Resideant Evil... Survival Horror?

Resident Evil 5 hit the selves over the last few weeks and most of the planet thinks that it's the best thing since sliced bread (personally, I think that toast is the best thing since sliced bread, lol). I haven't played the game yet, but I've seen it being played, and it seems to follow the same gameplay ideas as Resi 4. Don't get me wrong, Resi 4 was a fantastic game. I beat trough it a few times, and really enjoyed it. But is it doing what the series originally set out to do? It seems more action based than anything else, which is a big step away from the old Resi games.

In the old days, Resi was all about suspense. Fear was a huge factor for the first few games. It was all about trying to have the right item/ weapons, to tackle whatever mutant freak may be hiding behind the next door. I think that the newer games have lost that feeling, and replaced it without constant firing and battling.

So basically, what I'm getting at here is this:
Do you feel that the Resident Evil series has sacrificed it's horror background to join the hordes of action games out there? Should the name "Resident Evil" now represent great action games, as opposed the great survival horror games? And most importantly which version of Resi (horror or action) suits the series best?

I haven't played much of the previous Resdient Evil games but I do think that Resi 5 has lost its way from the series. The game doesn't even try to be scary and is prteey much a shooter. Apparently tension would be created by standing still to shoot but it doesn't. The atmosphere from the game has been lost too. It doesn't contain any scary music to make up for the fact that none of the enemies will even make you jump. Even without any horror the game is still fantastic though. On paper it doesn't sound too good: shoot people while standing still. It sounds crap written down but there isjust something about it that makes it an awesome game.

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Even the Resi movies (including the animated one that hit DVD recently) seem to be concentrating more on action than horror. They aren't even trying to scare the viewer. It seems like the roots of the Resi franchise has become lost somewhere between the hail of bullets and the ever-growing mountain of corpses.

I think it's really unfortunate, because when the original game came out, it scared the crap out of me! That scene when the dogs jumped through the windows in one of the first hallways, is a scene I'll never forget. The over-all atmosphere of the old games kept the player on the edge of his/ her seat at all times. You never felt completely comfortable playing Resi, because you always felt like you were in constant danger. It's a pity to see this part of the series becoming forgotten.

From what ive played i agree with you.
Its no more scary than halo or call of duty.
Resi should be scary to a point that you dont want to play but cant take your eyes of the screen.

Yashen wrote:
Resi should be scary to a point that you dont want to play but cant take your eyes of the screen.

I couldn't have put it better myself, Yashen. Resi should give the player the same feeling of fear that they get while watching (good) horror movies. When I was a kid, horror movies scared the the crap put of me, yet I felt utterly compelled to watch them. The early Resi games had that effect- You can hear the monster in the next room and you know that you'll have to face him, but you really don't want to open that door and find out just what kinda blood-thirsty abomination is waiting for you inside.