Gameplay:
Resident Evil has been the premier survival horror game for the past decade, and has given rise to many zombie games that have tried to match its success. This new iteration of the series puts you in charge of Chris Redfield, a returning veteran, as well as Sheva Alomar who is new to the series. The game is completely centered around a co-op experience, and if playing alone, commands are used to guide the other character. The most enjoyable thing about the game is that an offline or online player can take control of the other character and complete the full single-player experience along with you. Along the way there are treasures and weapons to be found which are fun to collect and help you earn money to purchase upgrades, new weapons and a plethora of bonus unlockables.
The game also has a broad variety of experiences during the campaign as well. There are chapters where only the turret on a Jeep are used, as well as boss fights and interactive video sequences. However, besides the co-op experience, there is very little that hasn’t been seen in previous Resident Evil games, and feels like more of a visual upgrade to Resident Evil 4. Another interesting fact is that the majority of the game is within an outdoor environment, which in many cases makes the game more visually appealing but a lot less scary. Actually, the game is only scary on a couple of occasions which really doesn’t do the series justice.
Controls:
For some odd reason Capcom decided to not allow shooting while moving in Resident Evil 5 and for a game coming out in 2009, that is just unacceptable. The majority of the game is spent struggling with the controls, and apparently the sluggish controls were meant to make the game more intense. However, the annoying controls take precedence over any small amount of horror that the game has. To top that off, the inventory can only be accessed in real-time, and the controls for the inventory space are exactly like on the original game.
Graphics:
Resident Evil 5 is a beautiful looking game and uses a great range of color. The character models rival that of Metal Gear Solid 4, and really help story development. Cutscenes and animations are also top-notch, and the graphics are simply remarkable in every facet of the game. The scale of the game is also very impressive with its highly detailed outdoor environments which are really great to look at. It’s also important to note that the game advances through several chapters, most of which are in completely different looking areas which help make the game dynamic to some degree.
Sound:
Voice acting is one of the game’s better qualities, and the voice actors did a great job in their roles. Most of the game is told through cutscenes and the audio really helps illuminate the game’s environment. Sound effects are also really crisp and clear and although music is absent from most of the game, the environmental sound effects help make up for it.
Replay Value:
Resident Evil 5 is anywhere from a 10 – 13 hour game, but the bulk of the content lies in beating the game several times. There are emblems to be found throughout the game, money and bonus material currency as well. There are 3 costumes for both main characters as well as the typical infinite ammo unlocks. There is also a mercenaries mode which is a point based time-trial based around killing zombies as fast as possible. It’s fun for a few minutes with a friend, but like the rest of the game can become very repetitive because of the sluggish controls and basic gameplay.
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Rating:
Story: 7.5
Gameplay: 8.0
Graphics: 9.5
Controls: 6.5
Sound: 9.0
Replay Value: 9.0
Overall: 8.3
Own, Rent, Avoid:
Rent: A great co-op experience but very short-lived. Not very fun past the first run through unless played with a friend. Rent it if you have a free weekend and a friend coming over.
Last Thoughts:
It is a safe bet that we will see a lot more co-op games in the future, but for now Resident Evil 5 is one of the best. Unfortunately it is plagued with annoying controls and ancient gameplay mechanics which drag down what is otherwise a great experience.
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Written By
Jonathan Leack
5/24//2009
