You are now entering the world of Action Horror...
If Resident Evil 4's reboot of Capcom's famous Survival Horror franchise proved one thing, it's that a sequel can be completely different from every other game in the series, so long as it happens to be five-star stunning. Conversely, the biggest flaw with Resident Evil 5 is that it is, if anything, far too similar to its lauded predecessor to avoid comparison. And comparisons to one of the most celebrated games of all time are always going to skew your judgement.
Playing catchup
So, we should probably get the big negatives out of the way first. At around 10-12 hours long, Resident Evil 5 is about half as big as Resi 4. It's also nowhere near as fresh-feeling. In the last four years, games like Gears of War have built upon the foundation of third-person shooters, and with its ill-fitting linearity, insta-death QTEs and occasional me-too cover system, Resi 5 at times feels like it's trying to play catchup with conventions its forebear helped create.
Gameplay is weighted almost entirely towards action-packed gunplay, and the most significant scares come from unexpected attacks in the heat of battle.
Lastly, there's that thorny issue of franchise integrity. Before Resi 4, Survival Horror used to mean exploration, tension and surprise scares. Resident Evil 5 is linear, bombastic and so in-your-face that instead of feeling afraid, you can at times actually feel a tad desensitised.
Still want to play it? You should. It may not be highly original, but Resident Evil 5 on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 delivers enough thrills along its gore-laden rollercoaster ride to make it well worth a purchase, while spinning out a story which (unlike RE4) feels like it really belongs in the long-running series.
It's difficult to call Resi 5 'Survival Horror', really – Action Horror would be more appropriate. There's plenty of mutated nasties, gruesome bloodshed and a general all-pervading sense of dread throughout, but the gameplay is weighted almost entirely towards action-packed gunplay, and the most significant scares come from unexpected attacks in the heat of battle, not the creeping, insidious fear of roaming around a spooky mansion, never knowing when to expect the next zombie onslaught.
Let go of the old ways, though, and Resident Evil 5 proves a relentlessly enjoyable action romp. Indeed, as a third-person shooter, it's probably second only to Gears of War 2. The big controversy is of course the aiming system; unlike its genre counterparts, you can't shoot and move at the same time. The cynics would call it a stubborn refusal to move with the times. Capcom say it adds to the tension. We'd tend to agree with the latter philosophy.
Don't panic!
There are times in Resi 5 where you'll be pelting away from foes, quick-turning and struggling to get off a few rounds before they're upon you. It creates an enormous sense of panic, and a deep interdependence between you and your co-op partner.
Sheva is her name – and she's Resi 5's other big talking point. Played on your own, it's down to the computer to control her actions, and it does a passable, if not wholly intelligent job. There are times she'll run off and get slaughtered, while at others she'll seem for all the world like her sole purpose in life is to drain your ammo resources. In that respect, it's hard to argue that Capcom haven't sacrificed some of the singleplayer experience in order to include co-op.
The feeling of friendly co-operation against hordes of undead is never less than tantalisingly nerve-wracking.
With a second player controlling her however, Resident Evil 5 springs to life. A little like a two-player Left 4 Dead, you'll be screaming for help, covering each other, picking complimentary weapons (we went for Chris with a shotgun, pistol and sniper, while Sheva took a machine gun, grenade launcher and handgun), and always foraging for ammo and health pickups, both in crates and the shrivelled corpses of your intelligent, ferocious, parasite-infected foes.
The inventory metagame has always been an intrinsic part of the Resi experience, and in RE5 it's handled fittingly, with a real-time menu letting the pair exchange and discard items, upgrade weapons and between chapters (and after death) purchase new firearms, vests and health with treasures found throughout the game. Sadly the jewel/treasure combining from Resi 4 is absent, and the inventory is never upgradeable, so there is a distinct feeling of dumbing down – and yet, the interrelation between Chris and Sheva is pronounced enough to make up for it; the feeling of friendly co-operation against hordes of undead never less than tantalisingly nerve-wracking – especially on the harder difficulties, where Resi 5 becomes the intense, frightening experience it always promised.
Lap it up
This feeling is transplanted to Resident Evil 5's Mercenaries mode, which on 360 (and hopefully soon PS3) has just received a patch to be playable online. Unlocked after completing the story, Mercenaries is like Resi's two-person answer to Gears 2's Horde, and adds time-attacking, high-scoring shooter fun to the package – while competitive multiplayer modes are also a future possibility.
It goes without saying that Resident Evil 5 looks fantastic, but it's also difficult to escape the simple fact that with its brash action focus and an overall lack of exploration, it doesn't feel that much like Resi any more – and the way it ends makes us wonder where the series goes from here. Rumours are rife of another revamp, which might not be such a bad thing. For now, though, the many fans of Resi 4, Gears et al should lap up Resident Evil 5, before the series mutates once more.
GAME's Verdict
- A supremely paced, panic-inducing action romp with a story that really belongs in the series.
- Superbly implemented co-op and ammo-foraging, item-swapping inventory management.
- Online Mercenaries mode massively extends the longevity.
- Nowhere near as fresh-feeling - and only half as long - as Resi 4.
- Treasure and inventory dumbed-down, cover system feels shoehorned in for Gears of War fans.
- Incredibly linear; no real puzzles; not particular tense - it really doesn't feel like Resi any more.
Review by: Mark 'Agent S' Scott (with co-op assistance from Lee 'Operative H' Higgitt)
Version Tested: Xbox 360
Review Published: 11.03.09