10 Video Game Franchises That Have Lost Their Way

1. Resident Evil

Though the early Resident Evil games were not without their fair share of flaws - namely irritating tank controls, a lack of saves, a limited inventory and rigid cameras - a lot of these aspects, though stressful, did contribute to making the experience more terrifying. It had seemed by the time Resident Evil 4 rolled around, with its refined gameplay mechanics - altering camera, aiming, saving, inventory and so on - Capcom had successfully re-purposed the series for a new generation, and the game was thus met with massive critical and audience acclaim (although we bloody hated all that Ashley stuff). Resident Evil 5 was divisive because many felt it hewed too far away from the spirit of the series, but by the time Resident Evil 6 hit our shores a few short weeks ago, those complaints felt insignificant. Resident Evil 6 was met with a mixed critical response, with many praising the tripartite campaign yet criticising its myriad technical flaws, from an awkward inventory system, to a skittish camera, and a narrative which introduces enemies who are now even further away from the zombies of old, given that they can fire guns. It is an unfortunate by-product of the post-CoD era, that suspense takes a back-seat to all-out thrills, and it will likely only be something that gets worse in time (at least until CoD collapses). Are there any dying franchises we forgot? Let us know in the comments below.
 
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Frequently sleep-deprived film addict and video game obsessive who spends more time than is healthy in darkened London screening rooms. Follow his twitter on @ShaunMunroFilm or e-mail him at shaneo632 [at] gmail.com.