If one company has a handle of the next gen systems, it is Capcom. With the outstanding release of Street Fighter 4 to the exciting announcement of Lost Planet 2, what more can Capcom do? Well, how’s releasing a new Resident Evil game sporting some of the best graphics we have seen around? That’s what they did. Let’s see if this is the sequel Resident Evil fans have been waiting for.
Gameplay:
The basic premise of the game is for you and your partner, Sheva Alomar to battle through various stages killing all the zombes in your path. One thing that has been kept similar to the other games in the series is the controls. Having NOT played much of Resident Evil games before, I found the controls awkward to start with. However, after an hour or so I got the hang of them and started to really enjoy the game. You’d think that the idea of not being able to move while you shoot would be frustrating and difficult to control. What it does, is actually add to the game by making you think about your surroundings and your position before shooting. It also adds to the frenetic gameplay as you tend to panic when lots of zombies are running at you and you are standing there trying to take them down. In terms of guns there is a decent selection as you progress through the game. There is your standard pistol, a shotgun, machine gun and sniper rifle to name a few. Your selection and bullet total is dependent on what’s in your inventory which is directly related to what you pickup throughout the game. At the end of each level you can buy more bullets and guns. Your money is earned from picking up the money left after killing enemies. You can also pick up collectables throughout the game which can be sold at the end of each level and turned into money.
The boss battles in Resident Eveil 5 can be brutal. I particularly enjoyed the chainsaw guy. Other gameplay elements include the traditional adventure part, where you are guided by a map that you can pull up at anytime. There are also excellently implemented QTE’s (Quick Time Events). These involve you pressing the prompted buttons at the right time to succeed.
One thing that has been mentioned is that Resident Evil 5 is more action oriented than previous Resident Evil games which focused more on horror. I’d have to agree with these claims as Resident Evil 5 is not that scary, but it certainly is one hell of an action ride. Being new to the series, I really enjoyed this. Hardcore Resident Evil fans may be a little disappointed, but when a game plays as good as this you quickly learn to forgive and forget.
Graphics:
Resident Evil 5 has some of the best visuals to date of this generation. It even trumps Killzone 2 and Gears of War 2. You really have to witness the attention to detail, especially with the environments that Capcom have created, they are simply stunning. The only negative is the screen tearing that occurs throughout the game. This doesn’t detract from the game, but you wish it wasn’t there and is something that probably should have been ironed out prior to release.
Sound:
The sound in Resident Evil 5 is great. It does well in creating a scary atmosphere. The weapons sound powerful and feel like they make an impact. The voice over of Chris and Sheva are done well too. To be honest most of the time you are either so caught up in the action or concentrating on how good the game looks, that the great sound takes a back seat.
Multiplayer:
When Resident Evil 5 first released a couple of months ago, the only multiplayer mode was the two-player co-op, which can be played either online, over system link or split-screen. Resident Evil 5 was built for online co-op. While playing through the campaign with the AI controlled partner is fine, a lot of emphasis was put on the co-op aspect with a lot of partner interaction throughout the game. Playing the game through with a mate is great fun and only enhances your experience.
Recently, Capcom released a download over Xbox Live for 800 MS points. This download introduced additional multiplayer modes which pit fellow gamers against each other. While this was a worthy addition, and a lot of fun, to be honest Resident Evil 5 is best played by yourself or with a human co-op partner.
Overall:
A fantastic and gorgeous game that is a pure joy to play. Couple that with online co-op and the newly released versus mode and you have a classis on your hands.
Gameplay: 9.5
Although the controls can be awkward to begin with, give then a bit of time and you will be hooked. Hardcore fans will feel right at home. Great weapons and exciting levels make this a great experience.
Graphics: 9.7
Unbelievable! Apart from the screen tearing issues, this is the best of the best, for the moment at least.
Sound: 9.0
Excellent voice over acting for Chris and Sheva, along with the atmospheric sound, compliment the outstanding graphics perfectly.
Multiplayer: 9.0
Although the new versus DLC is great, Resident Evil 5 really shines in co-op. Playing the game through with a friend is awesome.
Overall: 9.5
Resident Evil 5 will be a 2009 GOTY contender. Although we are expecting great games in the last half of 2009, they will have to be special to beat Resident Evil 5. Once again, Capcom have proved how good they are.
Reviewed & Written by Craig Cirillo