A final resurrection before the twilight
Format: PS3 (version played), Xbox 360, PC Dev: Capcom Pub: Capcom
Out: 13/03/09 Players: 1-2, 2 online
So, you bought your console for Resident Evil 5. It got delayed, you waited, you waited some more, now it’s finally out. Although it is true that Resident Evil 5 has divided opinion, I find it very difficult to say enough bad words about it to render it a game that has failed to live up to such high expectations.
Why do some people find fault with Resident Evil 5? The simple answer would be that Capcom has changed the mechanics fundamentally, and as we know, some people are afraid of change and instinctively reject it. Personally, I may have been disappointed had they not altered the format and provided players with another straight-down-the-line survival horror game. Resident Evil 5 still comfortably sits within the parameters of the survival horror genre. Capcom have diversified and expanded elements of the gameplay, bringing in fast-paced action sequences and more of the interactive cutscenes that were introduced in Resident Evil 4.
The first and most glaringly noticeable difference with Resident Evil 5 is the setting. Never before has so much time been spent outside whilst playing a Resident Evil game. With the sun beaming down, you could even be forgiven for contemplating the allowance of a spot of sunbathing in the fictional African town of Kijuju. Also, you are not alone this time. Chris Redfield (of the PS1 original) returns and is accompanied by Sheva Alomar.
Chris and Sheva are on a BSSA (Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance) assignment to investigate a terrorist bio-organic weapon threat. This serves as the premise to the impending task of surviving hoards and hoards of monsters known as ‘Majini’. As the story progresses the presence of everyone’s favourite antagonist, Albert Wesker, becomes apparent, as does the inclusion of other popular characters that fans will welcome back.
What got me most excited about this game prior to its release was the co-operative gameplay being offered. I had enjoyed this feature in Army of Two – a game that was inferior to more established franchises, but was made thoroughly enjoyable by the inclusion of two-player co-op. And the addition of this feature in Resident Evil 5 does not disappoint. A second player controlling Sheva brings a whole load of tactical possibilities that are unthinkable when relying on the computer AI to manoeuvre her. When in the CPU’s hands, she will merely follow you around, unless expressly directed to “Go” or “Wait” by Chris – using the D-pad.
After completing story mode in co-op, I played through the game again in single-player and found myself becoming increasingly frustrated with Sheva. The final level was the worst in terms of exposing the lack of intuition possessed by the computer AI. In a way, it could be argued that this factor makes the game more challenging and should not be viewed as a negative point, but that is for you to decide.
Resident Evil 5 is the first instalment of the franchise to possess any kind of incentive for serious replayability. Upon finishing any of the previous games, I would omit a sigh of relief and not return to the game for a number of years. Not the case here. I found myself completing story mode on all four difficulty levels, attempting to obtain as many trophies as I could and also tackle Mercenaries mode. I also endeavoured to unlock and fully upgrade all of the weaponry available to both Chris and Sheva. The new weapons obtained, via fully upgrading certain weapons, make going through the campaign a second time all the more enjoyable. Items such as the triple-barrelled hydra shotgun, minigun and crossbow offer new, fun ways to takedown the zombie hordes.
Resident Evil 5 is excellent in terms of value for money. It looks beautiful, the familiar over-the-shoulder camera feels atmospheric and it can still be considered a scare-fair. Though it doesn’t revolutionise the formula, Resident Evil 5 offers a lot of variety to keep trigger-happy zombie hunters satisfied.
Andy King
Tags: action, capcom, horror, resident evil
