Resident Evil 4 Hypocrisy of Fans with RE4
- Thread starter Murrdogg93
- Start date
Most people who claim Resident Evil 4 is the best in the franchise or the greatest survival horror game ever are often times people who started with 4 because they couldn't get into the originals despite how popular they were. At least that seems to be the case in my experience.
However, the reason so many people do believe Resident Evil 4 is a true survival horror masterpiece is due to the franchise's identity and the game's massive critical acclaim. The game is not only the highest rated in the franchise, but the entire genre as well.
This disparity of opinion between Resident Evil fans isn't all that shocking though as this is what tends to happen when something niche enters the mainstream as Resident Evil did with RE4. Because now you have all sorts of fans who want, like, or expect different things from this franchise or simply don't care as long as it has the Resident Evil name on it.
However, I can't comment on whether or not people who loved the originals are the same ones praising it as a survival horror game. That doesn't mean they can't enjoy the game for what it offers despite deviating away from its survival horror roots or that they can't prefer it to the likes of Resident Evil 5 and the Revelations games.
The only reason I could think of for a survival horror fan to believe Resident Evil 4 is the best survival horror game while criticizing 5 and Revelations would be due to their own personal standards of what a survival horror game is. Believe it or not, some people do find Resident Evil 4 to be scary. I don't get it either, but what can you do?
Would they be hypocritical for then going on to say Resident Evil 5 isn't a survival horror game? Maybe. But RE5 is also very different from RE4 in some pretty drastic ways where I can see why'd they think it deviated too far from even RE4 despite them both being essentially the same thing. The day time setting, forced co-op, bigger action set-pieces, streamlined design, level by level progression, selecting your loadouts before each level, and so on.
While RE5 offers pretty much the same gameplay experience that RE4 did, it also had a lot in common with modern co-op shooters of the era and lacked the atmosphere, isolation, and agency that RE4 had.
The Revelations games on the other hand are a bit of a mixed bag. Just because they're more survival horror than RE4 to you doesn't mean they're better games for it. They still have their fair share of action, especially the first one which was half an action game, though done a lot poorer than RE4 and RE5.
But again, you're only basing this off of the notion that Resident Evil 4 isn't a survival horror game, which I agree with, but maybe others don't. I also don't necessarily see this opinion as a trend either. I just see it as more and more people are playing Resident Evil games and you're bound to come across weird, misinformed, or inconsistent opinions from various people for various reasons. At the end of the day, only a small amount of Resident Evil fans truly care about survival horror anymore and others aren't too fussed analyzing things the way we do.
However, the reason so many people do believe Resident Evil 4 is a true survival horror masterpiece is due to the franchise's identity and the game's massive critical acclaim. The game is not only the highest rated in the franchise, but the entire genre as well.
This disparity of opinion between Resident Evil fans isn't all that shocking though as this is what tends to happen when something niche enters the mainstream as Resident Evil did with RE4. Because now you have all sorts of fans who want, like, or expect different things from this franchise or simply don't care as long as it has the Resident Evil name on it.
However, I can't comment on whether or not people who loved the originals are the same ones praising it as a survival horror game. That doesn't mean they can't enjoy the game for what it offers despite deviating away from its survival horror roots or that they can't prefer it to the likes of Resident Evil 5 and the Revelations games.
The only reason I could think of for a survival horror fan to believe Resident Evil 4 is the best survival horror game while criticizing 5 and Revelations would be due to their own personal standards of what a survival horror game is. Believe it or not, some people do find Resident Evil 4 to be scary. I don't get it either, but what can you do?
Would they be hypocritical for then going on to say Resident Evil 5 isn't a survival horror game? Maybe. But RE5 is also very different from RE4 in some pretty drastic ways where I can see why'd they think it deviated too far from even RE4 despite them both being essentially the same thing. The day time setting, forced co-op, bigger action set-pieces, streamlined design, level by level progression, selecting your loadouts before each level, and so on.
While RE5 offers pretty much the same gameplay experience that RE4 did, it also had a lot in common with modern co-op shooters of the era and lacked the atmosphere, isolation, and agency that RE4 had.
The Revelations games on the other hand are a bit of a mixed bag. Just because they're more survival horror than RE4 to you doesn't mean they're better games for it. They still have their fair share of action, especially the first one which was half an action game, though done a lot poorer than RE4 and RE5.
But again, you're only basing this off of the notion that Resident Evil 4 isn't a survival horror game, which I agree with, but maybe others don't. I also don't necessarily see this opinion as a trend either. I just see it as more and more people are playing Resident Evil games and you're bound to come across weird, misinformed, or inconsistent opinions from various people for various reasons. At the end of the day, only a small amount of Resident Evil fans truly care about survival horror anymore and others aren't too fussed analyzing things the way we do.
Obviously we should take Wikipedia with a grain of salt, but here's their definition of Survival Horror - Survival horror is a subgenre of video games inspired by horror fiction that focuses on survival of the character as the game tries to frighten players with either horror graphics or scary ambience. Although combat can be part of the gameplay, the player is made to feel less in control than in typical action games through limited ammunition, health, speed and vision, or through various obstructions of the player's interaction with the game mechanics. The player is also challenged to find items that unlock the path to new areas and solve puzzles to proceed in the game. Games make use of strong horror themes, like dark maze-like environments and unexpected attacks from enemies.
Now, let's use this when talking about RE4.
1. focuses on survival of the character as the game tries to frighten players with either horror graphics or scary ambience. - RE4 definitely does this. Far more than RE5 does in terms of ambiance. Through nearly the entire game, we're in a setting that, were it real life, would inspire fear.
2. Although combat can be part of the gameplay, the player is made to feel less in control than in typical action games through limited ammunition, health, speed and vision, or through various obstructions of the player's interaction with the game mechanics - Now, here RE4 is less Survival Horror than its predecessors, however, I feel it still fits. Not being able to move when you shoot, no cover system, Quick Time events. I'd also argue that movement speed is slow compared to most action games, and you do lose healthy easily/quickly. So all in all, while it doesn't do these things perfectly, it still hits the mark for survival horror.
3. The player is also challenged to find items that unlock the path to new areas and solve puzzles to proceed in the game. Games make use of strong horror themes, like dark maze-like environments and unexpected attacks from enemies. - RE4 doesn't have many puzzles, but they are there. Most are pretty lame and consist of just shooting stuff, but every now and again you have puzzles like Ashley moving around the squares to make a design, or Leon finding the right number of bodies in group of paintings. Puzzles are RE4's weakest point in my opinion, but they are there, and obstruction of moving forward is pretty common in RE4 as well.
All in all, while it falls short in some areas, I'd say we can definitely say it IS Survival Horror. Now, that doesn't mean it deserves all the defense it gets. But you started this off saying it wasn't even survival horror, and I'd have to disagree with that initial statement.
Now, let's use this when talking about RE4.
1. focuses on survival of the character as the game tries to frighten players with either horror graphics or scary ambience. - RE4 definitely does this. Far more than RE5 does in terms of ambiance. Through nearly the entire game, we're in a setting that, were it real life, would inspire fear.
2. Although combat can be part of the gameplay, the player is made to feel less in control than in typical action games through limited ammunition, health, speed and vision, or through various obstructions of the player's interaction with the game mechanics - Now, here RE4 is less Survival Horror than its predecessors, however, I feel it still fits. Not being able to move when you shoot, no cover system, Quick Time events. I'd also argue that movement speed is slow compared to most action games, and you do lose healthy easily/quickly. So all in all, while it doesn't do these things perfectly, it still hits the mark for survival horror.
3. The player is also challenged to find items that unlock the path to new areas and solve puzzles to proceed in the game. Games make use of strong horror themes, like dark maze-like environments and unexpected attacks from enemies. - RE4 doesn't have many puzzles, but they are there. Most are pretty lame and consist of just shooting stuff, but every now and again you have puzzles like Ashley moving around the squares to make a design, or Leon finding the right number of bodies in group of paintings. Puzzles are RE4's weakest point in my opinion, but they are there, and obstruction of moving forward is pretty common in RE4 as well.
All in all, while it falls short in some areas, I'd say we can definitely say it IS Survival Horror. Now, that doesn't mean it deserves all the defense it gets. But you started this off saying it wasn't even survival horror, and I'd have to disagree with that initial statement.
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He's overreacting because we didn't stroke his ego and support his rant. Dude's just being a baby. Here I thought we were having a discussion.
You weren't wrong. There's no point in reporting yourself. Sure, Resident Evil 4 is technically a survival horror game, but I understand where you're coming from as I'm sure many of us could agree Resident Evil 4 is more action than survival horror. I think there's valid discussion here. No point in throwing it away over a technicality. Bit of an overreaction.
I also agree that there could be a fun discussion to be had here lol
I think it's easy to misinterpret written words. As Turo said, there's a valid discussion to be had and there's no need for you to leave. If you have an opinion, share it. People might counter it, but that's why it's a discussion board - for discussion. :smile:
Much like how a water board is for water....
Wait...I think I may have gotten something wrong there...
I grew up on the classic survival horror aspects of Resident Evil but I spent most of my play time on RE4, It's the replay value imo that's convincing some to think it's the best oddly considering it's not exactly survival horror at it's Pinnacle.
Also you can factor in the overall gameplay 3rd person shooter experience which was tremendous for it's time in 2005, All that considered it's a great GAME but the difference is, Is it a great (RE) game?
Also you can factor in the overall gameplay 3rd person shooter experience which was tremendous for it's time in 2005, All that considered it's a great GAME but the difference is, Is it a great (RE) game?