Grave Gamer News & Views

Hey, Herbians. This article was originally posted over at When Nerds Attack and marks my first gaming editorial for the site. There’s more to come, including an extended preview of Final Fantasy XV. Look for more down the line! That’s right! I took my thumb out of my ass and I’m writing again!

(In the preview Square Enix hosted, I played the beginning portion of Rise of the Tomb Raider’s Blood Ties...

Mega Man and friends

by Maximilliano Cabrera

pixalry:

Video Game Designs - Created by Jon Robert Baker

Check out his RedBubble Shop for Jon’s available for sale designs. You can also follow him on Tumblr.

A Look Back at the Horror Franchise’s Gun-centric Releases

2016 marks Resident Evil’s 20th Anniversary and publisher Capcom has been celebrating all year long. The company announced a new sequel in Resident Evil VII which vibes as a huge course-correction for the franchise, seeing a return to the original game’s core tenants of environmental exploration, resource management, and hard horror. PS4 owners can download a playable glimpse of the future (which I’ve talked about repeatedly).

Capcom’s also released a new spin-off, Umbrella Corps, a game that proves sometimes a good idea on paper can lead to the virtual equivalent of a burning bag of shit on your doorstep. More successfully, they’ve been mining Resident Evil’s past, re-releasing oldies on current platforms. Resident Evil 0 saw a solid HD re-treatment in the vein of last year’s superb REmake Remaster. Beyond that, Capcom has also spent a string of summer month’s re-releasing uprezzed versions of Resident Evil’s “Action Trilogy” – a trifecta of RE4, 5, and 6.

Though these departures from the franchise’s perceived formula created a rift between old school fans and the new laser-pointed generation, one thing’s inarguable: the Action Trilogy helped push Resident Evil into the mainstream spotlight. Resident Evil 5, for instance, is not merely the top selling game in the series. It’s the best selling game in Capcom’s history. Not Mega Man. Not Street Fighter. Resident Evil 5. And taking second place silver? Resident Evil 6 – a game that some publications can’t write about without preceding it with “the divisive.”

Removed from their hype cycles and marketing blitzes, I re-played each game in the action arc as they’ve been released, beginning with 6 and ending on late August’s RE4. Below, I quickly break down what these game’s were when they launched and how they fare now in order to figure out if these titles really deserve the shit that’s been heaped on them since.

Resident Evil VII – Capcom Reveals a Chilling New Trailer + An Update to the Beginning Hour Demo

With Tokyo Game Show commencing today, Capcom’s got a full range of new horrors on display. Starting with another trailer (which you can peep below), “TAPE-2″ shows a host of new environments, some less dilapidated than others, and a creepy ass family sit down with the Baker clan. The footage isn’t all force-feeding and games, though, as we’re treated to our first glimpse at the game’s first-person combat. The trailer proves this drastic departure isn’t entirely abandoning its gun-centric roots.

Additionally, the game’s planned $79.99 Deluxe Edition, which includes a season pass covering two playable episodes is now tossing in a third episode, upping the version’s price to $89.99. If you already pre-ordered the PSN digital edition, you’re covered; no extra cost will be incurred. What’s in the three episodes? No clue. Though it’s probably a safe bet to assume we’ll be playing through more “tapes” like the one found in the demo.

Speaking of the demo, the PS Plus exclusive is not only being made available to all PS4 owners tomorrow, it’s getting an update. The “Twilight” version of the demo will allow players to explore previously inaccessible parts of the Baker mansion. If there isn’t a way to use that goddamn dummy finger, expect to see several Twitch streams of people fucking exploding.