Resident Evil 6 – Scary Good

Michael Moccio ’16 / Emertianment Monthly Staff

On October 2^nd, the latest video game installment to the Resident Evil series was released on Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. Although titled Resident Evil 6, it will be the ninth title in the main series to be released. This award winning franchise started in 1996 with the release of the first game. From that, sequels to the games, spin-off series, novels, and movies have been made concerning the mythos and universe of Resident Evil.
The basic plot of the series is that the Umbrella Corporation released a virus in the fictional Raccoon City which turned the living into the undead. Of course, there has been a progression in the universe, since the original outbreak—caused by the T-Virus—happened more than a decade ago in the most recent game.
Leon Kennedy—who was the protagonist of RE2, RE4, and several other spinoffs—returns as one of the three main protagonists, which include Jake Muller, Chris Redfield, and Ada Wong. The latter two names are well familiarized in the Resident Evil universe. The game features three separate campaigns, Ada Wong’s unlocking after the other three are completed. Each has a distinct storyline, interconnecting at different parts during the game, which provide perspective as the player completes the entire game. As such, each campaign has its own feel and narrative.
Leon’s campaign starts out at a summit in which the current President of the United States plans to tell the world about the incident in Raccoon City all those years ago. However, the site is targeted by a bio-terrorist attack, inciting another outbreak. Leon must partner with US Secret Service agent Helena Harper to pursue the one responsible in orchestrating the President’s death. This storyline has a more of a traditional horror feel to it. It is a slow and suspenseful pace, with the more classic version of zombies.
Jake is a mercenary who is the son of the late Bio-Terrorist Albert Wesker, one of the main antagonists of the series. Jake and his unlikely partner Sherry Birkin are kidnapped by a Bio-Organic Weapon known as ‘Ustanak’. Their storyline follows their capture and subsequent journey to eliminate their captor and obtain the vaccine for the new virus. This playthrough focuses on how Jake and Sherry are being tracked and pursued by this monster, making theirs fast paced and less focused on traditional horror.
The last campaign is Chris Redfield’s. In the first sequence of their campaign, Chris’ platoon of the Bio-terrorism Security Assessment Alliance is wiped out, leaving him in a state of self-imposed drunkenness. However, when the city of Lanshiang is under threat of a bio-terrorist attack, Chris and his partner Piers Nivans head there to deal with it with another platoon of BSAA agents. This storyline focuses on shootouts and straight up action.
First hand, I have experienced the prelude to the story and the beginning of Leon’s storyline. The game itself is sound; both the mechanics of the game and controls are easy to pick up. The art of the game—its soundtrack and rendering—are high quality and serve to increase the atmosphere that “Yes”, you are in a survivalist situation.
Looking back upon previous installments, the co-op mode for RE6 has significant improvements, foremost being that computer controlled companions are incredibly more efficient. Controls and combat are more fluid, giving the player more options for versatile combat. The storyline is compelling and interesting, though you would have to have background in the mythos of the universe to really let it seep in.
Get it: If you like being scared and shooters, zombies, or the Resident Evil Series.
Don’t Get it: If you are squeamish, can’t handle sad storylines, or are not familiar with the Resident Evil Series.