Resident Evil 6.

Just bought this for XBOX 360, I waited until I'd finished FarCry 3 *sobs* before starting this because I've been a HUGE RE fan for over 13 years.

I'm playing through Leon and Helena's campaign at the moment and am not that far into it. But I thought I'd give a quick review of what I've noticed so far.

The game itself is full of action. I suppose the other reviews I've seen are marginally correct that it's not a survival horror. But in some ways they are also wrong; just because it's got action it in, doesn't mean it's not survival horror. There are still some shocks and scares and I'm only an hour in. Plus the fact that they are actually trying to survive in Raccoon City. Which is extremely difficult since there are MUCH more zombies than in the old days. Yes, it's true that it's not as slow-paced and atmospheric as the old RE's and that has left it a little lacking compared to the classics, but if you want a more thrilling, shoot 'em up experience then you'll be pleasantly surprised.

As an old-school RE fan I am a little disappointed that there are no quiet moments of exploring so far, since those are the parts that give you a breather and really let the suspense set in, but I'm a modern girl and I understand that if they had kept the same story and game style all this time, people would be complaining about the lack of change. In the end, you just can't win with critics.

But, I'm playing co-op by the way,  the really cool action scenes do add tension in their own way and you never get a moment to cower and reload. Which is kind of irritating in the start of the game because the inventory isn't as good as it was in RE5, it takes a little getting used to and you really don't get the time to do that. So you might just end up reading the little booklet that comes with the game  for hints and tips on the control scheme and inventory system. It's not too bad but I prefer to be able to see all my items at once to combine things and equip weapons, not to have to cycle through them. Most of the time, you cycle to something you don't want in the midst of a panic; like a grenade and then blow yourself up instead of the first aid spray that you actually wanted. Yes I know that many people didn't like the RE5 system but I did. It was very classic RE style and that was good with me.

Hopefully once I'm used to fumbling around in my items menu, I will appreciate it a little more...though I doubt it.

Besides that, the gameplay is very RE5 style and that i'm thankful for as I really liked it, nearly as much as the old fixed camera style. They've updated it a little and it feels a lot more slick and easy to use. It's also possible to change the shoulder you view over, so you don't have to relearn how to play from the right side of the screen if you choose another character (e.i. Sheva's side of the screen, if you played RE5) which is great. The graphics are beautiful and there are no complaints there from me, although Capcom have always delivered that.

Since I'm only a small portion into the game, I won't comment on the storyline although I have no bad predictions for it, since RE is always packed with twists and shocks and I bloody love it.

Little disappointed to find out that Chris's partner isn't Jill, it seems, but I'm hoping there will be a few scenes with her in or something, because I've missed her over the past few games!

Leon is looking as good as ever, and I find myself hating Helena for being with him, which just means that Capcom have done a good job with Leon! ;) And I suppose I'll be this catty for Chris too.

Co-op play is really good, we enjoyed our night of it last night and even though I died a hundred times; mostly getting hit by trains or renegade ambulances, I really liked it. I would like it to have a few more moments of quiet time though, it does seem to jump from one action scene to another without break and that might get a little monotonous after a while. But I have high hopes so far and I love the old-style zombie is back in Leon's campaign, I missed those guys!

So this far in, I will say it has a four star rating but that could change as time goes on and I play more!

Will update later on once I've geeked out for a while!

UPDATE:

Got to my first puzzle this afternoon, I read in other reviews that there aren't any...I guess you can't believe everything you hear! It's going up in my books now I'm getting the hang of the inventory, I'll say four and half stars out of five so far! :D

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Ups and downs.

Well, start of the week was a bad one. My anxiety was really bad for three days and I couldn't stop myself thinking I was having a heart attack or something. Went to the doctors and upped my dose a little, but I don't want to stay on a higher dose so I'm using this time to read my Worry Cure by DR Robert Leahy book. It's basically cognitive therapy in a book and is really helping me at the moment.

It explains everything to you very simply and can give you some real insight into how the brain works and how a worrier's brain can go from a simple worry to a devastating one in seconds. I recommend it to anyone who is struggling to understand their anxiety.

Mine apparently comes from my inferiority complex and also because I tend to do the worst things you can do when you're anxious, catastrophize everything that comes into your head. Which I do, a lot. Those little aches and pains or worries get catapulted into the worst possible scenario and instead of your brain telling you that it's very unlikely, like a normal person's brain would, it tells you that for you, it's extremely likely.

The journey is getting back to reality, stop yourself looking through your 'disaster lenses' and see the world how it really is, also seeing yourself as you really are. A normal person with the same chances as everyone else. There is nothing about me that makes me more likely to have something devastatingly bad happen to me over and over again. I will go through the same pains as everyone else, but also the same happy moments. Which I'm trying to concentrate on at the moment.

It's not positive thinking that I'm trying to do, it's rational thinking. Good things are as likely to happen to you as bad ones. It's just hard to see that way after something so horrible as your mother dying. But I will get there. It will be a long journey and the next few weeks/months might be hard but I have been through worse than panic attacks.

I recommend reading a little of the book a day, maybe at night like me and using the tables and charts in the book whenever you can. It gives you a better sense of reality and a good idea of your own weaknesses; which part of you needs the most work and which doesn't.

But, you have to want it. You have to have the willpower to pull yourself out of the black hole that anxiety puts you in, it's hard and extremely tiring but you can do it. If I can, anyone can.

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