Downloaded the RE5 Demo and so far my main impression has been that I agree with Patrick Klepek that I don’t like the controls at all. (As a side note, I was sad to learn that Klepek was leaving the MTV Multiplayer blog, sounds like budget cuts. I’ll miss his writing and hope to follow him elsewhere. Here’s his twitter feed for any other fans out there.)
So far I’ve died a several times on the marketplace scenario and had the game crash twice. Not the most auspicious beginning. Part of the problem is probably that I don’t really know the RE4 controls, so I’m starting from scratch here.
I’d remembered to download the demo because the controversy around the game is flaring again. I do like Coates rejection of the “it’s just a game” defense. If games can’t handle critiques they don’t merit respect. Having already critiqued the trailer, I’m withholding further judgment until I can get through the bloody demo. That said, I do think the addition of the Sheva Alomar character certainly does help some. It’d help more if both she were playable in single player mode, though at least she is available in co-op. I do love the rise of co-op gaming even though I don’t tend to have guests over to play shooters with.
That said, even if things are better, I don’t buy that it means the original complaints were overblown. I stand by my critique of the trailer for one. For the defense, here’s a L.A. Times article that quotes Karen Dyer, the actress that played Alomar:
"When the clip came out, Sheva wasn't in it because she hadn't been created yet. Once people get to hear the whole story and meet Sheva, I think they'll see that there's nothing racist about it. In the game, she gets together with Chris Redfield to try to help her people. I think it's a balanced portrayal" of black people.
I hope she’s right, but even if she is, the fact that her character wasn’t created yet when the protest broke out shows the utility of complaining. They may well have planned a local guide character anyways, but the criticism was early enough to have the potential to influence those decisions. Raising warning flags gives developers the chance to correct course earlier in the design process. The idea isn’t to score points, it’s to make a positive change.
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