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[Dusk Golem]

Resident Evil 4 was re-released again and it's spun a lot of topics about RE4, so here's another.

Callout to GAF user etta, who inspired this topic because they asked into today's DigitalFoundry analysis of the PS4/Xbox One ports why this game was so well regarded to RE5/RE6, asked if the story was good, and when some comments said it was cheesy, decided to pass on the game due to it. Which then lead to a lot of off-topic discussion about RE4's story.

But really, RE4 is always praised for its gameplay, pacing, and whatever... But what about its story? It kind of took everything about RE series up until then and the build-up to take down Umbrella and just threw it all out of the window, giving a rather mundane answer to what took them out... Stocks. Maybe for the best? Maybe a missed opportunity? Depends who you ask.

Before release they really played up the mystery element of RE4. These aren't zombies, they just look like regular people? Why are they attacking in hordes? The answer turned out to be parasites that burst out of peoples heads. And something about a cult.

What most people remember about RE4's story is its cheesy dialogue. How could anyone forget such quotes as

Where's everyone going? Bingo?

Saddler, you're small time.

No thanks, bro!

I'm sure you boys didn't just tag along so we could sing Kumbiya together at some boyscout bonfire, then again, maybe you did.

Better try a new trick, cause that one's getting old.

I knew you'd be fine if you landed on your butt.

Miiiiiike!

The list could go on and on. Yet, this element may very well come due to the English translation. As an effort by Project Umbrella to re-translate all the files in the RE series more accurate to their original Japanese scripts show, and as News Bot likes to remind, the games are heavily localized and not really reflective of their original scripts. So there's a chance the charm many have towards RE4 and its hammy dialogue is a result of localization. How does RE4's story with lessened cheese?

Those credits, though.

Or maybe, just what do you think of RE4's story? It was a turning point in the series for a number of reasons, and everyone who's played RE4 seem to remember quite a few scenes and line from the game's narrative, so what do you all think?

 

[TheOnlyOneHeEverFeared]

It's ridiculous, self aware, and fun.

 

[El Daniel]

I thought it had a great story when I was 14.

 

[swearing-circle]

It's ridiculous, self aware, and fun.

Exactly this. I love it.

 

[BronsonLee]

She has a big ass, what do you want him to say?!

 

[Sanctuary]

I honestly don't know why someone buy or pass on a Resident Evil game based on the strength of its story. Most of the better parts are lore based anyway that come from documents.

 

[VendettaRed07]

Cheesy but awesome

 

[Napalm_Frank]

Enjoyable cheese but the Umbrella thing at the beginning is a real slap in the face.

 

[PezDispenser]

It embraces the schlock and isn't afraid to have fun with itself, and is therefore much more enjoyable than the other resident evil stories, which often try too hard and fail miserably

 

[EBE]

It's nothing special

 

[Maxey]

It's certainly no storytelling masterpiece but I think RE4's story is about as good as it needed to be. The real star of the game was the setting and gameplay.

The writing in Resident Evil never took itself seriously and it's only the better for it.

 

[Ridley327]

It is the best interactive Cannon Films story ever.

 

[Mature]

(it knows what it's doing)

 

[Neoleo2143]

Salazar is stupid and funny as hell. 2nd best Resident Evil Antagonist because Wesker.

Resi 4's Story is so hilariously silly that I think Mikami just ran with the absurdity of the scenarios he wanted. In another sense, the pacing of the gameplay is what the narrative reflects at any given moment. Though, the explanations are still silly.

Also this,

"Why is there a goddamn Automaton of Salazar here?" "I Dunno, I thought it'd be cool"

 

[Unspoken90]

It's fun and cheesy. I like it for what it is and since I've played I have never forgotten about it.

 

[LaneDS]

The actual story is real dumb (as one might expect) but the cast, setting, and goofy dialogue really elevate the experience if you're okay with it not being really serious. Amazing how tense the game can feel in spite of all that too.

 

[Sadist]

Needed more ballistics.

"No, YOU'RE small time Sadler!"

 

[Piers]

Those credits, though.

Yeah, it's a stupid and fun ride until the credits presents a morbid picture of what had happened before Leon hit the scene.

 

[Neoleo2143]

It's certainly no storytelling masterpiece but I think RE4's story is about as good as it needed to be. The real star of the game was the setting and gameplay.

The writing in Resident Evil never took itself seriously and it's only the better for it.

I think a better way of putting it is that the in universe of Resident Evil Takes itself seriously (Otherwise stuff like Lisa Trevor would not be there), but the scenarios themselves convey their ridiculousness to the player on a meta level.

 

[UnemployedVillain]

Needed more ballistics.

I literally came in to post this!

 

[OrbitalBeard]

It's honestly one of the most entertaining "video game" stories ever created. Alongside the perfect gameplay, it does its job of keeping the player engaged for "just a bit longer". It's also fully self-aware with a great cast of voice actors. Basically, I love it.

 

[The Lamonster]

I thought it was awesome. Perfect, even.


edit: like someone said above, it was self-aware. kinda like 2016's DOOM.

 

[SpiceMelange]

The pacing of the game is so perfect the story gets pretty much a free pass. It's not particularly amazing but more importantly it's never an annoyance.

 

[gelf]

At the time I hated it because it threw Umbrella away in the opening when I'd been looking forward to taking them out just as Leon promised in the ending to RE2.

Now I long gave up on plot in Resident Evil so I'll just say its good because it doesn't get in the way.

 

[Maxey]

I think a better way of putting it is that the in universe of Resident Evil Takes itself seriously (Otherwise stuff like Lisa Trevor would not be there), but the scenarios themselves convey their ridiculousness to the player on a meta level.

Yeah, good point.

 

[BadWolf]

Not worth talking about.

 

[disappeared]

Leon simping hard though

 

[Anth0ny]

it's big and dumb and ultimately not important because the game is perfect

 

[Teppic]

It's trash.

 

[Neoleo2143]

It's honestly one of the most entertaining "video game" stories ever created. Alongside the perfect gameplay, it does its job of keeping the player engaged for "just a bit longer". It's also fully self-aware with a great cast of voice actors. Basically, I love it.

I think that the Ganados are so dehumanized helps somewhat for narrative elements. Their Walk cycles and general demeanor convey their abilities surprisingly well. Storytelling is the overall result of combining Aesthetics, gameplay and narrative and I think Resi 4 is pretty solid overall if only weak in its narrative. It's mostly the scenario design and pacing that tells the story.

 

[The Xtortionist]

Perfect story with perfect dialogue in the context of an action game.

 

[EpicBox]

If Capcom really want us to start taking the Resident Evil series seriously again, they need to buckle down and come up with a long term series plan including its ending. Bring it to a conclusion. So far it feels like they just keep making it up as they go along.

 

[Scientist Supreme!]

It's like a 80s action movie.
So it's pretty awesome.

 

[Jake2by4]

If Capcom really want us to start taking the Resident Evil series seriously again, they need to buckle down and come up with a long term series plan including its ending. Bring it to a conclusion. So far it feels like they just keep making it up as they go along.

In RE universe as long as there is viruses around, don't think there can be a end. Kinda of back themselves in a corner.

 

[Caddyshack]

Total trash... but then every Resi has a trash story so it's hard to say whether it's any better or worse than any of the others.

 

[Neff]

It's one of the best outsider-looking-in homages to American action cinema ever. Endlessly quotable and full of memorable thrills, tension and cliffhangers.

It felt like Mikami getting his famous love for Die Hard (and action movies generally) out of his system, in videogame form, all at once, with an earnestness he wasn't able to until that point.

It's fucking fantastic.

The game's not bad, either.

 

[Dusk Golem]

It's ridiculous, self aware, and fun.

Exactly this. I love it.

If Capcom really want us to start taking the Resident Evil series seriously again, they need to buckle down and come up with a long term series plan including its ending. Bring it to a conclusion. So far it feels like they just keep making it up as they go along.

They probably are, but I'm going to throw out there for this that if anything, RE7's upcoming story should be different. It's the first time the script wasn't written in Japanese and then localized into English, it was natively written in English by an English writer. And that English writer just so happens to be the same person who wrote Spec-Ops: The Line.

I don't think the RE series will end anytime soon, but thought I might comment on that since I'm morbidly curious how the narrative may play out with that all in mind.

 

[brandonh83]

The Umbrella bullshit aside, it's very entertaining and enjoyable.

 

[Fancy Clown]

It's like a Japanese impersonation of a John Carpenter movie. It's great.

 

[BRocknRolla]

It's ridiculous, self aware, and fun.

Pretty much this.

It's a B-movie style action plot, and it revels in that.

 

[kamineko]

It's like a Japanese impersonation of a John Carpenter movie. It's great.

yep

 

[DylanEno]

"Your right hand comes off?"

Exactly what I want out of a resident evil game. Which is why I'm absolutely not looking forward to the tryhard scary atmosphere of 7.

 

[Xav]

Too many games think too highly of themselves when it comes to story. Resident Evil 4 knows it has a shit story but decides to have fun with it along the way because it's self aware.

 

[Neoleo2143]

Total trash... but then every Resi has a trash story so it's hard to say whether it's any better or worse than any of the others.

At least Resident Evil is pretty honest with itself. As a franchise narrative wise, Resident Evil is a good idea executed poorly. However, It's not hard to appreciate the honesty and intent. Mikami's got a great outlook on making good Female characters for example.

 

[Mors_Verigo]

It's the "Commando" of video games.

 

[brandonh83]

"Your right hand comes off?"

Exactly what I want out of a resident evil game. Which is why I'm absolutely not looking forward to the tryhard scary atmosphere of 7.

You're ruling out ridiculous lines because of that? It's a Japanese horror game, it's gonna have shitty dialogue don't cha worry.

 

[Bladenic]

Lmao that user is baffling AF. And the story is, well, shit. But it's entertaining one-liner filled shit that provides funny characters, amazing boss battles, and an awesome experience.

So 10/10

 

[Lord Frieza]

If Capcom really want us to start taking the Resident Evil series seriously again, they need to buckle down and come up with a long term series plan including its ending. Bring it to a conclusion. So far it feels like they just keep making it up as they go along.

No, they don't. RE as a story and universe is set up in a way that you can have a continuous episodic narrative without a clear end. You have a world that has biological warfare in a relatively common occurrence, with multi corporations using them in various ways, and a revolving cast of characters introduced. It's a perfect set up really, they could easily go on forever, even without a central arc as standalone stories if they wanted to.

 

[dragonzdogma]

It's simple, to the point, and fun-
What makes it cool is that we got to play as leon again, but this time he's confident and a super spy unlike when he was a 17 year old cop rookie in raccoon city.

Love the one liners

 

[Garlador]

It's like a Japanese impersonation of a John Carpenter movie. It's great.

Very true.

It's also great. Loved every cheesy minute of it.
"Where they all going? Bingo?"