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Halloween Horror Streams: Resident Evil 2's righteous Raccoon City
Resident Evil's amazing remake is coming back in HD next year. The Evil Within made us remember Resident Evil 4's raw magic. Next year's brand new Resident Evil: Revelations 2 has us reflecting on Code Veronica's gothic madness. But where is the love for Resident Evil 2, that slice of brilliance which moved the original's haunted house horror into the big city? It had intersecting campaigns! It had giant, un-killable freaks in trench coats and people with spiky tongues and exposed brains! A young lady's father grew an eyeball on his arm! Then an alligator shows up for no good reason. It's one of the best horror games ever made. It put director and Platinum Games co-founder Hideki Kamiya on the map. Starting at 4:00PM EST on Joystiq.com/Twitch we'll be streaming Resident Evil 2 from the start. Leon meets Claire. Claire wears a weird leotard. Leon wears football shoulder pads for no reason. It's great. Joystiq.com/Twitch broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4:00PM EST, but we stream at odd times all the time so make sure to follow us on Twitch. [Images: Capcom]
Constantin-produced Resident Evil series to infect your TV
Constantin Film, the production company behind the live-action Resident Evil films, will produce a television show based on Capcom's horror franchise sometime after the debut of a sixth film, Variety reports. If that sounds familiar, you may recall that back in August, it was discovered that another production company, Mance Media, had pitched the idea of a serious detective drama set in the Resident Evil universe. The page describing said show has since been taken down however, and with the current license holders announcing their intentions to create their own TV series, it seems the project known as "Arklay" is likely dead. That's not to say Constantin's TV show can't absorb some of Mance Media's ideas into their version, though. In fact, there's almost nothing known about the series, other than its proposed existence. It could end up being a faithful adaptation of the games, a continuation of the films, or something else entirely. For now, the only thing we could accurately call it is a mystery. [Image: Constantin Film]
Resident Evil Revelations 2 pre-orders grant Raid mode stages on PlayStation consoles
Resident Evil Revelations 2 is bound to have loads of its own creepy corridors, but pre-orders on PlayStation consoles will offer a few throwback locales for the series' mission-focused, arcade-esque Raid mode. According to a Polygon report, smacking early funds down on the PlayStation Store's virtual countertop will earn the "Raid Mode Throwback Pack," which recalls stages from previous Resident Evil games. Polygon adds that pre-orders are set to go live October 14 on PS4, with the PS3's kickoff date following sometime later this month. Earlier this week, Community Manager Anthony John Agnello braved a slice of Revelations 2's central content, remarking that "for all the callbacks to old Resident Evil ... it still managed to feel like something new." You don't have to own a PlayStation console to reunite with Claire Redfield, of course – Revelation 2's four $6 episodes are due in early 2015 on PS3, PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360 and PC. [Image: Capcom]
Capcom unleashes new Resident Evil re-remake comparison screens
If you want an in-depth look at how Resident Evil's mansion has evolved over the last decade, Capcom has released a new series of comparison screenshots highlighting the differences between the previously-released GameCube version of Resident Evil and the upcoming Xbox 360 remake. Capcom's screens showcase a significant improvement in graphical detail, with the new cross-platform release boasting improved textures and an overall increase in clarity. The giant snake boss looks much more intimidating this time around, and background details that blurred together on the GameCube are now crisp and distinct. Capcom released its first batch of side-by-side shots back in August, and last month saw the launch of a brief teaser trailer. Capcom's remake of Resident Evil will launch for the Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, PS4, and PC platforms via Steam in 2015. [Image: Capcom]
Capcom slashes prices on PSN, from Okami to Street Fighter
Capcom fans with access to the PlayStation Network have good reason to be excited, as the publisher has unleashed a deluge of discounts on games ranging from classic 2D fighters to modern survival horror epics. Highlights of the sale include fan-favorite PlayStation 2 crossover fighter Capcom vs SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001 at $5 and Lost Planet 3 at $13.49. The Resident Evil games are likewise discounted, with Resident Evil 4 HD at $6.80, Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition at $15 and the HD remake of Resident Evil: Revelations at a mere $13.49, among other sizable survival horror discounts. Capcom's discounts on Street Fighter Alpha 3 Max and Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen are especially tempting, as both the classic 2D fighter and the uneven but compelling third-person fantasy adventure can be purchased together for less than $10. For full details on all of Capcom's newly-announced discounts, visit Capcom Unity. Not only are all of the discounted games listed in an easy to read format, but Capcom also links directly to the Sony Entertainment Network, saving potential customers the hassle of looking up each game individually on their Sony console of choice. [Image: Capcom]
Report: New details on Resident Evil: Revelations 2
The November issue of Gamesmaster magazine dives deep into Capcom's upcoming spin-off sequel Resident Evil: Revelations 2 and returns with word on the game's place in Resident Evil canon, Claire Redfield's co-star Moira and more. According to Push Start, Gamesmaster claims that Resident Evil: Revelations 2 takes place between the events of 2009's Resident Evil 5 and series black sheep Resident Evil 6. Claire Redfield is the game's protagonist, but she's joined by Moira Burton, daughter of former STARS weapons specialist Barry Burton. As the game has two leading ladies, Resident Evil: Revelations 2 features both a singleplayer and co-operative campaign. Gameplay-wise, Resident Evil: Revelations 2 is said to be a return to series tradition with a pronounced focus on survival horror, as opposed to the over-the-top action of the more recent Resident Evil entries. "I want this to be both a game that doesn't lose what made its predecessor great, while also bringing something new and exciting to the Resident Evil series," said producer Michiteru Okabe. "Achieving that lofty goal by bringing together past and future will make this an itchy-tasty prospect indeed." [Image: Capcom]
Resident Evil trailer reanimates remake in horrifying HD
Capcom has released a brand new trailer for Resident Evil, the HD version of Shinji Mikami's survival horror classic remake which first hit Gamecube back in 2002. Due out in 2015, this new edition of Resident Evil will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Steam. As evidenced by this trailer, it will also look pretty sharp, though that's not new information. The dimly lit Arklay mansion of the 2002 remake remains a critical and fan favorite thanks in part to its atmospheric, detailed pre-rendered CG environments. The improved image quality of this edition, seen here in screenshot comparison form, the 5.1 surround sound, and 16:9 aspect ratio presentation should make it that much easier for modern gamers to enjoy the survival horror grandaddy. We just hope that isn't Chris' HD blood. [Images: Capcom]
Resident Evil: Revelations 2 confirmed for early 2015 [update]
Update: Capcom Unity and a press release confirm Resident Evil: Revelations 2 for PS4, Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS3 and PC in early 2015. There's no mention of the 3DS, which the original Revelations debuted on. Check out a teaser below the break. Capcom confirmed the development of Resident Evil: Revelations 2 during Sony Entertainment of Japan's press conference today. The publisher will launch the game in early 2015. While the game's predecessor, Resident Evil: Revelations, featured series mainstays Jill Valentine and Chris Redfield as protagonists, Revelations 2 will star new heroes in a new story and setting. Box art for the game was leaked on Microsoft's official Xbox site earlier this month for Xbox 360. Capcom confirmed the game for PlayStation 4 during Sony's press event. A playable demo of Resident Evil: Revelations 2 will be available at Tokyo Game Show later this month.
Compare this Resident Evil remake screen to this one
As your resident Resident Evil re-remake optometrists, we're here to give you a quick exam. Since Capcom announced a new version of the first game in the series earlier this month, due to arrive in 2015 for Xbox One, PS4, Xbox 360 and PS3, some were anxious to see if they could spot the differences between the remakes. Capcom Unity offered screens from the upcoming re-remake of the game as well as the Wii port of Resident Evil's 2002 remake. So, tell us: Does screen A look better, or screen B? Is screen C sharper, or screen D? What about screen E versus screen F? Share your Resident Evil remake vision screening results below, providing you're able to find the comments. [Image: Capcom]
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter delayed
Resident Evil film franchise star Milla Jovovich has had to unexpectedly curb stomp production on the latest movie due to a creature growing inside her. Jovovich posted on her Facebook page that she and director-husband, Paul WS Anderson, are expecting their second child. "This was originally going to be a post to tell you how excited I am about flying to Cape Town to begin working on Resident Evil: The Final Chapter," wrote Jovovich on her Facebook page, who plans to return to work after the baby is born. "Between the stunt work and what will become my ever-expanding belly, we didn't think pregnancy and zombie killing are the best combo! I imagine the only thing I'll be killing in the near future is an endless supply of cupcakes." Production is expected to resume next summer, with a 2016 release planned. RE: The Final Chapter, as the name suggests, is likely the last installment to star Jovovich, who has played series protagonist Alice since 2002. [Image: Screen Gems]
There's a Resident Evil television show in the works
A production company called Mance Media is in the midst of developing a television show based on Capcom's Resident Evil franchise, Bloody Disgusting reports. Called "Arklay," creator Shawn Christopher Lebert describes the show as a thrilling detective drama, in the vein of films like Se7en and shows like Hannibal. "When Detective James Reinhardt is thrust into a series of bizarre homicides, he unravels the city is hiding a dark conspiracy," reads a pitch description on Mance Media's website. "Learning a fatal virus is connected to it all, Reinhardt discovers it's already coursing through him. With time no longer on his side, he must solve the conspiracy to save his own life." Things are still very early but hopefully the show, if it ever gets made, will stay true to franchise's roots and not turn into a CW-style pre-teen hunkfest. Although, come to think of it, that may be more fitting than we initially thought. [Image: Resident Evil 4: Capcom]
Resident Evil re-remake set for early 2015
The original Resident Evil is being reanimated once again in early 2015. That's not entirely precise. The original Resident Evil launched in 1996 and was put under the knife and remade in 2002. According to publisher Capcom, this HD remix is the "definitive re-visit of that iconic" remake from 2002. Available on current and last-gen Xboxen and PlayStation systems, the remake will also be available on PC. Capcom says panicked running from demon dogs and annoying crows (the worst!) will be in 1080p on Xbox One and PS4. Resident Evil will also support 5.1 surround sound, 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios, along with classic and modern control schemes.
Paul W.S. Anderson begins work on sixth Resident Evil movie
The Resident Evil movies are one of the most successful games-to-film adaptations out there - financially, anyway. Critically, well ... maybe not so much. And yet, like the undead it portrays on the big screen, the series keeps shuffling along, undeterred. China Central Television (CCTV) reports that director Paul W.S. Anderson will begin work on the sixth installment this year. Anderson discussed the film at the Beijing International Film Festival, which included plans to once again cast Chinese actress Li Bingbing as Ada Wong. CCTV reports that Anderson said he would "have to go home ... for 'Rising Resident Evil,'" but this appears to be a mistranslation. A clip from Anderson's talk reveals that he said "writing," not "Rising." It was reported last year that the as-of-yet-unnamed sequel would release in September of this year, but if Anderson is just now starting to pen the script, that seems about as likely as surviving a Licker encounter with no Green Herbs and a Combat Knife. Are we right? Eh? Eh? This guy, he gets it. Resident Evil: Retribution, the most recent entry, reportedly cost $65 million to produce and earned $221 million. [Image: Screen Gems]
Capcom has 'no plans' to take action against fraudulent composer
Capcom does not plan to take action regarding composer Mamoru Samuragochi's recent admission that he outsourced his credited Onimusha and Resident Evil: Director's Cut soundtracks to a third party, the company confirmed in a statement to Eurogamer this week. "We at Capcom were truly surprised by Samuragochi's recent admission," a Capcom spokesperson told Eurogamer. "However, as both soundtracks involved are no longer in circulation, we have no plans to take action of any kind." Samuragochi admitted to hiring a ghost composer to create the majority of his credited work over the past two decades, citing a degenerative condition affecting his hearing. The admitted ghost composer, Takashi Niigaki, later claimed that Samuragochi lied about his hearing loss, alleging that the composer "cannot even write musical scores." Samuragochi addressed Niigaki's allegations earlier this week, claiming that his hearing partially returned within the past few years. "In recent years I have started to be able to hear a little bit more than before... since about three years ago I can hear words if people speak clearly and slowly into my ears," Samuragochi said in a written statement. "It is true that I received a certificate proving I had a hearing disorder and that I couldn't hear anything up until three years ago." [Image: AFP]
Resident Evil: Revelations tops 1 million sales on console, PC
Proving that fan affection for Resident Evil is as undying as the franchise's hordes of shambling corpses, Capcom has announced that the high-definition remake of Resident Evil: Revelations has surpassed 1 million total sales. Our review of Revelations, a console and PC remake of the original 3DS game, describes it as a successful, if middling port: "Resident Evil fans will want to see the story, and will forgive the design flaws and wacky dialogue. For everyone else, the game doesn't hold the HD spotlight well. This was a quality handheld title, but on a larger screen it falls into the middle of the pack." A post on Capcom Unity announced the sales numbers: "Just a quick little pat on the back for RE Revelations – the console/PC versions have passed the 1 million mark in worldwide sales and are currently sitting pretty at 1.1 million overall." As we reported earlier, both Dead Rising 3 and Monster Hunter 4 have passed the million shipped and sold marks, respectively. [Image: Capcom]
Teacher claiming to be Resident Evil ghost composer says Samuragochi isn't deaf
Part-time music teacher Takashi Niigaki said during a televised press conference in Tokyo that he was the ghost composer for Mamoru Samuragochi, the musician credited with scoring Resident Evil and Onimusha, among numerous famous symphonies. Samuragochi, known as "Japan's Beethoven," admitted this week to hiring a ghost composer as far back as 1996, a move he attributed to degenerative hearing loss that left him deaf by age 35. During the hour-long press conference, Niigaki said he didn't believe Samuragochi was deaf, and he "cannot even write musical scores." "I've never felt he was deaf ever since we met," Niigaki said, as reported by AFP. "We carry on normal conversations. I don't think he is (handicapped). At first he acted to me also as if he had suffered hearing loss, but he stopped doing so eventually. He told me, after the music for the video games was unveiled, that he would continue to play the role (of a deaf person)." Niigaki said he had been paid 7 million yen ($70,000) over 20 years of working with Samuragochi, during which he composed 20 pieces. Niigaki said he tried to end this working relationship "a few times," but he claimed Samuragochi threatened suicide if Niigaki stopped composing for him. When Niigaki learned a Winter Olympic hopeful, Daisuke Takahashi, would figure skate to a piece credited to Samuragochi, Niigaki severed ties, he said. "I am an accomplice of Samuragochi because I continued composing just as he demanded, although I knew he was deceiving people," Niigaki said. [Image: AFP, Yoshikazu Tsuno]
Resident Evil, Onimusha soundtrack creator hired a ghost composer
Japanese musician Mamoru Samuragochi has admitted to hiring a ghost composer to assist in scoring the soundtracks for Onimusha, Resident Evil: Director's Cut, and other works that he previously claimed to have written himself. Samuragochi, whom Time magazine once described as a "digital-age Beethoven," suffers from a degenerative hearing condition that worsened as demand for his composing talents increased around 1996. The condition led Samuragochi to commission an unnamed artist to compose more than half of his credited work in the years since. Samuragochi continued to claim credit for commissioned music after becoming completely deaf at the age of 35. His notable commissioned works include "Symphony No.1, Hiroshima" and a sonata accompanying figure skater Daisuke Takahashi at the upcoming 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. "Samuragochi is deeply sorry as he has betrayed fans and disappointed others," reads a statement issued by Samuragochi's lawyers. "He knows he could not possibly make any excuse for what he has done." [Image: Capcom]
Capcom polishes Resident Evil 4 for HD Steam debut
After seven years, Resident Evil 4 is returning to the PC, only this time the hordes of maniacal backwoods villagers bearing down on you will be rendered in modern, high-definition graphics. This version of Resident Evil 4 is described by Capcom as the "Ultimate HD" iteration of the game. This means that it includes high-definition graphics running at 60 frames per second - a first for the game - as well as all of the additional content released for Resident Evil 4 in its many, many incarnations to date. Resident Evil 4 will support the full range of Steam features, from Achievements to Trading Cards to gamepad support. When Resident Evil 4 reaches Steam on February 28 it will feature a $20 price tag. According to Capcom, those who pre-order the HD re-release will receive a "60+ track digital music album" as well as an "80+ page digital archive (English language only) featuring Resident Evil 4 characters, creatures, story, concept art, and more." Full details can be found on the game's Steam page.
Japanese Resident Evil Outbreak, File No. 2 playable online again
Capcom's online multiplayer adaptations of the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil Outbreak and Resident Evil Outbreak File No. 2, are online again thanks to an effort on the Outbreak Server forum led by "the_fog." Unfortunately, you'll need a Japanese copy of the game to join up with a band of survivors. When asked about the odds of the NTSC version of either game getting back online, the_fog said they were "nearly 100% sure that this will not happen." Citing a difference of middleware used for the Japanese and NTSC verisons as well as a lack of data packet captures from the NTSC games, the_fog estimated the process of bringing the NTSC version online would take "a half year or so." Aside from the time and money it would cost, the_fog also discarded the idea by saying the difference in language wasn't a good enough reason to do it. The forum's FAQ lists "functional online lobbies and games" as options for players, as well as support for "different game modes in File [No.] 2 (such as boys only, girls only, and nightmare)." It might be difficult to navigate the involved Japanese text, but this is a great chance for Outbreak fans to relive their glory days, unless Capcom were to make a third entry. [Thanks, CJ!]
The Daily Grind: Are MMO gamers aging out of the genre?
In a recent report, Resident Evil developer Capcom claimed that its playerbase's average age is inching upward and its core users are in their late 30s and 40s, making for the "increasing possibility that some percentage of the existing users will outgrow games altogether." The Resident Evil games aren't MMOs, of course, but journalists and commenters have been suggesting the same pattern for the MMORPG genre for years as a way to explain everything from the rise of "accessible" MMOs to the reduction of grindy time-consuming gameplay to themes seemingly catering to those darn kids on our lawn. Perhaps armchair demographers are wrong and the future holds the promise of retirement homes filled with gaming rigs and World of Warcraft IV. What do you think -- are classic MMO gamers slowly aging out of the genre? Is MMO gaming something we "outgrow," or is it something we're ultimately pushed away from? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
