Where fiction collides.
Japanese-to-English translation wasn’t the best in the nineties, but problems with grammar and spelling are popping up all over video games even today—from the box to the content itself. Even when they’re embarrassing, they’re funny. What’s your favorite instance of bad video game errors? Check out my list at GameZone.
Here’s another Top Ten for you.
What are your most memorable Resident Evil moments? The ones that made you take a deep breath in fear before pushing onward, or startled you despite your best intentions? Maybe they match up with mine. Head over to GameZone to take a look.
Interested at all in the many Resident Evil games scheduled for release? You can thank one influential game: Resident Evil 4.
My new feature for GameZone, “From Zombies to Plagas: How Resident Evil 4 Changed a Classic for the Better,” recalls high-tension moments from the rule-breaking game and explains why it deserves its place in video game history. Check it out here.
Capcom, producer of the upcoming Okami game for the Nintendo DS, has partnered with GameStop to package an uber cute exclusive with pre-order copies of Okamiden. Only 20,000 shipments will include a special paintbrush stylus and decorative screen cleaner. The game hits stores March 15. [GameInformer]
This deal, of course, brings into question the general topic of pre-order incentives. Are they good or bad? Fair or unreasonable? While I’m finicky about exclusives relating to in-game content, fun extras like, say, the Scribblenauts rooster hat or this adorable number are fine by me.
The first generation of Resident Evil helped pave the survival horror road, a genre dripping with dismembered limbs, peeling wallpaper, blood-ruined luxury carpets, and heaps of empty shotgun shells. As members of Raccoon City’s homegrown Special Tactics and Rescue Service (S.T.A.R.S.), Chris Redfield, Jill Valentine, and their surviving teammates escape the slobbering jaws of zombie dogs roaming the Arklay Mountains only to enter a reclusive mansion full of locked doors, instant death traps, and unsightly horrors. The original spawned numerous sequels and spin-offs, both successful and embarrassing, but the GameCube remake of the classic gem stands as one of gaming’s most well-aged, graphically gorgeous wonders. Zombies have never looked so good.
Directing their painstaking attention to finer details, the developers transform the cobwebbed nooks and crannies of the mansion/ultra super secret Umbrella lab into a decor more haunting and clever than before. The spooky atmosphere permeates throughout the mansion interior and the surrounding grounds as new puzzles replace weary ones, and undiscovered locations open their poorly oiled gates. The menus taking a hint from the later REs, maps color “unexplored” rooms, those that still harbor items or herbs, for determined perfectionists and confused stragglers alike. For unknown reasons, though, gamers are still forced to rely on their scrambled memories when determining which key goes to which random red door on their multi-story mansion map.
While the beret-wearing Jill and the slightly less muscular Chris sport a few new moves, including a 180-degree quick turn and fancy stairs running, like in the original, they approach movable objects with an overly sensitive grace. The steep difficulty curve between the initial two modes can intimidate first-timers, as well.
On the other hand, new defensive items make countering unwelcome ambushes a cinch, especially in tight hallways with lots of easily shattered windows. Even the undead receive a complimentary face-lift, bumping up the difficulty a notch or two. Various unlockables, such as costumes and different endings, boost the replay value, and savvy gamers will note the enhanced music and sound.
Although the altered puzzles and extra scares fit neatly into the original’s code of fear, most fall flat in comparison with parts left untouched. The game’s plot, for instance, has been reworked and expanded, and some of long-time fans’ favorite cheesy lines have been removed or somehow made sillier (in a bad way).
Better controls and breathtaking visuals certainly polish the original Resident Evil‘s sparkle, but the storyline, devoid of the humorous and garish flair that made the game endearing in the first place, is guaranteed to bore both veteran S.T.A.R.S. affiliates and newcomers. 9/10
“Ada, wait!” Before las Plagas, there were zombies. Ankle-dragging, brain-hungry zombies, the undead who waited behind corners and inside lockers, hoping an unlucky S.T.A.R.S. member or even some exhausted shop owner with a shotgun would walk straight into their open arms. Hey, it happens. Resident Evil 2 is proof.
When it comes to horror video games, Resident Evil tops the chart, nails the head shots, and splatters the screen with blood and gore. Although the popular series changed its mainstream viral formula with the “action horror” award-winner Resident Evil 4, fans still consider the second game a hot favorite. Leon S. Kennedy may be a teenage girl’s knight in zombie gut-stained armor now, but he wasn’t always such a looker who rolled with Umbrella’s punches as slickly as the bad puns and bingo jokes. Once upon a time in Raccoon City, he was a rookie cop whose first day on the job ended in city-wide decimation. He slogged through grimy sewers, followed a corporation’s blood trail, befriended Redfield’s sister … and fell for one dangerous lady in red.
Interested in the full retro review? Click here and read it on Spawn Kill.
Beautiful and warm San Diego
My second day of San Diego Comic-Con began by wandering the floor and meeting The Darkness writer Phil Hester. After a pleasant chat and plans for an interview later that day, I headed for the Batman: New Dynamic panel, led by Dan DiDio. After lots of jest about the possible (and largely improbable) identities of the new Batgirl, I sought out the 24 panel but, not to my surprise, the line had already been sectioned off.
The Capcom booth bustled with crowds surrounding the stage, cheering over Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and the chance to win associated prizes. An hour spent there finished with a trip past the G4 booth, where I caught a glimpse of Elijah Wood in the midst of camera-frenzied fans.
Jessika and I playing Marvel vs. Capcom 2
I caught Phil Hester for the interview, and I was guided behind the booth to lead what was a memorable and casual talk filled with enthusiasm and some good laughs. I snapped a picture and took a brief break in preparation for another one of my most anticipated events of the day, the Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment booth tour. Bypassing the tight security around the large booth was quite an ordeal, but once inside, my frustration was calmed by friendly, excited faces who showed me and let me have hands-on time with both Scribblenauts and Batman: Arkham Asylum. The WBIE professional who assisted me for the majority of the tour wore a Batman shirt, and we gleefully chatted about classic Batman graphic novels, recent comics, and even figurines. I ended up leaving the enjoyable experience with some temporary Scribblenauts tattoos and the single remaining wind-up Joker chattering teeth (modeled after the ones in the game) from that day.
Finally meeting one of my favorite comics guys, Mel Caylo
Joined again by Rick Basaldua and this time comic creator David LeVack, as well as some other new faces, the Girls Entertainment Network crew and I dined at a seafood restaurant—where I split an oven-roasted chicken meal and rice and enjoyed a rich comic talk with two friendly guys in the industry as well as all-around great company.
My feet ached and I could hardly stand, and two more days remained, but the amount of fun was almost unbearable. In a good way, of course.
More in-depth write-ups of the panels and interviews mentioned will be coming soon!
Mandy, Becky, Jill, Jessika, and I at dinner
Capcom just recently announced some cool news for PlayStation Network gamers. Today they launched a laundry list of retro games in Capcom Classics Collection Remixed (whew, that’s quite a mouthful!):
• 1941: Counter Attack
• Avengers
• Bionic Commando
• Black Tiger
• Block Block
• Captain Commando
• Final Fight
• Forgotten Worlds
• Last Duel
• Legendary Wings
• Magic Sword
• Mega Twins
• Quiz and Dragons
• Section Z
• Side Arms: Hyper Dyne
• The Speed Rumbler
• Street Fighter
• Strider
• Three Wonders
• Varth
Unfortunately, this CCCR bundle is only for the PSP. PS3 owners will have a few gems to brag about soon enough with the PSOne Classics releases of Dino Crisis, Resident Evil 2, and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis, but it looks like PlayStation handheld gamers will reap the most out of this PS/Capcom deal with the upcoming UMD Legacy releases of Mega Man Powered Up, Power Stone Collection, Mega Man Maverick Hunter X, Darkstalkers, Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max, and Capcom Classics Collection Reloaded.
At least we’re getting Marvel vs. Capcom 2 come late July … right? Either way, it looks like now is the time to stock up on those PSN Cards. Ugh, I should just go buy a PSP so I can have “an entire arcade in [my] pocket,” too.
