PlayStation LifeStyle » Resident Evil

Five Genres That Have Been Lacking This Generation

Jonathan Leack — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 21:07:49 +0000

Every gaming generation has its trends, some better than others. This generation’s PlayStation 3 has been radically different to past PlayStation consoles mainly due to its substantial jump in graphical firepower and integrated online support. While we’ve seen plenty of first-person shooters and action games in the past few years, there are a few genres that seem to have dropped off the map. So what is it that this generation has been missing?

5. Snowboarding

Good games are fun but great games are influential. Cool Boarders and SSX had both qualities, and even people who knew next to nothing about snowboarding going in found each game exciting to play either alone or with a friend. Driving a car through city streets at 150 miles per hour is one thing, but shredding a beautiful snow-packed summit with nothing but your legs and a board is special. Unlike previous generations, we’ve seen only a couple of snowboard games over a half-decade period, with each leaving much to be desired.

What gives us hope: SSX

4. Survival Horror

Resident Evil and Silent Hill were nightmare inducing despite their blocky last-generation graphics, so it’s quite perplexing just how neither series has capitalized on more powerful hardware. Dead Space and its successor, Dead Space 2, stand alone this generation, and even though both were strong titles, they didn’t deliver the style of horror that fans of the genre have become accustomed to. Where’s the gloomy mist, haunted school, and bizarre viruses that have turned humanity upside-down? Everyone could use a good scare every once in a while to remind them just how fragile life in the virtual world is.

What gives us hope: The Last of Us

3. Stealth

Stealth games have always been rare, but this generation has only compounded the fact. Tenchu is nowhere to be seen, and we’ve only had a single console Metal Gear title come out since 2006 which was less stealth-centric than previous releases. Sure, many consumers would prefer the brute “in your face” nature of most shooters, but stealth titles are always a great break from the monotony, and what’s cooler than a highly-trained professional sneaking through the shadows?

What gives us hope: Hitman: Absolution

2. Vehicular Combat

How can you beat driving around in a rusty old car armed with napalm and missiles? You can’t. Vehicular Combat games make for some of the most enjoyable multiplayer experiences, as we witnessed with Vigilante 8 and Twisted Metal: Black. With online features being a major addition to the PlayStation 3, now would be a great time to release a game for the genre. Having over a dozen players driving around at breakneck speeds firing at each other has a lot of potential, and just like competitive fighting games, it’s always a blast to try out all of the characters and find which weapon-equipped vehicle suits your play style.

What gives us hope: Twisted Metal (PS3)

1. Japanese Role-Playing

This one’s a bit more complex. There have been a few great Japanese RPGs released this generation, but they haven’t been localized for North American or European audiences. As a result, most, if not all, of the noteworthy RPGs on the PlayStation 3 are either Western RPGs like Mass Effect, or Action RPGs like Dark Souls. Where’s this generation’s Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy VII, or Dark Cloud 2? Can you imagine a huge detailed sandbox-style world with charming characters and an engrossing story? It’s a lot to ask for, but with how many people are looking for that same formula, there’s a huge market left untapped.

What gives us hope: Final Fantasy Versus XIII

Let us know what you think of our list and be sure to post your personal choices as well in the comments below.

PAX Hands On – Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City

Cameron Teague — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 19:10:20 +0000

It was a bit strange when Capcom announced a new squad based Resident Evil, in development by Slant 6 Games, who worked on the fairly disappointing SOCOM: Confrontation. While it was a completely new step for the franchise, our time with the game here at PAX proved that it might just be the best step they have taken in a while.

In the game you return to Raccoon City, the place where things really got out of hand in Resident Evil 2, only this time you are playing on the side of Umbrella. This particular operation takes place between the events of the 2nd and 3rd Resident Evil games. Our hands on with the game revealed very little about the story, except that it will feature plenty of recognizable characters of the series that can die in the game and the fact that you will be playing as the bad guys this time around.

We played the campaign, which puts you into a squad of four, with five different classes to choose from. This mode is playable both online with friends or by yourself, with computer AI taking over as your squad mates. These classes shouldn’t surprise anyone familiar with shooters, as you have a medic class, scout type class, and so on. Once you select your character class, you are then able to select your own ability to use. For me, I picked the medic because I like to heal and then was given the choice between an adrenaline boost or the ability to stop infection in a friendly player. These were my only two choices but you will have around nine to choose from at the launch of the game. Next up is the option to select your weapon and it was good to see that the options here were vast, giving each player plenty to choose from. Once all that is selected, it is time to ready up and play the game.

Right away, you will see the stamp of Slant 6 and SOCOM, as the over the shoulder shooting plays very familiar. We started in a section of the town and moved our way through, killing zombies that came out left and right. Teamwork was key here as you covered each others backs in an effort to make your way through. Each player gets a main weapon and sidearm, plus grenades, and melee attacks. All of these worked great, especially the melee attacks, which after one strike, enabled you to pull off a deadly finishing move, which was very stylish. While the game will allow you to take and fire from cover, you will want to keep moving as zombies come from everywhere, making it a safer bet to just to strafe around and shoot/melee everything. If all else fails, you can grab a zombie and use it as a meat shield. During your fight, make sure to check the ground for ammo and in typical Resident Evil fashion, healing herbs.

Zombies come in many different forms, from your normal walkers, to ones that crawl around ceilings, or charge into you. Learning the tendencies of these different zombies and how best to combat them as a group is something you will want to try to grasp in order to make it out alive. Don’t expect the zombies to just walk on over, as some will run, and others will climb along the walls. However zombies are not the only things you will need to watch out for, as you will swap bullets with the US Spec Ops. However, once we got things sorted out in the demo, Umbrella decided to drop some nasty monsters on the ground who had no ability to differentiate friend or foe.

One thing we did not get to experience in the demo that Capcom told us about, was when you bleed out, you are supposed to turn into a zombie while you wait for your respawn to the team. When this happens, you are free to try and kill your ex-teammates or do the honorable thing and bite a bullet. This little touch was explained to us as a great way to have fun while waiting to respawn. On the topic of bleeding out though, you will want to watch out for this as zombies will hone in on the player who is losing a lot of blood, and they will start to swarm.

One of the major gripes of recent Resident Evil games is that the scare factor has gone away and at first glance you may think Operation Raccoon City will continue that trend, but the game had a few parts with zombies jumping out to get you or swarming around you, providing for plenty of scary moments. No, it’s not going to be like Resident Evil 1 or 2, where you couldn’t play the game in the dark, but it was enough at times to actually make me jump on stage (but don’t tell anyone!). One of the aspects of the game that was thankfully not scary was the camera, which never hindered you from escaping an enemy or moving around the environment.

Things are looking good for Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City and the new style of gameplay it is bringing to the series. The combat and classes are well-balanced, and the squad play is solid, making for a very fun co-op game. If Slant 6 Games can avoid the early release bugs that plagued their last effort, this will be a game worth keeping an eye on.

Resident Evil 15th Annivesary Box Set is Deadly Good

Joseph Peterson — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 20:21:10 +0000

The first Resident Evil release from Capcom occurred way back in 1996 and has been a fan favorite ever since. The games have a deep history across a number of platforms and more installments than you could count on the severed zombie hands in the picture above. With a completely new direction being taken in the new game titled Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City, and some of the PS2-era classics being remastered in HD for the Revival Selection, the series is as strong as ever for its 15th annivesary. This is why Capcom has put together the ultimate box set collection of the very best the franchise has to offer.

This anniversary box set will definitely make many of the fans of the series happy; below are all of the contents included:

Resident Evil Directors Cut (PSX)
Resident Evil 2 (PSX)
Resident Evil 3 Last Escape (PSX)
Resident Evil Revival Selection (PS3)
Resident Evil Code: Veronica soundtrack
Resident Evil 4 soundtrack
15th anniversary items: Pins & Stickers (STARS & Umbrella)
Spacer for PS3′s Resident Evil 5 or Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition

As you can see that is quite a bit of content included in the set, below a picture of the set can be seen:

The Resident Evil 15th Anniversary Box Set is currently available exclusively from Capcom’s store at e-Capcom for ¥7,800. Who plans on picking this up?

[Via]

SOCOM Devs May Be Working on Next Resident Evil

Paulmichael Contreras — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 16:29:30 +0000

Capcom is on a trend lately of recruiting other developers to steer some of their most popular franchises in new directions. With Blue Castle having helped for Dead Rising 2, and Ninja Theory being named the developer for DmC, could the Resident Evil series be next to receive outside help?

According to a document forwarded to website Kotaku, a new, team-based Resident Evil game is being developed by Slant Six. This developer, as you are most likely aware, is responsible for SOCOM: U.S. Navy SEALs Confrontation on the PlayStation 3 as well as Fireteam Bravo 3 and Tactical Strike for the PlayStation Portable. The document goes on to give the codename for this new game, Resident Evil: Raccoon City. Neither Capcom nor Slant Six seem to be confirming or denying the rumor, and given Capcom’s recent moves to more Western developers this isn’t really that big of a stretch as far as rumors are concerned. Stay connected with PlayStation LifeStyle for more on this story as it develops.

Dead Rising 2 Aiming to Become Leading Capcom IP

Adam G — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 01:30:06 +0000

Now, I hope you’ve all got your Zombrex supplements packed with you. I know I keep nagging you all about it, but, believe me, it’s for your own good. Can’t be too careful, what with all these zombies running wild in our shopping malls and casinos.

It seems Capcom are hoping to dethrone the non-zombies of the previous couple of Resident Evil games and have them replaced by the more traditional zombies let loose in an array of public places. I tell you, if it’s not one thing to worry about, it’s another…

Speaking with Eurogamer, Capcom’s head of global research and development, Keiji Inafune said that Capcom wants to see the Dead Rising franchise become as big as their current number one IP, Resident Evil.

“The goal for Dead Rising 2 is to replace the Resident Evil franchise and become number one IP within Capcom,”

Inafune-san also spoke about the prospect of Dead Rising 3.

“Until Dead Rising 2 sells we probably can’t start talking about spin-offs,” he said.“If it’s received pretty well, yes we would consider a sequel. But at the moment we just don’t know.”

Whether Dead Rising 2 is a success or not, you can bet your bottom dollar that the zombie motif will be a part of Capcom’s lineup for the foreseeable future… which isn’t looking terribly bright given the amount of viral outbreaks and general undead infestations that have been occurring recently. (Remember kids, stay inside and don’t go near the windows.)

[Via]

Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition Moves This September 19th

The Great Thomasio — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:35:12 +0000

One of the first 3rd-party companies to pledge support to Sony’s PlayStation Move controller last Fall was none other than Capcom with Resident Evil 5. Coined the ‘Alternative Edition’ in Japan, Capcom was eager to let fans know that purchasing their re-release would also grant you access to PlayStation Move control setup but could never quite pin-point a release date for the patch… until now. Resident Evil 5 fans, get ready to experience fear in a whole new dimension this September.

For those who have waited for this update, your wait shall soon be over, as the patch hits the same day the PlayStation Move does here in the US on September 19th. I also have a few nuggets of information for you. You do not need to have a Navigation controller to use PS Move with RE5: Gold Edition. You can just as easily use the Dualshock 3, however I’d recommend (if you can) buying a Navigation add-on to get enjoy the full-motion setup. Move controls will also be available in every mode of game play plus you can use either setup (Move or Dualshock 3 controller) when playing co-op with your best Resident pals.

Just remember this.. RE5: Gold Edition will be the only version receiving the patch. For full details about why this is so, read Capcom’s explanation to the situation here. If you’ve been waiting to purchase Resident Evil 5 because you knew of Capcom’s habit to re-release their major titles, Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition is the way to go. Move compatibility, 2 extra chapters, new costumes, and new multiplayer modes makes it the best version available.

[Source]

Capcom Planning on Growing Resident Evil Franchise

Kyle P. — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 19:50:17 +0000

Since its inception on the original PlayStation in 1996, the Resident Evil franchise has spanned across countless platforms and has consistently netted Capcom a pretty penny. In a recent reported conducted by Nikkei’s web service, Capcom will be banking more than ever, on the success and popularity of the legendary franchise.

According to the report, Capcom is looking to up the amount of Resident Evil titles releasing a year from the current two, to about three or four. To expedite the development time, which currently stands at four years, Capcom will be looking to rely heavily on outsourcing portions of the game, and bring down the development time needed for every title to two or three years.

The overarching goal behind these moves is to reverse the falling earnings the Japanese giant experienced last year. Capcom hopes to fiscally stabilize with the introduction of more software.

Capcom ‘Big Announcment’ This Thursday

Andrej Cilkov — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 21:28:22 +0000

The legendary Capcom which brought the world the Street Fighter and Resident Evil series, have made a recent Twitter broadcast promising something big this upcoming Thursday.

The Capcom Euro Twitter stated:

Big announcement… 2 days to go!

This isn’t the first twit that Capcom or one of its legendary developers have released this week hinting at a big announcement.

Indeed it is mysterious for both Capcom and Yoshi to both proclaim a big ‘announcement’ in the same week and even one which could top their best selling series on the PS3. But one must not forget how Capcom promised a big revelation at E3 and for it to only to be their E3 line-up, which wasn’t exactly enthralling.

Stay tuned to PlayStation LifeStyle for more information in the upcoming days.

Capcom Announce E3 Line-Up, Promises E3 Surprises

Matt Baker — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 16:25:24 +0000

Capcom had earlier revealed that the company would announce their E3 line-up this afternoon. The line-up has been unveiled and it certainly doesn’t disappoint…

The full list just announced by Capcom for consoles – in particular the PlayStation 3 – follows:

Also revealed by Capcom is that they have a few “surprises” in store for E3. The ‘sequel bombshell’ which was teased by the developers may just be what they’re hinting at. We’ll be posting any surprise announcements by Capcom as soon as they reveal it live straight from E3, so be sure to stay tuned to PSLS.

For more on Capcom’s upcoming games, check out PlayStation LifeStyle’s recent coverage.

Vanquish Details Drop Down to Earth

Dan Massi — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 20:49:48 +0000

Vanquish, the newest Platinum Games title courtesy of Resident Evil creator Shinji Mikami, is coming this winter onto PlayStation 3. What we know of the game so far is that it involves a Russian attack on the United States, using a “hijacked solar satellite, and … that’s pretty much it. So then it’s exciting to the newest details on Vanquish, which is sounding better every time we hear about it.

Courtesy of the April 2010 edition of Play Generation magazine, new details on Vanquish have emerged. From the sounds of these details, the game is going to be a graphical powerhouse, have similar giant bosses found in Bayonetta, and is to be downright awesome.

• Sam Gideon and his team mates sprint at high speed from one cover to another
• Huge battleships fly over the battlefield (a space station) and crash on it
• Sam’s white armor pulse with green lights like it’s alive, while some sections of the armor open, slide, shapeshift
• Even the weapon changes and it’s a feast or the eyes
• The boost ability enables the player to move lightning fast across the battleield, and you can end the run with a Guile like somersault like in the ace of the enemies
• There are multiple kind of grenades, turrets with machine guns to use, enemies reach the battleield even on lying cargos, a lot of weapons to pick up, doors to hack, team tactiques enabled via d pad, combat mechas to deactivate and use against enemies
• The main characters smokes when the helmets opens
• The GIANT spider boss, after being almost destroyed, recomines like a transormer into a humanoid mech with different attacks
• There is a QTE during the boss battle
• The game resembles PN03 in some parts and Mikami himself considers it his spiritual successor
• The tech shown is already absolutely awesome, PRESTIGE to use the term of the reporter
• The amount of things on screen, the stunning detail, and most of all the insane speed displayed on screen, is unbelievable
• The engine is an highly upgraded and modified version of Bayonetta engine

Vanquish releases this winter on PS3.

[Source]

PlayStation Release Horizon 03/08/10

Kishen Patel — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:11:54 +0000

Only one more week until Kratos unleashes his fury onto the PlayStation 3. However, that doesn’t mean there isn’t anything worth looking at this week. In fact, this week, we “finally” get our hands on Square‘s latest flagship Japanese role-playing game. Check out the rest of this week’s PlayStation releases below:

PS3 -

Final Fantasy XIII (03/09)
Resident Evil Gold Edition (03/09)
Yakuza 3 (03/09)
Mega Man 10 (03/11)

PSP -

BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger (03/10)
Rocket Racing (03/11)

PS2 -

No new releases

What are you picking up this week? Is Final Fantasy XIII on your radar or do you think Square dropped the ball on this one? Post your thoughts in the comments below.

Resident Evil Makes a Killing in Monopoly

Kishen Patel — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 01:38:15 +0000

Before the world witnessed the beast that is Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 in the video game world, the most played game on the block was Monopoly. Like many of our beloved video games, Monopoly’s innovation mixed with accessibility made the board game a classic. And to think, it has only been 75 years since its original release!

Close to a century later, the Hasbro board game is still alive and kicking with new iterations coming as the world’s trends shift from fad to fad. While we’ve seen everything from The Beatles Monopoly to Spongebob, gamers have yet to make an outcry for a serious, hardcore video game atmosphere in Monopoly. Because of this anomaly, Resident Evil fan Nicholas Endean took matters into his own hands.

Unfortunately, the amazing board seen above is not available for us to purchase. In any case, fan-made art appreciation is always a priority to the avid gamer. If you have some PlayStation-related crafting skills that you want to share with us, send it our way!

[Source]

Platinum Games Reveals Vanquish

The Great Thomasio — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 04:18:12 +0000

First, there was Madworld. Next, there was Infinite Space. The third was Bayonetta. Platinum Games has announced the fourth title in a 4-game deal with SEGA. Say hello to Vanquish.

Created and Directed by none other than Shinji Mikami, creator of the Resident Evil franchise, comes Vanquish, which looks to be an over-the-top action-packed game. Not much beyond the following video has been revealed and from what we can tell..the video contains no game play footage, but plenty of badass CGI mixed with live action scenes.

Video Games | Vanquish | Exclusive Debut Trailer HD

XBox 360 | Playstation 3 | Nintendo Wii

The video certainly looks beautiful, but raises plenty of questions. Is it an FPS? A Third-Person Shooter? What about a release date? I know one thing though, as soon as we find out, we’ll pass the information onto you.

PlayStation Store Top Downloads 12/24/09

Cameron Teague — Thu, 24 Dec 2009 06:45:35 +0000

The PlayStation Store has seen its weekly update in the Top Downloads department and a few new games have found their way into the Top 20 along with a couple of the usual’s. Uncharted 2′s Eye of Indra Motion Comic sees a healthy run on the top 20 list as episodes 2-4 all appear and people return to their youth with Frogger Returns landing on the number 2 spot. For a full list of the top 20 please check it out below.

Capcom Gives Alternative for Resident Evil 5 Re-Release

Anthony Severino — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 16:55:13 +0000

When Capcom revealed Resident Evil 5: Alternative Edition, many games felt slighted by the Japanese developer/publisher. Gamers complained that Capcom was double-dipping into their wallets by re-releasing a somewhat recently released (March of 2009) game with an additional 2-hour long backstory mission, as well as a new control scheme. Not quite enough to warrant a full release.

It seems as though Capcom has heard the cries of economically challenged gamers of Europe and North America…

Capcom has just revealed that due to an overwhelming response by gamers on Capcom community site polls, Resident Evil 5: Alternative Edition will be released as downloadable content for both the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live.

The DLC which will arrive this Spring will be available in both North America and European territories. Still no word on pricing or a solid release date, but we’ll be sure to update you as soon as there is more information.

Did Capcom make the right decision?