The game was conceptualized in 2009 and entered full development the following year under Resident Evil 4 producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi. It had a development staff of more than 600, making it Capcom’s largest production. Resident Evil 6 was praised for the storyline and themes, but criticised for the interwoven campaigns and departure from the survival horror roots of the franchise. Despite these criticisms, the game sold over 9.8 million copies. It was re-released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch with all downloadable content in March 2016.
Gameplay
In this scenario, the player controls Leon S. Kennedy before engaging an enemy. Leon’s health and ammunition are displayed at the bottom right corner of the screen.
Resident Evil 6 allows players to select between four scenarios with interwoven storylines centered on Division of Security Operations (DSO) agent Leon S. Kennedy, Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA) Captain Chris Redfield, mercenary Jake Muller, and spy Ada Wong.[5] In the Leon, Chris, and Jake scenarios, players have the option of controlling either them or their respective partners, United States Secret Service agent Helena Harper, BSAA sniper Piers Nivans, and DSO agent Sherry Birkin. The character not selected by the player is controlled by either artificial intelligence (AI) or another player via local or online multiplayer. Ada’s scenario can be played with or without a partner and a second player who joins will control the non-canonical character Agent. In addition, each scenario features a different play-style; for example, some player-characters are more vulnerable to attacks whereas others are more resilient.[6] Each central character has unique abilities, which vary from increased reload times and carrying more ammunition.[5]Resident Evil 6 presents new gameplay mechanics such as rolling in any direction and running while shooting and sliding.[7] The game also features a four-player co-operative mode.[8] When playing in single player mode, the player can allow another player to join in online at any time.[9] While performing certain actions, quick time events may occur, in which the player must follow onscreen prompts by pressing buttons or manipulating joysticks within a limited amount of time.[6]
A new feature comes in the form of tablets; players may consume them in order to recover health, and more can be produced by mixing herbs.[5] If one player runs out of health, that player will have a short time to try to defend themselves while their partners attempt to revive them. If any non-AI players are killed, gameplay will resume at the last checkpoint. The game features several primary enemies, including zombies and the newly introduced J’avo. Unlike zombies, J’avo are able to interact with each other to plan an attack, use weapons, and heal themselves.[10] Also some J’avo are susceptible to various mutations that increase their prowess in battle, the type of mutation sometimes depends on location of the injury. There are a total of 15 different mutations within the game.[11] Certain enemies drop skill points when killed, which can be picked up and spent on upgrades such as increased weapon effectiveness or specific ammunition drops. The campaigns feature a “Lone Wolf” ability which allows the player to remove their artificial intelligence companion character.[12] Players can equip three of these upgrades which apply to all campaigns.[13] The game also features a stamina bar; which depletes once the player performs melee attacks, or uses a “quickshot” — which involves shooting a zombie with a headshot instantly.[14]Resident Evil 6 is twice as long as Resident Evil 5.[15]
The game features two new modes. “Mercenaries” mode involves players fighting for survival against hordes of enemies.[16][failed verification] In the PC version, the Mercenaries mode features an exclusive sub-mode named “No Mercy”, which involves the cast from Left 4 Dead 2 fighting a total number of 300 enemies against a timer.[17] “Agent Hunt” mode allows players to take control of random enemies in other people’s online sessions, however it is only unlocked after the player clears the three main campaigns. The longer the player stays in another online session, the more points they will earn.[16]
Plot
On 24 December 2012, Jake Muller (Troy Baker), son of late bio-terrorist Albert Wesker, flees local authorities during a bio-terrorist attack in Edonia. He partners with Division of Security Operations (DSO) agent and Raccoon City survivor Sherry Birkin (Eden Riegel) and learns that she is to extract him from the country to create a vaccine for the new C-virus. However, they are hunted by Ustanak, a hulking bio-weapon. Meanwhile, a Bio-terrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA) strike team led by Chris Redfield (Roger Craig Smith) and Piers Nivans (Christopher Emerson) is deployed to combat the infected local populace. However, they are attacked by the leader of Neo-Umbrella, who refers to herself as Ada Wong (Courtenay Taylor); she kills most of the BSAA members, using a device that injects them with the C-virus, turning them into monsters, except Chris and Piers. Chris goes into a self-imposed exile, afflicted with post-traumatic amnesia. Meanwhile, Sherry and Jake’s extraction by the BSAA is sabotaged, forcing them to crash into the mountains. They are captured by “Ada” for six months.
On 29 June 2013, US President Adam Benford (Michael Donovan) attempts to publicly reveal the truth behind the 1998 Raccoon City incident and the government’s dealings with Umbrella, to end further bio-terrorist activity. However, the venue in the American town of Tall Oaks is hit by another attack, infecting the President; the sole survivors, DSO agent and Raccoon City survivor Leon S. Kennedy (Matthew Mercer) and United States Secret Service agent Helena Harper (Laura Bailey), are forced to kill him. The pair encounter the real Ada Wong (also Taylor), and Leon learns that National Security Advisor Derek Simmons (David Lodge) is affiliated with Neo-Umbrella and was responsible for the attack. Leon and Helena pursue Simmons into Lanshiang, China, while faking their deaths. Meanwhile, Jake and Sherry escape captivity in Lanshiang.
Chris returns to duty in the BSAA with Piers and a new team, arriving in a besieged Lanshiang. Chris recovers from his amnesia and seeks revenge against Ada, resulting in casualties for his squad. Chris and Piers confront Ada, until Leon intervenes. After being informed by Leon, Chris and Piers pursue “Ada” to an aircraft carrier, destroying cruise missiles laden with the C-virus. Leon, Helena, Sherry, and Jake confront Simmons over his involvement with the outbreaks, where Sherry covertly hands Jake’s medical data to Leon in case of their captivity. Leon and Helena corner Simmons, who has been infected by a J’avo, where he confesses to having killed the President to maintain national security. The two see off a mutated Simmons while Sherry and Jake are captured again. Attempting to leave the city, Leon and Helena are warned by Chris that a missile has been launched, but they are too late to stop it. Leon discloses Jake’s real identity to Chris and has him rescue Jake and Sherry in a remote oil platform. With Ada’s assistance, Leon and Helena kill Simmons.
On the oil platform, Chris and Piers head underground, freeing Jake and Sherry from captivity before preventing a large-scale attack by a gigantic bioweapon, Haos. Heavily wounded, and in a desperate attempt to save Chris, Piers injects himself with the C-virus to help turn the tide of the battle. He defeats Haos before evacuating. Aware that the mutation will worsen, Piers sacrifices himself by pushing Chris to an escape pod, using his abilities to destroy the base. Meanwhile, Jake and Sherry escape the facility and kill Ustanak as they ride a rocket-powered lift to the surface.
The imposter Ada was a scientist named Carla Radames, who was forced to transform into Ada by Simmons. The real Ada was aiding Leon and Sherry while destroying the Neo-Umbrella lab in Langshiang. Although presumed dead after being shot by one of Simmons’ soldiers, Carla attempts a final attack against Ada, after having injected herself with a powerful dose of the C-virus, but is killed. After aiding Leon and Helena in their battle with Simmons, Ada destroys the lab where her clone was developed, and accepts a new assignment. Leon and Helena are cleared for duty; Chris remains with the BSAA in command of a new squad, overcoming his guilt; Sherry continues her duty as a DSO agent; and Jake starts a new life fighting B.O.W.s in an underdeveloped country with his identity covered up by the BSAA.
