???After the masterpiece that is Resident Evil 4, the fifth installment in Capcom's survival horror franchise has a lot to live up to. Despite a few minor flaws, the product definitely lives up to its predecessors.
Resident Evil 5 takes place 10 years after the first game. Chris Redfield (the first game's main character) travels to Kijuju, Africa, to investigate the origins of the viruses that have plagued the series. As players soon discover, he also has a personal stake in his mission.
The game is wrongfully marketed as a "survival horror" game. The survival portion is accurate, but the horror aspect is virtually non-existent. The scares the series used to be known for have been replaced by fast-paced, white-knuckle action that is practically impossible to match.
There is no downtime in Resident Evil 5. Players are thrown into one set piece after another, each more imaginative, creative and action-packed than the last.
Some gamers may be disappointed with the inability to run and gun. The idea of having to stand in one place while shooting can feel dated and clunky at times, but it only adds to the tension, especially as a group of infected are rushing forward.
The larger infected characters require the game to load their attacks. This means that they will run up to the player only to stop at the last second and enter an attack animation. It's easy to just run away, turn around and shoot until they get close and then repeat the process. This will quickly become a crutch to lean on.
Though this exposes a minor flaw in the gameplay, it would be next to impossible to succeed without it. With the sheer number of enemies onscreen at one time, players will need any help they can get to find a safe place.
A new feature to the Resident Evil series is the option of playing the entire game cooperatively, with one player controlling Chris and the other controlling newcomer Sheva Alomar.
Of course, players can choose to play alone and have the artificial intelligence control Sheva, but it is definitely not the same experience.
For instance, early in the game Chris and Sheva travel through a dark cave. Most players will have Sheva hold a lantern so they can fire at the enemies. While few and far between, there are times when she will actually face the lantern in the wrong direction, leaving players blind for a second.
This small flaw shows that two people should play the game.
Another new feature is that the weapons are no longer equipped from within a safe menu screen. Instead, the inventory is displayed while the game is still going on. It really ratchets up the intensity when the player is cycling through the menu while enemies are closing in.
Despite this extra intensity, players can use the same tactic used when shooting enemies. More often than not, it's easy to just run away and find a safe spot while players shuffle through the menu.
Whether playing on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, Resident Evil 5 is a visual stunner on many levels. Every character looks incredibly lifelike light reflects off objects and overall, it's one of the best-looking games ever made.
The giant creatures are the real highlight and they do not disappoint. Boss battles occur fairly regularly and require a unique and fun way to defeat them. A couple of the battles are similar, but no two fights ever play out in the same way.
The Mercenaries mini-game that is unlocked after completing the game is particularly addictive. Players must survive for a given time while endless hoards of enemies rush in on them. It captures the same feeling of excitement that permeates the game and can literally be played for hours.
While suspense and horror have been replaced by pure action, fun is the name of the game. It is a non-stop adventure from beginning to end and many will want to play through it several times. On this and all levels, Resident Evil 5 succeeds.
Photo: Courtesy of Laron Fomby
