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Resident Evil 5
The series that revolutionised the gaming
world with a new genre of gaming called “survival horror” has received a
next-generation console facelift that moves the genre to a different
level. The story once again revolves around the scientific facility of
Raccoon City that through its nefarious experiments, endorsed by its
company called “Umbrella” created a deadly virus that changed humans
into zombie like creatures. In this current installment, gamers follow
Chris Redfield, a former security personal of Raccoon City who is now a
member of the B.S.S.A. The mission of the B.S.S.A. is to investigate any
outbreaks of the virus or creatures from Raccoon City and eliminate any threats
towards humanity.
Unfortunately, one of the creations from
Raccoon City has found its way to a terrorist cell which threatens the
very fabric of reality. Thankfully, Redfield has been given a lead that a
local weapons dealer in the fictitious African nation of Kijuju is about
to sell this doomsday creation to a nefarious individual. Joined by
Sheva Alomar, a local B.S.A.A. agent of Kijuju, together they must put
aside their differences and embark on a deadly journey of ensuring that
this threat is terminated. Unfortunately for them, there is an almost
endless horde of strange creatures and mutated humans in their path.
Features:
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Chris Redfield,
protagonist of the original Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Code
Veronica, returns
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New environments and
a diverse assortment of locations
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New enemies bring
new challenges: speed and intelligence make adversaries as dangerous
singly as they are in groups.
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An arsenal of
weapons at the players command to keep the evil at bay, including
knives, pistols, machine guns, sniper rifles and more.
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Lighting effects
provide a new level of suspense in both harsh light and deepest
shadow
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True high definition
gaming on multiple game platforms, using an advanced version of
Capcom’s proprietary game engine, MT Framework, which powered the
next-gen, million-plus hit titles Devil May Cry 4, Lost Planet and
Dead Rising.
Although the gameplay is
quite reminiscent of Resident Evil 4 in this third person, over the
shoulder camera angle, the limitations of the previous game are also
present in this current version. Unlike game such as Tomb Raider or
first person shooters, Resident Evil 5 is quite a slow paced game, that
is, in terms of movement and engaging in combat. It's not to say that
the gameplay is bad, far from it, it just means don't expect action at
every corner of the world you play. Think slow and methodological.
You have access to a plethora
of entertaining weapons, however in order to shoot your gun, you need to come to a
standstill. This can be quite tricky at the best of times, especially
when a horde of zombies are attempting to kill you. Thankfully you have
a partner in crime called Sheva.
The best part of the
gameplay is the introduction of a workable character that must be used in conjunction with your
main character to successfully complete the game and I must commend
CAPCOM for making the AI of the game quite realistic at times. The
introduction of a workable non-player character must also be used when
you are battling bosses or attempting to access other areas of the game.
The game also supports
an in-depth split screen mode or you can play cooperatively through XBox
Live, however if you don’t, Sheva is easily one of the most realistic AI
team mates that I have had the pleasure of playing with. There is also
an online leader board which records scores.
The fiddle some inventory system of the
Resident Evil series has received a much needed face lift that is
oozing with modern gaming. Players can only store up to 9 items which
can easily be accessed via the D-Pad on the Microsoft 360 controller.
Another twist is that the game no longer pauses when you access your
inventory, which really adds to the adrenaline pumping nature of the
survival horror genre. Even better, you can trade items with your partner which is
great and in turn, allows for up to 18 items between you both.
In terms of gameplay, the creators of Resident Evil have successfully managed to once again
all the elements of the survival horror genre as you are always playing
the game on edge because you don’t know what’s around the corner or if you
have enough ammunition. The cutscenes flawless meld with the in-game
graphics that also adds to the experience.
The combat in the game is great and you are
often saving your ammunition due to the nature of the game and
thankfully the AI player also walks this path too. Match that with a
variety of boss battles throughout the game and this is one game that
will have your heart rate pulsing. Throw in some unlockable items in
the game and also points that can be used to purchase characters,
costumes ammunition and the like and this gives you some personal
objectives to reach.
Graphically, Resident Evil 5 is pure eye
candy that simply looks stunning on the XBox 360. The characters are
extremely well animated and contain some very realistic texture who move
with a human-like grace. The facial expressions are thoroughly
realistic. Match that with some great in-game cutscenes
which not only help progress the story but also the sense of urgency and
you have a very well made game. The attention to detail at times is
breathtaking. Add in a very cool and ambient soundtrack with some over
the top voice acting (a standard for CAPCOM) and some great sound
effects which need to be heard through a surround sound system and
Resident Evil 5 is a visually and very good sounding game.
In conclusion, Resident Evil 5 may have slightly moved away from the
original premise of the game but it’s good to see the developers try a
different path for this series. Most gamers should complete this title
in around 10 – 15 hours, however the game still offers some great replay
value as there is quite a large amount of things to see and do in the
game which you probably missed the first time around. It may not be the fastest game on the market, however in terms of
story, presentation and fun, Resident Evil 5 does quite well.
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