Resident Evil 5 Platinum PlayStation 3

Resident Evil 5 Platinum Product Details

Released on 19/02/2010

• History of Resident Evil Series

  "You are now entering the world of Survival Horror..."

  Few videogame series can claim to have reinvented a genre. Capcom's Resident Evil can, several times over. Coined by the first game in the series, the term Survival Horror has become synonymous with shocks, scares, and a web of intrigue so convoluted - and gaming dialogue so utterly cheesy - that you can't help but be sucked in. There have been pretenders, and several spinoffs (including Capcom's own Dino Crisis), yet none have managed to replace Resi as the first series of Survival Horror.

  A big part of that success has been a willingness to innovate. The first game was one of the PlayStation's first immersive 3D Action-Adventures. The second was lauded for its four scenarios, interlocking stories and huge replay value. The third for its heightened action. The series then abandoned Sony hardware and opted for raw power: Sega's Dreamcast got the incredibly polished Code: Veronica; GameCube got an eerie Resi 1 remake and the character-swapping prequel Resi Zero; and then Capcom tore up the rulebook entirely, trading the obscure puzzles and slow-paced trawl for the action masterclass of GC Resident Evil 4.

  In this in-depth retrospective, we look at how the series evolved, the key plot points, and prepare for the all-conquering return of Survival Horror in Resident Evil 5.

• Resident Evil: The Story

  "The right to play God - that right is now mine!"

  
  

  Ten long years since The Mansion Incident. Since members of Raccoon City's Special Tactics And Rescue Service were betrayed by their commander Albert Wesker, defeated the ultimate bioweapon, the Tyrant, and escaped Umbrella's secret underground labs. Months after, Raccoon City itself was obliterated by nuclear strike, following a T-Virus outbreak which turned the city's inhabitants into zombies - and other, far more terrible creatures.

  Chris Redfield, former S.T.A.R.S. member and Spencer Mansion survivor, is now an agent of the Bioterrorism Security Asssessment Alliance - an organisation set up to deal with the fallout following the collapse of Umbrella Corp. Umbrella's Bio-Organic Weapons research has reached terrorist organisations, and fear is high that another Raccoon City cataclysm could occur.

  Teaming up with fellow BSAA operative Sheva Alomar, Chris heads to Africa's Kijuju region, to a rendezvous with a contact named Irving - only for the pair to find themselves confronted with an army of infected villagers. Beating back the bloodthirsty hordes, Chris and Sheva follow Irving's trail - and unwittingly stumble into a much larger conspiracy. Still haunted by the loss of his former partner, Jill, Chris will face a virus-powered Wesker, seek the truth behind Jill's apparent murder, and ultimately uncover the origins of Umbrella's entire research; the Progenitor Virus.

• Resident Evil 5: Midnight Madness

  Midnight Madness: The Resi 5 Birmingham Launch!

  A windy central Birmingham in the dead of a Thursday night / Friday morning might not be everyone's idea of a good time, but for a crowd of loyal gamers this was the scene of a midnight madness celebrating the latest release in one of gaming's most enduringly popular, and downright frightening series.

  Resident Evil 5 is of course the title in question - the sixth core release in a franchise that's spanned thirteen years, created the evocatively named 'Survival Horror' genre, and has found a following on everything from Sony's original PlayStation console to Dreamcast, GameCube, and now the twin powerhouses PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

  For a series so predicated on scares, it was fitting for Resident Evil 5 to release at the stroke of midnight on the creepiest date in the calendar - Friday 13th. The atmosphere in the Birmingham Pallasades GAME Store a couple of hours before launch was suitably tense; "I'm really not sure what to expect tonight" admitted Store manager Sarah Stallard. "The Wii launch was big and there were huge queues for GTA IV last year, but Resi maybe has a more cult appeal - I certainly wouldn't say it's a game for everyone."

  She had a point: with a stark BBFC 18 rating, shedloads of gore and not a small smattering of disturbing imagery, Resident Evil 5 is certainly a game for the adult horror flick fanatic and people that like their games jump-inducingly atmospheric.

  Amongst that number were the Store's three assistants, Sean and Dan Sheahan and Jason Lobban, who had dressed up as zombies especially for the event. Loading up a retail copy of the game to get in a few sneaky goes before the doors opened to the public, all three were blown away by Resi 5's HD visuals (the word "lush" was used on more than one occasion), although it wasn't long before they were stuck. "How the hell do we get out of this room?!" they cried in frustration, before finding that they could jump out of a first-floor window - and right into a crowd of bloodthirsty, seemingly inhuman villagers. "LEG IT!" they yelled - and they did, right into a nearby hut.

  A cutsecene quickly fired up, showing Resident Evil 5's main character, Chris Redfield, bolt the door shut. "Did you just lock me out?!" yelped Sean, playing as Redfield's new partner Sheva Alomar. Of course, he hadn't - such an act would go against Resident Evil 5's main theme of co-operation. But it goes to show what Resi 5 can do to your nerves - just a few minutes in, and the panic was already apparent.

  And half an hour before the tills opened, so too were the customers. Queues weren't exactly around the block for Resi 5, but it wasn't long before a pack of dedicated (dead-icated?) Survival Horror fans had made their way into the Store - to notably enthusiastic spoofs of Resident Evil 4's Merchant. "What're ya buyin', stranger?" growled the blood-splattered assistants with knowing smiles, before making themselves available to talk about the new Resi 5 products available from midnight. The Mad Catz console skins attracted attention, but it was the Xbox demo pod running the full game which was the understandable focal point - plus the sweets and pizza that the Store had kindly laid on for all in attendance.

  It was during these final few moments before midnight that the tension was at its peak, so I took the chance to quiz a few eager gamers about just what it was about Resi that had brought them out into the midnight March air. "I used to play it on PS2", professed attendee Paul Allen. "Code Veronica was my fave; you were always on the seat of your pants. And the dogs, you were always trying to run away before they got you - can only imagine what they'll be like in this!" Asked what his plans for playing the game were, he admitted he didn't have a co-op partner lined up, but did plan to play the game through the night. "I'm off work sick with a bad knee, so while I'm up I might as well enjoy it!"

  The midnight launch attendees were also keen to find out more about the game they'd come to buy. The consensus was that no-one wanted to see an incredibly short game, so having completed and reviewed the game earlier in the week, I divulged that my own co-op clear time had been in the 12 hour region - much to everyone's relief. Xbox 360 Achievement Points were also discussed (15g per chapter completed, and 45g for finishing the game), but it was the dual confirmations of the unlockable Mercenaries Mode and a planned multiplayer download which raised eyebrows - the latter of which will boast full-on competitive play, and should be available to buy for 400 points on Xbox Live (no word yet on PSN) in the not-so-far future.

  Blitzed

  Switching back to the demo pod, Resi fan Nadim Shamsuddin clearly couldn't get enough of the 5th game. "I've blitzed the demo man, and I absolutely killed Resi 4 - the story, Mercenaries, everything. The thing I like about 5 is in 4, you always had ammo, but here you're always looking for it - it's really tense! And I'll be honest, it took me a few tries to kill the big axe guy - I shot and missed, and he was on me! That's frightening man." Asked about his favourite Resi game, though, he had a few problems. "Code: Veronica was like, just when you think it's ending, here comes Chris Redfield. But my favourite might have to be Resi 2, it was brilliant. Resi 4 was great but it didn't have the zombies - I hope they bring them back. And I think Billy from Resi Zero was a good character; he should be reintroduced."

  Talk then turned to the characters, including the series' ever-present villain Albert Wesker. "Is he still half human, half biological weapon?" he asked "and is Ada in it? Actually, don't tell me - I'm not sure I wanna know!"

  Right on queue

  With that, it was nearly midnight - and with the excitement palpable, the queue at the tills begun to form. Chomping pizza, swapping old Resi war stories (that first Licker confrontation; the El gigante fight; how to become a 'master of unlocking'... well, maybe not that last one) and getting a final few bits of buying advice from the undead-styled staff, it was Paul at the front of the line who was the lucky first to get his much sought-after game - a PS3 Special Edition complete with Strategy Guide for a proper night of professional monster bashing, greeted by a round of applause from everyone present.
  Resident Evil 5 Midnight Madness

  It was a unique and enjoyable evening, culminating with the first purchase of the Limited Edition Red Resi 5 Xbox 360 Elite console - and it's safe to say that everyone went away happy, and ready to face the zombie (well, technically, parasite-infected) hordes. You can join them by grabbing your copy of Resi 5 today - and for the full lowdown on Capcom's latest classic, check out the review.

  A big thanks to everyone at the Birmingham Pallasades GAME Store, and to everyone who attended one of our hundred-plus midnight openings across the country.

  Article by: Mark 'Walking Dead The Next Day' Scott
  Published: 13.03.09

• June launch for Shadows of the Damned

  Summer is supposed to be the time when we spend more time outdoors, but Suda 51 and Shinji Mikami are set to keep us all away from the sun's rays by releasing the eagerly-anticipated action-horror Shadows of the Damned this June.

  Speaking at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco yesterday, the pair confirmed that the game would launch worldwide on 7th June. They also discussed the game's health system, which sees brilliantly-named hero Garcia Hotspur regain energy by taking a slug of booze.

  The summer release makes more sense given the central light-versus-dark mechanic, with Hotspur blasting demons and solving puzzles with the help of Johnson, a demon with the ability to metamorphose into weapons. It seems he's pretty flexible, able to transform into pistols, rifles and even torches to keep the fanged hordes at bay.

  Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's Grindhouse is said to be a major inspiration, though there are also elements of Rodriguez's From Dusk 'Til Dawn in there, too. And Suda's involvement guarantees a few other pop culture references besides.

  This thrilling collaboration is set to be the first major title launched under the new EA Partners banner, and is slated for release on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

• Popcorn and Joysticks - GAME goes to the movies!

  
  

  With Prince of Persia returning to consoles in the very same month the Hollywood version hits the big screen, what better excuse to look back at how others have fared when games and films overlap?

  

  Prince of Persia

  The Game: Nimble, athletic acts of derring-do played out against a colourful Arabian Nights backdrop since 1989. The graphics have changed, but gameplay still focuses on the simple pleasures of swishy swordplay and stunts that laugh in the face of physics.

  The Movie: Based on the 2003 game, The Sands of Time, this shamelessly entertaining romp captures the daredevil thrills of the game perfectly, while inserting appropriate amounts of character and story. The yummy Jake Gyllenhaal and the yummier Gemma Arterton supply the eye candy and witty banter, while Ben Kingsley camps it up as the villainous Vizier.

  Verdict: Since the original game was inspired by Errol Flynn's swashbuckling antics, Prince of Persia was always ripe for the movie treatment. Thankfully, they got it right.

  

  Street Fighter

  The Game: The fighting fan's franchise of choice for over twenty years, this venerable series continues to go from strength to strength with the superbly balanced refinement of Super Street Fighter IV, released last month. Crazy characters with sublime gameplay - it doesn?t get much better than this.

  The Movies: Oh dear. The 1994 movie version is terrible, but has at least taken on a certain cheesy charm over the years, if only for the bizarre pairing of Jean Claude Van Damme as Guile and Kylie Minogue as Cammy. The laughably bad 2009 movie slipped past cinemas and went straight to DVD, more dull than demented. For a truly faithful film experience, fans should stick to the Street Fighter II anime.

  Verdict: Bizarre characters smashing each other to a pulp should be perfect B-movie fodder, but the lack of plot combined with dense backstory keeps tripping Street Fighter up.

  

  Ghostbusters

  The Movie: A seminal combination of action, comedy and horror, the 1984 original is still one of the most enjoyable and quotable blockbusters around. The 1989 sequel repeats the formula to disappointing effect, but the cast manage to keep things lively even as the story droops into slimy sentimentality.

  The Game: There have been several Ghostbusters games over the years, but it wasn't until 2009 that we got something that truly recaptured the movie's unique tone. Having Dan Ackroyd and Harold Ramis on script duty helped, but getting the notoriously reluctant Bill Murray to return was a real coup. Strip away the fan-pleasing scenarios and dialogue and it's just another corridor shooter, but a shamelessly entertaining one all the same.

  Verdict: It took twenty five years, but the result was an affectionate game that expanded and honoured its source material rather than just exploiting it.

  

  Super Mario Bros

  The Games: Really? You need this explaining? The most successful videogame franchise in history. A catalogue of nigh perfect game design. A series that continues to inspire and innovate, whether its New Super Mario Bros on the DS or Super Mario Galaxy 2 on the Wii. If you hate Mario, you have no soul. That?s science, people.

  The Movie: Urgh. Look away, children! Taking the bright, inviting worlds created by Miyamoto and drowning them in an oily mess of techno-grunge architecture and smug 1990s blockbusterisms, this is one of the worst films ever made. Bob Hoskins has the moustache and dungarees, but the film bears no resemblance to the games, either in quality or intent. Horrible.

  Verdict: Burn it with fire. The perfect videogame hero, Mario simply doesn't translate to live action. Never try this again, Hollywood.

  

  Resident Evil

  The Games: Bombastic sci-fi horror with a parade of tough cops and military types creeping around mansions and secret labs trying - and spectacularly failing - to contain the monster-making T-Virus. Since Resident Evil 4 the games have become more about action than atmosphere, much to the annoyance of some fans.

  The Movies: Well, they've got the sci fi and horror bits, and key characters from the games crop up occasionally, but this surprisingly hardy series exists more as an alternate off-shoot from the games than a literal translation. The lack of blood and guts is the number one complaint from fans used to brain-bursting headshots.

  Verdict: Both are as daft and camp as each other, but apart from sharing a title and some characters, there's not much connection between the two. Harmless dumb fun.

  

  Tomb Raider

  The Games: Posh girl Lara Croft travels the globe, locating ancient relics, battling supernatural forces and shooting endangered species while wearing the very latest in bottom-and-boob hugging outfits. Some would say her appeal has dimmed in recent years, as developers struggle to find new ways to do the same old thing, but she's still a force to be reckoned with.

  The Movies: All the pieces are there, but the fact that both the Angelina Jolie-starring efforts have been average (and that's being generous) suggests that you need more than an ass-kicking babe and exotic locations to make a good movie.

  Verdict: The movies are accurate enough in translating all the important elements of Lara to the big screen, but her exploits are inevitably more interesting when you're controlling every leap and scramble.

  Published: 18/05/2010

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