Resident Evil 6 Review

Contents:

• Controls
• QTE
• Shooting
• Weapon Upgrades
• Navigation
• Plot
• Camera
• Environment
• Interface

The release of Resident Evil 6 in October 2012 was a significant event for both fans of the series and its developers at Capcom. For fans, it was a long-awaited new entry in their favorite zombie-fighting franchise, and for the creators, it was one of the most ambitious projects to date. According to Resident Evil 6 producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi, more than 600 people participated in the development of the sixth installment, 150 of whom were located in Japan. The game was impressive in its scale: it offered three story campaigns, six central characters, and a variety of gameplay mechanics, including a co-op mode. Resident Evil 6 was a landmark in the series' history, combining action and horror elements to attract both veteran and new players.

Resident Evil 6's release was a disappointment for both fans and developers. Despite a strong launch, sales quickly declined, and in February 2013, Capcom revised its shipment forecasts. This is understandable, as the sixth installment in the series received the lowest user scores on Metacritic. The Xbox 360 version received a 5.2, the PS3 version a 5.7, and the PC version a 6.2. By comparison, Resident Evil Zero, the prequel to the first installment, received a higher score of 8.7. Thus, the criticism and negative reviews of Resident Evil 6 had a significant impact on its commercial success and the reputation of the series.

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The development of the Resident Evil series was largely determined by the success and reaction to Resident Evil 6. With Resident Evil 7, Capcom returned to the franchise's roots, focusing on a slow-paced, tense horror experience where the protagonist faces dangerous monsters in a fight for survival. Large-scale adventures and spectacular action scenes gave way to intimate settings and exploration of a gloomy American farm. This return to basics helped renew interest in the genre and attract both old and new fans.

Following the success of Resident Evil 7, Capcom continued to develop the Resident Evil series in the same direction. As part of this strategy, they released remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, which emphasized the core elements of the survival horror genre rather than endless action-movie-style shootouts. Over time, fans began to forget about Resident Evil 6's unusual scale and gameplay, which didn't meet traditional fan expectations. Remakes returned to the roots, focusing on atmosphere, exploration, and puzzle solving, which helped attract both old and new fans of the series.

In connection with the 10th anniversary of Resident Evil 6, the editorial team of Gamedev Skillbox Media conducted an analysis of the project, involving experts from the gaming industry. The goal of this study was to find out why this action game failed to achieve the expected success.

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Controls

In Resident Evil 6, the first main installment in the series, players were given the ability to move and shoot simultaneously. This innovation is now considered standard for most action games, and it's hard to imagine that modern action games have restrictions on these actions. Meanwhile, in the fourth and fifth Resident Evil installments, players were forced to first stop to aim and fire, which wasn't everyone's cup of tea. This is confirmed by the fact that when searching for information about "Resident Evil 5 controls," you can often find negative reviews about the controls. This feature caused dissatisfaction among players, calling into question the convenience of the gameplay.

Feedback from players may have been the reason that in Resident Evil 6 the developers implemented the ability to simultaneously shoot and move, as well as roll and fire from a prone position. In this sixth part of the game, character control has become more advanced, giving players significantly more freedom in action and tactical maneuvers.

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Vasily Skobelev, a level designer at Pixonic, believes that the character's ability to roll, prone, and shoot simultaneously was a revolutionary solution for the gameplay of its time. Skobelev previously worked on projects such as Atomic Heart, Vector, and Shadow Fight, which confirms his experience and expertise in game development. This innovation significantly enriched the gaming experience, adding elements of strategy and dynamics to the gameplay.

Resident Evil 6 suffers from an unsuccessful control layout. Even on a gamepad, where the number of buttons is limited compared to the keyboard, players often find it unclear which combination to use in certain situations to achieve the desired result. Depending on the context, characters may perform actions that players are unprepared for. This control issue negatively impacts gameplay and can lead to frustration. Improving the control system would be an important step to improve the player experience.

Vasily noted that the game's control layout is poorly implemented and inconvenient. This becomes especially evident when compared to The Last of Us Part 2, where the protagonist can roll, assume a prone position, and fire while in that position. A convenient and well-thought-out control layout is important for comfortable gameplay, and its absence can negatively impact player experience.

The creators of Resident Evil 6 should not only have revised the control layout but also reduced the characters' movement speed and expanded the game's locations. In the levels included in the final version of the game, characters often get stuck on corners and other environmental elements. Vasily Skobelev believes that these aspects should have been given more attention to improve the gameplay. Optimizing controls and level design could significantly improve usability and enjoyment, making the experience smoother and more immersive.

The combat team should have communicated with their colleagues working on the game's environments to determine if their concepts conflicted. Developing a prototype and analyzing how corridor-based environments affect movement could have led to significant changes in the final game. This approach would have fostered a more harmonious interaction between combat mechanics and level design, which, in turn, could have improved the overall player experience.

QTE

The controls in Resident Evil 6 raise many complaints, including situations where the character unexpectedly somersaults or falls to the ground at the wrong moment. However, this is not the only problem with the game's combat system. Another significant flaw is the frequent use of Quick Time Events, even in moments where they are inappropriate. For example, when a powerful zombie swings to strike the hero, a combination of buttons to press appears on the screen in the form of a QTE. Successfully pressing the right keys saves the character, but this can distract from the main gameplay and reduce immersion. Such mechanics can be annoying, especially when they are unnecessarily implemented, which negatively affects the overall experience of the game.

In Resident Evil 6, contextual QTEs are present even during the simplest actions. For example, to jump off a ledge, the player must press specific buttons. This adds an element of dynamism and interaction to the gameplay, making each action more tense and engaging.

The game is annoying because it perceives the player as underdeveloped. In-game actions should be intuitive and performed without the need for prompts that take up a significant portion of the screen. This opinion is shared by Vitaly Aleksashin, a narrative designer at Banzai Games, whose experience includes projects such as Vector 2 and the Shadow Fight series of fighting games. It's important to create games in which interaction with the environment and mechanics occurs naturally, without unnecessary assistance, to provide players with a fulfilling and engaging experience.

Developers should provide players with the ability to dodge, jump off ledges, and perform other maneuvers using familiar character movements, rather than limiting them to contextual QTEs. A pop-up prompt indicating the need for such actions would be helpful, but it's important that the maneuvers themselves be performed using standard character controls. This will make the gameplay more intuitive and engaging, and will also enhance the player's interaction with the game world.

Shooting

If you're familiar with the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, you're familiar with the zombie shooting in those games. The developers masterfully recreated weapon recoil and created impressive animations that activate when a bullet hits a zombie. Dead enemies react to gunfire by throwing their heads back, throwing their shoulders back, and falling. Resident Evil 6 lacks such mechanics, significantly reducing the level of engagement and realism of the gameplay.

Vasily Skobelev notes that players have little sense of weapon recoil or the damage it inflicts on enemies. He also points out the lack of impact on the finishing moves. Although the game features numerous finishing moves, their implementation is unimpressive and cannot compete with other horror games of the same era, such as Dead Space 2, released two years earlier. This creates a feeling of a lack of depth in the gameplay and detracts from the overall experience.

The situation in Resident Evil 6 isn't helped by the excessive amount of combat and gunplay. Unlike previous games in the series, which combined elements of resource management and puzzle solving, Resident Evil 6 emphasizes shooting and button mashing within quick-time events. "This high intensity of action is more appropriate in co-op mode than in single-player," noted Vasily Skobelev. While Resident Evil 6 offers co-op, it is also designed for solo players, which can negatively impact the experience.

Capcom should diversify the gameplay mechanics by adding puzzle-solving or crafting elements that would help players further in the game. Leon Kennedy's campaign does feature similar elements—for example, to open a locked door, he needs to enter the correct number on a nearby terminal. However, this task can hardly be called a full-fledged riddle: its solution does not require deep analysis; simply a careful examination of the environment is sufficient. The inclusion of more complex puzzles could significantly improve the gameplay and make it more engaging.

Weapon Upgrades

Many players had questions about weapon upgrades in Resident Evil 6. Upgrading equipment became an important part of the gameplay experience, starting with the fourth game in the series, which introduced a merchant. He allowed players to sell valuables and unwanted weapons found in locations. The merchant could use the money received to improve weapon stats, such as damage, reload speed, and magazine capacity. Additionally, while exploring levels, players could find additional upgrade parts, such as pistol stocks. These elements make weapon upgrading in Resident Evil 6 more engaging and strategic, allowing players to tailor their loadout to their individual playstyle.

Resident Evil 5 eliminated the vendor concept, but gave players the option to sell treasures and upgrade weapons. These actions could be performed between missions in a dedicated menu, adding depth to the gameplay and allowing players to tailor their loadout to the challenges ahead.

Vitaly Aleksashin, narrative designer at Banzai Games, shares his thoughts on the weapon upgrading mechanics in Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5. He wasn't entirely happy with how characters could upgrade their weapons using money earned from selling diamonds and other items. However, he says the mechanics have become even less appealing in the sixth installment of the series. Aleksashin emphasizes that the changes to the weapon upgrading system have significantly impacted the overall gameplay and the perception of the characters.

In Resident Evil 6, characters collect small chess pieces that can drop from defeated enemies or be found in hidden locations. These figures are automatically converted into skill points. Accumulated points can be used to purchase perks at the end of each chapter. Perks not only increase the damage of various weapons but also provide additional benefits, such as improved shooting accuracy. This adds a strategic element to gameplay and allows players to tailor their skills to their individual playstyle.

Experts note that the transition from traditional leveling systems to a mechanic of purchasing perks with incomprehensible points negatively impacts the game's perception and undermines the atmosphere of Resident Evil 6. This approach to character development not only reduces interest in gameplay but also distracts players from the unique atmosphere characteristic of the series. Understanding and implementing the leveling system should support the spirit of the game, not undermine it.

The game forces players to accumulate resources for the next upgrade, which negatively impacts the sense of progress, notes Vasily Skobelev. Moreover, the user has only three perks available at a time, forcing them to constantly forgo some in favor of others. However, such rotation is pointless, as Resident Evil 6 offers no deep tactics, and there's no need to tailor perks to specific situations. This limitation reduces player engagement and makes gameplay less engaging.

Experts believe that the developers of Resident Evil 6 should have paid more attention to the feeling of progress in the game. Players expect not only high-quality gameplay but also meaningful character and story development. Devaluing this aspect can negatively impact the game's overall experience and reduce audience engagement. It's important to create elements that support a sense of achievement and engagement, otherwise it can lead to disappointment among fans of the series.

The plot of Resident Evil 6 doesn't really encourage exploration and the search for upgrades for weapons and other valuables, notes Vasily Skobelev. Characters are constantly on the move, jumping from one city to another and even crossing continents. However, as The Last of Us Part 2 demonstrates, a dynamic story can successfully combine with deep character development and gameplay elements. This highlights that developers can strike a balance between intense narrative and exploration, which in turn can significantly increase player engagement.

In Naughty Dog's game, characters are constantly on the move, but they have the opportunity to explore vast locations and gather resources to upgrade their equipment at workbenches. When the characters in The Last of Us Part 2 must continue the story and leave a familiar location, the game warns: if you leave now, you will not be able to return and collect the remaining valuables. This approach would be appropriate for Resident Evil 6, adding an element of strategy to world exploration and resource management.

Navigation

Until 2012, the Resident Evil series could not boast large open locations, offering mostly compact levels with a lot of detail. The sixth part of the game is distinguished by a particularly linear and corridor-based structure. The player must go through a sequence of levels that, unfortunately, do not come together to form a single logical picture, which reduces the overall perception of the gameplay.

From time to time, corridors alternate with small areas where you can take a sideways step, but due to poor level design, even in such compact spaces, players can become confused and lost. To address this issue, the developers of Resident Evil 6 apparently chose the least effective approach.

The game uses a marker to orient the player. This tool is essentially an arrow that takes up a significant portion of the screen and points the correct path. Without this marker, players may experience difficulty navigating levels, which negatively impacts gameplay, emphasizes Vasily Skobelev. Effective use of elements such as markers is an important aspect of game design, ensuring a comfortable perception of the game world and allowing players to focus on achieving objectives.

The expert believes that the level designers of Resident Evil 6 made the wrong decision. While the chosen approach may have been justified by the development conditions, it would have been more effective to change the game's levels themselves rather than using artificial mechanics that direct players to inconvenient locations. This could significantly improve the gameplay and impression of the game.

Plot

Resident Resident Evil 6 was criticized not only for its gameplay but also for its story. The series has never been known for its deep, dramatic stories, initially focusing on zombies and other mutants. However, the sixth installment lacked even the element of madness and trash that fans appreciated in previous games. Instead, the game offered a convoluted plot, which disappointed fans of the franchise. Leon Kennedy's campaign begins in the spirit of classic Resident Evil, but quickly loses its atmosphere and devolves into a generic action game, like many other storylines in the series. Philip Kollar on Polygon notes that this transformation happens rather quickly, which may disappoint fans of the original style of play. It's important to note that such narrative changes could impact the perception of the entire Resident Evil series and its commitment to its roots.

Simon Parkin agrees with his colleague from another media outlet in an article for Eurogamer, arguing that Leon's campaign is the strongest of all presented in Resident Evil 6. At the same time, Chris Redfield's story demonstrates a quality that can be described as "below average," and Jake Muller's plot is only slightly better.

Vitaly Aleksashin agreed with the foreign reviewer, noting that Leon Kennedy's campaign in Resident Evil 6 is the best. The game's plot is as close as possible to the characteristic formula of trash films that were popular in the previous parts of the series. Vivid events are combined with simple dialogue and pathetic villains with monosyllabic motivations. However, the other two storylines in Resident Evil 6, especially Chris Redfield's, struck a chord with me and reminded me of cringe-worthy Indian films," the narrative designer added. The expert argues that Resident Evil 6 needed a more realistic plot. A plot capable of evoking genuine fear in the player would have to show ordinary people facing horrors. Even seasoned fighters could be portrayed as vulnerable and unprepared for the horrors lurking in the world around them. A similar approach has been successfully implemented in other pop culture works, such as The Walking Dead. Creating an atmosphere of vulnerability and fear could significantly improve the perception of the game and make it more exciting.

Leon Kennedy is the most realistic character in Resident Evil 6, which makes him closer to a living person. Meanwhile, Chris Redfield and Jake Mueller, two other key characters with their own storylines, seem more like superheroes than ordinary people. This difference in characterization highlights the diversity of approaches to character development in the game and allows players to experience different aspects of the fight against evil in the world of Resident Evil.

Resident Evil 6's writers could have more deeply developed the theme of Chris Redfield's post-traumatic stress disorder, which he experiences after the loss of his squad in a past mission. Vitaly Aleksashin notes that this aspect of his biography is mentioned, but not given due attention. As a result, Chris is perceived as a simple "powerful hero" capable of destroying everything in his path. It would be important to make his story more multifaceted, inspired by the approach used in Spec Ops: The Line. In this 2012 game, a special forces squad is sent on a routine operation in Dubai but encounters the horrors of war, creating a profound emotional burden and exploring the consequences of violence. This approach to storytelling could have significantly enriched Chris Redfield's character and made his story more resonant with players.

Vasily Skobelev noted that the characters in Resident Evil 6 lack humanity and vulnerability, significantly reducing the plot's tension. He emphasizes that the cutscenes ignore the physical limitations of the human body. Characters perform excessively high and long jumps, while their landings appear too easy. As a result, instead of participating in an atmospheric horror story, we see characters who are more reminiscent of heroes from a combat anime. This creates a dissonance between the expected experience and what is ultimately offered to players.

Developers should emphasize that the characters are struggling. It's important to show them grunting as they overcome obstacles or groaning from damage. The events themselves aren't the main focus. For example, Leon Kennedy might pilot a helicopter against the backdrop of a destroyed metropolis, but the key is to convey to players the feeling that the hero is facing challenges. Creating such details not only enhances immersion but also makes the characters more realistic and relatable to players.

Resident Evil 6's story suffers from a lack of depth and development. Capcom planned to create a large-scale project aimed at expanding the content, but, unfortunately, this led to a decrease in the quality of individual elements of the game. Many episodes feel ill-conceived and carelessly developed. Vitaly Aleksashin expresses the opinion that this focus on quantity negatively impacted the overall experience of the game.

In one of the game's episodes, Leon Kennedy explores a university campus littered with zombies that were once students. This scene evokes strong emotions, but its potential is underutilized due to the limited time - only a few hours. With more attention paid to this part, it could have become significantly more tense and atmospheric, creating a deeper immersion into the game's world. The development of this scene will allow players to experience the ominous atmosphere typical of horror films and complement the overall storyline.

The writers should reduce the number of episodes, focusing on the most gripping and carefully developed storylines. This will improve the quality of the script and make it more appealing to viewers.

Camera

Resident Evil 6 has a number of issues that exacerbate the gameplay and storyline shortcomings. One of the main ones is the shaky camera. In certain situations, the trembling in the virtual operator's hands is so strong that it can cause discomfort to the player. Expert Vitaly Aleksashin notes that this technique should be used selectively to convey a sense of panic. However, the constant shaking of the camera reduces the effect and causes irritation to users. Thus, the shortcomings of camera control negatively affect the overall perception of the game and can discourage players from playing it.

Vasily Skobelev agreed with his colleague's opinion, noting that this technique should not be used too often. Frequent use of such a setting distracts the viewer and does not allow them to focus on details.

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Environment

Another issue is the lack of brightness of the environmental textures, which may have been done to distract the player from this shortcoming. The paucity of textures is especially noticeable against the background of detailed character models. Although the character detailing is impressive compared to other games released in 2012 for the Xbox 360 and PS3, these are the consoles on which Resident Evil 6 was originally released.

Environmental textures often appear lower quality compared to character models. Vasily Skobelev notes that this may be due to the inefficient distribution of system resources used for graphic rendering in the game. Proper resource allocation can significantly improve the visual quality of the entire game world, including environmental textures, creating a more immersive experience for players.

According to Vitaly Aleksashin, the environments in Resident Evil 6 are of lower quality compared to the fifth installment. The reasons for this deterioration remain unclear. It's possible that the art director failed to properly supervise the artists' work, resulting in low-quality assets. It's also worth considering that consoles may not have been able to handle the large number and scale of assets in Resident Evil 6. In that case, the developers should consider shortening the campaigns' running time. If each campaign were between three and five hours long, it would give a chance to improve the quality of assets and, therefore, enhance the overall experience of the game.

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Interface

In the sixth part of the game, the interface raises more questions than the textures of the environment. User interface issues begin in the main menu, notes Vasily Skobelev.

In Resident Evil 6, the gameplay process requires too many actions, as the player must navigate through six different menu options. This creates inconvenience and negatively impacts the overall experience. Optimizing the interface and reducing the number of clicks to start will help improve the user experience and make the game more accessible to new players.

The situation during gameplay does not improve. Interface elements and tooltips during QTEs can obscure important plot points and action scenes. To change weapons or craft new first aid kits, players must use the inventory, which is presented in a separate window with complex navigation—guns and first aid kits are arranged horizontally, and grenades are arranged vertically. Game settings can only be changed via the in-game smartphone, and activating the device doesn't pause the game, which creates additional inconvenience.

The character crouches and carefully examines the phone, which initially makes an impression, as Vasily Skobelev notes. However, it quickly becomes apparent that this isn't the most user-friendly approach. The icons on the screen are difficult to read, and there are no explanatory text to clarify their meanings. The confusing menu can take a long time to navigate before zombies begin attacking the character, creating additional gameplay challenges. Optimizing the interface and improving its readability would significantly improve the usability of the game and allow players to focus on strategy rather than searching for the necessary functions.

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