Resident Evil 5 Review & Rating for PS3

Resident Evil 5 had hardcore fanatics in a panic worrying that Capcom had lost its marbles and finally ditched the extremely popular survival horror genre for a shooters-style game.  However, there’s enough of the old RE in 5 to keep fans happy and successfully introduce a new generation of RE initiates to the series.
The biggest complaint about RE 5 is that it’s not really scary.  What that translates to is that it’s not a dark, slow-paced, plodding game full of scare the crap out of you moments.  Yes RE 5 is much faster paced.  The enemies are stronger, smarter, faster and most of the action takes place out in the light of day.  You won’t have to worry about hording ammo, you’re partner (not Jill Valentine) is always with you to get your back, and there are tons of outlandish bosses.  Is that really such a bad thing?

Gameplay

Players jump into the boots of Chris Redfield, the RE veteran who looks like he’s spent the last few year pumping iron with GI Joe at the gym, as he investigates odd reports of a bio-weapon in the fictional African country of Kijuju.  Teamed up with his African counterpart Sheva Alovar, Chris must get to the bottom of what seems to be, at least on the surface, an outbreak of the Las Plagas virus. 

Of course it’s not that easy and the plot descends into the world of international arms dealers, shadow corporations, and bio-weapon research and development facilities but what did you expect from an RE game?
The biggest change most players will notice is that the action has been seriously ramped up.  Gone are the old creepy corridors, impossible camera angles, and pitifully weak weapons.  The over the shoulder view afford players a wonder vantage as Chris completely shreds the oncoming hordes of infected with a wonderful array of completely upgradable firearms ranging from semi-auto pistols to assault rifles and bone-blasting shotguns.  He’ll need all of those weapons as well as the zombie-like infected come in waves and conceal a whole bunch of new super-baddies including chainsaw wielding psychos, hulking brick houses armed with pole-axes, and other assorted transmogrified horrors of every shape and size from stray dogs to oversize alligators and even a tentacle thing capable of swallowing an entire cargo freighter!
Wow!
I can just see all of you RE fans cringing as you read those words but relax.  A few of the old conventions that you know and love have returned—for better or worse.  First off, you can’t run and gun.  This is not a shooter.  RE 5 forces players to stand still when they want to fire or unleash a melee attack.  While it fits in with the mechanics of the franchise, it feels a bit forced and personally I would like to have seen something a little more dynamic.

Secondly, you can’t run.  You can move “fast” but it still feels like you’re plodding along compared to modern shooters.

Thirdly, the darned inventory system has been made worse!  Not only are you still limited to a set number of items (nine in this case) selection has been moved into real-time which means enemies will be constantly chomping at your head while you desperately try to switch weapons because you ran out of ammo or heal yourself with the green herb.  Developers were aiming at a certain amount of realism but swapping weapons (say a shotgun for a pistol) is going to be second nature for a hardened paramilitary veteran like Chris.

That’s the bad (or the good if you’re a sadistic RE purist.)  The good is that all of this takes place in amazingly detailed levels full of excellent visuals and all kinds of goodies to uncover.  Players start on the deserted streets of a shanty town but soon find themselves “running” through tribal villages, diamond mines, and the bowels of a cargo ship—and that’s just for starters. 

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  RE 5 was designed around co-op play.  As such, Sheva, either in AI form or controlled by another gamer, plays an intricate role in the outcome of the RE 5 story.  She’s a capable lady and can handle herself quite well in a fight.  Indeed, Sheva exhibits some of the best AI I’ve seen this year.  Her two main flaws are that she can’t seem to realize she should flank enemies to make it easier for Chris to attack them, and she tends to blow through ammo like an elephant through Kleenex.  Still, I found that the AI Sheva saved my can quite a few times in the game and there’s no way I would have been able to complete the 12 hour campaign without her.

However, when Sheva is controlled by a friend, it opens up a whole new level of interactivity.  Two gamers armed to the teeth just don’t give the infected a chance and its beautiful when a well-laid plan falls into place.  Even Whesker (oops, did I just let a spoiler slip) can’t stand up to the combine firepower and cunning of two determine BSAA (the international anti-bio-weapons group Chris belongs to) agents.
In fact, there are quite a few instances where Sheva is essential in order to progress.  While I don’t disagree with the addition of those elements, many felt a bit forced—Sheva has to climb a ladder to get a key because Chris can’t, or she has to hold a button while he hops into an elevator, etc..

Once the game has been conquered, single players will have the option of playing as Sheva and by using some of the gold they looted from corpses and treasure chests through the game players will be able to by some rather interesting costumes for the lovely lady.  (Wink, wink.)
A few more perks you’ll find once you play through the game the first time include the ability to unlock unlimited ammo for any weapon that you’ve fully upgraded and new playable modes including mercenaries mode and a harder difficulty.  If you’re one of those gamers that loves to collect things, RE 5 will not disappoint.  There are several different types of loot which can be sold for gold which in turn can be used to upgrade weapons and purchase other extras as well as tons of BSAA logo for you to shoot and unlock even more goodies. 

Generally the levels are a great mix of different styles of gameplay from wading through hordes to riding assorted vehicles and firing mounted weapons and even driving boats!  Each level has a nice mix of action/puzzle solving that feels like RE lite and may get on the nerves of hardcore fans but will be quite attractive to noobs.  However, the level that shall live in infamy is the underground temple level.  Ripped straight from the playbook of Tomb Raider, the level is just out of place with the rest of the game and feels a bit corny comparatively.

Graphics

While fans of the series aren’t so happy about the gameplay “upgrades” they can’t complain about the graphics.  RE 5 is one of the most visually pleasing games of the year with spectacular character models, intricate animation, and wonderfully detailed environments.  The infected are truly gruesome and have a unique look that doesn’t rip off any elements from contemporary horror movies or games—which is a welcome change for the industry.  In addition, Chris and Sheva are undeniably two of the “coolest” cats around.  They both look great and, with their costumes, fit well with the environment.
The lighting effects are great as well (especially in the tunnels with only a lantern to light the way) but the “stay out in the sun too long and get heat stroke” element that was promised pre-release never materialized.

Sound

As far as audio is concerned RE 5 is a mixed bag.  While the score is great, adding the perfect amount of tension or false sense of security at just the right moments, the voiceovers tend to be a bit hammy.  Chris and Sheva are usually spot on, though Sheva does sometimes sound over dramatic, but the support characters are over the top every time.  Still, that’s one element that RE fans are not only used to but expect so it shouldn’t be seen as a black mark.

Value

There’s a great amount of replay-ability with RE 5.  While the single player game only runs about 12 hours, there’s plenty of reason to go hunt through the game a second or even third time.  Looking for all of the loot and BSAA emblems will keep you busy for hours and playing through as Sheva offers a totally unique experience.
So too does the mercenary mode in which you have to survive waves of infected for as long as possible while awaiting rescue.  RE 5 doesn’t offer the same depth as Fallout 3 or something similar but that’s only because it has a very defined storyline—and that’s not a bad thing.

Final Verdict

Purists may hate what Capcom did to their beloved RE 5 but the improvements in graphics and gameplay mechanics should convert most of them if they’re willing to pick the game up.  The changes also make the RE 5 franchise more accessible to “lesser” gamers who have been “wasting” their time with shooters and adventure games.  I generally hate horror survival (though I liked RE 2) but I loved RE 5.

Pros:  abso-freakin’-lutely gorgeous character models, level design, and character animation, an exciting plot with plenty of twists, old favorites return for one last hurrah!

Cons:  stilted hybrid combat (half horror survival and half action), frustrating inventory system, relatively high cheese factor when considering the antagonists.


Overall Score: 9/10