httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bqc3076Xu6s

Capcom is continuing its constant struggle to keep both fans of action and stealth/survival-horror looking forward to what Resident Evil 6 has in store. The footage so far has shown that Leon's campaign will have its slower, more tense moments. But it also seems that plenty of bullets, flashlights, and frantic zombie combat will be doing everything it can to ruffle that glorious head of hair.

After E3 2012 made it clear to everyone present that Resident Evil 6 wouldn't have as much company in their championing of survival horror as they once did, questions began to arise. After showing over-the-top and ludicrous action at the show, Capcom hedged their bets by releasing extended footage of Leon's campaign showcasing slow, plodding progression designed to increase stress and induce skin-crawling aprehension.

But this new glimpse of Leon footage - all the way from Japan! -  shows that even in the quieter, more subdued portions of the game, the developers are trying to find a balance between story and action. Where the previous footage followed Leon through large, open spaces at a pace largely determined by the player, the subway set pieces in the latest video are almost the exact opposite. For better or for worse, nobody can accuse Capcom of sticking to the same formula for all aspects of RE6.

Resident Evil 6 Leon Gameplay

Chris' portions will apparently be extremely action-packed in  completely different ways than flashlights and zombie mobs, but we've yet to get as extensive a look at what the developers have cooked up for the daylight portions of the game. If Capcom's belief that the survival horror genre is too small for everything that a Resident Evil title can include, massive explosions and pyrotechnics have certainly made that point clear.

It had initially been assumed that a split between action and stealth along player-specific campaigns would make sense, but the difference within particular storylines are starting to become more apparent. Rather than distinguishing the campaigns by which groups of fans will enjoy one and not the other, it seems that each component is being designed to entertain both camps.

If that turns out to be the case, the most devoted fans will likely still blast Capcom for 'broadening their appeal.' The complaints are valid, but with so many Japanese developers and once-great properties being dealt massive blows of late, perhaps it's a necessary shift. The publishers admitted their intentions to attract mainstream gamers, and if doing so means around half of the game can be put towards old school suspenseful horror, that might be a compromise worth making in the long run.

What's your take on the design choices being made, RE fans? Think the company should stick with the fans they've got, or start wondering why new players are coming few and far between?

Resident Evil 6 releases October 2, 2012 for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

-

Follow me on Twitter @andrew_dyce.

Source: VG24/7