No more clickety-clack, Resident Evil 5 drops typewriters
by Jason Dobson 
{ Oct 3rd 2008 at 8:30PM }
Chris Redfield can look forward to aerating the not-quite-undead with a conveniently placed shotgun in Resident Evil 5. However, he won't have to worry about uncovering the African village's lone typewriter in order to record his progress in the event an errant bite finds its mark.
1UP reports that the upcoming horror-cum-action game will forego the series' previous means of saving games using typewriters, and will instead feature "a combination of checkpoints and chapters." This according to RE5 producer Jun Takeuchi, who admits that he 'really likes' typewriters, though we imagine he has no love lost for tradition. We'll fight back the tears as we pour over these latest screens. Typewriter, we'll miss you.
[Via X3F]
Gallery: Resident Evil 5 (10-03-2008)
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
PSN & GAMERTAG: jorojoserojas - Wii FC: 0749-8609-3752-6926 @ Oct 3rd 2008 8:36PM
R.I.P. Typewriter.
Many a night were spent wandering and pushing through just to find you, wherever you were.
You always brought me happiness in buildings crawling with undead.
stutte @ Oct 3rd 2008 8:38PM
I'm pretty sure "horror-cum-action" can be taken a few different ways....
Mr.Ironic @ Oct 4th 2008 1:00PM
yes. or even Action! Cum! Horror!!!
LaughingTarget @ Oct 3rd 2008 8:40PM
Does this means they're being replaced by e-mails?
Obie @ Oct 3rd 2008 8:41PM
Gah! NOW what am I supposed to do with this shipping container with ink ribbons!?
Envoy @ Oct 3rd 2008 8:42PM
Typewriter? Typewrite?! TYPEWRITERRRRR!!!!!!!!
Clinton RRoD sept.3 @ Oct 3rd 2008 10:21PM
envoy im mad u had my picture but thats ok i changed it a while ago. i know this has nothing to do with resident evil
Questworld @ Oct 3rd 2008 11:23PM
The Resident Evil series and Metal Gear Solid series do seem to be melding together in some features and game progress design since their respective "4th" games. From over the shoulder camera views, to codec dialogues, and now to losing typewriter and codec means of saving.
Oh well, they're still both my most favorite of series that I tend to follow.
Bass Masterson @ Oct 3rd 2008 9:00PM
Why don't they just change the name? It's nowhere near the same game anyway. It's like pretending Pink Floyd is Pink Floyd with goofy David Gilmour leading it. Jeez.
Red Leader @ Oct 4th 2008 2:11AM
Honestly I gotta agree with you. The game will probably be a blast to play, but judging from gameplay footage, it really doesn't feel like the originals.
Haggard (Mr.ESC died for our sins) @ Oct 4th 2008 6:56AM
Pink Floyd IS David Gilmour.
Shut your pie-hole.
CenturionRyan @ Oct 4th 2008 7:53AM
I think this became quite evident when we built our last mountain of surplus ammo and defunct Spanish currency.
NoHitHair @ Oct 3rd 2008 9:17PM
Typewriters are to Resident Evil what breasts are to DOA. This is a sad day indeed.
Obie @ Oct 3rd 2008 9:27PM
Except that in RE they were never around when you needed em, and in DOA the boobs were always in your face.
Not that it's a bad thing mind you. ;)
Matt Ferens @ Oct 3rd 2008 9:23PM
Wow, this may truly be the end of Resident Evil. Seriously, at least 4 was somewhat connected with the typewriters.
MowDownJoe @ Oct 4th 2008 11:44AM
Indeed. At least keep typewriters as save points, even if do scrap the whole ink ribbon thing.
Mr.Ironic @ Oct 4th 2008 1:05PM
Typewriters could become the new Doom guy.
Momer @ Oct 3rd 2008 9:42PM
Teehee, comic is in paint.
Anticrawl @ Oct 3rd 2008 9:48PM
Stupid, Resident Evil is no longer survival horror but now and action-horror game. Part of the thrill of survival in this series was lasting long enough to find that typewriter or ink ribbon so you could finally relax.
Cody @ Oct 5th 2008 4:00PM
Change is good. Ask Obama.
Thatoneguy64 @ Oct 3rd 2008 10:47PM
And Capcom continues to remove more survival and horror aspects from their beloved survival/horror series Resident Evil...
Courtney @ Oct 3rd 2008 10:47PM
The typewriter rooms always had the feeling of serenity to them. The music would change and you would know that you were safe, at least for a little while. The aura of typewriter kept the undead at bay, unable to cross the threshold into typewriter's domain. Not only was typewriter a game mechanic, it was a friend and a savior.
In a world without typewriter, there is no peace.
aaronx_x @ Oct 3rd 2008 11:25PM
horror-cum-action, hmm..
Mike @ Oct 3rd 2008 11:32PM
So now Capcom is saying that Africans are too poor to have typewriters?!?! Teh racist!!!
(I kid of course. No flames please.)
Ethan @ Oct 4th 2008 12:33PM
Of course not! It's just all the sand would clog it up, what with it being a giant desert, and everybody's illiterate anyway.
Superstar90 @ Oct 4th 2008 9:58PM
lol, Ethan, that was hilarious
-Vexx- @ Oct 4th 2008 12:34AM
See ya later typey :(
&rew @ Oct 4th 2008 12:49AM
I guess that explains why you're cracking them over the heads of zombies nurses on Silent Hill Origins.
Patrick @ Oct 4th 2008 1:05AM
I think that what RE4 did, losing the ink ribbons without losing the typewriters, was perfect. I don't particularly want to lose the typewriters altogether. I agree with what one of the readers of xboxfanboy said...that the series is not what it used to be, but instead is turning into a third-person action title. A good one, admittedly, but I wish some of the old formula hadn't been mucked with. I don't want Resident Evil: Gears of War. Gears of War 2 will satisfy that need just fine.
ZippyDSMlee @ Oct 4th 2008 12:16PM
If you like consoletard shooters :P
lol @ Oct 4th 2008 9:48AM
Checkpoints? At least give the guy a RE branded sidekick or something.
ZippyDSMlee @ Oct 4th 2008 12:02PM
Mmmmmm RE5 is now an action game, thats not a bad thing..but...
They could have used Typewiters, phones and even a wonky cell phone that has to be charged up to save your progress (like 2-5 minutes of real time after you saved last).
dsub @ Oct 4th 2008 12:02PM
There's just something about random checkpoints and levels that screams survival horror.
It's official. Resident Evil is now a Third Person Shooter, not a Survival Horror game.
Thank goodness for Dead Space.
Ihar `Philips` Filipau @ Oct 4th 2008 2:05PM
As if removing typewriter would somehow fix the inherently lacking (and often dysfunctional) save/load mechanics in console games...
It's not that they would implement proper F5/F9 instead.
ToRo @ Oct 4th 2008 4:35PM
That's one step towards making RE less annoying. Bravo Capcom. You did the fucking obvious. Now lets see if you can fix that damn control scheme. I mean seriously, it's 2008! Why can't I run and shoot at the same time?
Tyrannius @ Oct 4th 2008 7:23PM
You're a fucking joke. No wonder Capcom removed the typewriters, they're appealing to the shooter game idiots like you, not to the fanbase that made their game so successful.
ToRo @ Oct 4th 2008 8:22PM
I'm sorry. I forgot that you know all the games that I play. Oh yeah you don't. I'm just a fucking comment on a video game blog. You don't know what type of gamer I am. just because I don't like awkward control schemes and and retarded save systems doesn't mean i only like shooters.
The normal person would like to move around normally without having to hold a button to change the direction your moving in.
Sidepocket @ Oct 5th 2008 4:15PM
1) We can tell how much of an idiot you are just from your moronic logic alone.
2) RE4 already solved the problem, keep the Typewriters but get rid of the ribbons. Why fix something that was already fixed?
3) Wanna know why you cannot move while you shoot? Look at Silent Hill Homecoming, not to mention the shooting mechanic is modeled realistically and in real life it is near-impossible to move and shoot at the same time.
sepheroth1976 @ Oct 5th 2008 1:18PM
"The normal person would like to move around normally without having to hold a button to change the direction your moving in."
Wrong!
ToRo @ Oct 5th 2008 5:59PM
@ sidepocket
1) Because I don't have the same point of view as you do? That's great fucking logic your using there.
2) Because some people don't feel like looking for a fucking type writer. I mean seriously, you already have to manage your inventory to the point where you have to choice between health and ammo, something that I think adds a lot to the game. But don't make me search for some fucking typewriter. Hell, if it were up to me I'd put a quicksave system in there.
3)So your telling me moving back while shooting a fucking zombie that's moving towards you is not realistic? Wait a minute. We're shooting fucking zombies. How realistic do you want the game to be?
Yatcho @ Oct 4th 2008 4:44PM
Replaced by laptops?