Resident Evil creator Mikami won't play RE5
by Griffin McElroy 
{ Nov 30th 2008 at 12:00PM }
Mikami, who's been working under the Platinum Games label since the Great Clover Cleaving of 2006, said he knows he wouldn't enjoy the Africa-centric thriller, explaining that, "it's not going to be the game I would have made." He went on to issue a threat to his former employers, stating, "if I see anything in Resident Evil 5 that isn't done well, I'll be angry!" We'd hate to see what the man behind some of the goriest games we've ever played does when he gets his dander up.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Mr Khan @ Nov 30th 2008 12:06PM
He is right, but he did direct Resident Evil 4
Though for some reason, 5 feels like more of a departure than 4. Can't quite place why, however
mr nimblewick @ Nov 30th 2008 1:32PM
I wonder if it's how bright RE5 is?
Hashbrown Hunter @ Nov 30th 2008 1:41PM
Honestly the best thing RE5 has going for it is the intensity created by using daylight instead of the dark like most survival horror games do (I'm looking at you Silent Hill and Dead Space!)
Also, RE5's story looks fantastically epic from that E3 (or was it TGS?) trailer. I'm definitely a lot more intrigued now than I was back when RE4 had a hype train going.
mr nimblewick @ Nov 30th 2008 2:12PM
But does the daylight create a sense of horror, or just an intensity? FPS games are intense, but they hardly have the same feel as the RE series.
Gehodra @ Nov 30th 2008 4:22PM
Well, since it looks like RE5 isn't a survival horror, the contrast is probably moot.
Blank-Mage @ Nov 30th 2008 7:48PM
I'm not trying to treat RE5 as a RE game in the first place, which isn't to say I'm not pre-ordering it anyway. But it's too different for me to group it with the tank control days of yore. I'll change my mind if we get something more akin to RE plots, RE4 only had Leon and Ada. (And technically Wesker. For like, 4 seconds.)
-slycooper_rocker- (lorddshadow the amazing) psn: shahanasalam @ Nov 30th 2008 10:28PM
they don't censor the good stuff :)
unless you're gay or a hetero girl...in which case they do.
t_m @ Dec 1st 2008 3:37AM
Haven't played RE4, but RE5 effectively felt more like one of those FPS games set in an unnamed middle-eastern country than an RE game.
I felt a huge amount of deja-vu while playing it.
Bowser Rogozhin @ Nov 30th 2008 12:09PM
He finds the racism disagreeable with his soul, that's why.
kavendano14 @ Nov 30th 2008 12:28PM
Are you stupid? Japanese don't have souls.
Bowser Rogozhin @ Nov 30th 2008 12:46PM
I won't have you disparaging the Japanese and their soul.
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QZ8rgpX68CQ
Jakka ( The Order of Haters of Balance) @ Nov 30th 2008 12:55PM
Not really.
Japanase don't really have 'racism' or at least racism in a way the rest of the world percieves it. Blackface and other types of exaggerating is a natural acceptable thing in their culture while in America, you'd be lynched by Political-Corecteness-Terrorist-Squad the moment you tried to pull this kind of shit off.But for Japanese it's their way of making characters more clear and sharp...yes, you could call this stereotyping.
Look at Hard Gay for example. http://tinyurl.com/5daudx It's a heavily-stereotyped gay caricature that's largerly accepted in Japan. You could call this homophobic, but when you realise that Japan is the most open and sexualy tolerant countries, the entire argument falls.
Either way I'm not sure why I'm even writing this because there's nothing racist about RE5 in first place.You're in Africa.Is it any surprising there are going to be black people there? I mean...black people...in Africa...NO FUCKING WAY!? Is it any different than shooting Spaniards in RE4 anyway? Maybe you're the sub-conciously racist one for thinking it's okay to shoot the Spanish but crying "RACISM!" when black people are involved? I don't give a shit which race they are because I'm too busy shooting their heads off.
atrimus @ Nov 30th 2008 1:00PM
some people are offended by RE5; no one will ever change their minds. some people find the notion of being offended by RE5 silly; no one will ever change their minds. must we really revisit all this?
Bowser Rogozhin @ Nov 30th 2008 1:22PM
@ Jacky Boy
The Japanese have an open, sexual environment? That's a new one. I was under the impression that centuries of fragmented feudal propaganda, fuelled by a centralised, Stoic-like royal family, had stripped the public of any form of individuality we would understand; true individuality. As such, any apparent openness, in sex for example, could actually be interpreted as an exaggerated fallacy, a attempt in rejecting their ingrained 'mass will'.
Despite this repression the Japanese clearly still have horrid hangups about sex. How else do you explain the incredible obsession with sex with the under-aged? A mature, truly open society would have a proper discussion about these disturbing trends. But what do we see in Japan: cultural commentators brush these strange men off as mere Otaku. Is turning a blind eye really the action of a 'open and sexualy tolerant country', or one suffering from repression?
And about Hard Gay: I work as a bouncer occasionally, we have gay nights. He is nothing particular. And as I understand it, HG is a professional wrestler; it's all an act, much like Baron-Cohen's Bruno. It's much easier for people to brush off a person like HG if it seems like a wonderful act.
WRE @ Nov 30th 2008 1:39PM
Wow, Bowser. You seem to be a man of many jobs. So far as I understand you're a reality TV producer who moonlights as a bouncer. Hey, that sounds like a reality TV show to me! Get on it, man!
Jakka ( The Order of Haters of Balance) @ Nov 30th 2008 1:44PM
"How else do you explain the incredible obsession with sex with the under-aged? A mature, truly open society would have a proper discussion about these disturbing trends. But what do we see in Japan: cultural commentators brush these strange men off as mere Otaku."
Imo,it seems more tolerant than accusing them of pedophilia and satan worshiping, something Fox News would do...but hey whatever floats your boat since it's really open to interpretation. Can we get back on topic of Racism vs RE5?
Bowser Rogozhin @ Nov 30th 2008 1:44PM
Two jobs: team assistant at a station, and the bouncer gig.
Team assistant means do whatever bosslady says. Unfortunately, I'm a peon at the station, so any idea I say gets me a slap. Fun times.
In A World (XBL) @ Nov 30th 2008 5:02PM
"centuries of fragmented feudal propaganda, fuelled by a centralised...interpreted as an exaggerated fallacy...truly open society...cultural commentators"
All I hear is: Bla bla bla **smokes a pipe** I think I know what I'm talking about **sips tea with the pinky sticking out** I like to hear myself talk bla bla bla
Lone Starr @ Nov 30th 2008 7:43PM
"You could call this homophobic, but when you realise that Japan is the most open and sexualy tolerant countries, the entire argument falls."
Which is why the Japanese sensor their porn? I mean, I haven't seen it, this is just what my friends tell me.
atrimus @ Nov 30th 2008 12:20PM
even though RE5 has been one of my most awaited games this generation, i see where he's coming from. with it's tendency towards a more Gears of War style of play, RE5 does seem like a radical departure from the mechanics of the series, even over RE4.
Hashbrown Hunter @ Nov 30th 2008 1:44PM
...I remember before E3 that everyone was calling RE5 a 'glorified port' of RE4 just because of how similar the mechanics are. The only real departure is the tweaking of the tank controls and the co-op mechanics to the game (which are looking to be pretty important). Besides that it's a next-gen RE4 in sunlight...in Africa...with tentacle heads.
Karl @ Dec 1st 2008 1:02PM
"if I see anything in Resident Evil 5 that isn't done well, I'll be angry!"
he "probably won't play" the next installment in his brainchild franchise
Problem Solved!
Lee @ Nov 30th 2008 12:32PM
I don't want to play it either. The series had a good run though.
Wiinterfang @ Nov 30th 2008 12:37PM
Dude just Ask SEGA to let you make your own zombie game, I mean SEGA has a 4 game deal with platinum right? they are 3 currently in work so the next game could be a new zombie gorefest that would make Silent Hill,Dead Space,Left 4 Dead and Dead Rising look like Sesame street.
Rhamsey @ Nov 30th 2008 12:43PM
ive only played the first and second games, but i can understand whats hes talking about. no one likes seeing something they worked hard on be destroyed by someone else, under the same name.
how do you think bungie feels with microsoft?
or jesus (if you believe in him) with the holy crusades and "missionaries" killing people for not converting?
it happens all the time, and its a shame, but part of life.
Haggard @ Nov 30th 2008 1:22PM
Resident Evil 5: as morally corrupt as the crusades!
WRE @ Nov 30th 2008 1:40PM
That would pave the way for Resident Evil 6: What Would Jesus Do?
Blank-Mage @ Nov 30th 2008 7:54PM
Jesus with the T-Virus would make something awesome AND blasphemous!
Pablo_the_Fish @ Nov 30th 2008 12:50PM
Obviously I can't be certain of this without actually playing the game, but it appears that RE5 puts a lot less emphasis on suspense/tension, and more on a Gears-style of lots of enemies and lots of shooting. I don't see the classic traits of RE such as sparse ammo, creepy atmosphere (this setting doesn't do it for me so far), horror-style pacing, and so on. Again, I could be wrong, but that's how it seems so far. Perhaps those are some of the issues that Shinji Mikami is seeing as well.
Hashbrown Hunter @ Nov 30th 2008 1:48PM
As I have noticed, horror games and even horror movies have moved past the eerie, claustrophobic, dark setting in exchange for intense thrills in daylight. And honestly I prefer this new trend. Take 28 Days/Weeks Later. Probably the best zombie flicks I've seen within the past decade.
Pablo_the_Fish @ Nov 30th 2008 2:56PM
Yeah, I guess I'm just a fan of the classics in the horror genre. I want dark, eerie, and claustrophobic environments (though I also enjoyed 28 Days Later a great deal).
Conor @ Nov 30th 2008 12:53PM
well that's an endorsement....
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 30th 2008 12:56PM
Well he can go cry in a corner then while I play RE 5.
Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Nov 30th 2008 12:59PM
Gonna have to agree with you there. Doesn't matter if he doesn't like the game, I'll be too busy enjoying the game to care.
343 Guilty Fart @ Nov 30th 2008 1:05PM
I'll be with you tmac... as your busty sidekick(!?)
Markez @ Nov 30th 2008 2:13PM
If by corner, you mean Alaska, then he's already there!
Picture caption: "How'd this podium get here, I'm going back to sob like a girl in the bathroom."
Cody @ Nov 30th 2008 3:47PM
tmac crys in the corner every night while I play with his mom.
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 30th 2008 3:55PM
If anyone ever needs proof that there are in fact 10 year olds that visit this site, there it is.
Lee @ Nov 30th 2008 5:17PM
There's one just above me too.
Cody @ Nov 30th 2008 7:36PM
lmao @ tmacs overly ironic attempt at taking the high road. Classic. And failness.
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 30th 2008 8:05PM
In case you forgot what you wrote up there, you probably shouldn't be talking about a high road. Don't you have a halo match to get to?
Sam @ Nov 30th 2008 12:59PM
If he won't play the game then how can he know if the developers have done anything wrong with it?
He sounds like an idiot to me.
TheE3Guy @ Nov 30th 2008 1:02PM
Obviously they're gonna put the most action packed scenes in the trailers to get peoples attention. I'm sure they'll have places in the game that are suspenseful or scary, just like in RE4. This game is gonna kick so much ass in my opinion. Too bad it's still 3 months away.
philmcphail @ Nov 30th 2008 7:38PM
RE4 wasn't all scary but there were two things that made my heart just sink (out of fear) when I was playing it, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NwVYeQLO-R8 & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2MnfQhJ-Sg. Hopefully RE5 can top these two with something even better!
Jakka ( The Order of Haters of Balance) @ Nov 30th 2008 1:11PM
Saying anything about Resident Evil 5 'not being survival horror anymore' would be like bitching that Fallout 4, GTA V, Dues Ex 3 have ruined their respective franchises
Guess what, you're a generation late.Oh Snap, it happened already!
tmacairjordan87 @ Nov 30th 2008 1:17PM
The only thing that was horrifying in the old resident evils were the controls, so I'm not sure what you mean there.
Also, Fallout 3 ruined the series? How..by making it playable? (cwutididthar)
Jakka ( The Order of Haters of Balance) @ Nov 30th 2008 1:35PM
(icwutyadidthar!)
Fallout 3 and I have this love-hate relationship. The game has some of the worst plotholes(Working computers and electricity after 200 years? The world that looks like barely five years after a war?Public places that haven't been looted down to empty walls? Fucking commonplace electricity? The ending altogether...) ,quests and dialogue I've ever seen in a video game,VATS is essentialy a 'Fuck You' button,people can withstand shotgun blasts to the face,the AI is terrible,the wastlend makes very little sense and gives you the feeling of a being in a Cool Theme Park rather than in a living world, there was no way to play a non-combat character and talk your way out of every mess,stats make hardly and difference, etc.etc.
I could go on for hours talking about how bad and dumbed down it is and how nothing makes any sence, but despite all this I spend over thirty-five hours playing something I'm so vocal to loathe and despise. Kudos to Bethesda for whatever brainwashing techniques they implemented in this game, but it seems to be working.
Anyway back on topic, what I meant is that the nature of old RE's was killed off in RE4 the moment they gave you a shotgun with load of ammo and told you to blast through hordes of Villagers. Blaming RE5 for being an RE4 clone is an absurd thing to do, because it's RE4 you should be blaming in first place.
ice~ @ Nov 30th 2008 3:00PM
@Jakka: Try reading the manual, it gives a decent explanation. Also, the stats do make a difference, u might not be a high enough level to notice yet. And I'm gonna have to disagree with u on the "wasteland doesn't feel like a loving world" thing because why would a wasteland thy was bombarded by nuclear bombs feel like a living breathing world? when I play it does feel like a dead, barren wasteland not a theme park like you said. Also, one of the 3 new DLC packs coming out continues the story and provides a better ending. I think fallout 3 is one of the best games I've ever played, and out of all the AAA games I bought during this gaming storm (and I bought ALL of them) fallout 3 has to be the most addictinf and compelling game I've played out of all of em. My Case is closed :)
JoeArc @ Nov 30th 2008 4:33PM
I agree 100% with Jakka regarding Fallout 3
Jakka ( The Order of Haters of Balance) @ Nov 30th 2008 5:25PM
"wasteland doesn't feel like a loving world" thing because why would a wasteland thy was bombarded by nuclear bombs feel like a living breathing world"
That's not what I meant by "living". In Stalker, the Zone is as lonely,scare and dangerous as ever yet it feels alive because Stalkers and Bandits have their own life-like AI which dictates the patterns of their behaviour.Sometimes Stalkers will clear a mutant infested building.Then Bandits can move in and kill them...then they can be killed by a wandering pack of wild dogs - all simulated while you're away in a completely different part of the map.
Fallout 3 on the other hand the idea of a living world is just a bunch of shacks with people walking around it.How exactly can Megaton or Big Town sustain themselve and not starve to death with one and no Brahnim respectively? I can understand Arefu(Two Brahnim divided by seven people) or Rivet City.
Which brings me back to my original point. Fallout 3 feels more like a theme-park because Bethesda added a lot of things going by the "Rule of Cool".It worked most of the time (Megaton,Tenpenny,Dunwich,SatComs,The Mall,Most Vaults, Paradise Falls, Alien Crash Site,Fort Constantine) but also really bit them in the ass at some places (Little Lamplight, Republic of Dave,Andale,). I'm only hoping they won't make the same mistakes in the sequel seeing how much of an improvement F3 was compared to Oblivion.