Playing through Resident Evil: Requiem, so far I’m rather enjoying the game’s choice to split it down the middle. In the RE2 remake, we really got the anti-zapping system. I kind of liked the inverted routes since it avoids all the headache of the original games zapping system, which I always considered more of a grumbly puzzle than a good idea.
By contrast, having both Grace and Leon get a blood-soaked, zombie riddled trip through Victor’s facility gels well. The campaign alternates perspectives rapidly enough that it avoids the need for a log book or cursing yourself for ammo shortages, yet also yields a balance. It feels more like the campaigns compliment each other rather than compete, or make it a jumble. The way they take such different focuses, also feels like an effort to merge the gameplay that attracted folks like me to the RE2/RE3 remake and those more used to games like either version of RE4/RE5.
On the flip side, I also find it an enjoyable characterization. Grace, despite how much negative feedback she’s generated, I think actually makes a good protagonist. Compared to our returning hero, she’s about as prepared for this as The Lone Gunmen. Her reactions are far more that of a normal person. Yet, she still exhibits the strength to get up and keep fighting. And then of course we have Leon whose attitude like older players, are more been there, done that, got the t-shirt when things go awry. I also somehow managed to appreciate the awesome jumpscare in tunnels, which just so happened to align with me commenting out loud about being surprised by the lack of anything happening there 😆.
Much like earlier games, the folks behind Resident Evil have some faulty ideas of physics and technology. The meat grinder and chainsaws for one. I’m sure there will be others, but assuming it’s not as outlandish as RE6, I’ll probably continue to ignore that. It’s an RE game, you eventually know what to expect when things just make no damned sense.