As the man who gave RE4 a perfect five stars, I feel somewhat hypocritical awarding 8 a mere 3.5, for it does deliver much of what I love in a resident evil game. I enjoy the campy tone, memorable set pieces and supernatural elements. However, while I applauded 4 for being consistent and unapologetic in its tone, I found RE8 to be a less consistent experience.
Negatives: The game left an awful first impression on me. I was rolling my eyes at he first hour of the game, which felt rushed, unnecessary and seemed to make light of Ethan's accomplishments from RE7. Overall, I did not care for the story, which altogether just felt too derivative of RE7 and riddled with tonal dissonance.
The game's level design is also on a near-perfect downward turn in quality outside of the titular village, which changes very little throughout the campaign. There are the first two areas, which I will talk about when I get to the positives section; the reservoir, which is a visually interesting location with little going on in terms of gameplay; the nest, which I almost forgot to mention given its blandness and lack of narrative significance; and the factory area, which feels like a dull maze loaded with nothing worth talking about. I ran through the area many times and still struggle to remember the layout. I haven't even mentioned that, just before you leave that dull place, you must fight the worst boss in the game. It is a pity the low point of the playthrough must come so near the end. Fortunately, it is still worth the trek to get there.
Positives: All prior grievances aside, this game, like RE4, is damn fun. I didn't start to enjoy it very much until my second playthrough, but the extensive weapon selection and customization makes the game a blast on repeat runs. The collectables scattered throughout the village, hidden goat statues, edibles, etc. This game has so much to do even outside of the insanely fun mercenaries mode. The game is filled with memorable characters and interesting locations. The castle may be the most detailed and interesting location in any RE game: filled with lore, collectables and interesting level hazards. Unlike the sheer horror that is the factory level, each room feels distinct and purposeful while still having an aura of dread and hostility.
As for the next level... I can't, in good conscience, spoil anything about it. Just play it.
Lastly, the game has quite possibly my favorite character in any RE game. His vocal performance is amazing, his powers are intimidating and his boss fight may be the best, not only in any RE game, but in any FPS I have ever played. If you played the game, you know exactly who I am talking about.
In summary, RE8 is an exceptionally fun time for anyone willing to look past a few narrative flaws and some degrading level quality. The game is worth playing for mercenaries and new game+ alone.
Negatives: The game left an awful first impression on me. I was rolling my eyes at he first hour of the game, which felt rushed, unnecessary and seemed to make light of Ethan's accomplishments from RE7. Overall, I did not care for the story, which altogether just felt too derivative of RE7 and riddled with tonal dissonance.
The game's level design is also on a near-perfect downward turn in quality outside of the titular village, which changes very little throughout the campaign. There are the first two areas, which I will talk about when I get to the positives section; the reservoir, which is a visually interesting location with little going on in terms of gameplay; the nest, which I almost forgot to mention given its blandness and lack of narrative significance; and the factory area, which feels like a dull maze loaded with nothing worth talking about. I ran through the area many times and still struggle to remember the layout. I haven't even mentioned that, just before you leave that dull place, you must fight the worst boss in the game. It is a pity the low point of the playthrough must come so near the end. Fortunately, it is still worth the trek to get there.
Positives: All prior grievances aside, this game, like RE4, is damn fun. I didn't start to enjoy it very much until my second playthrough, but the extensive weapon selection and customization makes the game a blast on repeat runs. The collectables scattered throughout the village, hidden goat statues, edibles, etc. This game has so much to do even outside of the insanely fun mercenaries mode. The game is filled with memorable characters and interesting locations. The castle may be the most detailed and interesting location in any RE game: filled with lore, collectables and interesting level hazards. Unlike the sheer horror that is the factory level, each room feels distinct and purposeful while still having an aura of dread and hostility.
As for the next level... I can't, in good conscience, spoil anything about it. Just play it.
Lastly, the game has quite possibly my favorite character in any RE game. His vocal performance is amazing, his powers are intimidating and his boss fight may be the best, not only in any RE game, but in any FPS I have ever played. If you played the game, you know exactly who I am talking about.
In summary, RE8 is an exceptionally fun time for anyone willing to look past a few narrative flaws and some degrading level quality. The game is worth playing for mercenaries and new game+ alone.