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Okay, well here's my two cents:

Yes, mystery is often a good thing in regards fictional characters, etc. And often when that mystery is revealed, it kills the mystique of that fictional thing, and simply cannot live up to your expectations and imagination.

BUT, in the case of Resident Evil, half the reason you went out and got a new RE game was to learn more about the mysteries surrounding Umbrella and the virus's and such, as well as to advance the plot. I knew that Umbrella was eventually going to fall; I just always expected that to happen in the last game and finale of the series. I wasn't counting on RE4, which made it so sudden and anti-climactic, and then just went off and did its own thing. I think we also all knew that Wesker was eventually going to die by Chris's hands, as they were established as arch enemies in Code Veronica. Good always overcomes Evil in movies and videogames.

In the case of RE5, it's basically the ending to the whole Umbrella story arc, so it's appropriate that most all is revealed. MGS4 did the same thing, because it was the conclusion. And we all knew Spencer was an old dude, so I don't see what's so terrible about his depection in RE5. Granted, I always expected him to be a bit more menacing, and maybe a crazy final boss, but still. As far as the whole Wesker thing, what kind of mystery was ever surrounding him? We knew a pretty good deal about him long before Umbrella Chronicles. And Wesker had "transformed" long before RE5. A lot of people thought that Wesker was the face of Resident Evil or something. Well... no. RE2 and RE3 got along just fine without him. And I know everybody says Wesker's whole diabolical plan in RE5 completely betrays his character, but I don't see how. In the original RE (not REmake), he's says something to Jill along the lines of, "Don't worry, all weak people exist to be eaten." - that jives with his motives and mindset in RE5 perfectly. Wesker has always been power-hungry, and has always had a huge ego. It's these flaws that came back and bit him in the a** in RE1 (*cough* *cough* oh wait, he 'planned' that) and again in RE5.

And aside from the whole Sergei and Lisa Trevor deals, we all knew Wesker injected the virus and got the hell out of the mansion. And we all already knew Wesker was working with Ada in RE2. Umbrella Chronicles doesn't even have Barry in the mansion scenario, so as far as I'm concerened, all that s**t in UC about RE1 isn't canon. Only thing that is, is the final chapter with Chris & Jill.

Anyway, the Wesker children were created by Spencer so he could create a new world of advanced beings using the progenitor virus as a means of natural selection. But he wanted this race to be made in own his image (like god). So certain infant children were selected from different parents of superior intellect, and they were all given the last name Wesker (the name of the head researcher of the project at the time). Then they were taken and shipped to different parts around the globe where they were raised in specific "gifted" conditions: were wealthly, went to the best schools, had Umbrella employees for parents who instilled Spencer's ideals into them, etc. No, they were not clones. Basically, their paths in life were engineered so that they would all share Spencer's ideals, become involved with Umbrella in some way or another, learn of Spencer's exsistence, and basically become captivated by him. Then they were each given a virus with a progenitor base that they either volunteered to take, were tricked into taking, were coaxed by a friend into taking, or were forced to take. Albert Wesker was given his virus by William Birkin, which he injected just before the Tyrant 'PWNED' him. Albert Wesker was the lone survivor of the children. And then he sought Spencer out, as he was pretty much programmed to. Then killed him, and took the operation over.

You know, it's funny that you compared RE5 to MGS4, Stranger. Because after hearing about all these little plot devices in RE5, (i.e. Wesker Children and all that crap), it just seems to me like Capcom was trying way too hard to make RE have a storyline of the same quality as complexity as MGS. The problem is that their writers suck. And no matter how much they WISH they were MGS, RE will never have the same caliber of storytelling. And creating some bullshit story (which came outa nowhere mind you) about Wesker babies and Jill succumbing to mind control, doesn't make the story any better. In fact, those kinds of conventions should know their place, and in Resident Evil... I mean true Resident Evil, they don't work.



See, that's exactly why I gave up on the series. Because after RE4 and Umbrella Chronicles, I looked back on RE1 through 3 and it was like... I didn't even see them in the same light anymore. Resident Evil used to mean something to me. And if I had kept going with the series, it would've meant something completely different, something not half as awesome as what it used to be.
That's why I chose to cut myself off from the crap that Capcom gave us since RE4, because it would've... It started changing what Resident Evil meant to me. And I couldn't allow that to happen, because if that did happen, I'd play RE1, and only think about how shitty the events that transpired in the future would be, and how little the characters would mean to me now.
Like I said, after watching some of the trailers for RE5, it almost made me want to give up RE entirely, all the games. So I had to isolate myself from all the crappy games. And I kinda got my love for the classic trilogy + Remake back.... But even then... Like, I tried playing RE0 yesterday, and I couldn't. I dunno why, but just playing it, the way the characters handled themselves (i.e. Marcus) just reminded me of the kind of crap that Capcom has turned RE into, and I was like, "This is stupid." And turned it off, and played some Remake, with a lot of satisfaction. So RE0 is out for me. That's how it seems. Because, again, even with RE0, I started viewing the overall series as somerhing completely different, and it meant so much less to me. So I honestly don't think I'll be playing RE0 again. We'll see about Code Veronica. I have a few priorities before trying to replay that... But I'm hoping that I won't feel the same way about it as I do about 0.

You know, it COULD'VE been good... I remember looking at the old N64 footage of the unrealized RE0, and I saw no Marcus in the concept art. Saw no leeches in the screenshots... I bet you anything the whole Marcus premise was something they added to RE0 afterwards. Mikami said, "You know what would be scary? A white mage, singing opera in falsetto!" To think if they actually released RE0 on the N64... We could've had another classic on our hands... Too bad.
But okay, you say you hated the premise and all that... Are you telling me that inspite all that, you still play it, even though you hate the story?
Cause see, that's what I can't do. Solid graphics and gameplay don't mean much, if they don't come with a decent storyline.

I mean, look at Bayonetta.. You know, I was actually gonna give Mikami the benefit of the doubt with that one. The graphics look good, the gameplay looks fun... But then I watched that Story Trailer, and my god... It seems like one of the most generic storylines ever. Seems like something I've seen in Anime since the mid 90s. So, I very much doubt I'll be playing Bayonetta, even though the game itself might be pretty solid.

See, the thing is... A game doesn't have to have a good storyline. A game could have no storyline at all, I could still enjoy it. I mean, I'm not into Online games, but that's only because I don't like to rely on other people to enjoy a game. But imagine games like Battlefield 1943 or Metal Gear Online could be played with bots. I'd be cool with that. I'd enjoy it. Where there is no storyline, you create your own, in your mind.
But I just can't do that if there IS a storyline, and it sucks.

Yeah, well, even with a ridiculous premise... Nay, ESPECIALLY with a ridiculous premise, I expect the storyline to be entertaining. In one way or another. But it looks generic and boring. I'll give the demo a try, but from what I've seen in the few cuts of the storyline, it just seems boring.


Well, Code Veronica was the first RE game to introduce those overblown dramatic characters that seem like they belong in an RPG rather than Survival Horror. Namely Alfred and Steve. Oh god, how I hate steve. But we'll see. Maybe the quirkiness of Alfred has allowed me to retain my love for that game. But either way, Code Veronica started the long trend of overdramatics and fantasy-like conventions which made Mikami senile so early in life.

Woot! Persona 4!

Yes, best scene ever! xd I had to play that one a few times over, just to see all the different possibilities, whether you choose which number does what. Of course, you'd appreciate that whole trip a bit more, if you played through Persona 3, what with Chihiro and that weird witchcraft teacher and all.

Differences? You mean like, you're not afraid of boys?