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CAPCOM DOMINATION

Before everyone starts getting all hyped up for the games and gameplay revealed in E3, let’s give a special shout out to Capcom that have been dominating the gaming industry with their amazing big title releases. In 2018, Capcom took the gaming world by storm with the release of the critically acclaimed MMO Monster Hunter World, the latest major console installation for the Monster Hunter series, the faithful remake of the horror classic Resident Evil 2, and the latest chapter of the origin of stylish action genre: Devil May Cry 5 (already mentioned in the previous article, mentioned again because the game is amazing!).

Monster Hunter World (MHW) is...well, exactly as it sounds. Players control a budding hunter of their own customization and are thrown onto an island to “research” the traits of territorial (and often obscenely large) beasts. And by “research”, that really means invading the poor unsuspecting inhabitants of scaly and furry variety, beat them (and what looks like tiny and same-sized versions of the target which is probably their kids and close friends trying to prevent you from committing genocide) to death for the purpose of harvesting their skin and flesh for wear and sustenance. Yes, sustenance. The meat that the players gather from their kills are taken back to the hunter base to be prepped and cooked by sentient cat buddies (no joke) which are then eaten for stat bonuses for future hunts and the cycle starts over again. As dark and dismal as it sounds (for the monsters), the world of MHW is both vibrant and beautiful. The developers behind MHW really put in some deep thought to bring out the colors from the blades of grass to the light cast over the forests and rocky landscapes to the scales of the vicious behemoth dragons players will eventually have to face. The detail doesn’t simply stop at simply the environment and AI. No, the real hook that brings players to this world everyday (yes, even to this day) is the ability for players to control and customize nearly every aspect of their hunters that best fits their unique play style. Want a hunter that looks like an armored tank but runs like a ninja equipped with a bow that for some reason functions like a rocket launcher? The game offers ways to create different armor and skill sets that are dependent on what kills hunters bring back to base once they have braved the wilds. The stronger the monsters they take down, the better the gear. Found a monster that is just too difficult to handle alone? Easy, bring a friend; bring several or some really nice (and powerful) randoms on the innerwebs to raid against the beast together. That’s right, MHW allows players to fight alongside each other and it is glorious. The best thing about it is that there are no level requirements for players to queue up together, so if there is a mighty need to gather the best equipment as fast as possible, rally those powerful friends (or some super nice randoms) and dive headfirst towards gratifyingly difficult and fun times. Monster Hunter World is currently Capcom’s top=selling and most played game to boot in 2019 and there is no sign of slowing with the next expansion coming soon to freeze over every gamer’s summer: Monster Hunter World Iceborne.

Speaking of latest installations, this next masterpiece from Capcom takes zombie horror fans back to Raccoon City for a wonderfully frightening nostalgia trip: Resident Evil 2. This faithful remake of the 1998 title of the same name follows two heroes: Claire Redfield, a young woman searching for her brother, and Leon Kennedy, a police officer for the Raccoon Police Department. The story kicks off after the first Resident Evil (RE) that started it all where an airborne malady called the T-Virus decimates the majority of the entire population by killing them and reanimating the infected into mindless and ravenous zombies. The player can choose to play through the campaign of one of the two heroes, offering a different story for each perspective for a full-fleshed experience and grasp of everything that goes down. Everything about this game was built from the ground up to cater to fans who have been with the RE series from the beginning as well as invite new players to experience the classic survival horror first-hand with modern consoles. Now, to the gameplay…It plays similarly to the Evil Within series, players carefully traverse zombie-infested buildings armed with a flashlight and a gun. Developers have removed the fixed camera from the original game to allow players greater perspective when switching between combat and stealth as well as improved control in exploration. From there, much of the progression relies on collecting items that will help keep the player alive along with providing lore for the story. Reaching certain areas of the maps will trigger jump scares where one hopes they have nerves of steel and reflexes to fight or flight. More often than not, it will be flight, especially against a certain trench-coat wearing man who somehow manages to catch up to the protagonists by walking whilst they are sprinting for their lives. Fun fact, hiding will not work and fighting back will do nothing in the remake (no matter how much wishful thinking that it would otherwise). Like most Capcom games, RE2 Remake is relatively short, reported gameplay of both campaigns in one go being as short as an entire weekend (sleep and thumbs aren’t important, anyways). Given that, that does not mean that players simply drop the game and move onto the next. No, the fantastic thing about Capcom Games is that they encourage replayability over and over again with harder difficulties and additional story content: The 4th Survivor and The Tofu Survivor. The success of RE2 Remake has given the green light for developers to remake other horror classics (fingers crossed for Resident Evil 4). For those that simply cannot wait, the rest of the RE titles are available now for the PS4, XB1, and the Nintendo Switch.

Last but not least, the smokin’ sexy stylish hit that solidified Capcom’s place at the top of Q1 2019 in gaming as well as more than likely skyrocketed pizza sales worldwide is Devil May Cry V. For those unfamiliar with the series, Devil May Cry (DMC) is the hack-and-slash title that sets the bar for stylish action and extreme combat gameplay, inspiring titles such as Bayonetta and God of War. DMC 5 is the fifth installation of the series, although it is the sixth title of its name (no one talks about the reboot) and takes place sometime after DMC 2. The story follows three devil hunters: the icon of the franchise, Dante of renowned demon-slaying fame with a love-and-hate relationship with motorcycles and pizza; rising devil hunter Nero from DMC 4 who cut his 90s boy band hair and loses his arm due to family issues (woops, spoilers?); and a new, mysterious character named V who has a tendency to read poetry while beating his enemies to a bloody pulp with a bird, a giant black cat, and a goop monster that springs forth from his tattoos (believe it or not, he’s even more extra as he gets stronger through customization). Each hero has his own unique play style which offers a fun variety for fans to enjoy as they progress through the story. Other than the arsenal of badass and improbable weapons and skills that make the game stand proudly, another feature that was unavailable in the previous games was the free camera system for improved exploration and traversal. Fans have always raged whenever the scene and views change completely once their hero steps a pixel over to the next environment and get especially frustrated when the scene shift happens in the middle of a boss fight (eyeing the infernal tarantula and the weird blob thing that shoots lasers from the first game). With Devil May Cry 5, there is no such issue, allowing smoother action sequences and a better appreciation for the world’s environment. The story itself, while also short, leaves the desire to want more content. While the developers have already disclosed that there are no plans for future DLC for DMC 5 (unless the higher ups can be convinced otherwise), the fun does not stop after the campaign. Once the story has been completed, players can put their skills to the test with unlocked difficulties (one of which sets the parameters to basically have the gamer play as if they’ve been thrown in the world of Dark Souls) as well as the return of the Bloody Palace mode where survival is key to come out on top. Beating the new game mode as well as the harder difficulties earns the player bragging rights for certain, but the game also rewards them with new aesthetics that have unique effects when used in combat. For example, beating all levels of the Bloody Palace with V will unlock the extra ex-provocation taunt that will change his cane to a literal lightsaber (Capcom has embraced the Kylo Ren meme and it is glorious). Devil May Cry 5 became the number one selling game in its launch and is available now for PS4, XB1, and PC.

The world has its eye on Capcom now and cannot wait to see what else they have in store for gamers everywhere. For more info on any of these titles, feel free to check out the resources below. Until then, remember to stay…Kinda Geeky.

Sources:

Monster Hunter World

● Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OotQrKEqe94

● Iceborne Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDlOA9Pa5hE

● Playstyles and Weapons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JycMIKonIZ4

● Guide: https://www.polygon.com/guides/2018/1/25/16911176/monster-hunter-world-guide-walkthrough

Resident Evil 2

● Direct Comparison - 1998 vs. 2019: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dQxS84DNLU

● Launch Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3wS-Q2KBpk

● IGN Tips and Tricks (this one actually teaches you how to hide from Mr. X, yay): https://www.ign.com/wikis/re2-remake/Walkthrough#Resident_Evil_2_Walkthrough_Sections_-_Second_Run

Devil May Cry V

● Game Awards Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2lWUQHUapM