We’re big fans of Capcom’s Resident Evil Revelations, especially the Raid mode which adds a ton of replay value to the core game; yet we’re somewhat perplexed that the culture of cheat codes has given way to something else entirely where if you do want to get ahead in a game then you have to pay for it. Capcom aren’t the only company to do this, in fact, the practice of paying for cheats is rife across the board covering all manner of game types. It appears that this current generation and most likely moving into the next has given rise to companies no longer looking to provide gamers with something else to mess around with for free but attaching a premium to it as well.

Take Resident Evil Revelations as just one example and it’s clear that the two DLC custom packs offer parts which make the game easier for those willing to spend £1.59 for each pack. It’s a small price to pay, but why should gamers pay to make their experiences easier?

There’s perhaps an argument that in today’s busy world there are more gamers than ever, and not all of them have the many hours to spare playing video games. These cheats are there to provide those players with a better experience that suits their needs. It doesn’t make it right though. There’s also another stance that the rise of the Internet and its ease of access has meant adding cheats to a game is no longer considered valid in the same way it was in times past.

Back in the day, cheat codes had to be discovered, or were only printed in magazines; nowadays anything relating to a cheat code can be distributed to millions within moments of being discovered or released. So perhaps it’s understandable why there are less cheats for games, but we’re still getting our heads around the fact that people are now expected to pay for them – the same goes for unlockable items that were once free.

At least in Resident Evil Revelations gamers can still unlock extra characters and outfits to be used in the main campaign and Raid mode, but it’s certainly telling that Capcom still want to make coin on content that should be available to all without charge. DLC in some cases can be  very healthy for a game, but it has to be in context and worth the price. In this case, the premium is small, but the return is somewhat diminished. Let’s just hope that someone, somewhere makes a stand and produces some extra content that is worth having that doesn’t involve making a game easier – oh snap. Metro Last Light Ranger Mode. Sigh!