Resident Evil 6: 5 Things You Should Know

Resident Evil 6 is out, to some mixed reactions. Critical thoughts aside, Resident Evil 6 has some features that players should be reminded of before venturing into the latest franchise entry. Here are "5 Things You Should Know" about Resident Evil 6 that might make your experience better. While I hope franchise fans find enjoyment in these, my hope is that this list helps new players in the series get the most out of both this game and the entire Resident Evil collection.

Do you have your own picks? Leave your "5 Things" in the comments below!

1. This is Not a Horror Game

At least not in the classical sense. Yes, there are terrifying and unsettling portions of Resident Evil 6. Leon and Helena's campaign features some really unsettling moments in particular. Their adventure includes classic zombie-film tropes, including the projection of horrifying figures on the walls in shadow and more than a few jump scares that might get players to startle for a moment. But for the most part, Resident Evil 6 is less horror and more action than any game in the franchise. Players can finally "run and gun" with the rest of the shooter genre protagonists, and this gives them quite a bit more power than expected. The shooting and explosions shine more than enough light into the proverbial darkness to vanquish a player's sense of fear during the majority of the game. If you keep this in mind and alter your expectations, you are liable to enjoy the game - and its few scary moments - far more.

2. Resident Evil Lore

Resident Evil 6 features four separate campaigns, each with their own story and perspective on the events of the series. While they do interact in certain portions and their narratives collide, it really helps if you are at least familiar with the events of the history of Raccoon City and the main characters in the game. Thankfully you are already on the best resource for this information. What are you waiting for? Go read more about Chris Redfield, Ada Wong, Leon Scott Kennedy, and the rest of the crew. The most backdrop you have to Resident Evil 6, the more the puzzle pieces of the story will fall into place.

3. Play with Friends

In my opinion, you should always play cooperatively with friends if given the opportunity. This is just as true now as it was when multiplayer gaming first became popular so many years ago. With one exception, every campaign in the game allows two friends, either on the internet or locally on the couch, to team up against the hordes of infected. The co-op is arguably one of the game's strong suits. The ability to interrupt enemies that are grappling with opponents, revive fallen comrades, and heal them in clutch moments of danger, make co-op play that much more exciting. A human player will almost always beat out an AI player in usefulness as well. Just be sure you have a mic or are playing in person - talking strategy and resource management is a must.

4. Save the Best for Last

This suggestion is actually highly subjective and open to interpretation. Simply put, I think you should play the campaign in this order: Jake's campaign, Chris's campaign, Leon's campaign, Ada's campaign. Ada Wong's experience must be played at the end, but the others can occur in any order. Their stories actually intersect in significant ways. By playing in this order, the game adds a good amount of context to your actions. It also matters who you choose to play as on occassion. Play as Piers, for example, and you could get some cool insight into the story. Even embodying one character over another can change how you see the game. Keep that in mind and do not make your choices lightly.

5. Experiment

Resident Evil 6, its new features and old features alike, is not an easy game to master. The numerous quick-time events can be frustrating, particularly if you're not used to mangling the thumb-stick (try using both thumb sticks). Likewise, rolling out of the way in the heat of combat is not always intuitive, particularly when it lands you in a strange firing position. My recommendation, and I cannot stress this enough, is experiment with everything. Practice rolling and firing until you feel comfortable, try getting your herb mixture and consume speed down quickly, and try out your secondary weapons in various situations. You want to feel comfortable in the game against all types of enemies, so do your best to know your options. Oh, I should also add, play Agent Hunt and Mercenaries mode. They are both very interesting.