guidesarchive.ign.com/guides/504/rankings.html
I just don't know which to be trusted.


Also for the version you linked:
What does "one herb" means? Call me a powergamer, but I can think many things:
- only one TYPE of herbs (like 3 green herbs mixed also fits)
- only one herb PER USE (like single green herbs or single blue herbs)
- use herbs ONE TIME (any herb. Even a brown powder, but only once throughout the entire mission)
- use only one single herb (like 1 unmixed green or blue herb)

Can you confirm (not guessing!) any of the above?

There was a wlkthrough in an old Polish games magazine... I think it mentioned the rank requirements at some point.

Now I can officiall confirm that the description in the link is FALSE (or at least not complete).
I've just beaten Leon A scenario in 01:13:XX, used only 1 green herb, saved 3 times (it wasn't among the factors mentioned, but better be on the safe side), and the weapons I used were: handgun (did not upgraded) + SMG (NOT the bonus weapon but the one from the armory).

The IGN link the one you gave is more than likely the correct one. I know my Uncle got the S rank, and the way to do it was along the lines of no saves, certain time, and no first aid sprays. It also says not to use special weapons, those being items that take up two item slots.

Yes, but as I said, there are multiply versions of telling how to get an S rank, involving things from these factors:
- no saving
- finding all files
- no healing OR using only 1 (unmixed?) herb OR using only 1 green herb
- finishing within 1:30:00 OR finishing within 2:30:00
- using non-upgraded weapons (this includes many 2-hex weapons) OR using only upgradeable 1 hex weapons OR using upgradeable 1 hex weapons with the restriction of not using shotgun and magnum (or bowgun and granade launcher in Claire's case) in the same game
- not picking up two weapons from the same kind

So IGN is WRONG about all 2-hex weapons being special weapons. Special weapons are only those which are coming with unlimited ammo as basic (they are all unlockables, and stored in your stash after completion of the scenario. They are: SMG, Gatling Gun, Rocket Launcher).

Also DarthHelmet86 I think you referred on this link, not what I gave above: http://cheats.ign.com/ob2/068/000/000504.html
This time I can confirm that you won't get S rank in this way:
- weapons: handgun, shotgun, magnum (none upgraded)
- saves: 1
- healing: none
- my time was: 1:04:44

As it turned out magnum does short work on the last boss, I think next time I'll try with 0 saves, and not getting the shotgun compared to the previous try.

The link I gave was this one http://guidesarchive.ign.com/guides/504/rankings.html thats also the one I looked at, not this other one you are now talking about. The one I am linking is from the IGN guide, that makes it pretty certain to be true. It quite clearly says that to get the best rank you CAN NOT save at all. MUST beat a certain time and not use First Aid sprays. No mention of herbs, but I would say none of them either. And only using stuff liike the Pistol and Shotgun.

I am not saying that this will get you the S rank, as the website says it will get you the A rank. Which according to them is the highest rank, now that I think about I never saw what rank my uncle got just that he got the best one. It is in fact possible that there is no S rank. The manual could be wrong, or miss translated.

So try again see what happens, you are already doing an awesome job beating the game in the hardest way possible.

That link also says your time-limit is 2:30, the S rank is only avaiable for the N64 version platform only, that all 2-hex weapons lowers your rank (this is simply false, I always use the 2-hex weapons, save 3 times, use mixed herbs and get A ranking) etc. That link is NOT by any means trustable.

The manual for ALL VERSIONS (repleacementdocs.com provides them) says the same thing: there is S rank in the Arrange-mode (the one with auto-aiming), but not in the Original mode (the manual calls it European version, but the forums seems to referr on this as the USA-version. Here you have to aim manually). So I highly doubt it is a mistranslation.


But anyway thanks for your support :) Even If it turns out there is no S rank, I'll only pissed a little. Hey, I tried to find Akuma for ages (finished the game with using the pistol only many-many times) - until I managed to ask CapCom, what confirmed that rly was an APrilFool's joke.

I don't think there is an S rank in the game after all. My stats were this time:
- Leon A, Normal, Arrange Mode
- no special outfit (just got into my mind to mention this)
- used 1 green herb
- used pistol + magnum only, no upgrade
- time: 01:04:24
- 0 saves

Feel no shame mate, you are playing the game at an elite level. Few would have tried this many times to beat the game and get this elusive rank. Just for you....


Rank S

Grats.

just let me say this, Resident Evil is pure win :D