Jill! Head for that house!

Resident Evil: Director's Cut Arrange Mode

Day 1 -Stopped just before leaving the Mansion

The internet has spoken, so I started my new game of Resident Evil: Director's Cut as Jill Valentine. Sorry, one guy who picked Chris! If it's any solace, I'll now be playing as Chris if time permits and I can play the REmake later this month.

I didn't get to play until late last night, so I stopped a modest way into the game; so far I've beaten the snake boss and collected all three medals so I can resume at the gardens tomorrow. I'd like to try and get to the labs if time permits so I can knock this game out in a reasonable fashion – I've still got a long list of games I'd like to get to before Halloween comes and goes.

Next time I'll go a little more in-depth with a topic, but here's a couple of quick musings I thought about while playing:

• Tank controls have a learning curve, but they aren't 'bad' for say. It took a little getting used to before I was turning corners like a champ again. It's pretty obvious playing the game that they were a deliberate handicap, much like the delayed whip controls in the original Castlevania. I would never defend the game's decision to utilize it as good design however; if there's one thing that should never have a learning curve, it's the controls.

• The game does a really great job of creating tension via gameplay and smart design rather than through non-interactive cutscenes. Even though I know where all the jump scares are, shooting a dog whose aiming for my jugular when I'm one hit close to death damn near gives me a coronary every time. Anyone who outright dismisses the game's scare factor for solely relying on jumps must have nerves of steel, man. That or is just much better at the game than I am.

• I really, really miss this kind of exploration in games. It's true the majority of time you're playing a fetch quest, but traps like falling ceilings and exits sealing off when you take a key item makes the game feel like an R-rated Indiana Jones adventure.

• Barry Burton is still my hero. That man can carry me off into the sunset anytime.

Erm... About that last part. Forget I said anything.