Resident Evil 6: Awful or Awesome?

Are you one of the many people who has heard Resident Evil 6 is a bust? Here’s the thing; it’s not!

OK, so I may be biased because I love all things zombie/mutant related; but who are we kidding? After Raccoon City, everyone expected RE6 to be rubbish. I was one of the doubtful people as well.

After playing a few rounds of the Mercenaries level (of which I had the special edition, Catacombs) I decided that it wasn’t half as bad as everyone said it would be. The more I played, the better it got! Sure, it’s no Resident Evil 4 but are we all expecting games to stay the same year after year and still remain entertained? Well, maybe but we know we can’t have it both ways.

Here are some of the most favourable attributes of RE6 (in my humble opinion).

Mercenaries Mode is a great addition! Everyone loves killing as many zombies as possible in a short period of time! I particularly like the fact that you can obtain more Mercenary levels, new costumes and characters by completing certain tasks in-game. It gives you something extra to look forward to when playing.

I don’t know about you but I love achievements! That special, geek pride you feel when your achievements are racking up is incomparable. In RE6, you acquire dog tags, titles and emblems, as well as achievements. The emblems allow you even more, added content! I won’t give it all away but you can view them as you collect each one on a nifty Jukebox contraption. (A little retro is always a good thing.)

Companions have improved a great deal. Let’s face it; Ashley was a flake. In RE6, you get tag alongs such as Helena, Piers, and Sherry. You can play each companion as a main character if you tire of Leon, Chris or Jake being in lead. Though you may want to check out Leon’s campaign because it is highly favoured by gamers of all kinds. Especially me and you trust me, right?
On top of that, each companion has its own story which makes for a more in-depth gaming experience.

Next on the list of awesome is the mutants. There are a ton of new, unique mutants and the graphics are amazing on each one! Sure, some of them are a little odd-looking (the “chicken leg” mutant comes to mind) but for the most part, Capcom has done a great job of keeping it creepy.

There are many more aspects of this game that I love but I don’t want to give it all away. Though I am not opposed to sharing a few things about the game that are less…awesome.

The repetitive boss fights can really be a thorn in your side when you’re attempting to get to the next phase of the game. Battling the same mutant four or five times in a short period (especially when those fights can last upwards of 15+ minutes) can be a bit frustrating but if you love a good fight, this isn’t such a bad thing. After all, practice makes perfect!

If you’re not a CoD fan, Chris Redfield‘s campaign might prove a bit too “military” for your taste as it seems Capcom wanted to appeal to those who may play CoD games exclusively. Who can blame them? I’ve heard it a thousand times: “Would you like to put a pre-order on Assassin’s Creed III today, sir?” “No thanks, I only play military games, like CoD.” “All righty then!” That said, if you can make it through Chris’s campaign, you unlock something new!

All in all, I think Resident Evil 6 is definitely worth your time. There are more great things about this game than you may have originally anticipated and even if it’s not Resident Evil 4 – there comes a time when we must move on to the next best thing. I don’t want to hear about you trading in your RE4 any time soon though. Hang on to it, because if you’re anything like me, you’ll pick it up, dust it off and start from the beginning just for the hell of it. After you’ve beaten RE6, that is.

If you don’t like surprises, take a peek at the trailer. Here’s a link to whet your appetite.