Resident Evil 5

[...]

well you have your own opinion, but to me, horror means being fearful and scared, and tension gives you this.

 

It depends on what you're scared about, though. If you're scared to lose your job, does it count as horror? If you're scared of getting caught in Metal Gear Solid or Splinter Cell, does that make them horror games?

 

It's not about opinion, I'm making a clear case here.

[Retro_Link]

If you're scared of getting caught in Metal Gear Solid or Splinter Cell, does that make them horror games?

It depends on context doesn't it. Neither of the games you've mentioned come with the atmosphere a classic Resi game creates through use of darkness/light/weather/the unknown, a CONSTANT feeling of tension; which builds into fear and scare.

[...]

It depends on context doesn't it. Neither of the games you've mentioned come with the atmosphere a classic Resi game creates through use of darkness/light/weather/the unknown, a CONSTANT feeling of tension; which builds into fear and scare.

 

Which is exactly what I've been saying this whole time, thank you.

[Retro_Link]

Which is exactly what I've been saying this whole time, thank you.

Well removing a partner who is constantly doing half the work for you, would make the game more tense no? and this might go some way to actually restoring a somewhat scary experience.

[...]

Well removing a partner who is constantly doing half the work for you, would make the game more tense no? and this might go some way to actually restoring a somewhat scary experience.

 

We're going a bit in circles here...

[Retro_Link]

indeed! but nonetheless, you can't dispute being alone and isolated would make for a better experience, than fighting alongside others.

[...]

indeed! but nonetheless, you can't dispute being alone and isolated would make for a better experience, than fighting alongside others.

 

Alone, isolated, better, yes, there we can agree.

But I think horror is a very specific word, you can't apply it just as tension, which has a broader sense. You are alone and isolated in Metroid games and they're not horror either. Tense (in some parts) and atmospheric, yes.

[McPhee]

Setting causes tension and horror. Story and emotional attatchment are very important. You won't get those things from a 2 level demo, just wait and see what the full game is like.

[Choze]

I played with Diageo. We did use voice chat, though little need. I kind of died on the chainsaw guy. Shot a barrel near me and couldnt move much. So he chainsawed me.

 

Capcom have some glitches though. I had to play with a dark overlay glitch. Made it hard to see.

[Razz]

I found Eurogamer's preview very interesting. Especially what they were saying about the so-called racist undertones. I don't really want to believe it, because I always like to think of games as an escape from reality, but they shout a fair argument.

[Choze]

I found Eurogamer's preview very interesting. Especially what they were saying about the so-called racist undertones. I don't really want to believe it, because I always like to think of games as an escape from reality, but they shout a fair argument.

 

Its just attention seeking. Lots of media products use this and other stereotypes. Why single out RE5?

[EchoDesiato]

Anyone want to play the demo with me right now? I always played it with random people up until now, and I don't know how to play with someone from my friend list.

[Razz]

Its just attention seeking. Lots of media products use this and other stereotypes. Why single out RE5?

 

I can see where your coming from but this just seems a lot more out there to me personally. Especially the point they make here:

 

There will be plenty of people who refuse to see anything untoward in this material. "It wasn't racist when the enemies were Spanish in Resident Evil 4," goes the argument, but then the Spanish don't have the baggage of being stereotyped as subhuman animals for the past two hundred years. It's perfectly possible to use Africa as the setting for a powerful and troubling horror story, but when you're applying the concept of people being turned into savage monsters onto an actual ethnic group that has long been misrepresented as savage monsters, it's hard to see how elements of race weren't going to be a factor.

[Gio001]

Since when have people from Africa been stereotyped as savage monsters / subhuman animals ???

I've never heard as much bullcr@p in my life !!! I think if Capcom did want to be racist they'd set it in China.

Sounds like Eurogamer are clutching at straws trying to put a racism angle into the game that ain't there.

[Razz]

Oh I don't know, the slave-trade perhaps?

[Daft]

Since when have people from Africa been stereotyped as savage monsters / subhuman animals ???

 

The slave trade.

 

Personally I can see where people are coming from. White middle class American slaughters hordes of poor Africans, turned into zombies but then a lot of games with racist undertones. Just look at almost every Square game. If only I could tell you about some of the bugs I've seen when testing.

 

Eurogamer may not be right but they are hardly clutching at straws.

[Gio001]

Oh I don't know, the slave-trade perhaps?

 

OMG, how long ago was that, i'm of Italian descent so i must be racist because 2000 years ago my Roman ancestors must have been slave traders.

 

Personally I can see where people are coming from. White middle class American slaughters hordes of poor Africans, turned into zombies.

 

Resi 1,2 & 3 White middle class American slaughters hordes of White middle class Americans, turned into zombies.

 

Resi 4 White middle class American slaughters hordes of poor Spanish / Latin type people, turned into zombies.

[Dante]

RESI 2 had a black cop turning into a zombie!

 

Gamepro video review!

[Gizmo]

If nothing else it is proof that society is still not fully over the racism thing. Because it shouldn't matter; it shouldn't even be particularly noticed that this time the zombies are black. I understand the Eurogamer argument, that with 200 years of history it was inevitable. But the trouble is the fact that it is still inevitable, and that its still something that is honed in on in such depth.

[Deathjam]

OMG, how long ago was that, i'm of Italian descent so i must be racist because 2000 years ago my Roman ancestors must have been slave traders.

 

Personally I can see where people are coming from. White middle class American slaughters hordes of poor Africans, turned into zombies.

 

Resi 1,2 & 3 White middle class American slaughters hordes of White middle class Americans, turned into zombies.

 

Resi 4 White middle class American slaughters hordes of poor Spanish / Latin type people, turned into zombies.

 

I think they were referring to american slave-trade. They weren't exactly depicted as humans, educated and worthy of your money for a good, honest days work were they.

[Daft]

Personally I can see where people are coming from. White middle class American slaughters hordes of poor Africans, turned into zombies.

 

Resi 1,2 & 3 White middle class American slaughters hordes of White middle class Americans, turned into zombies.

 

Well that isn't really relevant.

 

Resi 4 White middle class American slaughters hordes of poor Spanish / Latin type people, turned into zombies.

 

Yeah, that is true. It was so stereotypical it was comical. The depiction of rabid Spanish peasants is different since it is quite clearly not an indicator of contemporary life in Spain. It's like comparing The Wicker Man to life in 1970s Britain. Ultimately the game is still completely confined to a western setting.

 

Resident Evil 5's setting is far more commonplace and realistic within Africa. Slavery is obviously still relevant today, some people felt Tony Blair should have apologise for it only a couple years ago (Personally I think he was right not to since, in my eyes, it would have been an empty gesture).

 

Not to mention that the West still takes advantage of African countries through natural resources and arms dealing, to name a couple. Not to mention the massive effects that colonialism had, and still has to this day, including apartheid in South Africa and genocide in the Congo.

 

Africa has historically, and currently, been taken advantage of. RE5's pop culture roots shouldn't be an excuse to ignore this.

 

RESI 2 had a black cop turning into a zombie!

 

So?

[Dante]

So?

So?

I was replying to Gio001 post that RE 2 had black zombies.

[McPhee]

I can see where your coming from but this just seems a lot more out there to me personally. Especially the point they make here:

 

In the game it took a virus to turn the African population into savage monsters. That is not the same as saying that Africans are savage monsters, in fact it is quite the opposite argument. The non-infected African population are perfectly normal human beings and not "sub-human" in any way/shape/form.

 

Of the two parties it is Eurogamer's article that is in fact more racist. To be racist you need to make a distinction between races, which Capcom's Resident Evil series does not. Eurogamer, however, attempt to make a distinction.

[Gio001]

At the end of the day racism should be eradicated & real racist issues tackled instead of mickey mouse issues. There's been about 7 Resi games not set in Africa & as soon as it's set in Africa they analyse it & say it's racist ???

Did the zombie legend not start in Africa with witchdoctors etc before it got westernised by Hollywood. The aids virus, did that not apparently originate from Africa, & are thousands not still dying every year from aids there. The human race, didn't we all originate from Africa. Therefore isn't Resi 5 not set in the right place, gone back to it's roots like all of us.

 

I never thought of Resi 5 as being racist being set in Africa & after Eurogamers so called argument i still don't. I'll get on with life, play the game & continue not being racist while eurogamer look for racists under the bed.

 

 

In the game it took a virus to turn the African population into savage monsters. That is not the same as saying that Africans are savage monsters, in fact it is quite the opposite argument. The non-infected African population are perfectly normal human beings and not "sub-human" in any way/shape/form.

 

Of the two parties it is Eurogamer's article that is in fact more racist. To be racist you need to make a distinction between races, which Capcom's Resident Evil series does not. Eurogamer, however, attempt to make a distinction.

 

Well said McPhee, exactly what i meant to say in a round about way.

[Daft]

I don't think Resident Evil 5 is racist. I'm being devil's advocate. I'm just saying in the wider context, it really isn't that hard to see why some people would be offensive.

 

@ McPhee, it isn't about the explicit message the game has. The game is about zombies. It's the implied message, which I highly doubt is intentional, that is the issue.

 

I don't think the issue should be brushed off either way. The game isn't meant to be racist but you should see why it could easily perceived that way. Imagine, a game about mindless zombies might actually teach people something.