Well, it died in the sense that it's so drastically left its roots that it doesn't even feel like it belongs in the series. Sure it has all the characters, and they have zombie-like dudes to gun down, but this series has seemingly shifted...shiFFFFFFted.....from survival horror to mediocre shooter. RE4 and RE5 don't really fit the survival horror build so well. Sure the series has always had some of its scares come out of poor controls, but in this generation Capcom could have stuck a bit closer to the original formula and improved on it without turning it into a half-way horror, half-way shooter, game.

I might be alone in thinking that the series has figuratively died at this point, but I really hope they reconsider at least going full on survival horror or full on shooter, and not somewhere in between. Let's face it -- if RE5 had controls more in line with modern shooters, and partner AI that didn't have the IQ of a rock, it would have been far more deserving of Brad's 5/5.

EDIT: Forgive me if I don't respond to any posts for the next 8-12 hours as I am about to go to bed and have the day off tomorrow :D

Personally I think survival horror has died in the entire entertainment industry. Recent "horror" movies are more like gorefests than anything actually psychologically scary, and the same goes with games. The thing is, people don't want to spend time and money to become even more stressed than they already are by playing a super scary game or a super creepy movie. They'd rather sit down with something more action oriented, which is what RE currently is.

The game plays fine though, so there's not really anything to immediately complain about.

I don't think it's a completely different game. It just changed styles from survival horror to survival action. With the occasional scare thrown in. I assume, after RE4, Capcom thought that people liked the intensity of action more then just pure horror. From peoples reaction I guess they were wrong.

I thin Bethesda should make a horror game. I think the are great at creating an atmosphere that can really draw you in. I just started playing Fallout 3 and just traversing through the wasteland gives me the creeps. Also some interiors also have that claustrophobic feel that scars the crap out of me.

I havn't been so scared of a night cycle since Zelda:OoT. I was young and feared those skeletons. FEARED!!!

I agree that Resident Evil 4 and 5 are not survival horror, I don't thing that's necessarily a bad thing.  Since RE4 came out there have been a small group of fans out there that have complained that the series has shifted from its roots. I have been a RE fan since RE1 and I've always said that the old camera angles and gameplay were part of what made RE scary.  But I also appreciate the fact that some game play mechanics eventualy become outdated.  The series had to change, if not RE would have become a franchise that nobody cared about like the sonice franchise. It would be getting mediocer reviews and critisized about its dated and repetative gameplay, like the Megaman franchise. Now RE5 is getting some criticisms for some of the mechanics that were praised in RE4 because now those are a bit dated. But since this is only the second game to use that same formula I think most people who enjoyed RE4 will accept that and still enjoy this game.  Now the main thing Capcom has to do is reinvent the franchise once again.

I agree that the game lacks the fear element but it can not be considered a mediocre game whatsoever  , Here is why

Remember Resident Evil 0?


Yeah I can't either.

"Remember Resident Evil 0? Yeah I can't either."

I agree and been saying it for some time now, RE is dead. But people will still buy this trash and i'm sure there will be a resident evil 6 and 10 where you gotta kill little mexicans which aids non stop in south america cuz all the plagued dudes in spain and africa are already dead.