For over a year I searched the Internet for tasty bits of new information on Capcom’s highly anticipated Resident Evil 5. I found a news article here, a new screen shot there. I totally bought in to the hype, which is not something I normally do. I was not the only one feeding fuel to the hype machine though. Gamers everywhere were doing the same. So now that the game has released, one question remains. Does the game live up to the hype?
That is a tough question to answer. I’ve beaten the game on every difficulty (save for professional) and I must say, RE5 is very enjoyable. I will start out by stating the obvious, the graphics are great. The games locales are beautiful and the lighting effects are some of the best I have seen. However, we all know that great graphics alone don’t make a great game (Heavenly Sword anyone).
RE5 is a survival horror game, and while the graphics and lighting create a creepy tone, the amount of thrills in previous RE games just wasn’t there. Sure the surprise attacks and chainsaw wielding zombies got my blood flowing, but the suspense just seemed a little watered down. The main reason for that is your AI or CO-OP controlled partner Sheva. She is always there! No solo missions, no watching your own back, no sense of being alone in the face of evil. In fact, the scariest thing was watching your AI controlled partner make nonsensical decisions at the worst possible times. The only thing that saved the partner system for me, was the interesting game play mechanic where both characters had to work together to solve a few puzzles.
All that being said, I still recommend RE5 to anyone who asks for two reasons; the story and the game play. The story picks up a short while after the events of Resident Evil 4 and brings back an RE favorite. You play as Chris Redfield. Since his battle with Umbrella, Chris becomes an agent of the Bio-terrorism Security Assessment Alliance. He is sent to Africa to investigate rumors of a new, potentially more dangerous outbreak. During his mission, Chris uncovers a diabolical plot to unleash a deadly biological weapon on the world. He also discovers that the mastermind behind this plot is none other than his old pal, Albert Wesker.
The game play is very similar to that of RE4. The over the shoulder view, the two button firing scheme, the upgradable weapons, even the random treasure hunting. Capcom did make a few improvements though, the best of which is the menu system. In previous entries, the player had to pause the game and go to the menu screen to change weapons or equipment. In RE5, the menu is presented on screen in real time, effectively adding suspense to the already hectic fights.
The boss fights are mostly fun and the few boss specific weapons are a joy to use. The Mercenaries mode also makes its return with some improvements. You now have the option to go it alone or, find a friend (considering you’ve turned the game off long enough to make one) and pair up for some truly fast and fun combat. Formulating strategy with a friend while running from hordes of evil infected is by far my favorite part of the game. RE5 isn’t perfect by any means, no game is, but if you are looking for fast action, fun fights, and a solid story, add this one to your collection. RE5 gets a 4/5.
