Barcelona are boring
Barcelona are boring.
I’m not disputing that they are a great team who have achieved great things, rather than the fact is is all really boring and annoying to watch now.
They aren’t the most entertaining team to watch, they don’t try daring things and prefer to pass, pass, pass and pass to Messi if possible. It is very old and of late Barcelona have been sussed out. By Chelsea, by Milan and recently PSG. Take Barcelona head on and you have a chance. Bayern Munich have just shown that after dismantling Barcelona 4-0.
Just to reiterate, I am not saying I think Barcelona are crap or lucky, they are very skill full and talented, I just feel like it hampers the enjoyment of watching a game with their style or lack thereof, sort of like the opposite of Stoke City.
Also, Barcelona’s shameless harassment of the referee after every incident is really unprofessional and annoying, and referees tend to crumble as well. Barcelona is UEFA’s pet and you can see it, they can do no wrong.
Who are the most exciting to watch? Barcelona or Real Madrid? I’d always choose Real Madrid. They may not be as successful as their Spanish counterparts in recent times but much more entertaining to watch, this is the point of this article.
My point is Barcelona have run their course and have been sussed out, their passing game was a revolution but as with other footballing revolutions (Ajax, Liverpool, Madrid, Milan, Manchester United (60′s)) everything comes to an end, and I think Barcelona’s is near.
Anyway, I am bored of Barcelona. Bring back some entertainment.
Letting us down…again. Can Liverpool keep defending Suarez?
In short, no. For me, Luis Suarez latest incident is one too many and has yet again put the club in an impossible situation, how can you possible explain any type of innocence in this? It was a clear moment of madness, but most will kick out, mouth off or a cynical foul but to bite someone…never. And he’s done it before, which really makes us look silly. We took a gamble on this magically skilled player, but the club has to come first always.
Kenny Dalglish famously defended him and possibly lost his job due to this, Liverpool’s image to other clubs and fans took a beating and we still defended him, there has to be a point where we have to accept that Suarez is very damaging to the club and outweighs how good he is, sadly.
It is an utterly shocking event that will probably cost him the rest of the season, the player of the year award, the faith the fans have in him and possibly his place in the squad. He deserves whatever punishment comes his way, how he will respond to it I don’t know, but can we ever trust him to behave when this has happened more than once? I don’t know.
Ronnie
YNWA
A History of Resident Evil – Part 1.5 Resident Evil Remake
A History of Resident Evil Main Hub
Intro
In the early 2000’s Nintendo had struck a deal to get Resident Evil as an exclusive for them and the GameCube system, and with that came two titles with one of them being arguably the best Resident Evil game – A remake of the original Resident Evil, more commonly known as REMake and Resident Evil 0.
GameCube, obviously, had much more power than the PS1 and was graphically on another planet so it had the potential to be fantastic. The only fears being it was a classic game and had cult status, a lot of remakes, particularly with film, don’t quite do justice to the original. REMake did it justice and went further establishing itself as one of the best Resident Evil games and one of the best game overall of all time.
It kept the same feel of the original and looked fantastic, it was the perfect remake a fan could have asked for – it really delivered in all aspects and has since made fans want them same treatment for Resident Evil 2 and so on, which sadly hasn’t been done (as of writing).
Plot
The plot is largely unchanged; it’s the same characters, same mansion and same secret organisation with a biological crisis. However, now there are better graphics so the characters looked realistic as well as a better (not that it could be worse) voice acting team which made the whole game have a tremendously realistic feel to it and made you feel right there with Chris and Jill.
Chris and Jill Remade
There was now a new subplot in the game which adds to the terror of what Umbrella did in their prime involving the Trevor family. The father of the family, George was the one who designed the mansion including traps, puzzles and hidden rooms which does sort of explain why there would possibly be so many puzzles and traps in a mansion, it didn’t need an explanation as it was just a game but it was a great addition to the plot and mystery.
The subplot regards not just George Trevor but his family and what happened to them after the mansions completion, the daughter Lisa was captured and experimented on and remains on the grounds as an abomination and someone the characters need to face throughout the game. The storyline isn’t huge, but it does add a new dimension and definitely something extra for those who played the original.
Lisa Trevor
Other than that there was nothing new to the plot really, it was just the same but polished and refined. The core plotline remains the same and other than Lisa, there isn’t anything in the game that will come as a surprise.
However much the same the basic plot is, with the increased power of the GameCube, the storytelling is on another planet with the cutscenes and graphics making Resident Evil Remake much more alive than the original. It has been done truly well and even those who have played the original a million times will be in awe of how brilliant the story has been retold.
Gameplay
Much like the storyline the basic gameplay mechanics were the same, tank controls and pre rendered backgrounds. Of course the camera angles had changed somewhat but it more or less the same.
One of the many new additions were the defence items for the characters. These would be used to get a zombie off before he can bite – serving as a last stand providing you had any of the items left on you. Chris had a dagger and a grenade whilst Jill had dagger and a taser. Defense items were a nice little addition to the game, and can help to get you out of a bind, just don’t expect them to help you against some of the larger enemies in the mansion.
Stab
Characters could now (still) run up most stairs without a loading screens as introduced in RE3 however there still needed a loading screen through most doors, whether that was just to keep the feature or that it did still need to keep loading like that. On the subject of doors, more zombies could now open doors and the more ferocious zombies, the Crimson Heads, could also chase after you through the doors. Nothing groundbreaking, but can give you a shock from time to time.
The inventory screen had another revamp but it more or less feels the same. There are no real additions to the inventory other than aesthetics really. However, you can now use herbs and F.A. Spray if you have a full inventory like introduced from RECV.
Inventory Screen
The original RE’s puzzles were still there but had all been given a make over. For example the armour room was still the same size and looks but the puzzle was fairly more complicated than it used to. Other notable puzzles are the fish tank puzzle, pool table and powering up the lab.
The mansion and surrounding buildings had been touched up majorly with entire new areas added to the original’s dead ends. This served to lengthen the game as well as provide a new surprise for returning players. Some of the notable revamps were the underground, first zombie room and definitely the aqua ring. Some areas were modified slightly and others completely revamped.
Aqua Ring
After completion of the game initially there were also more new additions, such as unlocking an infinite Samurai Edge, the classic Rocket Launcher and costumes. By completing it once you could unleash a dangerous zombie into the mansion, which really fucks your shit up.
Concluding, REMake, although a remade edition of the original still feels very much like it and still retains the original terror aided by the camera angles and the stiff controls. Everything that made the original great is here with loads of new extras which in no way ruined the experience: it aided to it.
Graphics
When this came out GameCube was state of the art and REMake was one of the best looking games around, the mansion was incredibly detailed with brilliant lighting and details on just about everything- things were covered in cobwebs, dust and all sorts and it definitely looked in a state rather than the original game which looked fairly clean and undisturbed really.
Great graphics
What was really changed by the graphics engine however were the cutscenes and introductions of enemies and characters. It’s difficult to be scared of the monsters in the original now they look blocky but REMake brings them more to “life” with better detail and movement of the monsters. As an example is the introduction of Neptune.
It was pretty obvious the mansion was going to look great in the remake, and it really did. Every single room looked fantastic throughout the game, and with the characters being updated as well everything fit it. There used to be a problem with RE where the background and puzzles clashed as one was pre rendered and the other wasn’t. But not anymore, everything looked as if they were meant to be there.
In conclusion, REMake was a fantastic looking game in its day and even now. I played it recently and thought it looked as good as any other game if it was just HD. Something Capcom really need to get on with.
Sound
Again, consoles were much more powerful than they used to be, and that went for the sound as well. Bigger discs meant higher quality tracks and REMake was no exception.
However, Capcom still maintained subtle music for the game and a lot of tracks were remade version of the original, for example the main hall theme.
One of the areas that did get a big upgrade though were the sound effects. Guns and splatter were much detailed than they used to be.
The laughable voice overs were also scrapped and in came a proper cast of actors and a much better script.
Impact
REMake’s impact was instant and hailed as one of the best games of all time. It showed the video game history that this was the way to remake games, keep the soul and improve everything else. With REMake Capcom did just that.
However, it is fair to say that it didn’t have as much of an impact as it should as it was an exclusive on the GameCube. As popular as it was it missed out on the entire Xbox and PS2/3 market. Even to this day you still need a GC or a Wii to play them.
But the fact still remains, REMake was an unbelievably good game and it still is. Like I mentioned earlier, I played this recently and it was just as good as any other game I had going at the time if better. This game is an eternal classic.
Legacy
This was Resident Evil’s finest hour for me, Resident Evil 4 came shortly but REMake was the best game they made in the series, particularly in the pre rendered old style Resident Evil games.
Resident Evil remake also set the tone for Resident Evil 0 the prequel to the series and used the same engine, with the latter being the last game using this system.
With the style RE took with 4 and onwards, REMakes legacy in the series wasn’t much, but in terms of a video game it is the benchmark for remakes and probably the best remake game ever made.
PSY is back with another disgracefully catchy tune…Gentleman!
I have a weakness for a catchy tune and PSY’s follow up to Gangnam Style is here with Gentleman, along with a new dance. It’s not the best song you’ll ever hear but it’s cheesy, catchy and has a humorous video. A bit like Gangnam Style. Either way I love it, and here it is.
Gotta love that crazy South Korean.
Don’t panic! Reading 0 – Liverpool 0
Yes it was a poor result, bit of a drag to watch a second 0-0 in a row and put us even further from Europe but there’s no reason to go mad and start drawing up your Brendan out banners.
If you read my previous blog about not having a plan B then this article won’t be anything new revelation for you. It happened again and that was it.
Their keeper played a blinder and we were out of imagination up front again, and were unable to stop and think “this isn’t working, lets try something else”.
But there’s no reason to panic, transition phase and all that but you can see the progress we’re making and progress we’re trying to make, and definitely in better shape than what we were.
We just need to start becoming more consistent both with our starting line-ups and tactics. We’ve made a lot of signings and they are both finding their feet personally and with the players around them, they’ll become good in time, I know it.
It would also help if the players try different approaches to suit brick walls like West Ham and Reading, maybe that’s Rodgers job or maybe it’s the team or possibly the captain. Either way, we need more someone to be able to take the game by the scruff of the neck.
To conclude, let’s not panic. Things could be better (and worse) but they’re all fine.
A History of Resident Evil – Part 4 Resident Evil- CODE:Veronica
A History of Resident Evil Main Hub
Intro
There was a new generation of consoles coming and there needed to be a new generation of Resident Evil with it, and this is what RECV was going to be on Sega’s new console, the Dreamcast.
It had boosted graphics, all new backgrounds that used the games engine. No more pre rendered backgrounds for this instalment. The game was drastically more detailed than the previous incarnations and needed to be on two discs despite the increased hardware.
Also back was Claire Redfield from Resident Evil 2 and it was no longer set in Raccoon City, meaning this game was a full fledged sequel that aimed to progress the storyline a lot more than Resident Evil 3. Also back was Chris Redfield, but appearing much later in the game.
There was a lot of hype behind this game with it being a name addition on top of being on a new console so Capcom, but with the initial screens it was looking good and the reviews showed it too. Critics didn’t hail at as the best, but it was good. And I’d probably agree with that as well.
The drawback for the game initially was that you needed a Dreamcast to continue the Resident Evil storyline if you were a fan, it did get ported for the PlayStation 2 with CVX but for the time being if you were a Resident Evil fan, you probably had a Dreamcast.
Plot
The game follows Claire Redfield a bit after the events of Raccoon City. She investigated an Umbrella facility in Europe and was captured and moved to a seemingly Umbrella controlled prison island somewhere.
The Prison
The prison was then attacked and being Umbrella owned zombies were never too far away, and that’s where the game takes you, trying to escape from a new nightmare created by Umbrella.
The plot line for does start to move the series in a more comical way with cross dressing nonsense and a genius child experimenting on herself. Everything was somewhat normal before CV and it’s argued this is the starting point of RE taking a comical view.
However, the game did provide some good twists and turns, not only with the main storyline but with a returning character after 3 sequels whose appearance expands the series plotline further and further which was not finalised until Resident Evil 5. It also showed that Umbrella were still going even after the Raccoon City incident. More so, CV helped shed some light on a bit of the history of the organisation and its foundation.
Aiding to the plot was a larger storyline covering two massive levels, where there were a few sub plot a main plot and a hidden plot. All of these did add up to give a much richer and rewarding overall. Even if it was wacky at times.
Wackiness
Gameplay
The gameplay formula really hasn’t changed, even if you played RE1 straight after you’d be comfortable. It is STILL very tense having these types of controls, however there doesn’t seem to be any upgrades here, even the dodge option in RE3 was removed. However good it works, it does leave a feeling that something could have been updated whilst still keeping the same feel of a Resident Evil game.
Item boxes, inventory screen, herbs, weapons. Just some of the things still in CV and haven’t changed, this section of the article is very negative, but it is a good game. It was just this aspect was left untouched. There was nothing really wrong with it, but it was just stale.
The Inventory Screen
There really isn’t much to say here, there weren’t any improvements or even big changes in the gameplay with CV, it more or less stayed exactly the same. One of the mini games had first person mode, but that really was it.
First Person
How to deal with monsters had stayed the same as well, and the monsters themselves still behaved quite the same. It was all still quite stiff, there is one particular boss fight that is made more difficult because of the tank controls on the plane, and this is the kind of fight that shows how desperate the series needs to improve in this department.
The puzzles were still the same format of fetch, push and a riddle, so no change there. Some puzzles were imaginative and hard such as the gas mask conveyer puzzle, but nothing really new here. If you played the previous RE games you’re well equipped for this one.
Graphics
Finally, a bit of positivity. The graphics for CV were drastically improved over its predecessors. Character models were much, much more smooth and detailed. Their hair, clothes, movement and facial expressions were all very, very impressive at the time.
Great Detail
A major change were the pre-rendered backgrounds…they were gone! Replaced with CV’s own graphics engine so that everything looked in place. No more puzzle solutions ruined because it obviously looked out of place. It looked gorgeous.
The monsters obviously got a makeover and were much more detailed, particular the B.O.W there’s not much you can do with a zombie but the hunters and bandersnatches look great. However, one gripe I have with the graphics is that the gore was reduced and zombie’s heads won’t get blasted off. This was a disappointment because that was one of the better parts of a shotgun or a grenade launcher.
Bandersnatch
Keeping your items in the inventory remained the same and had been giving a minor touch up. It looked a bit more modern, but using that type of inventory was not so modern anymore.
CV was a good looking game, and it was made much more atmospheric because of the extra detail, and things felt more alive. However, as a downside, the game looked very square and designed in a very exact and straight way. It’s hard to describe, but you if you played the game and paid attention to the lines you’d see what I mean.
CGI still had a place in Resident Evil and had been upgraded somewhat and using a different style. However, the use of CGI was actually quite minimal, with the majority of scenes using the games own engine. The opening scene was spectacular as well as the closing scene.
Sound
CV has its own distinct sound and was quite well known for it’s theme and its different variants that appear throughout the fame. The other sounds were very good as well and were quite different in style from the other RE’s. Atmospheric but in a much more different way. If the other games were trying to get “fear” then CV was trying to get “danger” as its message across. And with good effect, too.
The other sound effects seem to be ripped from Resident Evil 2, and you will notice that the zombies moan in an identical way. This rule goes for footstep noise, doors opening and closing and even some of the weapons. Disappointed with that.
Themes started to become much more apparent in CV, for example when Chris made a speech or any event where Alexia involved and definitely when the returning character was there the theme was also there. RE2 and 3 had themes throughout and so did CV. A theme that always seems to go unnoticed and a favourite of mine is the adult Albinoid theme. A bit of a pointless fight so that’s why you may not notice it.
To conclude, the sounds were good with the music standing out in particular, and although the sound effects had been recycled, they were still pretty good.
Impact
CV was well received but it was still not a classic, it didn’t explode on the scene like the original and 2. It didn’t bring anything overly new to the table for the series apart from the graphics. It was just an extension and didn’t add much.
There were other things that were obviously popular, the return of an old character, how strange one of the antagonists are and that difficult boss fight at the end of the first disc.
But overall really, CV was a good game, not bad not great, just good. But it didn’t have the impact it deserved and maybe CVX had more of an impact as the Dreamcast itself didn’t fare too well.
Legacy
CV was used for Gun survivor 2 and also was remade somewhat in Resident Evil: The Darkside Chronicle but other than that the only legacy CV had was to continue the plot forward a bit. It’s a shame but CV was not really groundbreaking and didn’t have much imagination in it to have a lasting impact.
Gun Survivor 2
To conclude though, CV is a good game but it may require someone to be a fan of the series to think like that. But it does seem that Capcom really did play it safe with this one.
No Plan B – Liverpool 0 West Ham 0 (video)
It’s finished a frustrating afternoon for the Reds as they are held to a 0-0 draw at home to West Ham.
You got the feeling it was not going to be our day from as early as the first ten minutes – West Ham’s defence was sturdy and we had no imagination up front. Even in the middle of the field the control of the ball was delayed and the passes stray, a few of the players today looked to have their minds on other things. What they could have been I don’t know.
The West Ham team were solid and kept their formation, they blocked every shot and were the most committed in a tackle. My personal man of the match being James Collins, followed closely by Jussi Jaaskelainen. Both players were immense today.
With the European slot still being up for grabs a bit before the game it has certainly taken a blow today, with Everton drawing at Spurs this was 2 points lost if we are to catch them up.
However, the way the game was going it did look like a last West Ham winner was on the cards, so it was quite a relief to get away with just a draw. Maybe in the past this game would have been a loss.
My top 5 things that annoy me on twitter (video)
Have you ever read a tweet and thought to yourself “oh, fuck off” or “shut up!”? I’m sure we all have, so these are the top 5 of the tweets that really annoy me!
#5 – HASHTAG MAD!
Hashtags!
Not only is the just had a burger a bit pointless and irrelevant anyway, what is up with those hashtags? Hashtags are used to sort of link tweets together if they are about a common subject so if you were talking about a burger, just use #burger. All those hashtags have no purpose except to annoy those who use Twitter properly.
And when these hashtags spill on to Facebook, that’s when it gets out of hand.
#4 – Complaining about tweets
Your news feed is built up of the people you’ve chosen to follow, so to complain about someone who it was your decision to follow in the first place is a bit silly. Just unfollow them.
#3 – Vaguetweets
You know the type. “Fuck fake friends, stirring shit if you have something to say, say it to my face” etc. We’ve all seen it. It’s begging for people to comment asking “Who?”. The person you’re on about probably knows who it but no one else does, and then you don’t say anything more after that anyway! Utterly pointless, plus is hypocritical – why didn’t YOU say THAT to their face?
And then….
“I’ll inbox you”
You might as well just say their name.
#2 – We can see your tweets!
For those people who may not know their tweets are public and they’re talking about things that are a little bit dodgy or inappropriate and you can see from what they’ve said – they really shouldn’t be doing it. Do they realise that it’s a public website?
#1 – Hi guys! New on twitter lol don’t know what I’m doing lol!
It’s not that I have against people using Twitter for the first time, it’s just that I have a problem with people treating it like a foreign country and they need to get to grips with the culture or that they need to “take a break” from twitter and making it out to be something bigger than it actually is. It’s a social networking site for sharing opinions and so on. It really isn’t a different planet.
A History of Resident Evil – Part 5 Resident Evil 4
A History of Resident Evil Main Hub
Intro
Resident Evil 4 was the first of the series that moved it from survival horror towards what it’s now known as action horror. The pre-rendered static areas were removed as were the tank controls (still quite stiff, but not as much) and it was now in a third person perspective in a much more open field of play.
It was the third in the Nintendo exclusives after Resident Evil Remake and Zero to be on the GameCube (initially) and was able to take advantage of the superior graphics at the time. Remake and Zero had been hits and there was some real movement in the series, Resident Evil 4 certainly did not disappoint. It’s new style of action attract a host of new players as it was much more accessible and “fun” than previous instalments.
The game starred Leon S. Kennedy from Resident Evil 2 and was in a Spanish village, out of Raccoon City, which was a breath of fresh air to be honest. The village was quite rural and poor-looking with ragged farmer type inhabitants, a stark contrast to RE1, 2 and 3 which were all in fairly modern places.
Traditional zombies also made a departure being replaced by parasite controlled enemies, they had some zombie like features but they could now talk, wield weapons and were much more mobile, hence why it was much more action orientated. Unfortunately, this move made it a lot less horror and much more action orientated. As good as RE4 was, it was the beginning of the decline of the series.
That sounds negative towards this game, but it isn’t. Resident Evil 4 was phenomenal, it was a brilliant game. The graphics, storyline and the action was a brilliant blend and it all worked well together, the previous statement was just about how Capcom weren’t able to use the new system and improve on it some more.Resident Evil 4 was the peak of the series, and hasn’t been replicated since.
So as a conclusion to the introduction – Resident Evil 4 was a new beginning of the series and it was superb, the characters were engaging, the areas were beautiful and designed brilliantly, the plot was a cracker with a few shocks here and there and the minigame that came with it was immense, this was a new fresh approach to the series and hasn’t been replicated to the same quality since. Resident Evil 4 was arguably the best Resident Evil game in the series.
Plot
The game starts with a description of the state of the world. After the events of RE3’s ending, Umbrella is finished. No one wanted to deal with them, stock prices levelled and that was that. The end of the company that created the viruses and chaos in Raccoon City. However, there are some loose ends. Wesker was clearly alive from RE: CV and wasn’t working for Umbrella anyway, what happened to him? Did anyone get the data from Umbrella and carry on their work?
The plot follows Resident Evil 2’s hero, Leon S. Kennedy, for his third outing now (Gaiden being the 2nd) as he investigates a Spanish town with some strange occurrences and the President’s daughter, Ashley Graham, has been kidnapped. Leon is now a government agent and has used the skills he was forced to learn in Raccoon City to good use. Also looks like he has been going to the gym.
The Village
The plot is Leon going through the village and investigating, he soons find out that, obviously, things are quite what they seem and as he goes further and further into the place it gets deeper and deeper. Old acquaintances are met and the real situation around the parasite (las plagas) is revealed as well as who’s behind it all.
It’s the same type of storyline as most Resident Evil games, but the quality of the script is better as well as the voice actors. By being able to see more facial features the general plot becomes more alive and engaging. There’s nothing groundbreaking about the plot, it was just good and did its job fine.
However, with “classic” zombies and Umbrella now gone, RE4 was the beginning of the new direction of the plotline. In a way RE4 started the new Umbrella and subsequently the direction that Capcom took with the series, for better or worse.
Las Plagas
To conclude, although the direction of the plot series went downwards because of RE4, RE4 itself had a good plot. It had solid characters and good cut scenes. There was nothing wrong at all with the plot here, it just got crazy afterwards.
Gameplay
Resident Evil 4 brought with it a new third perspective where you could see more and could use precise aiming; you could see enemies in the distance now and could shoot them in the head. This allowed for a more realistic feel; however it took away a lot of the suspense. You knew where the enemy was unlike previous instalments.
Third Person
What it did bring was an aggressive action packed game where you could have a lot of enemies and a few more options to get out. Shoot them in the leg, head, arm and so on. So you had more tools to get Leon out of the bind. With the enemies being more mobile and leather it did prove to be an intense game with some exhilarating moments.
Gone was the traditional inventory screen and in with a new, but similar, type. Leon now had more space but you had the ability to be precise what you could carry with the block system. Frustrating at times when you needed to switch to a grenade quickly for example, but generally a good improvement.
The Inventory Screen
Resident Evil 4 was also quite weapon mad with more weapons and the opportunity to upgrade. Unlike the previous instalment where there would be 1 handgun, 1 shotgun and so on there were now a fair bit of a choice and all could take different upgrade paths. With the new inventory screen you couldn’t have them all, so the player needed to make the choice.
Where do you get the weapons? Well, from the now cult weapon dealer, with his phrases “Weeelcome!” “What are ya buyin’?” and others. It didn’t make sense why he was there, but he was great. Bit of comic relief really. Plus he brought with him a slight mini game with bottle caps. Hehe, thank you.
The Merchant
QTE made an appearance as well, in cut scenes as well in play action. A simple thing to add if not a bit frustrating. It didn’t require any skill, just reactions. I can see why Capcom added it, but I wasn’t a fan.
That was about it, really. The other gameplay elements like getting a key open a door were still the same, the main changes really were the way you looked at it. However, one big loss in Resident Evil 4 are the puzzles. There are puzzles in it, but not the same way as previous game and it really did miss them. Unfortunately, they’ve still never come back properly. A shame.
To conclude, the new gameplay elements were on the whole, brilliant. It had been done very well and the player was able to explore and look on the world of Resident Evil a bit better. The action elements were intense and engaging, however it did still miss a lot of the old Resident Evil characteristics that made it brilliant. But overall, great gameplay.
Graphics
The graphics were superb, but I always felt that Resident Evil Remake looked better and that game was before. I understand that RE4 was more advanced and the graphics from REMake wouldn’t have worked there, but I still felt it was a backward step a bit.
However, RE4 was still a great looking game and did have stunning visuals. The village and castle looked superb in and out and all the facial features were there for the cutscenes. It looked a bit choppy and grainy at the time but overall it looked good.
RE4 can have a lot going on, particularly during the Mercenaries and it very rarely lags, it does look very good when there’s a lot going on, and some of the beasts are detailed. Especially the ones in the caves.
Some of the more brutal aspects of the game looked a whole lot more gruesome, particularly a shotgun blast into a pack of plagas or when Leon meets up with the chainsaw man…
Chainsaw Man
Overall, although REMake looks like a better looking game RE4 is a more technically graphic game. The game looks great and was a testament to the GameCube, the HD edition that’s been released recently looks pretty good too. But yeah, RE4 is a very good looking game with some impressive visuals for its age.
Sound
Resident Evil 4 had some very good effects, if you raided the village the villager’s hurled abuse at you in Spanish and shrieked and shouted orders, it sounded very real. I don’t know Spanish so I don’t know if its accurate, but it certainly sounded legit.
The music in the game was ok. I can’t remember any memorable themes or tracks but on one hand that should be a plus. If the music isn’t noticeable it has done it’s job. It definitely didn’t sound out of place, anyway.
The weapons man also brought with him a new safe room theme which again brought peace to the place, but the weapons dealer himself took the limelight with his strange lines.
Overall, the sounds and music were nothing special, but it wasn’t bad. You just wouldn’t notice a lot of them, but in terms of effects it was great – the weapons sounded real and the villagers sounded menacing and authentic.
Impact
Resident Evil 4 impressed critics and gamers for it new twist on the genre. It was fun to play and it looked good. It was accepted that the game retained and started to go a bit mad with its storyline but it was overall well received as one of the best games of all time. Even if you played it now, it looks decent and plays extremely well. It’s definitely the best action horror game in the Resident Evil universe.
Of the things that had a great impact from RE4 it were the weapons dealer and the chainsaw man. The weapons dealer was just a very strange man with silly lines whilst the chainsaw man was a menace, you could hear him coming and could kill you in an instant.
Overall it did have an impact and a lot of things did stay in the series and were parodied, chainsaw wielding enemies went up by a large percent after this game was released…
Legacy
RE4’s third person view and action oriented gameplay stayed in the series after 4. Resident Evil 5 and 6 both play the same way and haven’t changed the formula much so this was RE4’s biggest legacy.
Plot wise it carried on here to the sequels as well with different version of the plaga but the effects were more or less the same.
Unfortunately, RE4’s legacy didn’t evolve much, Capcom seemed to have used what worked in 4 but didn’t try to improve much or be creative with it. It is a shame, because they tried new things with 4 but didn’t try and improve what worked; they just assumed it would keep on working. It wouldn’t be fair to say RE4 ruined the series, because it was Capcom that did that.
Which is a shame really, because Resident Evil 4 was a very, very good game.
A History of Metal Gear Solid – Part 3 Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater
A History of Metal Gear Solid Main Hub
Intro
Snaaaakkeee Eeeaaaaattterrrrrrr! What a game. Unbelievable.
MGS3, the sequel to the hit MGS2 and the latest instalment of the MGS franchise. MGS1 and 2 were massive and this needed to be again, there were expectations both technically and plot and the game certainly didn’t disappoint.
MGS3 shocked its fan as the main character was Snake…but not Solid. The main character was none other than the legendary Soldier, Big Boss or ‘Naked Snake’ as he was referred to. It would be a major spoiler to explain why he isn’t called Big Boss…yet. The antagonist from MG1 and 2 and Solid, Liquid and Solidus’ father. It was also based in the 60’s during the cold war. It was a premise that really did shock and excite everyone, no one really knew what to expect from this.
Naked Snake (Big Boss)
From the initial screens it was still just as much of an MGS as the others; it was still all about stealth just in different circumstances. No advance gizmos and some more primitive weapon and it was in a Russian jungle. It was a gorgeous looking game but stunning graphics as well as the return of Hollywood cut scenes.
The gameplay also got a major upgrade, there weren’t many narrow corridors anymore they were much more open game fields, so you need to know how to get about without walls, which is where the camo came in, and this will be discussed further in the gameplay section.
If MGS2 was a hit then MGS3 was a blockbuster. It was an amazing game whether a fan of the series or not. It really did set the bar even higher. And if truth to be told this is one the best game if not THE best game ever made. As near perfection as you could expect from a game.
Plot
The plot is set in the cold war of the 60’s where there is an incident near Russia where a weapon designer has been kidnapped and needs rescuing. As always. The game introduces Naked Snake, who we know is Big Boss, as a fairly young member of FOX to go and investigate. Snakes mentor The Boss is also involved but we are not sure of the extent. The stage is set, and the game begins.
The Boss
After the first introductory mission that’s when the story really begins, there is an air of double crossing and the main villain Volgin is introduced who seems to be working with The Boss who was a hero for Snake. Everything doesn’t seem right, as usual, but it wouldn’t be right if it was.
There was also a new elite group about in the same mould as FOXHOUND and Dead Cell which were the Cobra Unit. The same as usual, all of them weird with their own style to kill people some fights were forgettable and a bit of fun but some were very memorable and stick in your mind well after finishing the campaign. One particular member of the group, The Boss turns out to be a person of great, if not the greatest, importance to the MGS plot line.
Cobra Unit
The plot itself is brilliant, the usual twists and turns are there and it was still as grand as always. However, the plot was much more deep and emotional this time around and not just techno, genes and memes nonsense. It was set in the cold war, and it did have a cold war feel to it where no one trusted anyway and everything happens behind the scenes.
It ticks over very well, so there are plots and sub plots to keep you going while the bigger picture is unravelled. There are also regular appearances from EVA and ADAM who we all know to be Revolver Ocelot…how does this link with what happens in MGS1 and 2? It does take MGS4 to really explain that, but MGS3 planted that seed proper.
The plot hugely expands on the legend that will be, Big Boss. We all know he opposes Snake and dies, but now that we control him and all of this happened, how did that come to be? What made him go from MGS3 Big Boss to MG1 and 2 villains? Again, MGS3 plants the seed but it is MGS4 that concludes it proper.
However, what we do know is that Big Boss was once a rookie and bad things happened to him. He was a hero, and as the plot unfolds you see what shaped him as a person and possibly lead to the decisions he made in the future. Seeing Naked Snake in action as well as why they were after the ‘soldier gene’ so much. It also expands on how Solid, Liquid and Solidus’ received their amazing skills and abilities in war.
Sons of Big Boss
To conclude, the plot in MGS3 is the best in the series and one of the best in video game history, it was truly gripping, had memorable moments and had a killer finish. From start to end you were hooked into the mission and were keen to know what happened next, it was also the “start” to what becomes of the entire MGS storyline, meaning MG1, 2 and MGS1 were not the start but the continuation of an epic series of events that spanned decades and involved more characters than we first thought.
Gameplay
Game play wise it was a revelation. It already had the strong base from MGS2 but expanded it much further. The areas were much more open and you didn’t have the SOLITON radar system so you didn’t know where the guards were automatically, so you would need to be much more aware of the surroundings and to get good cover. This added further dangers however as while you are crawling around you could get attacked or scare a wild animal which would draw attention, or even by just the rustling of leaves. It was very realistic, and kept you on your toes at every situation. True stealth.
Snake was alone in the jungle, and this was the 60’s. There were no proper rations, and you need to eat. There were animals everywhere, do the math. Snake now needed to always maintain energy and food, if he didn’t the movement would be impaired and he wasn’t steady while aiming – if you were playing higher difficulties this was essential. On top of that, a rumbling tummy WILL get you unwanted attention.
If you did get caught and were in a fire fight you could now get injured more seriously than just bleeding as introduced in MGS2, you could now break bones and get bruised and you needed to treat it. It was obviously a hassle, but it still added to the realism of the situation.
To help with all this though, Snake now had camo that you can change and adapt to the surroundings. So, whether it was sand, jungle or industrial there was an appropriate camo that could help you blend in. This was the beginning of this feature in the series and obviously the catalyst for the Octa-camo in MGS4.
Camo selection screen
CQC was also added to the game (close quarters combat) to add a bit more spice to the physicality, as well as to demonstrate how skilful Snake was…and some of the bosses…It was a simple addition and very effective, however it wasn’t used much if you really were sneaky. It might get you out of a bind if you were caught, though.
The bosses in the game when facing the cobra unit were ingenious and made use of the games mechanicals in almost all of them. One of the finest bosses MGS has produced was facing the End where you really did need to be stealthy or you would be there forever, as well as the iconic scrap with the End. Iconic for different reasons to other fights for reasons that would be clear to fans of the series and it would contain spoilers
[youtubehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3UBIz2ReQY]
The basics of gameplay were still there from MGS2 such as hold up, hanging from ledges and knocking on walls so it still felt like classic MGS action so the fan didn’t feel too lost with the new-ish system. However, with all these additions the gameplay really was taken to another level, you felt you could do anything you could do if you were actually in the situation itself, whilst still having that MGS feeling about it. Overall, the gameplay = fantastic.
Graphics
Again, Konami raised the bar here and improved on the MGS2 engine. The jungles felt alive with all the animals on screen as well as weather effects. There was always a lot going on and it looked brilliant with no lag at all.
The game’s menus and codec had a 1960’s feel to it as well to help with transporting the player into the situation, as well as the UI for weapons and the radar; it all looked very much like a 1960’s spy film.
MGS3 HUD
Cut scenes were back and the facial features and improved graphics made them more engaging and real, MGS3 was one of the best looking games at the time and it certainly looked it during the cut scenes.
Not much more to say really other than it looked gorgeous with no tearing or stuttering. Although, if there’s one thing I would pick at is the colouring of the later factory, although it was probably intended, the colours were quite bland.
Overall though, a great looking game.
Sound
Harry Gregson-Williams is back and this could be one of his masterpieces. MGS2 sound was superb and MGS3 just went one further, the music was always appropriate and always epic. It had it’s own theme tune that could rival any bond theme. One of the characters that supported snake, Major Zero, was a big fan of James Bond, and with it also coming from the 60’s it was appropriate and brilliant.
The sound was also brilliant, with it sounding like a genuine jungle and the noises of machinery at the factory/base level.
The usual outstanding cast of voice actors were back, but for the third time David Hayter stole the show as Naked Snake, the conversations were deep and gripping and all the emotions were there, never any wooden Resident Evil type voice acting here.
Overall, MGS3 continued what MGS2 started with a brilliant soundtrack and memorable music, everything being perfect and in its place. However, MGS3 really did push the boundaries with its music, particularly the main theme.
Impact
MGS3 had a huge impact and was hailed as one of the greatest games of all time, for its deep plot, great ending and amazing soundtrack, it was always going to be a smash hit, and it was, it really was.
MGS was already a famous video game series but it was 3 that really made it out there, it was more accessible for new players as plot wise it was the beginning. It was also much ‘cooler’ being based in the jungle.
It didn’t progress the storyline forward, as such, but it also catered for the hardcore fans with the introduction of Big Boss, expanding Ocelot and for explaining just what is everyone is fighting for in the MGS series.
But anyway, MGS3 was huge and propelled the series further, there was a lot of hype and it lived up to it.
Legacy
MGS3 legacy in terms of plot was of massive importance, it was the beginning. The first, first mission. All of the other games in the series now point to this games’ events as the start. MGS3 was the true start of the Patriots, the main enemy of the entire series.
One of the biggest impacts was the introduction of Naked Snake (Big Boss) and how different and the same he was to Solid Snake who everyone was used to. It showed a new dimension, that a tough legend like that had a dad, and his dad was a hero himself. Also, it demonstrated how Solid Snake’s future was set even before he was conceived. This adds to the tragedy of Solid Snake’s life as a whole.
MGS3’s storyline itself, alone, had a massive impact because it was the first time it was truly emotional. These articles are all spoiler free but the end to this game is very emotional, which hasn’t really been done all that much apart from the E.E scene in MGS2. This was topped somewhat in MGS4 when it all concludes, but MGS3 was a real tearjerker.
All in all, MGS3 had an important lasting legacy that people still refer to today, the rumoured MGS5 game is cantered along the fallout of MGS3 and its events, particularly the rise of the main antoganist of the series, the Patriots.
