Just because genZ can't play without "standard"?
No it's because standard is pretty shit, not gonna lie.
I just beat the game for the very first time and I can't believe I bumped into this mod only now, browsing SH threads after rolling the credits.
I mean, I get it.
I'm all in for using cinematic techniques in gameplay and I find the "movie game" term peak retarded. I love old REs and static camera angles. But as soon as you start mixing this dynamic, tracking camera in motion that is hard coded not to show what's happening in front of you it all just falls apart when you have enemies to kill.
Not talking about stylish tracking shots, overhead rides and cinematic angles. Those are the legacy of SH happen as well for a great effect. It works for exploration. I'm not talking about that. I'm talking about this:
...most of the time, when moving through areas or entering new ones, the camera DEFAULTS to a front medium-long shot of Heather or medium-close in tight corridors.
Yes it adds to tension. Especially when your radio starts screaming as you have just entered a room full of enemies, those crawling little shits in particular. It looks cinematic but it's horrible gameplay. And seems like Team Silent got the memo, adding what now feels like a truly bizarre artifact of game design past - "search view", which essentially is a button, allowing you to work your ass off against the default camera position. So keeping it pressed puts it where you want it most of the time - behind the character. Doing that in combat is key to survival, as much as it is while running away from enemies. And that's when it starts to break down, as it "fights" with the default camera trying to change perspective, sometimes spazzing all over the place making controlling Heather even more chaotic and painful. I spent so much time and energy fighting for an angle with
Alessa boss fight being the prime example of those issues just piling up.
Constantly flipping between en face and en arse is also a great way to keep losing any sense of orientation so the general traversal is about unfolding the map every few dozen seconds to know which direction I'm even going.
So I fired up the "modern camera" mod in question and I feel it just solves everything I didn't like about this otherwise very enjoyable, well aged retro ride.
With SH2R coming this weekend I'm beyond relieved that they didn't try to emulate this retro cam but opted for a modern approach instead.
I started playing SH4 The Room first time in my life some weeks ago and dropped it thinking it was shit. But now I can't wait to check it out again, possibly
the right way. Might as well just do it now!