Speedrunning Resident Evil Village
I have a love-hate relationship with horror games.
I love horror games because they do exactly what they set out to do. They scare. I get scared, my heart races, I feel nervous, I get paranoid. It's perfect. I love it. Having player agency makes it even better, because if I get chased or die in game, then I know it's my fault and based on my actions.
I hate horror games... because they do exactly what they set out to do. They scare. I get scared, my heart races, I feel nervous, I get paranoid. It's terrible. I hate it. Having player agency makes it even worse, because if I get chased or die in game, then I know it's my fault and based on my actions.
After that first playthrough, however, things get boring. You know where all the scares are. You know how the enemy AI works. All those times you die also kind of take away the fear.
Unless you speedrun.
I was feeling this with Resident Evil Village.
That first playthrough was incredible and brutal. So many good scares and bouts of nervousness. The enemies were terrifying, the boss battles were awesome. One entire level made me feel an incredible amount of unease and despair (House Beneviento, specifically). I was constantly on the edge of my seat. I barely had ammo half the time, always at half health.
The second playthrough, and the subsequent ones, became more and more ridiculous.
In the game, you can complete challenges that earn you points. You can use these points for in-game unlockables like model figurines, weapons, and my favorite, infinite ammo.
And so I did just that. I unlocked those points and spent it on new weapons and infinite ammo. I unlocked a sweet rifle with infinite ammo that just melted everything.
It made the game hilariously easy, even on higher difficulties. My first playthrough took about twelve hours (which felt longer) and the subsequent playthroughs took less than two.
Those scary enemies and bosses may have well been throwing peanuts at me. My character had a great weapon and didn't have to worry about ammo. I mowed down waves after waves of enemies without even so much as sweating.
A boss battle that took me five minutes to do, with me freaking out over a lack of ammo and health, would now take like thirty seconds.
What started out as a game where you die if you so much as sneeze becomes a god simulator where you have no fear of death and can mow down the entire world.
Additionally, it's also fun to try to beat your time. Maybe on your second playthrough you complete the game in five hours. Next playthrough you get four hours. Next, two hours. Before you know it, you can complete the game in an hour and 45 minutes .
For some reason, the Resident Evil franchise is the only game franchise I enjoy speedruning. I'm no pro, either. It's just for funsies. There are people out there who can do it with their eyes close. I can't. I still have moments, even though I've completed the game probably a dozen times, where I completely forget where I'm supposed to go.
Either way, I recommend trying out speedrunning. Find a game you enjoy and just go for it.