Ok, this is something that has always bugged me in RE and it's present here too - unlike SH, where your protagonists for the most part are scared/psychologically unstable civvies, in Shinji's games they tend to be proffesionally trained military/police personnel. So why is it that I need 5 freaking upgrades to not shoot my revolver like an 80 year old epileptic having a seizure? Seriously, this dude couldn't do the beat much less become a detective with such poor marksmanship skills. And what's with the trademark SH4/RE4 awkward-as-hell camera and jerky movement? No, it isn't scary, it's by now just bloody annoying. I have seen more agility from birds that were run over and were trying to fly off desperately flapping their broken wings. And the whole matches thing? Have to upgrade to be able to use more than 5 freaking matches in a matchbox that has no reason not to be full? Really? Also, melee attacks?! I thought I was a detective, ex-cop, trained in at least basic enough melee to be able to beat the livi..er..undead crap out at least one freaking zombie without having to cheese the game SH styles.
Ok, see, I don't want this to become an action game so I understand gamey systems to a point, even though they feel incredibly contrived.. problem? The game -itself-, much like RE games before wants itself to become an action game, yet gives you, even in his upgraded version a guy who I'd take in a fight and outshoot no problem, while at that. Whereas a game like Dead Space effectively turns your guy over time into a honed killing machine with perfectly toned weapons, here, even though you get some badass gadgets and upgrades do help, you are still missing a guy's head from 5m out, even though you've lined it up perfectly and the bastard is not moving. And this seriously becomes a problem when the game stops giving you stealthy avenues and becomes an all out brawler. But hell, it's annoying even before that, let's face it. What's up with the design decision of not being able to aim while crouching? Is your guy physically/mentally impaired or just a good sport, not wanting to give himself an unfair advantage OVER AN UNDEAD BUNCH OF FREAKS WHO WANT TO EAT HIM?! Seriously, again, gamey systems. This is a pretty great game, don't get me wrong, pretty much everything apart from what I've listed here I really do like, but my god, -enough- with this early 90's game design already.