With that tagline, Resident Evil 5 sets the player on a whirlwind adventure through the heart of Africa in an attempt to destroy what’s left of Umbrella Corporation’s monstrous creations.
However, with Resident Evil 5 comes a new breed of gameplay for the series. This game introduces cooperative play to the mix, which allows for two players to combine forces as main characters Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar and fight the biological fiends as one.
This does come with its mistakes and problems though. The A.I. of Sheva proves to be proficient in combat, but still makes mistakes here and there. In some cases, I’ve had my A.I. partner not pick up vital items such as ammunition or the various treasures to be found throughout the game.
Something like that is entirely excusable in the greater scheme of things, after all, it’s usually not that big of a nuisance to backtrack a little bit and collect missed items. In the end, as long as the A.I. knows enough to shoot the bad guys and heal you when needed, that’s really all that matters.
Now, the true staple of Resident Evil has always been the survival horror aspect of the experience. For some reason, Resident Evil 5 seems to stray a little bit farther off the path in this regard. Having played the earlier games in the series, I’m used to conserving every last round of ammunition and walking around each corner with fear and trepidation.
That’s not the case here at all. Having beaten the game once already on the normal difficulty, I have not had one single problem with ammunition. It seems to be quite plentiful in each area and I don’t recall ever having to scavenge an area looking for spare ammo. With that in mind, I hope that the harder difficulties, (veteran and professional,) are a little bit more tight with the amount of available ammunition.
In addition, the fear that is mentioned in the tagline above seems to be a bit of a tease. Compared to each of the other games, this particular one is lacking in the fear department. In one instance, the characters are wading through some marshlands and, all of a sudden, crocodile heads emerge from the waters and the fear is reclaimed. It is totally unexpected and that’s what the fans have loved about the series thus far.
It’s moments like this that make these games great. Too often we have these run of the mill shooters that present the same, boring formula. So, in an effort to combat this, Resident Evil 5 utilizes thrilling setpiece battles to combat the almost nonexistent fear and really make the next gen systems shine.
From the grotesquely large executioner, (complete with nails piercing his entire body,) early on to the escape down a long corridor as some familiar enemies, (remember the Lickers?) actively search for Chris and Sheva, this game really does have some awesome moments that make you marvel at the design.
With that in mind, these battles effectively run from one to the next with a great story in between. As mentioned, the notorious Umbrella Corporation is long gone, but the effects of its experiments are felt throughout the world. It turns out that the viruses developed by Umbrella are now being distributed around the world and utilized as biological weaponry. Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar work for an organization called the B.S.A.A. and attempt to rid the world of these threats. Their quest leads them to Africa, where the local inhabitants of a town named Kijuju have had a grisly turn for the worst.
Quite frankly, saying anything more would be too much. The game features many twists and turns and never once can you anticipate what will happen next. That’s easily one of my favorite aspects of the game.
Another high point has to do with the inhabitants of Kijuju. Once infected with the virus, these individuals turn into mindless shells of their former selves, with only a thirst for blood on their agenda. These new creatures are called Majini and they are much more threatening and ferocious than the zombies of Raccoon City. They move quicker, can sustain more damage and are much more deadly.
But, when we’re still dealing with the old-fashioned control scheme, it’s much tougher to deal with these agile enemies. Granted, it’s good to stay true to the original, but when the series has taken a turn in favor of action, it would be nice to have the ability to shoot while moving. However, this is merely a nuisance that skilled players will have no trouble overcoming.
In terms of extras, there are many collectible figurines, treasures and emblems to unlock. Finding these will either give the player more money for upgrades or allow for more unlockable items. Concerning the main story mode, it can be played by yourself, or with another player, either online or in split-screen. Once the story mode is completed, the arcade-style “Mercenaries” mode from Resident Evil 4 returns with updated characters and levels.
As a whole, Resident Evil 5 is a great game. It takes many of the high points from Resident Evil 4, gives it a graphical overhaul and the end result is an overall fantastic product. The graphics are beautiful, the sound is well done, the story keeps you hooked, and the co-op gameplay makes the experience fun time and time again.
Score: 9/10
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