[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":1034},["ShallowReactive",2],{"i-ph:copy":3,"i-pivi:substack-logo":8,"i-pivi:fiverr-logo":11,"i-pivi:instagram-logo":15,"i-pivi:email-logo":18,"i-pivi:linkedin-logo":20,"i-pivi:youtube-logo":22,"blog-\u002Fblog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Fit-takes-two-review-best-co-op-game-2026":24,"related-\u002Fblog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Fit-takes-two-review-best-co-op-game-2026":135,"reading-time-\u002Fblog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Falan-wake-2-review":691,"reading-time-\u002Fblog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Fthe-merchant-in-resident-evil-4":785,"reading-time-\u002Fblog\u002Fwriting-life\u002Fresident-evil-9-requiem-gameplay-review":844,"i-ph:arrow-right":1026,"i-ph:list-dashes":1028,"i-ph:calendar-blank":1030,"i-ph:envelope-simple":1032},{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":7},0,256,false,"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M216 32H88a8 8 0 0 0-8 8v40H40a8 8 0 0 0-8 8v128a8 8 0 0 0 8 8h128a8 8 0 0 0 8-8v-40h40a8 8 0 0 0 8-8V40a8 8 0 0 0-8-8m-56 176H48V96h112Zm48-48h-32V88a8 8 0 0 0-8-8H96V48h112Z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":9,"height":9,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":10},24,"\u003Cpath d=\"M0 0h24v24H0z\" fill=\"none\" \u002F>\n\t\u003Cg fill=\"none\">\n\t\t\u003Cpath d=\"m12.594 23.258l-.012.002l-.071.035l-.02.004l-.014-.004l-.071-.036q-.016-.004-.024.006l-.004.01l-.017.428l.005.02l.01.013l.104.074l.015.004l.012-.004l.104-.074l.012-.016l.004-.017l-.017-.427q-.004-.016-.016-.018m.264-.113l-.014.002l-.184.093l-.01.01l-.003.011l.018.43l.005.012l.008.008l.201.092q.019.005.029-.008l.004-.014l-.034-.614q-.005-.019-.02-.022m-.715.002a.02.02 0 0 0-.027.006l-.006.014l-.034.614q.001.018.017.024l.015-.002l.201-.093l.01-.008l.003-.011l.018-.43l-.003-.012l-.01-.01z\" \u002F>\n\t\t\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M19 11a1 1 0 0 1 1 1v8a1 1 0 0 1-1.496.868L12 17.151l-6.504 3.717A1 1 0 0 1 4 20v-8a1 1 0 0 1 1-1zm0-8a1 1 0 1 1 0 2H5a1 1 0 0 1 0-2zm0 4a1 1 0 1 1 0 2H5a1 1 0 0 1 0-2z\" \u002F>\n\t\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":12,"top":13,"width":9,"height":9,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":14},-2.5,-2,"\u003Cg fill=\"currentColor\">\u003Cpath d=\"M16.25 16.25v-10h-10v-.625c0-1.034.841-1.875 1.875-1.875H10V0H8.125A5.63 5.63 0 0 0 2.5 5.625v.625H0V10h2.5v6.25H0V20h8.75v-3.75h-2.5V10h6.285v6.25H10V20h8.75v-3.75z\"\u002F>\u003Ccircle cx=\"14.375\" cy=\"1.875\" r=\"1.875\"\u002F>\u003C\u002Fg>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":16,"height":16,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":17},16,"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M14.5 0h-13C.675 0 0 .675 0 1.5v13c0 .825.675 1.5 1.5 1.5h13c.825 0 1.5-.675 1.5-1.5v-13c0-.825-.675-1.5-1.5-1.5M11 2.5c0-.275.225-.5.5-.5h2c.275 0 .5.225.5.5v2c0 .275-.225.5-.5.5h-2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5zM8 5a3.001 3.001 0 0 1 0 6a3.001 3.001 0 0 1 0-6m6 8.5c0 .275-.225.5-.5.5h-11a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V7h1.1A5 5 0 0 0 8 13a5 5 0 0 0 4.9-6H14z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":9,"height":9,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":19},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M23 3H1v2.83l11 5.55l11-5.551z\"\u002F>\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M23 8.069L12 13.62L1 8.07V21h22z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":16,"height":16,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":21},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M0 1.146C0 .513.526 0 1.175 0h13.65C15.474 0 16 .513 16 1.146v13.708c0 .633-.526 1.146-1.175 1.146H1.175C.526 16 0 15.487 0 14.854zm4.943 12.248V6.169H2.542v7.225zm-1.2-8.212c.837 0 1.358-.554 1.358-1.248c-.015-.709-.52-1.248-1.342-1.248S2.4 3.226 2.4 3.934c0 .694.521 1.248 1.327 1.248zm4.908 8.212V9.359c0-.216.016-.432.08-.586c.173-.431.568-.878 1.232-.878c.869 0 1.216.662 1.216 1.634v3.865h2.401V9.25c0-2.22-1.184-3.252-2.764-3.252c-1.274 0-1.845.7-2.165 1.193v.025h-.016l.016-.025V6.169h-2.4c.03.678 0 7.225 0 7.225z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":16,"height":16,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":23},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M15.8 4.8c-.2-1.3-.8-2.2-2.2-2.4C11.4 2 8 2 8 2s-3.4 0-5.6.4C1 2.6.4 3.5.2 4.8 0 6.1 0 8 0 8s0 1.9.2 3.2c.2 1.3.8 2.2 2.2 2.4C4.6 14 8 14 8 14s3.4 0 5.6-.4c1.4-.2 2-1.1 2.2-2.4.2-1.3.2-3.2.2-3.2s0-1.9-.2-3.2zM6.5 10.5V5.5l4.5 2.5-4.5 2.5z\"\u002F>",{"id":25,"title":26,"author":27,"body":28,"categories":117,"created_at":121,"description":122,"draft":6,"extension":123,"head":124,"image":125,"image_alt":124,"meta":126,"navigation":127,"ogImage":124,"page":128,"path":129,"robots":124,"schemaOrg":124,"seo":130,"sitemap":131,"slug":132,"stem":133,"updated_at":124,"__hash__":134},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Fit-takes-two-review-best-co-op-game-2026.md","It Takes Two Review: Why This Co-op Game Still Kicks Ass in 2026","pivi",{"type":29,"value":30,"toc":108},"minimark",[31,38,44,49,56,59,63,66,69,72,75,78,82,85,89,92,95,99,102],[32,33,34],"blockquote",{},[35,36,37],"p",{},"Released in 2021, It Takes Two turned a lot of heads around the world for supplying veteran gamers with what they’ve been craving for years: coziness and authenticity. I am revisiting this piece in 2026 after five years of its original publication because it goes without saying that this game still holds up. Its story, gameplay, puzzles, and environments can still give any and every modern game out there a run for their money.",[35,39,40],{},[41,42,43],"em",{},"When it comes to video games, I'm not easily pleased. In other words, fancy graphics or top-notch animations ain't gonna cut it. At the time of writing this piece, the majority of recent video games haven't been up to par to leave a mark in my brain like Resident Evil 4, Metal Gear Solid 4, The Last of Us, or The Ghost of Tsushima. But, this co-op action-adventure game developed by Hazelight Studios not only is gonna engrain an irremovable memory in your head while teleporting you back to your childhood, but also makes you yearn for a sequel.",[45,46,48],"h2",{"id":47},"the-story-in-a-nutshell","The story in a nutshell",[35,50,51,52,55],{},"The synopsis of the video game would be: a struggling married couple resorts to a divorce, and their little girl, Rose, is devastated and caught in the crossfire. Heartbroken, she makes a wish to turn her mom and dad into friends again. The ultimate result is that Cody (Father) and May (Mother) are reimagined with something, let's say brand-new looks. ",[41,53,54],{},"(Not going to spoil it for you)"," Now they desperately want to go back to their old lives.",[35,57,58],{},"Now, with your other half, sibling, or friend, you have to play as Cody and May to get out of this pickle!",[45,60,62],{"id":61},"gameplay","Gameplay",[35,64,65],{},"Simply put, it really takes two! A brilliant wordplay, or a little lazy? Perhaps both, but we’re here for it! Now that we have established that you cannot play this game alone, all the gameplay mechanics are put together with two players in mind. Split-screen gameplay was somewhat forgotten back in 2021, and I was ecstatic to play a couch co-op like we used to. Did It Takes Two deliver? More than I’ve ever expected.",[35,67,68],{},"All the tasks are fairly divided between the two characters, which hinders the players from overpowering each other. This prevents your partner from later bragging about who did the best at the end. LOL!. So, all the potential catfights are minimized! However, for all the gamers who prefer a healthy challenge, there are plenty of fun minigames planted throughout the game world in case you want to test your skills or (kick your partner’s ass). It could be a simple snowball fight or a vicious chess game!",[35,70,71],{},"The more you progress with the story, the more capable the characters become with different sets of weapons and abilities. You start with a hammer and nails, which, by the way, you can call back with a whistle (a little God of War action right there, wink!), but soon you'll gain shrinking powers, the ability to walk on walls, a singing voice and magnets that’ll help you and your partner progress through the levels. Rest assured that these are just a smidgen of the abilities and weapons you’re going to see. But these are only granted for one chapter, so have fun while they last.",[35,73,74],{},"Then, there are the boss battles, oh, the boss battles. Dare I say, they are to die for? These boss fights are sending me straight to the good ol' days when we had to strategize every move without mindlessly hitting things, assuming something would happen.",[35,76,77],{},"It Takes Two is so dynamic that it changes its view multiple times, catching players off guard. Sometimes, it’s a full-blown side-scrolling platformer, and the next minute, the game transforms itself into Diablo with three special powers handed to each player when you least expect it, flipping the genre upside down. It goes without saying that this game’s creativity is off the charts, and my smile when I was playing this game can attest to that.",[45,79,81],{"id":80},"graphics-and-animation","Graphics and Animation",[35,83,84],{},"They take a subtle approach to the game's graphics and animation, which perfectly fits the game's childlike, vivid theme. The two protagonists are designed to be wooden and clay-like, and the atmosphere is also created with low-poly graphics in mind.",[45,86,88],{"id":87},"environments-and-puzzles","Environments and Puzzles",[35,90,91],{},"Undoubtedly, It Takes Two offers you some of the most balanced and strategic puzzles you've ever laid eyes on in a game. They are incredibly well thought out to the point that I almost felt like they'd spent all the good puzzles in the first half of the game, so they'd run out of ideas soon. But, not to my surprise, they maintain their creativity till the very end. The game designers might have been woohooing in the studio, “We’re on a roll!”",[35,93,94],{},"As for the environments, most of them are pretty large compared to the protagonists. So, if you want to feel like an ant, look no further. Every chapter has something new to bring you, and the environments are perfectly paired up with the theme, whether it's a medieval setup or a snow land that you want to live forever in. Again, a round of applause to the artists of It Takes Two, who went the extra mile to make the atmosphere a lovely, bright-colored, relatable, and sensible piece of art that will stand the test of time.",[45,96,98],{"id":97},"is-it-takes-two-still-playable-in-2026","Is It Takes Two still playable in 2026?",[35,100,101],{},"Is this even a question? What more can I say than, Way to go, Hazelight Studios! The plot, gameplay, environments, graphics, puzzles, and music are just phenomenal. I’ve played it with my husband and once again with my brother, and as I’m updating this old review, I’m planning to play it once again after five years of its release. If you still haven’t played it with your partner, what are you waiting for? To play it in 2027? That is, my friend, a mistake.",[35,103,104],{},[105,106,107],"strong",{},"It Takes Two: 10\u002F10 A Must Play",{"title":109,"searchDepth":110,"depth":110,"links":111},"",2,[112,113,114,115,116],{"id":47,"depth":110,"text":48},{"id":61,"depth":110,"text":62},{"id":80,"depth":110,"text":81},{"id":87,"depth":110,"text":88},{"id":97,"depth":110,"text":98},[118,119,120],"ittakestwo","co-op-games","video-game-review","2026-06-22","Don’t call yourself a gamer if you still haven’t played It Takes Two. It was released in 2021 and is still a masterpiece in 2026.","md",null,"\u002Fmedia\u002Fit-takes-two-review.webp",{},true,"Games & Storytelling","\u002Fblog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Fit-takes-two-review-best-co-op-game-2026",{"title":26,"description":122},"[object Object]","it-takes-two-review-best-co-op-game-2026","blog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Fit-takes-two-review-best-co-op-game-2026","yjABg1wHAO7n8fTeIXgsRk2dCSQO73ljRhT9n7_D1c4",[136,292,396],{"id":137,"title":138,"author":27,"body":139,"categories":277,"created_at":282,"description":283,"draft":6,"extension":123,"head":124,"image":284,"image_alt":124,"meta":285,"navigation":127,"ogImage":124,"page":128,"path":286,"robots":124,"schemaOrg":124,"seo":287,"sitemap":131,"slug":288,"stem":289,"updated_at":290,"__hash__":291},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Falan-wake-2-review.md","The Gorgeous Disappointment: Alan Wake 2 (Spoiler-free review)",{"type":29,"value":140,"toc":270},[141,146,150,153,156,159,162,165,172,174,177,180,183,186,189,192,195,198,204,207,210,213,216,222,226,229,232,235,239,242,248,252,255,258,261,264],[32,142,143],{},[35,144,145],{},"Disappointing. Boring. A walking simulator—This is how underwhelming some reviewers find Alan Wake 2 to be. Although this game might be an acquired taste, what would a fan of Alan Wake 1 who was also deeply invested in its narrative say?",[45,147,149],{"id":148},"story","Story",[35,151,152],{},"Alan Wake 1 set the bar quite high with its gripping yet conceivable story that offered a smooth resolution and satisfaction at the end. The story in the second game follows the return of Alan Wake, who was previously drowned in Cauldron Lake, and how they, Alex Casey, and a brand-new protagonist, Saga Anderson, attempt to put a stop to the “Dark Presence” that got out with Wake.",[35,154,155],{},"The first installment was all about Alan Wake, the magical phenomena around Bright Falls and Cauldron Lake, and his survival as a writer who resorts to a flashlight, a gun, and his writing. This storyline felt more personal and relatable, and Alan Wake was more than likable, unlike how he is portrayed in the new story.",[35,157,158],{},"The second game, on the other hand, pushes Alex Casey’s narrative a bit too much to the point that I just wanted to get it over with. Sometimes I couldn’t help but feel as if it was a way to forcibly include Sam Lake (Remedy's creative director and the face model for Alex Casey) in the game’s narrative. The cult, the cult leaders, and their motives for rituals and whatnot are somewhat interesting and don’t take our attention away from the protagonist’s plight. Plus, Alan Wake 2 provides answers to most of the things that happened in 2010.",[35,160,161],{},"However, Saga’s involvement in the story and making her the visible protagonist turns Alan Wake into a rather feeble character, sidelining him in his own story. What’s worse, Saga addresses Alan Wake as “a white A**hole” near the end of the game, which made me slightly nauseated. Even if this was the writers’ grand way of implying that it’s never good to be racist, it adds nothing to the narrative and is unnecessary, especially for a video game of this scale.",[35,163,164],{},"Not to mention, the new narrative seems even more complex than it’s supposed to be, as if they desperately tried to make an intricate story just for the sake of it. The ending, however, lacks resolution and is anxiety-inducing. Some might argue about the unsolved ending of Alan Wake. Comparatively, even though the first game didn’t give us all the answers, it still felt pretty good at the end and made me crave a sequel for many years.",[35,166,167],{},[168,169],"img",{"alt":170,"src":171},"It Started Off So... Well","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1775742148001-847791739.webp",[45,173,62],{"id":61},[35,175,176],{},"Alan Wake 2 gameplay starts on a high note, not to mention one of the most impressive openings I’ve seen in years. The graphics are impeccable, and the gloomy atmosphere around the lake and the forest complements the story and beautifully captures the vibe of the previous game, which is an ode to Alan Wake. The character designs are also a pro.",[35,178,179],{},"But, the gamers, including myself, who anticipated going in with guns blazing like before, were taken aback by the snail’s pace gameplay and tedious case-solving inside Saga’s head, A.K.A. the mind place. Put simply, I didn’t expect to dive into a case board at the very beginning of the game. Despite this, when I encountered the first boss, it was exhilarating, difficult even in the easy mode, and foreshadowed a challenging gameplay for the rest of the game. Boy, was I wrong!",[35,181,182],{},"The above-mentioned gameplay element of case-solving becomes incredibly monotonous since it’s a reiteration of what exactly happened a few minutes ago. All you need to do is put some pictures in order and link the cases to come to a verdict that you’ve already come to. Saga’s profiling is accompanied by repeated animations and, quite frankly, even more unenthusiastic live-action cut-scenes playing in the background.",[35,184,185],{},"In terms of the playable characters, their sluggish movements discouraged me from covering more ground. Evidently, the spacious world needs to be explored, but when the characters run and dodge at a glacial pace, the fun of exploring is dissipated. Even sorting items and moving them around feels cumbersome. Although it’s unfair to compare it with Resident Evil, even the older games like Resident Evil 4 excelled at inventory management.",[35,187,188],{},"Cult boxes scattered around the world are another delight. If you aren’t math-savvy, like me, get ready to Google the answers to the math problems that need to be solved in order to collect the loot inside. In my case, my husband solved the problems on my behalf. But, as a gamer, I would like to do them all by myself, and as a result, I was completely irritated because the game wasn’t meant for goons like me. Even if you get a kick out of solving math problems and opening boxes one after the other, the rewards aren’t good enough. Besides the occasional new weapon that you’ll find, the effort just isn’t worth it. Most of the time, it’s either some health kits, ammo, or flares.",[35,190,191],{},"The issue is that even if you disregard the lack of satisfaction, you won’t need an abundance of ammo or health kits just to pass by two or three enemies. The enemies aren’t that impressive either, and there isn’t enough variety as well. Boss battles are just mediocre, and nothing groundbreaking was done to elevate them above average.",[35,193,194],{},"Even the charms you receive by solving the nursery rhymes aren’t that useful; most of mine were leisurely put away in the shoebox (storage), except for some, for example, the one that increased the charge of the flashlight.",[35,196,197],{},"The weapon upgrade system is another bust. The system itself isn’t half bad, but again, the question is—why? When there aren’t enough enemies populated around the world, or difficult ones for that matter, your weapon upgrades or supplies don’t matter. Why would anyone bother upgrading them if there is no significant use for them?",[35,199,200],{},[168,201],{"alt":202,"src":203},"Why? Just Why? Photo: yang","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1775743881135-299972736.webp",[35,205,206],{},"Nevertheless, having the option to change reality halfway through to switch between Saga and Alan’s story is clever. Likewise, how Alan can change scenes and alter his environment by typing on his typewriter is another brilliant addition.",[35,208,209],{},"Although the settings are exceptional and they are the epitome of horror, and the music makes your heart beat faster, when you anticipate something to come right at you, nothing comes at all. Sometimes, you won’t even have to discharge a single bullet or arrow.",[35,211,212],{},"I am more than willing to forgive the occasional T-posing (The neutral resting position for 3D models when they stand straight, creating a T shape with arms extended to the sides) and suddenly falling through the floor bits in Alan Wake 2. But, sometimes you’ll spend a LOT of time wondering what to do, even if you have the answer in your hands, say a fuse for instance, just because the game unnecessarily holds you until you progress to some parts. Things like these make the game feel broken.",[35,214,215],{},"I mostly enjoyed where I could play as Saga, primarily because I liked the Coffee World level, and most of her sections were in the forest. As for Alan, I was yawning during the subway section, and all I wanted was to get out of there and resume playing as Saga, which I did. There wasn’t anything exciting in Alan’s walkthrough, except for the latter part when Alan enters the forest for just 1 or 2 minutes. Letting us play as Alan in the forest with his flashlight and gun, followed by the classic Alan Wake music, was enough to induce nostalgia and put a smile on my face. This underscores the small changes that could’ve been made to create another video game that is worth mentioning decades later, just like the first one.",[35,217,218],{},[168,219],{"alt":220,"src":221},"Incredible!","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1775743115397-919386509.webp",[45,223,225],{"id":224},"visuals","Visuals",[35,227,228],{},"The visuals are stunning. Alan Wake 2 could essentially be the cornerstone for the aesthetics of future horror games. However, I have noticed some issues with its lighting. For instance, when you go inside a house, the outside appears to be very bright, and once you step outside, it becomes significantly darker. The other inconsistency with lighting is that, when you clearly see the sun and sun rays around you, it feels like broad daylight, but in some areas, Taken (The shadowy enemies) come and attack you even though it’s not nighttime.",[35,230,231],{},"Superimposing two visuals together to indicate that you’re in another reality is wise, too.",[35,233,234],{},"Speaking of showing things, Alan Wake 2 is packed with cheap jump scares. They do not do anything but make you furious. The first game also had its fair share of jump scares, but they had a purpose, and you actually could do something. For instance, a Taken would come out of nowhere, and you have to shoot it before it kills you, which is fun and rewarding.",[45,236,238],{"id":237},"music","Music",[35,240,241],{},"The eerie surroundings are supplemented with creepy music, and the Old Gods of Asgard didn’t disappoint this time around as well. Alan Wake’s musical with Herald of Darkness playing in the background was one of my favorite sequences of the game. Some of the other tracks featured in the game from various artists were also entertaining.",[35,243,244],{},[168,245],{"alt":246,"src":247},"The Best Musical Ever!","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1775743517335-89105862.webp",[45,249,251],{"id":250},"verdict-is-it-a-bad-game","Verdict - Is it a bad game?",[35,253,254],{},"Is it a bad narrative? No. Is it a detective game? No. Unless you think sorting some pictures on a board is. Is it a survival horror game? It screams interactive drama horror rather than a survival horror. The bottom line is that the balance between scarcity of supplies and having more formidable enemies is lost. I love a good interactive drama horror video game, if it were marketed as such. Then again, the gameplay and drama, so to speak, need to be balanced.",[35,256,257],{},"So, is it a bad game? No, but unfortunately, it’s not good.",[35,259,260],{},"In all honesty, playing Alan Wake 2 felt exhausting, so much so that I couldn’t play it for several days after getting started. I only continued because, of course, we paid for the game and I had to finish it to see the ending, and even that didn’t go as planned.",[35,262,263],{},"When it comes to the fresh face of Saga, she’s an exceptional character, and her gameplay was generally a fun experience. Hadn’t her character been written to undermine the hero, the game could have had the potential to be a tad more likable.",[35,265,266,267],{},"As a gamer who thoroughly enjoyed the first game more than a decade earlier, I had high hopes for Alan Wake 2. Be that as it may, its unparalleled visuals, some game mechanics, some bosses, the mighty musical, and music aside, Alan Wake is truly a ",[105,268,269],{},"beautiful disappointment.",{"title":109,"searchDepth":110,"depth":110,"links":271},[272,273,274,275,276],{"id":148,"depth":110,"text":149},{"id":61,"depth":110,"text":62},{"id":224,"depth":110,"text":225},{"id":237,"depth":110,"text":238},{"id":250,"depth":110,"text":251},[278,279,280,281,120],"alanwake2","alan-wake","remedy-entertainment","game-review","2024-03-06","An honest spoiler-free Alan Wake 2 review by an Alan Wake 1 fan. Impressive visuals, weak gameplay, and an underwhelming story.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1775741731406-218565875.webp",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Falan-wake-2-review",{"title":138,"description":283},"alan-wake-2-review","blog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Falan-wake-2-review","2026-04-09","HNRdsJ76RkA-gAS9bFMlCGKJof3sB8cBQ-xUaDinD4w",{"id":293,"title":294,"author":27,"body":295,"categories":382,"created_at":387,"description":388,"draft":6,"extension":123,"head":124,"image":389,"image_alt":124,"meta":390,"navigation":127,"ogImage":124,"page":128,"path":391,"robots":124,"schemaOrg":124,"seo":392,"sitemap":131,"slug":393,"stem":394,"updated_at":387,"__hash__":395},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Fthe-merchant-in-resident-evil-4.md","The Enigmatic NPC: Secrets Behind The Merchant in Resident Evil 4",{"type":29,"value":296,"toc":376},[297,302,306,309,313,316,319,322,325,329,332,335,341,344,347,350,353,356,359,363],[32,298,299],{},[35,300,301],{},"The age-old question remains: How does the merchant survive through the Resident Evil 4 game world? Over the years, fans have come up with countless theories. As a hardcore fan of both the original Resident Evil 4 (RE:4 OG) and the Remake, I intend to go through some of them and suggest my own theory.",[45,303,305],{"id":304},"who-is-this-merchant","Who is this Merchant?",[35,307,308],{},"Introduced in Resident Evil 4 in 2005, the merchant was placed in the game as a literal replacement for a physical shop. This NPC was designed with a long black trench coat, which he uses to store most of his weapons and other items. The majority of his face is covered with a bandana, thereby allowing him to blend in while concealing his identity. Adding to the mystery factor, he has a thick, more stylized version of a British accent. This might be the grand giveaway that he, in fact, goes out of his way to differentiate himself from the crowd and present himself as a gruff weapons dealer. Here, we could speculate that he might be one of the villagers, or someone from that area, but he doesn’t want anybody to know about it.",[45,310,312],{"id":311},"how-does-he-survive-in-the-game-world-fan-theories","How does he survive in the game world? (Fan theories)",[35,314,315],{},"Some of the fan theories are far-fetched, whereas some are pretty believable. Capcom, in this regard, plays coy with us since they need to keep this perfect NPC’s character as opaque as possible.",[35,317,318],{},"One theory is that the Merchant himself is infected, given his weird-looking eyes in the OG. This idea suggests that he took a suppressant, similar to what Luis Serra did. On the one hand, I believe that the Merchant is far more capable of finding a better cure for himself, because, in the remake, he has many recipes that he’s so eager to sell. On the other hand, he wouldn’t sell a cure even if one existed, as it would easily expose his abilities to the cult and ultimately make him a victim again. But if he was once infected and now the Plaga is dormant, or he managed to completely get rid of it, it’s unlikely that he would stay in this volatile setting.",[35,320,321],{},"The other theory is that he is not human, which is my least favorite and a bit of a stretch in the Resident Evil 4 setting. This might be primarily stemming from his glowing eyes in the OG. However, Capcom may have had second thoughts about retaining his original eyes as it pertains to a more supernatural aspect. This could be the reason why he looks more human in the remake.",[35,323,324],{},"This last theory is my personal favorite, with which I also resonate. Most believe that he has simply made a deal with the cult, the Los Illuminados. When dissecting this theory, I find it more plausible because, after all, he sells high-powered weapons and supplies. I mean, rocket launchers? How convenient it is for the cultists to have a merchant with supplies of this magnitude? So, in exchange, he was maybe given a lifeline and a free pass to roam around.",[45,326,328],{"id":327},"my-theory-just-hear-me-out","My theory (Just hear me out)",[35,330,331],{},"As I said before, I choose to believe that the Merchant and the cult struck a deal — a win-win situation for both parties. He could set up his shop wherever he wishes to, and in return, the cultists get state-of-the-art supplies.",[35,333,334],{},"The Merchant himself calls Leon, “Over here, stranger!” implying that he’s been doing business for a long time in the area, and this is one of the rare occasions he has come across a capable man who would make good use of his supplies. However, I think Osmund Saddler would nip the danger in the bud if he knew that the Merchant was selling weapons to someone other than his subordinates. Therefore, he would put, for example, Ganado to spy on the Merchant so that Saddler could keep himself in the loop. This might be the reason why the Merchant has opted for a blue\u002Fpurple light to illuminate the area of his shop. We could theorize that he uses the light as a precaution, even though he knows that the parasites are only active at night. This is exactly why he leaves a note to inform Leon, or anyone else for that matter, that a flash grenade would instantly kill the parasites. Perhaps, he doesn’t like the villagers or the cultists to come near his shop.",[35,336,337],{},[168,338],{"alt":339,"src":340},"Ashley Blue Light Resident Evil 4 Remake","\u002Fmedia\u002Fre4-remake-Ashley-Blue-Light.png",[35,342,343],{},"In Resident Evil 4 Remake, Leon must fight off Plaga-infested knights in the castle’s armory, where Ashley, being the supportive company that she is, helps Leon by stunning them with “Blue Lanterns.” Even in Ashley’s gameplay section, she uses a blue lantern to temporarily incapacitate the armored knights. All in all, the Merchant’s blue light may also help him feel safer even when the sun shines brightly in the sky, and it automatically makes his presence a safe haven for Leon as well. Not to mention, after mayhem, the soothing music provides the instant serenity and calming effect that players are longing for.",[35,345,346],{},"Another thing that I missed during my first few playthroughs of RE: 4 remake was the lantern beside the merchant’s table. Whenever we’re purchasing something, the lantern is lit with a bright blue color. Perhaps to protect his “bits and bobs” from parasite-ridden enemies? Well, these are just my observations, nothing more.",[35,348,349],{},"In short, he has ostracized himself, he is well aware of the terrain, he knows how to exploit the situation, and above all—sells to anyone who has “cash”. He seems to be a businessman worth his salt. He knows there’s a fight, and he sells to both parties, in his own words, during “hard times.” Be that as it may, to counter this idea, the remake is giving us a clue or a snippet of his personal agenda as well. Towards the latter part of the game, he once says, “I can hardly contain myself! You’re really gonna do it, stranger!” indicating that perhaps he’s rooting for Leon; rather, he’s rooting for anyone who could put a stop to the ongoing madness. He might be well-informed that he won’t be doing business any longer, and it’s high time he took his leave. Moreover, he refers to himself as “us,” hinting that there are many merchants like him or he’s not alone. Undoubtedly, a businessman of his calibre would be insane to plant himself in a hellhole like this without some sort of backup after all. Even in RE: Village, the merchant character is making subtle hints about his knowledge of the Merchant from Resident Evil 4 and calls him a friend, clearly suggesting that they have their own network.",[35,351,352],{},"But, most probably, he’s just a gameplay convenience. A personification of a physical shop to add that extra personal touch and mystery element to the game, and we are just overthinking it! That’s it!",[35,354,355],{},"The best part is that, although he’s a mysterious businessman with limited dialogue and screen time, fans love him and were quite worked up about him never making an appearance after RE: 4. But props to the development team for preserving the merchant’s original design and characteristics with minimal changes and, better yet, creating a phenomenal remake that will stand the test of time.",[35,357,358],{},"Do you think he’ll ever make a comeback? What do YOU think about the blue\u002Fpurple torch? Over here, stranger! Let’s chat!",[45,360,362],{"id":361},"some-fun-facts-about-the-merchant-from-re4","Some fun facts about the Merchant from RE:4",[364,365,366,370,373],"ol",{},[367,368,369],"li",{},"The Merchant’s long trench coat was inspired by the cloak worn by Neptuneman in the Kinnikuman series.",[367,371,372],{},"In Resident Evil 4 (2005), if you kill the Merchant, he stays dead in that specific location and respawns in the next area. In the remake, however, we can’t kill him, oh well",[367,374,375],{},"The Merchant in the original game was voiced by Paul Mercier, the same voice actor who has given Leon his iconic, sassy, and masculine voice.",{"title":109,"searchDepth":110,"depth":110,"links":377},[378,379,380,381],{"id":304,"depth":110,"text":305},{"id":311,"depth":110,"text":312},{"id":327,"depth":110,"text":328},{"id":361,"depth":110,"text":362},[383,120,384,385,386],"resident-evil","video-games-industry","resident-evil-4","video-game-journalism","2025-07-23","The age-old question remains: How does the merchant survive through the Resident Evil 4 game world? Over the years, fans have come up with countless theories.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1775744197236-877908794.webp",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Fthe-merchant-in-resident-evil-4",{"title":294,"description":388},"the-merchant-in-resident-evil-4","blog\u002Fgames-and-storytelling\u002Fthe-merchant-in-resident-evil-4","ZjHnvn7Slh1XW4C9ywfQ4Gbhx2_USRAfux6dgwGSifQ",{"id":397,"title":398,"author":399,"body":400,"categories":681,"created_at":682,"description":683,"draft":6,"extension":123,"head":124,"image":684,"image_alt":124,"meta":685,"navigation":127,"ogImage":124,"page":128,"path":686,"robots":124,"schemaOrg":124,"seo":687,"sitemap":131,"slug":688,"stem":689,"updated_at":682,"__hash__":690},"blog\u002Fblog\u002Fwriting-life\u002Fresident-evil-9-requiem-gameplay-review.md","Resident Evil 9 Requiem Gameplay Review: Good Game, or Just Nostalgia Bait?","Pivi",{"type":29,"value":401,"toc":663},[402,407,415,419,425,432,435,438,444,448,453,456,459,465,469,472,475,478,482,489,492,495,498,504,508,511,514,517,520,523,529,533,536,543,546,549,552,558,562,565,568,571,577,581,588,591,594,600,604,607,610,613,616,619,622,628,632,635,638,644,648,651,654,657,660],[32,403,404],{},[35,405,406],{},"Five million copies sold in five days, making it the fastest-selling Resident Evil game in the series. Is the gameplay that groundbreaking, or is it just the Leon effect?",[35,408,409,410],{},"If you’re a hardcore fan of Resident Evil 9, you might wanna avert your eyes, because this might hurt y’all. I’m not here to rain on your parade, because I surely enjoyed it, but it doesn’t mean that I don’t have problems with it. Also, I won’t be covering its story or characters here. In case you want to read my two cents about the story and overall writing of RE 9 Requiem, ",[411,412,414],"a",{"href":413},"\u002Fblog\u002Fwriting-life\u002Fresident-evil-9-requiem-story-review","here you go!",[45,416,418],{"id":417},"a-small-preview-of-my-obsession-with-re-4","A small preview of my obsession with RE 4",[35,420,421],{},[168,422],{"alt":423,"src":424},"My Ada Wong Cosplay (2023)","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1776350697083-644817109.webp",[35,426,427,428,431],{},"The original Resident Evil 4 was the game that set my standards for men. When most of my 11 or 12-year-old friends had crushes on living, breathing actors, singers, and the cool-looking boys in the most popular boys' school in town, I was swooning over Leon. But when the remake was released, I was skeptical. I was thinking to myself, why remake an already perfect game? I didn’t like the new face model of Leon; I had resentment towards the studio’s decision to cut some content, Ada’s voice, and some other minor issues. However, when I started playing it, it grew on me day after day, and I enjoyed it too much. As of now, I may have beaten the game one too many times. The point? I wasn’t biased, I had problems with RE 4 Remake at the beginning, but it quickly proved me wrong. So much so, I couldn’t help but cover its end credits song ",[41,429,430],{},"“The Bullet or the Blade”"," right away. Wait, isn’t this supposed to be a RE 9 Gameplay Review? I’m getting there, I promise! All I’m trying to prove here is that, although I am obsessed with RE 4, it doesn’t mean that I didn’t see its downsides, so I would treat every other game the same way.",[35,433,434],{},"Alright, hold your horses! I am aware that it’s not fair to compare an action-packed video game that strayed too much away from its roots to a game that perfectly encapsulates the OG vibe of Resident Evil. On the other hand, since RE 4 Remake is the most recent video game we have at our disposal to compare both Leon’s character and game mechanics, it’s somewhat justified. Moreover, a fair warning. There’s gonna be a lot of “Buts” in this review.",[35,436,437],{},"After beating Requiem, I genuinely didn’t feel that feeling. The feeling of success, that dopamine rush, the euphoria, or the bittersweet taste that lingered in my brain after I finished a brilliant game. I was ruminating for a couple of days to understand the cause. “Why? Why?” I asked myself. Requiem is a good game, if not pretty damn excellent. So, what’s the problem? Well, I finally figured it out. It has nothing to do with the wrinkled Leon but has a lot more to do with the “Remember this, Remember that?” nostalgia overabundance. But, where does it all go wrong? Let’s dive in!",[35,439,440],{},[168,441],{"alt":442,"src":443},"No way Leon! Way! Photo: Pivi","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1776350812780-126430010.webp",[45,445,447],{"id":446},"gameplay-grace-ashcroft-stealth-and-true-survival-horror","Gameplay - Grace Ashcroft (Stealth and true survival horror)",[449,450,452],"h3",{"id":451},"the-camera","The Camera",[35,454,455],{},"For your reference, for I am a (drumroll) a true RE veteran; I have finished the game on my first playthrough on Standard (Classic), which is the third mode. That said, I ain’t a first-person shooter gamer, and I absolutely HATE not being able to see the protagonist’s body. Throughout my various gaming escapades, I only found a handful of first-person shooters to my liking, and hands down, RE 9 is at the top of that list.",[35,457,458],{},"This first-person experience is mind-blowing. It’s not clunky, it’s not broken, it’s responsive, and it gives you the extended immersive horror experience you’ve always wanted. Despite many saying that it’s zoomed in too much and there’s no Field of View (FOV) slider to adjust it, I preferred this claustrophobic effect. However, I noticed that when Grace is running, the first-person view gives you the minimal feeling of dread, and the running speed feels almost too slow. In the 3rd-person view, you see the fear, the shivers, the wobble, and they have also included a stumbling animation, perhaps to compensate for the lack of cramped-up effect, and if I’m not mistaken, Grace has a little bit more running speed in the 3rd-person view. If somebody needs to see the full nervous breakdown of Grace, they should stick to the 3rd-person perspective.",[35,460,461],{},[168,462],{"alt":463,"src":464},"The Girl","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1776351339247-455794272.webp",[449,466,468],{"id":467},"the-atmosphere-and-setting","The Atmosphere and Setting",[35,470,471],{},"From the minute we arrive at the care center, the game bombards us with OG Resident Evil vibes (In a good way). The care center is the textbook example of Resident Evil. Especially if you’re a rookie (see what I did there?) playing RE for the first time, anyone would agree that the setting and the gameplay mechanics are exactly like the old RE games, specifically RE 1. They have captured the signature RE survive-here-with-minimum-stuff-while-finding-key-items spirit to the maximum.",[35,473,474],{},"The music and sound production are also top-notch, especially as they complement Grace's despair in this obscure setting. Not to mention, the quiet jumpscares triggered by small-scale audio cues are brilliant compared to the massive sound effects we usually see in other horror games.",[35,476,477],{},"When the Girl is present, the sound effects are created to make us feel like we’re trapped in a vacuum, followed by a subtle lullaby-type score.",[449,479,481],{"id":480},"the-inventory-and-crafting-system","The Inventory and Crafting System",[35,483,484,485,488],{},"We have the old-school inventory system, the storage box, and a Typewriter that actually requires Ink ribbons for saving in the Standard - Classic mode. Like the old games, Grace must find key items the old-fashioned way. It seems that Dr. Victor Gideon went out of his way to redesign the doors of the care center with ridiculously adorned key items. But the game itself is aware and makes fun of this just after Grace finds the Red Jewel key to open the parlor door by questioning, ",[41,486,487],{},"“Weird. How do people normally get in here?”"," It’s Resident Evil, everything is forgiven!",[35,490,491],{},"The crafting mechanism in RE 9 is impressive. Even though it also gave me the ick the first time I realized that I had to collect blood and use it to craft items. I could get on board with crafting Hemolytic Injectors with collected blood because it is somewhat credible, and the zombie combustion is terrific to witness in first-person view. Yet, the other items, for example, crafting bullets with collected blood with scrap? Really? But, being a RE fan for years itself means that we have been rendered credulous a long time ago. In Resident Evil, everything is possible, even if it doesn’t make sense at all. To be fair, Grace is an FBI analyst; she might have different skills we mortals wouldn’t understand.",[35,493,494],{},"There is a dearth of ink ribbons, but not the ink ribbon tins! So, if you’re not lazy with your blood-collecting game, you’ll be more than alright. The ability to increase the player’s maximum health with Steroids and to improve gun handling and firepower with Stabilizers is a nice touch, too.",[35,496,497],{},"What’s more, I like the fact that they have given us a makeshift knife, but prohibited the players from using it for stealth attacks, which would otherwise have made Grace’s gameplay even easier.",[35,499,500],{},[168,501],{"alt":502,"src":503},"Next is...","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1776351079346-941844842.webp",[449,505,507],{"id":506},"zombie-behavior-and-difficulty","Zombie behavior and difficulty",[35,509,510],{},"I enjoy the idea of having to understand the routines of specific zombies and sneak past them. For example, there is a zombie with OCD who is cleaning obsessively (who would clean Grace’s face if caught by the way), a zombie that hates to see you waste electricity, one that doesn’t like noises, a singer, or a big-ass chef that used to cook God knows what with that giant cleaver. You also find causes for some of their respective behaviors in documents along the way, which is always a treat for RE lore buffs.",[35,512,513],{},"In terms of the game’s difficulty, however, it is largely imbalanced. The Standard (Classic) should make you sweat a little, but no. Even without having unlimited saves in this mode, the game is too easy. The only thing you have to do is memorize the zombie routines, sneak past them, or kill them with Hemolytic Injectors or with the generous amount of handgun ammo you have, and could craft; boom! You’re good to go. The Chunk and the Girl are quite simple to avoid, too. If you want to stop the Chunk from squeezing through hallways, you can end its misery with three Hemolytic Injectors or with just an empty bottle, triggering the zombie with the blood transfusion bag to kill it in one blow! Crazy right? So, imagine the gameplay WITH unlimited saves. It must be a walk in the park.",[35,515,516],{},"Despite the nostalgic setting and gameplay, it does get tedious. First, you have to collect three Quartz, then three plugs, then restart three power units, and so on. When we can predict the drill from early on, it takes away from the enjoyment. What’s more appalling is the child’s play, sub-par puzzles that you can solve even with your eyes closed. This time around, as well, RE does it with the unnecessary environmental guides in yellow. Whether you want to break a box or climb somewhere, you won’t miss the yellow color guidance. Remember back in the day when we were required to press the interactive button over and over to find clues? Yeah, good times. But, this time around, they have sort of toned it down and settled for planting small vases throughout the world for you to break without making them shiny beacons, which is an improvement.",[35,518,519],{},"A lot of players would disagree with me, BUT contrary to the popular belief, this game isn’t that scary. There, I said it! Once you’re acclimatized to the setting, learn the Girl’s or the Chunk’s routine; they don’t bother you at all. Recovery is extremely easy as well. For example, once you run away from a zombie, it resets, and you can try again. Sometimes they move to slightly different locations, but it doesn’t make a lot of difference. I am glad that this time around they didn’t resort to jumpscares as they did in RE 7, which is a breath of fresh air.",[35,521,522],{},"Remember, fear is always subjective, so you might be one of those who got really spooked; unfortunately, I wasn’t.",[35,524,525],{},[168,526],{"alt":527,"src":528},"Sweet! Photo: Pivi","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1776351452447-29703439.webp",[45,530,532],{"id":531},"gameplay-leon-s-kennedy-action-and-horror","Gameplay - Leon S. Kennedy (Action and horror)",[449,534,468],{"id":535},"the-atmosphere-and-setting-1",[35,537,538,539,542],{},"Despite seeing Leon in RE 4 Remake in 2023, Leon’s comeback in a brand new game after RE 6 is something that RE fans have been manifesting for years. As I mentioned in my ",[411,540,541],{"href":413},"RE Requiem story and characters review",", Leon has aged like a fine wine, except with a little hunch, probably by carrying the franchise all these years.",[35,544,545],{},"The first part of Leon’s section is created with limited gameplay, mostly going through the care center, picking up items left by Grace, and opening up warped cupboards. Oh, and one more thing, aura farming! Leon's arrival at the Raccoon City police department is cathartic, especially with the old RE 2 soundtrack; the whole section manages to evoke so many emotions. Environmental storytelling has also peaked here to bring back old memories.",[35,547,548],{},"Nevertheless, something that I disliked a lot about Leon’s section is the music. It sounds too mechanical, and despite taking it up a notch at times, I think they could have done a better job. I just can’t stomach it. Let’s just leave it at that.",[35,550,551],{},"As with the Yellow color guides, my next problem falls under minor issues, but I have to point it out since one of the most unnatural things in any art form is spoonfeeding. For example, in the motorcycle section, we have to shoot giant dogs. But we’re incessantly getting reminded that we have to shoot. The on–screen guides are telling us to shoot the dogs, Victor, and the tanks to clear the path. For me, it translates into something like, “You’re dumb, so we must guide you.” This is not a good look for anything.",[35,553,554],{},[168,555],{"alt":556,"src":557},"\"Over here stranger!\"","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1776351584866-282058266.webp",[449,559,561],{"id":560},"collecting-keys-and-inventory-management","Collecting Keys and Inventory Management",[35,563,564],{},"Leon’s gameplay is solid with no surprises. We know what he is about and what he is capable of. With a fool-proof hatchet beside him, he’s truly unstoppable.",[35,566,567],{},"But the curse of the three keys haunts Leon’s gameplay sections as well. The very first thing he has to do is find three pieces (Surprise!) for a detonator. The nostalgia-evoking return to Raccoon City was cut short by this tedious section. Of course, they tried to differentiate the areas by placing some enemies with missiles or zombie soldiers. But it largely lacks enemy variety.",[35,569,570],{},"This time around, Leon isn’t saving with an old typewriter, but he uses the computers he finds along the way. Leon acquires a Tactical Tracker that records his kill count, which can be later converted to credits. He can now access BSAA supply boxes and upgrade his weapons, buy new items, tune up weapons, and repair his body armor. For he has to maintain his inventory, like in RE 4, he cannot store anything in the box. I do like this method, although I wish there was a strange merchant around the corner to lure him by saying, “Over here, stranger.” (Kidding!) Then again, Leon’s inventory management is just a joke. To be honest, there’s nothing to manage there. The inventory is huge to begin with, and you won’t have any tension as to what needs to be discarded, kept, or combined.",[35,572,573],{},[168,574],{"alt":575,"src":576},"Ah shit! Here we go again! Photo: Pivi","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1776351771952-532359603.webp",[449,578,580],{"id":579},"boss-battles-difficulty","Boss Battles & Difficulty",[35,582,583,584,587],{},"When it comes to boss battles, RE 9 has mostly prioritized giving Leon a taste of his past. In a nutshell, most bosses are easy to beat; most of them are updated versions of the old bosses we’ve seen in RE 2 and other Resident Evil games. There are no inventive gameplay or mechanics to finish a boss. They are generic, and we have seen these boss battles a million times before. I feel like they haven’t even tried to do something new with the boss battles. Having the same type of enemy with slightly changed abilities is monotonous. They should have come up with more enemy types for both Grace’s and Leon’s sections. I ranted more than enough about RE writers’ and game designers’ audacious choice of recycling old bosses for Requiem on my ",[411,585,586],{"href":413},"RE Requiem Story review",", so I won’t be repeating myself here.",[35,589,590],{},"As with Grace’s sections, the other hiccup in Leon’s gameplay is the difficulty. With the new addition of Leon’s relentless hatchet and its ability to parry anything and everything, he can easily sneak past enemies by ruthlessly finishing them with just one blow. Even the enemies that were deemed mercilessly intimidating in other games in the series.",[35,592,593],{},"All in all, the gameplay in both sections felt a bit repetitive and easy at times, which again deducts the overall gameplay quality.",[35,595,596],{},[168,597],{"alt":598,"src":599},"The Insanity mode is LITERALLY insane","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1776352106586-457631377.webp",[45,601,603],{"id":602},"the-insanity-mode","The Insanity Mode",[35,605,606],{},"Something that I thoroughly enjoyed in both RE 4 OG and the remake was their difficulty levels. Assisted, Standard, Hardcore, and Professional modes were perfectly balanced with gradually increasing difficulties. For example, I finished RE 4 Remake for the first time with the Hardcore mode, which offered a good challenge. Then I needed to test my skills; therefore, I chose to finish the game in Professional mode, and I found it more challenging than Hardcore, but I still enjoyed it and had a lot, I mean A LOT, of fun. At the end, I felt the pure bliss of achievement.",[35,608,609],{},"In RE 9, there are initially three modes, as in the other games: Casual, Standard (Modern), and Standard (Classic). Naturally, I chose this third mode, the Standard (Classic), as a self-proclaimed Resident Evil veteran, and as I said before, playing on this mode was a piece of cake. But, Insanity unlocks as a post-game mode, which is LITERALLY insane. I was expecting a slightly challenging mode after my first playthrough, as they had in RE 4. Boy, was I tricked!",[35,611,612],{},"Long story short, there is no mode in between the Standard (Classic) and the Insanity modes. As a gamer who enjoys a challenging playthrough with the same weapons, upgrades, and skills, I was disappointed to witness that this Insanity mode was created for the players to buy infinite ammo and finish it mindlessly. It’s okay for fun, but as a conventional Resident Evil consumer, I would want a challenging and rewarding mode, I might add, after the Standard (Classic) over something I would only enjoy with a ridiculous amount of ammo. It also completely negates the Insanity mode’s point of existence. Why make an insanely harder difficulty if you have to buy infinite ammo? I could probably get on board with this difficulty if they had given me another difficulty after the Standard (Classic), like, I don’t know, a Hardcore (Classic) mode, before going insane? It took me ten or fifteen times to finally beat the chainsaw-wielding doctor in the beginning and escape from that room without buying anything.",[35,614,615],{},"This difficulty level imbalance, combined with tedious key-collecting tasks, makes this game, unfortunately, unreplayable for me.",[35,617,618],{},"Before I forget, what’s with placing the BSAA supply boxes at the very beginning of Leon’s gameplay on Insanity mode? Thanks for breaking the immersion, Capcom!",[35,620,621],{},"Gamers on the internet are debating over this, and the majority seems to be okay with having to play it with infinite ammo. Having said that, playing the Insanity mode made me a pro at parrying and triggering finisher animations with my shotgun or the Requiem, which is the silver lining, NGL. But I wish there were a mode in between and a ranking system.",[35,623,624],{},[168,625],{"alt":626,"src":627},"The ARK Photo: Pivi","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1776352430863-814643881.webp",[45,629,631],{"id":630},"the-ending","The ending",[35,633,634],{},"Having multiple endings or two endings is not a novelty for Resident Evil games. The bad ending is not canon, and the good ending is, well, it is canon. I’m not going to rant about Leon not hitting the “you-know-whose vitals”, but for Wesker's sake, I’m pretty sure I shot her in her head and heart. Like what? Did Leon get dumber with age?",[35,636,637],{},"If you’ve been paying attention to its narrative, it is unlikely that you’ll end up with your head exploded. (Pun intended) After I got the good ending the first time, I loaded the game from the last save and dragged myself through the bad ending, and it devastated me, even if it didn’t matter. It is like a proper punishment Capcom has premeditated for the fools who didn’t follow along the story, or common sense, for that matter.",[35,639,640],{},[168,641],{"alt":642,"src":643},"The End Photo: branden-skeli","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1776352990363-169773645.webp",[45,645,647],{"id":646},"final-thoughts","Final thoughts",[35,649,650],{},"RE 9 Requiem is a good game, especially the first section. In today’s standard of games, it’s more than enough. Its maps are carefully thought out, the zombie behaviors are great, and the crafting system is enjoyable. I do have to give props for the animations because they are satisfying, flawless, phenomenal, and not to mention gorier. I do not think that anyone would deny it, ever. Honestly, no one’s bothered about Leon’s aura farming either.",[35,652,653],{},"BUT it is not the series’s best and runs mostly on nostalgia bait. It goes without saying that they overdid it with paying homage to old games to the point I was done with the whole nostalgia dump thrown at my face. Do something new for once! It is at times tiresome, too easy, repetitive, its boss battles aren’t groundbreaking, it severely lacks enemy types, its puzzles are for five-year-olds to solve, and Leon’s battle music has left much to be desired. I need a difficulty level in between Standard (Classic) and Insanity Mode because I need a challenge, but at the same time, I don’t want to jump from a fairly easy mode to the hardest level possible. Where’s our challenge?",[35,655,656],{},"If someone is saying that it is the greatest video game that has ever existed, either they are a hardcore fan girl of Leon than me (excuse me), or they just adore the reminiscence of the past at the expense of discounting its every con, or they have never played other games in the series. Worse yet, if somebody’s saying that Requiem is better than RE 4 Remake or the OG, I will have whatever they are on. On the other hand, fourteen years later, people are so adamant on jumping on the bandwagon of hating RE 6 again, while applauding Leon literally flying off a building on a bike in Requiem. Come on!",[35,658,659],{},"My rating for Requiem is a 7\u002F10, and I’m being generous. Neither do I have the mental capacity to sit through another playthrough of collecting keys in a slightly tense environment, nor do I have the courage to play some cliché boss fights with zero creativity.",[35,661,662],{},"It’s a one-and-done for me. But I would love to hear your counterarguments, so by all means.",{"title":109,"searchDepth":110,"depth":110,"links":664},[665,666,673,678,679,680],{"id":417,"depth":110,"text":418},{"id":446,"depth":110,"text":447,"children":667},[668,670,671,672],{"id":451,"depth":669,"text":452},3,{"id":467,"depth":669,"text":468},{"id":480,"depth":669,"text":481},{"id":506,"depth":669,"text":507},{"id":531,"depth":110,"text":532,"children":674},[675,676,677],{"id":535,"depth":669,"text":468},{"id":560,"depth":669,"text":561},{"id":579,"depth":669,"text":580},{"id":602,"depth":110,"text":603},{"id":630,"depth":110,"text":631},{"id":646,"depth":110,"text":647},[],"2026-04-16","As a veteran RE fan, I reviewed Resident Evil 9 Requiem Gameplay: Pros, cons, and why nostalgia bait has its limits.","\u002Fmedia\u002Fuploads\u002F1776350251606-305464483.webp",{},"\u002Fblog\u002Fwriting-life\u002Fresident-evil-9-requiem-gameplay-review",{"title":398,"description":683},"resident-evil-9-requiem-gameplay-review","blog\u002Fwriting-life\u002Fresident-evil-9-requiem-gameplay-review","W2PV0lmbrJrqosxHei6-48V7eAPVCVDPLc8yBEDRmy8",{"body":692},{"type":29,"value":693,"toc":778},[694,698,700,702,704,706,708,710,714,716,718,720,722,724,726,728,730,732,736,738,740,742,744,748,750,752,754,756,758,760,764,766,768,770,772,774],[32,695,696],{},[35,697,145],{},[45,699,149],{"id":148},[35,701,152],{},[35,703,155],{},[35,705,158],{},[35,707,161],{},[35,709,164],{},[35,711,712],{},[168,713],{"alt":170,"src":171},[45,715,62],{"id":61},[35,717,176],{},[35,719,179],{},[35,721,182],{},[35,723,185],{},[35,725,188],{},[35,727,191],{},[35,729,194],{},[35,731,197],{},[35,733,734],{},[168,735],{"alt":202,"src":203},[35,737,206],{},[35,739,209],{},[35,741,212],{},[35,743,215],{},[35,745,746],{},[168,747],{"alt":220,"src":221},[45,749,225],{"id":224},[35,751,228],{},[35,753,231],{},[35,755,234],{},[45,757,238],{"id":237},[35,759,241],{},[35,761,762],{},[168,763],{"alt":246,"src":247},[45,765,251],{"id":250},[35,767,254],{},[35,769,257],{},[35,771,260],{},[35,773,263],{},[35,775,266,776],{},[105,777,269],{},{"title":109,"searchDepth":110,"depth":110,"links":779},[780,781,782,783,784],{"id":148,"depth":110,"text":149},{"id":61,"depth":110,"text":62},{"id":224,"depth":110,"text":225},{"id":237,"depth":110,"text":238},{"id":250,"depth":110,"text":251},{"body":786},{"type":29,"value":787,"toc":838},[788,792,794,796,798,800,802,804,806,808,810,812,816,818,820,822,824,826,828,830],[32,789,790],{},[35,791,301],{},[45,793,305],{"id":304},[35,795,308],{},[45,797,312],{"id":311},[35,799,315],{},[35,801,318],{},[35,803,321],{},[35,805,324],{},[45,807,328],{"id":327},[35,809,331],{},[35,811,334],{},[35,813,814],{},[168,815],{"alt":339,"src":340},[35,817,343],{},[35,819,346],{},[35,821,349],{},[35,823,352],{},[35,825,355],{},[35,827,358],{},[45,829,362],{"id":361},[364,831,832,834,836],{},[367,833,369],{},[367,835,372],{},[367,837,375],{},{"title":109,"searchDepth":110,"depth":110,"links":839},[840,841,842,843],{"id":304,"depth":110,"text":305},{"id":311,"depth":110,"text":312},{"id":327,"depth":110,"text":328},{"id":361,"depth":110,"text":362},{"body":845},{"type":29,"value":846,"toc":1009},[847,851,855,857,861,865,867,869,873,875,877,879,881,885,887,889,891,893,895,899,901,903,905,909,911,913,915,917,919,921,925,927,929,933,935,937,939,943,945,947,949,951,955,957,961,963,965,969,971,973,975,977,979,981,983,987,989,991,993,997,999,1001,1003,1005,1007],[32,848,849],{},[35,850,406],{},[35,852,409,853],{},[411,854,414],{"href":413},[45,856,418],{"id":417},[35,858,859],{},[168,860],{"alt":423,"src":424},[35,862,427,863,431],{},[41,864,430],{},[35,866,434],{},[35,868,437],{},[35,870,871],{},[168,872],{"alt":442,"src":443},[45,874,447],{"id":446},[449,876,452],{"id":451},[35,878,455],{},[35,880,458],{},[35,882,883],{},[168,884],{"alt":463,"src":464},[449,886,468],{"id":467},[35,888,471],{},[35,890,474],{},[35,892,477],{},[449,894,481],{"id":480},[35,896,484,897,488],{},[41,898,487],{},[35,900,491],{},[35,902,494],{},[35,904,497],{},[35,906,907],{},[168,908],{"alt":502,"src":503},[449,910,507],{"id":506},[35,912,510],{},[35,914,513],{},[35,916,516],{},[35,918,519],{},[35,920,522],{},[35,922,923],{},[168,924],{"alt":527,"src":528},[45,926,532],{"id":531},[449,928,468],{"id":535},[35,930,538,931,542],{},[411,932,541],{"href":413},[35,934,545],{},[35,936,548],{},[35,938,551],{},[35,940,941],{},[168,942],{"alt":556,"src":557},[449,944,561],{"id":560},[35,946,564],{},[35,948,567],{},[35,950,570],{},[35,952,953],{},[168,954],{"alt":575,"src":576},[449,956,580],{"id":579},[35,958,583,959,587],{},[411,960,586],{"href":413},[35,962,590],{},[35,964,593],{},[35,966,967],{},[168,968],{"alt":598,"src":599},[45,970,603],{"id":602},[35,972,606],{},[35,974,609],{},[35,976,612],{},[35,978,615],{},[35,980,618],{},[35,982,621],{},[35,984,985],{},[168,986],{"alt":626,"src":627},[45,988,631],{"id":630},[35,990,634],{},[35,992,637],{},[35,994,995],{},[168,996],{"alt":642,"src":643},[45,998,647],{"id":646},[35,1000,650],{},[35,1002,653],{},[35,1004,656],{},[35,1006,659],{},[35,1008,662],{},{"title":109,"searchDepth":110,"depth":110,"links":1010},[1011,1012,1018,1023,1024,1025],{"id":417,"depth":110,"text":418},{"id":446,"depth":110,"text":447,"children":1013},[1014,1015,1016,1017],{"id":451,"depth":669,"text":452},{"id":467,"depth":669,"text":468},{"id":480,"depth":669,"text":481},{"id":506,"depth":669,"text":507},{"id":531,"depth":110,"text":532,"children":1019},[1020,1021,1022],{"id":535,"depth":669,"text":468},{"id":560,"depth":669,"text":561},{"id":579,"depth":669,"text":580},{"id":602,"depth":110,"text":603},{"id":630,"depth":110,"text":631},{"id":646,"depth":110,"text":647},{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":1027},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"m221.66 133.66l-72 72a8 8 0 0 1-11.32-11.32L196.69 136H40a8 8 0 0 1 0-16h156.69l-58.35-58.34a8 8 0 0 1 11.32-11.32l72 72a8 8 0 0 1 0 11.32\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":1029},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M88 64a8 8 0 0 1 8-8h120a8 8 0 0 1 0 16H96a8 8 0 0 1-8-8m128 56H96a8 8 0 0 0 0 16h120a8 8 0 0 0 0-16m0 64H96a8 8 0 0 0 0 16h120a8 8 0 0 0 0-16M56 56H40a8 8 0 0 0 0 16h16a8 8 0 0 0 0-16m0 64H40a8 8 0 0 0 0 16h16a8 8 0 0 0 0-16m0 64H40a8 8 0 0 0 0 16h16a8 8 0 0 0 0-16\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":1031},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M208 32h-24v-8a8 8 0 0 0-16 0v8H88v-8a8 8 0 0 0-16 0v8H48a16 16 0 0 0-16 16v160a16 16 0 0 0 16 16h160a16 16 0 0 0 16-16V48a16 16 0 0 0-16-16M72 48v8a8 8 0 0 0 16 0v-8h80v8a8 8 0 0 0 16 0v-8h24v32H48V48Zm136 160H48V96h160z\"\u002F>",{"left":4,"top":4,"width":5,"height":5,"rotate":4,"vFlip":6,"hFlip":6,"body":1033},"\u003Cpath fill=\"currentColor\" d=\"M224 48H32a8 8 0 0 0-8 8v136a16 16 0 0 0 16 16h176a16 16 0 0 0 16-16V56a8 8 0 0 0-8-8m-20.57 16L128 133.15L52.57 64ZM216 192H40V74.19l82.59 75.71a8 8 0 0 0 10.82 0L216 74.19z\"\u002F>",1782162671783]