Archive for the Resident Evil Category

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Resident Evil 2: Just What I Expected!

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Games, Resident Evil on January 27, 2019 by slateman

I’ve played a lot of Resident Evil. Barring a handful, I’ve experienced at least a little bit of almost every major title ever issued. With the first, fourth and seventh being Game of the Year victors, we’re here with another excellent entry that, who knows, could be a contender in 11 months.

The title isn’t doing anything shocking, unlike those aforementioned GotY titles. I remember RE VII just stunned me in its opening hour. But while this feel like a gorgeous re-envisioning, the comfort food is just spectacular. What is phenomenal is the sound design. Couple that with Mr. X’s approaching footsteps and it’s unnerving and uncomfortable.

I bought Red Dead Redemption 2 but didn’t love it, so I traded it in. In return I got Just Cause 4 and I didn’t love that either. Trading that in left me with RE2 and so far, I’m just loving it. See how it all turns out. So far, so good!

Game I’ve Played / GotY 2018

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Bloodborne, Castlevania, Games, Lists, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Screenshots with tags on January 12, 2019 by slateman


Usually I split this into two postings, but alas! it’s already 2019. Today’s update will include the games I’ve played over the last year as well as the easy choice as to which was the best. The latter will be detailed on my main Games Of The Year page. I’ll separate all this into individual sections. First – Platinums! Bold words indicate a 2018 title.

Platinums 2018

  • Bloodborne
  • Burly Men At Sea
  • Castlevania: Requiem
  • God Of War
  • Guacamelee! 2
  • Lara Croft Go

Two of the PS4’s greatest exclusive games were conquered this past year. Bloodborne stays with me and I now consider it one of the greatest games ever made. That’s a different list I’ve been mulling over. I’ve written about some of the rest of these already. Moving on…

Older Titles Played in 2018

These will fall into three categories:

  1. First-time plays (not completed)
  2. First-time played/beaten
  3. Beaten again

Here we have a mix. Some are simple PS+ games, others are purchases I never cared to complete, etc. A key for easy reference is listed above.

  • Assassin’s Creed Origins
  • Bloodborne
  • Burly Men At Sea
  • Call Of Duty: WWII
  • Dark Souls III
  • Fe
  • Firewatch
  • God Of War: Chains Of Olympus
  • God Of War: Ghost Of Sparta
  • God Of War: Ascension
  • Grand Theft Auto V
  • Hot Shots Golf: World Invitational
  • Lara Croft Go
  • Lego Marvel Super Heroes 2
  • Matterfall
  • Metal Gear Solid 2
  • Nioh
  • Rayman Legends
  • Resident Evil 4
  • Sherlock Holmes: The Devil’s Daughter
  • Sky Force Anniversary
  • Ys VIII: Lacrimosa Of Dana

Due to Gothenburg’s wonderful library system, I got to borrow some pretty cool titles this past year. I quite enjoyed AC:O – would like to return to it and would also love to try its sequel. Similarly, Nioh seemed cool and I’m still chugging through Sherlock Holmes though it didn’t really inspire me like its predecessor.

Many others I tried and never really felt inspired enough to finish. Dark Souls III was fucking difficult (I later tried DS Remastered and fared better). Matterfall was a huge disappointment, particularly after Nex Machina. After beating the PS3 remasters of the two PSP God Of War games, I figured I’d try out Ascension again. And again I lost interest. Firewatch, Fe, Rayman Legends – all just hit the ‘meh’ button and never beckoned me to return.

On the other hand, a few older titles were memorable. The aforementioned Bloodborne, those two GOW games and finally beating GTAV were some of the highlights of the year. Toss on yet another replay of RE4 and my second playthrough of the underwhelming MGS2 and old titles impressed in 2018.

2018 Titles

Once again we have categories: played, beaten and platinumed, despite the redundancy of that last item.

  • Bloodstained: Curse Of The Moon
  • Burnout Paradise Remastered
  • Castlevania: Requiem
  • Chasm
  • Dark Souls Remastered
  • God Of War
  • Guacamelee! 2
  • Hollow Knight
  • Ikaruga
  • Iconoclasts
  • Just Cause 4
  • Onrush
  • Overcooked 2
  • Red Dead Redemption 2
  • Shadow Of The Tomb Raider (Started in 2019)
  • Spider-Man
  • Spyro The Dragon: Reignited (2019 plat!)
  • Street Fighter 30th Anniversary Collection
  • Yoku’s Island Express (2019 plat!)

I haven’t been nearly as interested in some of these titles as I had hoped I would. I sold back RDR2 b/c I simply has zero interest in playing it. Spider-Man was probably a great game, but I didn’t feel the itch to play that either. I never beat Bloodstained and found Hollow Knight to be far less enjoyable than all the praise suggested. Just Cause 4 looks better than 3, but in so many other ways it felt like a step backwards. I’m not even listing some titles like PS+ games that I played and deleted here.

Burnout Paradise drew me back in just as it did a decade ago, Guacamelee! 2 was a fun and challenging romp but was marred by a few incredibly-difficult parts and I don’t think I’d ever go back to play it again. The first on the other hand…I would. And did! Overcooked 2 was great, but my wife and I devoured it and never touched it again. I’ve just started Yoku’s Island Express and will be finishing up JC4 in the coming weeks/months.

So, what we’re left with is the clear and easy victor. While I thought RDR2 might challenge the mighty Kratos, it didn’t even come close. God Of War’s story, gameplay, visual luster, deep and engaging lore and simple fun factor was leagues beyond anything else I played in the year (Well, Bloodborne may have the edge, I don’t know). I still haven’t a clue how Sony Santa Monica pulled it off. They took this beloved series, reinvented so much of it and made us all care about this one-dimensional killing machine. Being a father while playing it surely helped. This game is fucking legendary already and I look forward to diving in again when things slow down a bit.

Game Of The Year 2018 is an easy choice. God Of War. Now, my New IP GOTY? I don’t know that yet. Based on the limited titles I’ve played, Yoku’s Island Express wins, but that’s temporary. I feel Dead Cells or Celeste might take that crown, however, I haven’t had the opportunity to try them out yet. Let’s see what I missed below.

2018 Titles I Haven’t/Want To Play

  • A Way Out
  • Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey
  • Celeste
  • Darksiders III
  • Dead Cells
  • Detroit: Become Human
  • Divinity: Original Sin 2
  • Far Cry 5
  • Mega Man 11
  • Shadow Of The Colossus
  • Tetris Effect

There are a few games I genuinely want to try out here. Unlike music, it’s not so easy to just try out everything you like and are interested in. A Way Out would be great…with a friend. Odyssey will require many hours, but I bet it’s a blast and quite the quick-and-easy opposite of something like Red Dead. Others on this list are a ‘kinda want to try’.

But the ones I must one day play: Dead Cells and Celeste. Both seem right up my alley and I think I’d just love them. They could be that coveted New IP GOTY. But…they’re a bit expensive for indie titles and I’ve been awaiting a sale to dip my toes in. Can’t wait to try them though!

What To Play: 2018-2019 Edition

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Games, Lists, Resident Evil with tags , on June 15, 2018 by slateman

As E3 rolled out the new and exciting, it’s hard not to truly get pumped up by something. There are some enormous titles a’coming – and many of them are not so far off. Sony’s Resident Evil 2 reveal gave us our first glimpse of the game in action as well as a release date merely seven months later.

Today I’d like to go through some upcoming release dates alongside my excitement level. Three stars = must buy, pretty much. As always, this is more of a personal checklist, but now that it’s written up, there’s some good shit on here!!! Let’s go!

07 Aug – Dead Cells ***
07 Aug – Overcooked 2 ***
21 Aug – Guacamelee 2! ***
31 Aug – Divinity: Original Sin 2 *
14 Sep – Shadow Of The Tomb Raider *
26 Oct – Red Dead Redemption 2 ***
13 Nov – Spyro: Reignited Trilogy **
04 Dec – Just Cause 4 ***
31 Dec – Mega Man 11 **

2019
25 Jan – Resident Evil 2 ***
29 Jan – Kingdom Hearts III **
22 Mar – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice ***
?? ??? – Bloodstained: Ritual Of The Night***
?? ??? – The Last Of Us – Part 2*

Resident Evil 4 – Again!

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Games, Resident Evil on June 15, 2018 by slateman

By my count, this is the fifth time I’ve beaten Resident Evil 4. I’ll simply never forget my first time on the GameCube – and that chainsaw death. I followed this with the PS2 game, and later the Wii game which, by all acounts, was the easiest of them all. The remaster on the PS3 and now on the PS4.

But on this last playthrough, I wondered to myself, why precisely I was doing it again. I found it curious that on both of these Playstation versions, I paused. There was a significant delay between certain trophies. After saving Ashley and before defeating Bitores Mendez on this playthrough, I stepped away for seven months. As surprising as that might be, the lapse was 3-and-a-half years back on the PS3. Evidently that middle section is my least favorite.

So back to the question: Is this really one of the best games ever? Five playthroughs suggest yes, but that middle bit gave me pause. However, the flurry of trophies as the game ends on both the PS3 and the PS4 show that I just blasted through the finale. The level design is smart, the bosses are challenging but not overly dumb (as is the case with certain games) and it balanced the tiptoe beginning with an action-packed ending. Resident Evil 4 is not a top-10 game ever IMO. But it is a top-20 game and that’s not half-bad. I’ve definitely spent too much money on this game, but it’s OK when the final product is that fun, with satisfying head-shots, intense anxiety due to those effin’ Regenerators and tremendous sound design.

Perhaps after two Nintendo systems and three from Sony, I may have completed it for the last time. At least, until the remaster on the PS5!

Oh, and just checking out those trophies made me think, “I must’ve taken a picture from the last time I beat the game! I did – and the stats are significantly different! I’m certain pause time contributed to the lengthy duration of this latest run, but, I couldn’t have paused it for that long!

Bloodborne: Dripping In Richness

Posted in Best / Worst, Games, Resident Evil with tags on January 25, 2018 by slateman

I played Bloodborne a few years ago and, like many others, didn’t get all too far into its campaign. Its brutal difficulty required time. Time to learn how the game works, how it functions, how not to get destroyed. And so, I shipped it back to GameFly and didn’t look back. However, in late-2017, I kept coming across comments and reviews claiming its brilliance was not to be missed. Hmmmm…

And the wait began for a sale. It was $8 a while back but I missed that. However, a $14 GotY-edition sale hit and I decided to jump back in. And immediately I got pummeled. Its difficulty has not been overrated.

As the arduous path leads you towards accomplishment, I reveled in the game’s incredible art design. Lurking around every corner is wondrous attention to detail and grim, macabre backdrops. Every enemy demands respect, as even the earlier ones can end your hunt prematurely. While the Souls games have been widely heralded as classics, I only ever tried the first, and briefly, in an age long past. Learning the game’s nuances is as important as leveling up your character. Arriving at Hemwick Charnel Lane, I marveled at its ghastly beauty before being defeated by a gang of hideous and genuinely-frightening witches. The game’s world is utterly gorgeous in its decay. No title has ever captured my interest quite like this one, nor has any painted such grim environs. Much like Resident Evil before it, I actually fear going down that path or entering that house in shambles. As much as I want to gaze upon this world around me, the lurking doom keeps a sense of anxiety present at all times.

On the downside, the tough-as-nails difficulty is severely limiting my success and the elation of besting a boss isn’t always worth the frustration of getting killed a dozen times. As much as I want to finish this game, I do fear the likelihood of it happening. I write this at yet another impasse: two bosses stand in my way. We shall see how my progress goes, but in the meantime I wanted to share just a solitary image of the game’s terrible beauty.

Edit: Don’t ask me how, but those two bosses have been downed with another on my first attempt. Booyah! Now I don’t quite know where to go, but I can’t wait to see what more the game has in store for me.

Game Of The Year 2017

Posted in Best / Worst, Games, Lists, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Uncharted on January 1, 2018 by slateman

A few months ago I listed the games I’d beaten in 2017 but of course, not all of them were actually from last year. In fact, a majority of them weren’t. While my trophy list shows a varied year with a fair share of games, very few were 2017 titles. Here is the brief list of games I played last year:

  • Horizon Zero Dawn
  • Final Fantasy XII: The Zodiac Age
  • Marvel Vs. Capcom Infinite
  • Nex Machina
  • Nier Automata
  • Resident Evil 7: Biohazard
  • Tekken 7
  • Uncharted: Lost Legacy

Now, it’s easy to whittle down some items. Neither fighting game will win, Nier Automata didn’t convince me in the few hours I played it so far and FFXII is a decade-old remake. That doesn’t leave much else. Oh, Nex Machina was fun, but by no means was it the year’s best.

So we’re down to Horizon Zero Dawn, RE7 and UC. The latter was fun that trimmed a lot of excess out, but UC4 won GotY in 2016.

Horizon Zero Dawn already not once, but twice. The open-world, third-person genre may be overdone, but I’m rather selective in the games I end up playing. Therefore, I’ve skipped out on a lot. In any event, the entire game was a remarkable experience. Its deep gameplay, gorgeous world and genuinely-interesting story kept me intrigued and curious up until the very end. Aloy was well-written and likable and the support cast was fun. I loved getting this game’s platinum trophy.

However, Resident Evil VII: Biohazard was an insane experience. Its claustrophobic first-person view created a tension unrivaled in most games. The entire Mia introduction was insane, gloriously unsettling and most-importantly, memorable. It joins my other favorite moments in gaming and my review began simply with my repeated sentiment, “This is terrifying.” None of the game’s follow-up DLC really compelled me to return and beating Mia is the only thing between me and the game’s platinum trophy, but that’s OK. RE7’s experience was a worthy follow-up to the series’ legacy while not suffering from that loyalty to its history. The game was a phenomenal addition to the convoluted canon and represents my 2017 Game Of The Year.

It’s worth noting in my full listing that Horizon Zero Dawn still received the New IP GotY recognition.

It’s also worthy of mention the games I missed in 2017. Chief among them is Super Mario Odyssey which, according to reviews, looks like it’s right up my alley. I may have to come back to remedy this list at some date in the future. It may be a few years though.

Finally…2018. Here’s a list of potential GotY winners based on hype alone. I’ll put them in order too of potential best-to-worst, with no basis whatsoever. Wow…there are some good games coming up!!!!!

  • God Of War?
  • Red Dead Redemption 2?
  • Ghost Of Tsushima?
  • The Last Of Us: Part 2?
  • Days Gone?
  • Far Cry 5?
  • Metal Gear Survive?
  • Crackdown 3? (Haha, we all know that’ll never come out)
  • Darksiders III?

How Nintendo Fucked Up

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Games, Hardware, Resident Evil with tags , on March 5, 2017 by slateman

Just four years after launching the Wii U, the system is effectively dead and Nintendo has shipped its last title for the platform. My Wii U collection now includes the free game I got with the system, a pair of Mario games and its swansong, the new Zelda game. The system was a gift given to me several years ago and beside the plumber’s usual excellent games, (already catalogued here) the only game I wanted was Zelda. It was scheduled for 2015.

Its delay was due to new hardware, there is simply no doubt. And that hardware has arrived. But I’m not spending $300 for a system to play Zelda when the last system was supposed to do so. But that’s OK. I have the option to play on my Wii U. So let’s.

But oh! my Wii U has decided to stop outputting audio. Now that’s not Nintendo’s direct fault. I mean, I didn’t really use the system that much, but hardware fails. I get it. But hey, I have this second screen. I could turn the volume up on the controller and maybe use it for a map or inventory screen. But oh no. Despite the second screen being about the only selling point on the console in its four miserable years, Nintendo opted not to utilize it at all for Zelda. Why? The Switch, surely. Can’t have the old system doing something the new system can’t, right? Screw you, fans! Buy the new hardware! And to answer the inevitable question, yes, I can play the game on the Wii U controller because that’s precisely why I bought a 55″ TV.

So, whatever, the Wii U is dead. Let’s look at the Switch. The future of gaming, certainly! Wait…did I hear that version of Zelda runs more smoothly when in handheld mode? You buy a new piece of hardware that only outputs the latest-and-greatest in 900P and it can’t do so smoothly? In the year 2017? Yup…so the best experience of Zelda is to play it on a handheld, 6.2″ screen running in 720P? What the fuck?

Now, the console itself is reasonably-priced. For a system that only outputs in 1080P and as a portable only has maybe 3-4 hours of battery life, $300 is the max price, really But the pricing on everything else is ludicrous. $70 for a pro controller? It was difficult to swallow when the 360 and PS3 introduced wireless controllers and they cost as much as a game…but $70? And what about another set of Joycon controllers? $80??? And what is this news of the controllers losing sync? So, if I want another set of controllers, my bill just went up nearly 1/3 of the price. And if I don’t want to hold them like miniature chopsticks, it’s another $30 for the grip? $110? Prices will come down, certainly, right?

Oh and as of this writing, save games are tied to the system, so you can’t back them up or transfer them? WAT? Only 32Gb of internal memory? Voice chat has to be done via an app on your phone? The list of WTF just grows inexplicably. No virtual store yet either. Wait, you can’t get new games or old games up and running properly for your launch? I love new HW, but I am not enthusiastic about this at all. It just feels like an awful lot of money for another system that’ll just have 5 games on the shelf. Barring some wonderful third-party exclusive, a thing Nintendo hasn’t hooked me on since Resident Evil 4 over a decade ago, give me one reason (whose name isn’t Mario) to get this system. Metroid? I’ll believe it when I see it.

Just a little disgusted on how they’ve handled the demise of the Wii U, the entirety of Zelda and the hardware of the Switch. I don’t doubt it’s some sexy-ass tech. But they screwed over Wii U owners and Zelda fans alike. Guess I’ll go play Breath Of The Wild on my 854 x 480 controller. Whatever.

Resident Evil 7 Speedrun Guide

Posted in Blog, Games, Guides, Resident Evil on February 3, 2017 by slateman

After completing the excellent RE7, I decided a speedrun was in order. And in order to successfully complete one, I need a step-by-step guide. However, no text one exists yet! Why not make one? So, here it is. My 12.5 hour initial run was followed up by a 3-hour race which is fully detailed below. It’s a niche thing, but for trophy/achievement hunters, this will likely be useful.

Resident Evil 7 Speedrun Guide

What To Play: 2017 Edition

Posted in Blog, Games, Lists, Metal Gear Solid, Resident Evil, Street Fighter, Uncharted, Ys on January 30, 2017 by slateman

It’s time again. Today I want to look at what’s coming up in 2017 much as I did in 2016 and also in 2015. Unsurprisingly, there are a few 2017 titles that were slated to come out last year. In Zelda’s case, we were waiting for that one way back in 2015! Regardless, a quick glance at what this year has to offer is enough to warrant genuine excitement. And let’s not forget the already-released and highly-praised Resident Evil VII! Unlike prior years, sadly, I haven’t access to GameFly and so my gaming will be greatly reduced from yesteryear. Things are also crazy expensive here in Sweden. RE7 cost 600kr which is almost $70. However, even with that number size, several of these truly feel like must-own titles. Few actual release dates so far, but that’ll change. Let’s get to it!!!

Game Title Release Date Excitement Level?
Ys Origin 2/21 Not A Priority
Horizon: Zero Dawn 2/28 Interest Piqued
Zelda: BotW 3/3 MAX
Tekken 7 6/2 Hmmm…
Battle Chasers: Nightwar TBA If the price is right…
Crackdown 3 Q4 Need an XB1 first!
God Of War TBA Could this be good?
Marvel Vs. Capcom: Infinite TBA Genuinely Psyched
Metal Gear Survive TBA Zero expectations
Red Dead Redemption 2 TBA OMFG
Super Mario Odyssey Q4 Need a Switch first!
Uncharted: TLL TBA A Must Buy
Ys III: Lacrimosa Of Dana 2017? Out in ’16 in JPN, Localize, please!
Not 2017 Games – Still Need To Play
Final Fantasy XV n/a Do I have the time?
Sherlock Holmes: TDD n/a My wife and I loved the last
Overwatch n/a I should play this, right?
The Witness n/a I’d like to try this

Mini-Review: Resident Evil VII – Outstanding

Posted in Best / Worst, Blog, Games, Resident Evil, Reviews on January 30, 2017 by slateman

“This is terrifying.”

I uttered those words no fewer than three times during my still-incomplete playthrough of Resident Evil VII. And that fear was due not to not only events or monsters. It was the darkness. It was the eerie sound. It was the jump scares as well as when nothing at all was happening. The tension this game builds is stifling. RE7 is an unbridled success by excelling in its audio, video, gameplay and story and for accomplishing what it set out to do.

From the compelling opening sequence to the tiptoe moments throughout, the game is crafted with care and meticulousness. Every room is beautifully detailed in its grotesqueness. The lighting, more important here than in almost every other game, is spectacular. As I huddle, scared to death of whatever is lurking in the next room, the sounds are as remarkable as the visuals. My breath, every step, creaky floors, creatures behind me…each is a requisite part of the immersive nature of RE7 and all add up to convey a tension I’ve rarely felt in gaming. The story, while absurd in its premise, is the perfect vehicle for such a tale. It moves forward at a steady pace, allowing you time to breathe and explore but always retrieves you to that state of unease.

While RE4 is still considered a major success, what is largely forgotten is how needed it was. After RE3 and Code Veronica, the series needed a change. And after RE4 brought an action-oriented focus to the namesake, 5 and 6 expanded upon that formula until yet again a change was necessary. Whether RE7 is a glorious return to the series’ roots or just a mostly-unrelated survival horror game isn’t the point. The series needed a shift and here we are. I, for one, am happy there’s no Wesker, no Redfields and no Raccoon City. While my last few hours may tie things together, I have thoroughly enjoyed this game, RE or not.

And reviews seem to agree. How rare is it that the first, the fourth and the seventh main entries into any series are so widely-heralded as a massive success? Each has a different vantage point, take on horror and yet all three are Resident Evil. Considering how many times I’ve beaten 1 and 4, I have a feeling a speedrun of RE7 is in my future. And I can’t wait.

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