Why I think RE4 and RE5 are still scary

Most Resident Evil purists really don't like RE4 and RE5. There a lot of reasons, some understandable and some very silly. These include the lack of zombies, different perspective, location (I'll get to this in a minute), as well the amount of action. Well, I really have no problems with any of these things. Here's my opinion on the subject:

The first four RE games (including Code Veronica) were known for being relatively scary and very suspenseful. The reasons why they were scary and suspenseful because of the dangerous enemies, lack of health and ammo (however RE2 has more than enough ammo and health), limiting camera angles, controls making it somewhat difficult to dodge things at first, as well as somewhat scary locations (I'll get to that in a minuet as well). They're still hailed today as classics (and they are) as well as the true start to the Survival Horror genre in video games. However, when RE4 had come out, there was two sides of the video gaming community: one that loved it and thought it was one of the best shooters ever to be created (like me) or a terrible step backwards in the series because it lacked certain things and Sonic's eyes were green. People either loved it or hated it. One of the biggest reasons I find is because RE purists (which I can't stand. In fact, purists of any kind bother me. No offense.) don't think RE4 is scary or suspenseful enough. Really? It's not scary or suspenseful? What about when a whole village of killers come after you, including a guy with a chainsaw, at the beginning of the game. For anyone playing it for the first time and didn't think to look in houses for ammo and health as well as lacking experience playing the game in general, this is one of the scariest things to experience in a game. Even after I knew where to go and what to do it's still scary constantly being chased by creatures that want to kill you as fast as possible. And that's just one part. What about the hedge maze with the dogs/wolves? What about when you have to go up close to the Garrador in order to pull a lever. What about when you're caged in with a Garrador and the only way to get out is to make noise (which happens to be the thing that sets off the Garrador), only to have guys shooting fire arrows at you outside of the cage. What about the battle with Vertigo? What about the battle with two Garradors at the same time? What about when you have to fight all of those knights? What about every part of the game that has Regenerators in them? All of these moments are very suspenseful and scary. In fact there's probably more scary and suspenseful moments in this game then there are in any of the previous RE games (I'm probably the only one who thinks that but again this is my perspective on the subject). Plus, despite the abundance of ammo and health, I still find it to be a little more challenging than some of the more classic RE games like RE2 and RE3 mainly because the bosses and some of the enemies are really aggressive and can kill you very quickly. Every time I play these moments I'm always feeling a lot of suspense. When I play the older RE games, I have tons of fun and feel suspense, but never as much as I do in RE4. Although I do admit, Nemesis is suspenseful and scary no matter how many times I play RE3. And don't get me started on the Mercenaries mode. When ever the Bella Sisters come out, or, oh dear, SUPER SALVADOR (he's scarier than the Slenderman) the suspense and tension sky rocket and my heart is pounding during ever second of it.

Now, for RE5, my memory of it isn't as fresh as my memory of RE4, but I can definitely say without any hesitation that RE5 is still scary. Yes there's a lot of action in the game, but to be honest there's a lot of action in almost all RE games. But anyway, on to why it's still scary. First of all, the real time inventory system. Unlike any other RE game aside from the Outbreak and the Gun Survivor games (I think), your weapons and health are accessed and switched in real time, making it a bit more stressful to switch the correct weapons and items (especially in Mercenaries). That alone adds a lot of stress and suspense to the game. But aside from the inventory system, there are a lot of scary and dangerous enemies. Such as the Executioner and the Reapers. One usually kills you in one hit and the other DOES kill you in one hit (usually). They are especially scary in Mercenaries mode, cause they are constantly chasing you, always trying to ruin your score in the scariest way possible. What about when you’re in that maze of giant trailers and those ugly looking dogs come and attack you? What about when you’re in the entrance to the mine and it’s really dark and those Magini’s (that’s what they’re called right? Can’t remember) come at you in the dark. What about the lasers that always manage to kill that idiot Sheva? Let’s not forget the semi last level where that mutated woman (again, haven’t played RE5 in a while) attacks you at random points in the level. What about the boss fight with said woman? It’s easier now, but the first time trying to beat it was awful. Very suspenseful. How about the fact that it’s really hard to aim since you’re using very thin red laser in Africa, which happens to be a very reddish-orange place in the day time. How about Sheva’s awful Ai that screws you over all the time? I guess that shouldn’t be counted as something to add to the scariness to the game, but it really does. I wish I could say the battle with Wesker was scary, but I found that to be more fun and exciting, and very satisfying considering all the crap he’s caused in the games (although I hate to see him dead). There are most likely other scary moments I’m missing, but there you go. There’s still a lot of suspense in RE5 and some scary parts. At least for me.

One last thing, I believe people had problems with RE5 not being scary because of the location? Well, were the other RE games really that scary with location? Sure the mansion was creepy, but Raccoon City was actually quite the cozy place, at least it was to me. The Police Precinct was just a Police Precinct. Code Veronica wasn’t very scary in the scenery either. RE0 was pretty creepy in a lot of areas. RE4 had quite a few creepy areas. But what about RE5? That game didn’t have any scary areas? I think the areas in RE5 were just as scary as the previous games. I mean if the game had the same graphics of RE3, and had the same perspective as the classic RE games, I don’t believe the areas would seem “unscary” anymore. They’re really just typical RE locations. Nothing special. But if they aren’t scary, it really doesn’t matter, because how I see it, the RE games are scary for their enemies. Not the locations. Leave that to Silent Hill.

couldn't agree more, to me they are scary in the same manner as the others, it has suspense and all, etc... the reason some people didn't like it is basically it has more action and less puzzle, I mean, it didn't required to slow down in any part, but to me thats fine, it's not that it stops being Resident Evil, or survival horror, just for that. As for the lack of zombies... that is bullsh*t, I mean, come on, is they same thing with a different virus...

Resident Evil 4 was AMAZING and scary at times for sure. Resident 5 scary? Meh not particurley although the giant majini and tribe warriors were quite spooky THATS IT.

Resident Evil 5 was not really a horror game even though thats the genere it comes under. it was really just an excuse to rap up the original resident evil saga and kill off albert wesker. Even albert weskers mutating in the volcano was not scary.

Lost in Nightmares was not that scary. Even the Gurdians were not really scary.

OP, I think you're getting confused between what is entertaining and what is scary. No one here would argue the last 2 instalments werent entertaining, but the scare factor and how they fit into the franchise is usually open to debate.


IMO RE4 had a lot of tension and brought different kinds of scares to the series. RE5 on the other hand was an action game. Being in awe at the sheer force of the enemy is not the same as being scared by it. For example, in RE4 the enemies worked against you all as a group and had their own strategies. In Resi 5, a majority of the time it was like being post 5-1 in Resident Evil 4. If you have played this all the way through you would know that the enemies rarely used strategies by this point and just went guns and glory at you. The scares of the game were mostly gone. It's an action-fest.

Now onto locations - the locations in the original games were key to the setting and overall tone of the game. To fob off the locations being secondary to the scariness or effect the game has me scratching my head a bit. Resident Evil 4's locations had no problem frightening. Remember the first time you saw the Cephula-type enemy? The safehouse? Your first gigante? The giant lake monster? Halfway through Salazar's castle> The village at night? Lots of dark locations.

You make a lot of interesting remarks about the highlights of both RE4 and 5 but I feel you need to rethink what you are trying to defend about them. I for one think you are trying to say they are both great games in their own right (which they are) but you are trying to back this up in a way that doesn't make sense. A Resident Evil "being scary" or "having herbs" or "having Jill Valentine" etc. is an ignorant person's view of the franchise. A Resident Evil game can be good without any of these things, as long as it is done in the right way. Maybe you genuinely think 4 and 5 are scary games, but I think you are just using the word "scary" instead of the words "as good as". And if that is the case, then I agree. Because I can't count the hours spent on Mercenaries or replaying 4 and 5's main scenarios.

I have to agree yet disagree at your remarks, RE4 Was scary, but after playing it a few times and get the infinite weapons its no biggy, and the fact that when you changed to Costume set 2 you had an invincible Ashley (that you can also make spazz with the Chicago Typewriter...Yeah I was sad enough to do that) But I admit when I watched my uncle play the game at a young age it was scary as s*** and to make matters worse he tried to scare me into to playing it and also freaked me out by telling me if I didnt get out of the first house at the start, the Ganados would burn it down (which is an obvious lie). He also scared me with Dr Salvador by letting him very close and I was like "DON'T LET HIM GET YOU!" only for my Uncle to blast him with the Shotgun. I swear it could still freak me at times, Regenerators... WHAT! ARE!! YOUS!!! and Salvador yeah! Bosses weren't too bad (Except IT!) and that was RE4.

Now RE5 was a whole different story but it fell into the same error with RE4 as I mentioned above, Scary first round but after unlocking the infinite weapons you could easily zip right through. But that can help tension if you are too clung onto Infinite weapons by Mercs, only weapon that was infinite was Shevas Bow so otherwise you were in trouble. And I agree, Reapers were goddamn scary except with a good tactic (or Safari Chris rockets) so most bosses in Mercs had you legging it except playing as Wesker, he goes Pew...Pew (Hydra) or Pew.Pew.Pew (L. Hawk) or Pew......Pew......Pew (Handcannon or for more technical terms S+W M5000) But the only other time excluding bosses I got scared at was the first Licker fight when it smashed through the window... that was it (I think)

But its everyones opinion and I liked how you tried to Defend RE4 and 5 but others just won't listen sometimes

I like them both and think they are worthy sequels to the franchise but only RE4 out of the two was actually scary. I would say I found it as scary as the previous games, but RE5 was not scary one bit. I only remember a panic-y moment when the game kinda bugged and me and my friend couldn't get to a door that needed us both to enter at the same time while two chainsaw majinis and a lot of minor enemies were crammed in one spot. Besides, bad AI shouldn't really be considered making a game "scary". Not even with a good will. I actually found the aiming to be easier than in 4 and weapon/item swapping was a breeze with the shortcut buttons. The Mercs aren't scary either, they're just a slaughterfest. An awesome one at that, I might add.

You mentioned the scenery and in my opinion 0-3, the Outbreaks and Dead Aim had the scariest/creepiest scenery. But that's just my opinion, of course. On the sparse ammo in earlier games I would say I had more than I needed in 1.

Two things I want to add: the Survivor games didn't have a real time inventory and Silent Hills are scary for their location AND enemies.

I have to admit I made this thread because I was a little peeved at how a lot Resident Evil "fans" dismissed or insulted RE4 and RE5 for stupid reasons such as them not being as scary as the originals. I can't imagine them disliking them for the gameplay, cause the gameplay is nearly flawless in both of them. I guess I was just sick of people complaining about games not for their quality, but for small things and certain details that didn't really matter. Like, if they made a completely new character for RE6, it would kind of annoy me, but I would still play it and appreciate it for what it is as well as have fun with it, rather than call it a waste just for small things.

But I agree with what you are all saying.

However I still don't think Raccoon City is a scary location. I find it to be more cozy.

EDIT: I totally forgot to mention the part where you're in the sewers and you get attacked by those bugs as one of the scarier parts of RE4.

Mass Distraction wrote:

Silent Hills are scary for their location AND enemies.

Are they more threatening in the other ones? Cause in SH2 they're total jokes. For an enemy to be scary for me, they usually need to be aggressive, and attack often, like the ones in Shattered Memories.

I'm really interested how they will make RE6 after all the types of RE games thay have made...

RaviorStygian wrote:

I totally forgot to mention the part where you're in the sewers and you get attacked by those bugs as one of the scarier parts of RE4.

Mass Distraction wrote:

Silent Hills are scary for their location AND enemies.

Are they more threatening in the other ones? Cause in SH2 they're total jokes. For an enemy to be scary for me, they usually need to be aggressive, and attack often, like the ones in Shattered Memories.

For me that happened to be the least scary part in the game I loved blasting those bastards with a shotgun.

Really? Haven't played SH2 yet but I've heared it's really good. They weren't too threatening in SH1 & 3 in my opinion but in 4 the ghosts were impossibel to beat if you didn't know what to do or have the sword thingies and in 5 they're almost as relentless and aggressive as in Shattered Memories.
For me a scary enemy need to be a twisted nightmarish creature that is hard to kill and if it's presence causes some kind of sound/disturbance/flicker/etc. it's always a plus. That's why I like the monsters in Silent Hill. As for your definition of a scary monster, have you ever considered playing any of the Siren games? Great games.

Mass Distraction wrote:

have you ever considered playing any of the Siren games? Great games.

I'll check it out, thanks.

By the way, anyone else wish Shattered Memories put you in danger even when outside the nightmares? Wouldn have made it more fun, even if it wouldn't make sense for the story. Maybe.

RaviorStygian wrote:

Mass Distraction wrote:

have you ever considered playing any of the Siren games? Great games.

I'll check it out, thanks.

By the way, anyone else wish Shattered Memories put you in danger even when outside the nightmares? Wouldn have made it more fun, even if it wouldn't make sense for the story. Maybe.

np

I'm actually currently playing Shattered Memories and that's what I've been thinking about, though it's a tough spot trying to survive the Nightmares alone.

Why I think I should rename this thread How to Write a Novel 101: ^^^

lol. I'll try to wade through all of this writing at some point this year.

Kudos to you poster of this thread. Very nicely written.

Also. I just want to point out something about RE4. The way it starts you off is perfect, classic RE style. I mean you and two officers go into an unfamiliar location, you go off on your own, you meet a zombie equivilant, and mind you that the first time around none of us knew exactly how to play, so fighting a single ganado was kind of scary. The music, atmosphere, the guys banging on the door outside the cabin, the entire situation going to hell when the policia's car is wrecked. I loved it.

Anyway, just wanted to type all of that.

I think that RE4 is scary at the beginning and when we progress it becomes less scarier but
more inetresting ,also it scary when the iro maiden catches me from one mile
RE5 it isnot scary its boring.

I have one word... Iron maiden.....and I am aware thats 2 words but that doesnt even matter.

ghoroob f3 wrote:

I think that RE4 is scary at the beginning and when we progress it becomes less scarier but
more inetresting ,also it scary when the iro maiden catches me from one mile
RE5 it isnot scary its boring.

RE5 on the whole isn't scary. I still don't understand where some are coming from though. I honestly wasn't scared playing any RE games, though some had moments.

RE5 does have horror. I felt it when playing LIN last night. Jamesy could tell you how amazing LIN is, and although it isn't the RE5 story, just a side thing...

Anyway, I was playing Mercs Reunion, and there were scary moments, it's mainly when you are overwhelmed with enemies, and it happens, and something like a Reaper or Executioner is near, low health, I think you get the idea, that is most certainly not boring.

The main story was definately lacking in horror in a lot of ways, and a lot can be contributed to Sheva, or just the constant AI partner. I hope we are never again forced to have a partner all the way through, though having a partner for Mercs is awesome, just not the story, that should be a lone experience.

I loved RE4 and RE5, RE4 scared me a few times when I first played it. Esspescially the part when your Ashley and the knights came after you. Scared me shitless. And RE5 didnt scare me one bit. Its a great game but i thought nazi zombies was scarier than RE5.

RE4 was scary in parts. RE5 had very very few scary moments.

Spike991 wrote:

ghoroob f3 wrote:

I think that RE4 is scary at the beginning and when we progress it becomes less scarier but
more inetresting ,also it scary when the iro maiden catches me from one mile
RE5 it isnot scary its boring.

RE5 on the whole isn't scary. I still don't understand where some are coming from though. I honestly wasn't scared playing any RE games, though some had moments.

RE5 does have horror. I felt it when playing LIN last night. Jamesy could tell you how amazing LIN is, and although it isn't the RE5 story, just a side thing...

Anyway, I was playing Mercs Reunion, and there were scary moments, it's mainly when you are overwhelmed with enemies, and it happens, and something like a Reaper or Executioner is near, low health, I think you get the idea, that is most certainly not boring.

The main story was definately lacking in horror in a lot of ways, and a lot can be contributed to Sheva, or just the constant AI partner. I hope we are never again forced to have a partner all the way through, though having a partner for Mercs is awesome, just not the story, that should be a lone experience.

yes the mercenaries is only the interesting part in the game I get some excitement and some anger it is cool.
the boring is the main story and the enemies .

I actually find RE4 to be very scary and intense. When I first popped the game into my gamecube it was a great summer night so I decided to open my window to let fresh air in and I sat down on my bed and started to play. After 10 minutes of playing I shut my window, closed the blinds and turned on the lights. I got the same scared feeling I received from RE3 and REmake.

Then came RE5.... Totally not scary. It's action packed and intense so you are on the end of your seat constantly but it's not at all scary. It's the enviornments fault either, the daylight atmosphere could have been just as scary as a dark one but with so much ammo and the Majini just later on having guns, it just takes away from the experience.

RE4 was not as scary as the RE1 remake.

The REmake was not scary! Now RE5, that was scary.

Good joke

lol

Jamesy wrote:

RE4 was not as scary as the RE1 remake.

Your right, it wasn't as scary buy I got the same feeling. I can't even play the REmake alone at night xD

The voice acting in REmake was the scariest part of it...

Chris: NO! DON'T GOOO!