A Topic Worth Writing In For

After subscribing to Game Informer for a few years now there hasn't been a topic I felt strong enough to voice my opinion on until now. Sadly it's not an article or a game feature, but someone instigating a debate on the Wii, it's hardcore games and the whiney SOB's that claim they are hardcore gamers. Hey! I'm a whiney SOB claiming to be a hardcore gamer, so I had to jump on my soapbox and write in. Here's how it went down.

Dear GI:

Hardcore Negligence

In the reader art section of issue 195, there was a picture of Jack from the under appreciated MadWorld. I'm one of the few who bought the game - it makes me wonder about gamers who cry on internet forums about Nintendo failing its hardcore audience on the Wii. I'm starting to think the opposite is true: the hardcore audience has failed Nintendo. Why didn't you buy MadWorld, House of the Dead, Okami and No more Heros? All of those titles should have sold more copies. If you call yourself hardcore, why aren't you buying the games made for you?

Patrick Borrelli
Via Email

Hardcore Wii owners, Patrick is calling you out. What do you have to say in your defense? Have hardcore gamers let Nintendo down? Drop us a line and share your thoughts.

My Response:

Growing up with video games and owning consoles from Sony, Sega, and Nintendo had me in a bit of a quarrel as to what system to buy this generation. I ended up going with the Nintendo Wii back when it was still almost impossible to get one and the games were very much lacking. But it's innovated idea on gameplay and having a new Zelda game to boot had me wanting one. But after 2 years of owning one, I as a hardcore gamer who also likes "casual" games, was missing many of the hardcore games that were released for the PS3 and the 360. So I went out and bought a PS3 a few months ago. I now don't have the feeling of missing out on good hardcore games because they won't come to the Wii for one reason or another. That way I can still play games like Zelda and Mario Kart, but still not miss out on games like Resident Evil 5 and Prototype. In issue 196, Patrick brought up a few good games for hardcore gamers that came out for the Wii and asked why people weren't buying them. But just because you are a hardcore gamer doesn't mean that we all like the same type of hardcore games. I did, however, pick up Okami, but went with the ps2 version instead. Don't get me wrong I still enjoy my Wii and pick up a new game for it when it appeals to me, but overall Nintendo seems to have targeted the Wii more towards the "casual" gamer. For me being a multi-console gamer is the only way to go.

Will I show up in a future issue of Game Informer? Only one way to find out. In the mean time I would like to continue this discussion here. Tell me your thoughts on Patrick's and my responses to this issue. What are your feelings on the Wii/Hardcore Gamer relationship? I love a good debate.

EDIT: I have added a poll listing hardcore games for the 3 major consoles with the appearance of the ps2 and the gamecube because the games where just to good to leave off and some are expecting sequels in the future. Also if I left out your favorite hardcore game I'm sorry. I have also only listed the latest in a series, not what I think is the best. I had to end the list somewhere. But since this is a poll about Nintendo leaving hardcore gamers out with their current console I thought that current games on current consoles should be looked at. Please take the poll seriously. I want to see hardcore gamers opinions on what good hardcore games are out there and what systems have the best hardcore games. This study will help with the discussion. Please feel free to choose more than one option since being a hardcore gamer means you play more than just 1 or 2 games.

The Survival Horror Horror

This is not so much of a review, but more of a look at a specific genre of games and how it's evolving. I'm sure by the title you already guessed I'm talking about the Survival Horror Genre. Alone in the Dark and Sweet Home are among the first survival horror games, but the term was coined with the first Resident Evil. Resident Evil: Director's Cut for the Playstation was my first survival horror game and the standard I hold all the rest to.

So after completing Resident Evil 5 for the second time, I've been looking for new survival horror games to fix my itch. This is where the inspiration for this blog is coming from. I did some searches on the top survival horror games out there looking for more to play. Resident Evil always made the list. After being one of the most recognized survival horror game, with over 20 games and 4 movies, how could it not be. However, with most of the lists Resident Evil 4 was the Resident Evil game pf choice or placed higher then others. For me Resident Evil 4 was one of my least favorites, not to say that I have played all of the titles. But out of the main series, I feel it is lacking, while everyone gives their praises. This is where I feel the definition of survival horror is being turned upside-down.

The definition of survival horror can be easily broken down to a game where you try to survive in a really horrific, unreal situation. So yes Resident Evil 4 can technically be considered. But it's also about the build up to fear, the puzzles over the shoot 'em up style, conserving your ammo, and juggling your items. This is opposed to a shooter style like the game F.E.A.R., which is a horror type of game, but not a survival type at all. I believe Resident Evil 4 started moving towards a shooter style and away from the survival horror theme.

This move greatly saddens me. Especially since Resident Evil is one of my favorite games and others like it. Something about scaring the shit out of me intrigues me, though sometimes I find them to scary to play. An amusing thought I'm sure for someone who claims to love the games so much. Playing through Resident Evil 5 has made me miss the old style even more. Sure the graphics are fantastic and I take full advantage of the HD capabilities. But where were all the puzzles? Sure there are a few. The puzzle where you have to turn the mirrors to make the ancient elevators work wasn't bad, but it also seemed very Tomb Raideresque. Where are the password puzzles? Where are the puzzles where you have to have the right color combination of fuses to unlock something? Where are the objects that you have to find in order to move on or gain a new items? No broken shotgun to replace the real one so you can do a bait and switch just like in Indiana Jones? And all the key cards are obtained by killing a mini boss type of enemy instead of finding it hidden among a pile of papers or such like things? This just goes to show you that the games are heading more brawn then brains. The puzzles brought so much more to the game then we must kill everything in the way to survive. It gave more dimensions to the games and more game time since some of those puzzles can be pretty tricky.

I do have to give RE5 props though for the co-op campaign. Very few games have this, especially online. And they do it very well. Co-op campaign is lacking from a lot of games these days. Most multiplayer games are again strategic shoot up the other team before they get you. The only other game that I can think of that has co-op campaign that I've played was Obscure: The Aftermath for Wii, which is another survival horror title. It didn't have online play, which is too bad, but it didn't do half bad. It wasn't the best game I've ever played, but it was a lot of fun to play with a friend. It also kept the puzzles and I must add overly cheesy lines like a lot of survival horror games have, including the first Resident Evil. However playing with the AI when you don't have a friend can be difficult like with any AI character.

I know everything needs to evolve otherwise we would become bored of having the same kind of game over and over again. But that is what the different genres are for. Hell that's even what the different series of Resident Evil is for. From the main series to the survivor series to the chronicle series and so on. But bring back all the puzzles and the thrills instead of the kills. Though I do have to say that there are some freaky parts in RE5. I'm glad the lickers made a couple quite freaky and challenging appearances.