What Are You Currently Playing? 5.05: You Are (Not) A Gamer

[Avaitor]

I wasn't sure whether to use this thread or the RE one, but since I guess that's more for news and general talk about the franchise, I'll just go here- I started 4 today and already beat the first 2 sections of chapter 1.

It's insanely good, but I had to stop after getting beheaded by the chainsaw guy right at the start of 1.3. Still, I can see why it's beloved so much even now- the atmosphere is perfect, the scripting is incredible, and the gameplay, while a little simple, couldn't be more fun and appropriate.

I'm going back later tonight and I won't stop until I at lesst hit chapter 2.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

The Chainsaw type enemies become extremely easy to deal with once you get a plentiful amount of ammo for your Shotgun (almost too easy, really). Without the power weapons, they can be pretty intense since they are among the few enemies in the game that can kill you on immediate contact.

At any rate, yeah, the game has a brilliant atmosphere and is a ton of fun to play, but trust me when I say that the beginning of the game isn't even a good indicator of how much better it gets in later chapters. Once you get to chapter 3, the game really kicks off full throttle, IMO.

[Avaitor]

The Chainsaw type enemies become extremely easy to deal with once you get a plentiful amount of ammo for your Shotgun (almost too easy, really). Without the power weapons, they can be pretty intense since they are among the few enemies in the game that can kill you on immediate contact.

Yeah, I'm beginning to think that I should switch to my shotgun when I try the chainsaw guy again. I wasn't going anywhere with the handgun, and when I tried to cut him, that's when it was bye-bye for Leon.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Yeah, the thing about the handgun is that its not a very optimal weapon until you get a far better selection of handguns to choose from in chapter 2, and even then they'll require some upgrades before they become truly useful in combat. That said, when you get the Red9 (the best handgun in the game, IMO) to its max level, it becomes ridiculously overpowered, and is tons of fun to use. Even in the original version of the game where its max damage is marked at 4.5, its a packs a lot of power per bullet, but in the Wii/XBOX360/PS3 versions of the game, its max damage mark of 6.5 makes it nearly OHK most enemies (and that's the strongest version of each enemy type which you primarily fight in the last third of the game).

Really, though, balancing out your weapons and items later in the game can actually become really addicting in and of itself. I'm not sure why, but this is one of those few games where I actually like spending time in my inventory screen and optimizing my tools as much as possible.

That said, the game has some tremendously intense and creative enemy encounters and boss fights down the line, so while it gets off to a good enough start, it really does cement itself as one of the greatest games of all time before you even reach the middle point of the game. This is coming from someone who was really skeptical of this game's massive hype myself, going into it. Its now basically my 2nd favorite game from last-gen (tying with Max Payne in that regard), with my 3rd favorite game from last-gen being F.E.A.R. and my favorite being pretty obvious by this point in time.

[talonmalon333]

The more I think about it, the more I realize that RE4 is one of the hardest games to dislike. I mean it.

If someone claimed to dislike it, I would think that they either are just against the idea of RE reinventing itself... or they are simply trying too hard.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

No, there are actually a bunch of idiots who genuinely dislike it for the sole purpose of not being able to move and shoot at the same time. Its mostly the little kiddies who have been spoiled by their Gears of War and Call of Duty games, though. Anyone who was a big gamer from at least the last-generation knows that RE4 is truly a great game, unless they are among the biased individuals who just can't stand that it doesn't look and control like the classic RE games do.

Now, the thing that I can't figure out is that while games like RE4 and other classic games from last-gen like Halo: CE are fondly remembered no matter how much time goes by, why the hell is Ninja Gaiden Black getting more and more forgotten as time goes by. Its easily one of the best games of its decade, and that was actually a pretty popular opinion back when it came out. I mean, the level of critical acclaim it got was actually comparable to that of top-calibur games like Halo, RE4, HL2, MGS3, and other high profile games of last-gen. For whatever reason, as time goes on, lots of people (including) critics seem to forget that this game even exists. Its annoying because aside from Foggle, Rynnec (who played the Sigma version but its still basically the same game in essence), and maybe GSF (depending on if he's in his "trash-talking NG" mood or not), I don't think I've run into a single other person who has played and loved this game like I have. Well, aside from the hardcore fans of the 3D NG games on the NG board that I used to go to, but I realized how much I hate that fan-base (they act like NG is the only great action game ever made, except for maybe God Hand, DMC, and Bayonetta with some fans over there, which annoys me to no end), so they don't count.

[Avaitor]

So I think I just finished chapter 2 of RE 4. And damn does this game keep getting better.

I thought I would have hated Ashley, but escorting her really isn't that painful, and doesn't detract from the game that much. It's just a blast so far.

[gunswordfist]

Ninja Gaiden was at one point my 2nd favorite game of all time.

[gunswordfist]

I love playing the Strania demo, even though it's really short. I want to get this hidden gem of a shoot em up after I download most of the other games I want.

[Foggle]

I just use the Punisher (or whichever gun it is you get from shooting the medallions) for the whole game. Go for headshots and you'll have little trouble handling the basic mooks with it.

Now, the thing that I can't figure out is that while games like RE4 and other classic games from last-gen like Halo: CE are fondly remembered no matter how much time goes by, why the hell is Ninja Gaiden Black getting more and more forgotten as time goes by.

I don't understand it, either. It seems like people only care about GoW and DMC for some reason. And don't get me wrong, those are good games, especially DMC 1 and 3, but NG is the best of the bunch IMO.

The more I think about it, the more I realize that RE4 is one of the hardest games to dislike. I mean it.

If someone claimed to dislike it, I would think that they either are just against the idea of RE reinventing itself... or they are simply trying too hard.

Visit a RE fan site with an active forum sometime. You'll be as shocked and depressed as I was.

So I think I just finished chapter 2 of RE 4. And damn does this game keep getting better.

You ain't seen nothing yet. 3 and 4 are easily the best ones, while 5 has the scariest enemies in the entire series as well as some of the absolute coolest bosses and action setpieces of all time.

Oh yeah, Black Mesa comes out on the 14th! It only includes the... er... Black Mesa parts, since they're apparently planning an extensive reworking of Xen, but I'm pumped! Been waiting for this since 2007.

[Eddy]

Resident Evil 4 is an amazing game and one of the best of all time. It's my second favorite game in the RE franchise, just behind REmake for the GameCube.

I actually didn't realize how many versions of RE4 I actually own. I have the GameCube version, the Wii version (the best one), and the HD version (on the 360). I can never get tired of it.

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

Ninja Gaiden was at one point my 2nd favorite game of all time.

I said that you were one of the few people that I have seen on the Internet who actually acknowledges that its a great action game while most people seem to have forgotten that it actually exists. Where the hell did you get that I said it was your 2nd favorite game from my post?

[gunswordfist]

I meant I don't actually have any problems with the game (except the enemies are kind of boring after the red dinosaur like fiends appear.)

[Dr. Ensatsu-ken]

I meant I don't actually have any problems with the game (except the enemies are kind of boring after the red dinosaur like fiends appear.)

You mean because the enemies are actually aggressive and use various tactics to kill you, rather than just stand there all day waiting for you to hit them like in a certain other, very boring, hack n' slash series of games.

[talonmalon333]

The more I think about it, the more I realize that RE4 is one of the hardest games to dislike. I mean it.

If someone claimed to dislike it, I would think that they either are just against the idea of RE reinventing itself... or they are simply trying too hard.

Visit a RE fan site with an active forum sometime. You'll be as shocked and depressed as I was.

Yep. Lot's of losers who are trying too hard to hate on a game, or don't like RE changing itself (as well as children who want to run and shoot).