One Giant Review: Resident Evil 5

So it’s been a while since Resident Evil 5 was released, so why am I doing this review now? Simply because I haven’t had enough time to actually sit down and slay zombies.

The first One Giant Review, what a special moment. What better time to review the sequel to arguably the best zombie horror action adventure game ever? So hopefully by now you know what game I am talking about, considering it’s mentioned in the title and the first paragraph. That’s right, it’s Resident Evil 5.

Resident Evil 5 tells the story of Chris Redfield, a former member of S.T.A.R.S. Alpha team, who is now an agent of the B.S.A.A. Organization (Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance). Chris travels to the fictional nation named Kijuju in Africa to investigate a growing “zombie” virus.

RESIDENT EVIL 5

+ Graphics: When I started up this game, to be completely honest, I thought I was in Africa. The intricate details on the character models and textures on buildings, objects and the landscape convinced me that this was no standard next-gen game. This game was a beauty to behold. Walking by a crow perched on a fence, and seeing it take flight while at least three of its feathers flew down to the ground was stunning. Not to mention the shadows, everywhere I moved, be it under a tree or into the sun, the shadows either covered or uncovered me.



+ Storyline: The story in Resident Evil 5 continues from its predecessor, Resident Evil 4. Believe me, with all the many twists, turns, and action the player encounters, you won’t want this game to end. The game uses great voice acting, which makes the game seem more like a movie, in a good way of course.

+ Cooperative Play: Capcom made the right decision adding two main characters to the game. Being able to provide and receive backup from your partner only increases the fun factor of this game. Playing co-op with a friend or stranger only increases the playability, especially when using microphones. Making strategies and playing them out with your partner can create a certain tension in the game, giving a new way to complete and beat the game.

+ Strong Replay Value: After completing the game for the first time, players receive special unlocks and items that make the player want to play the game again. Players can change their clothes, purchase unlimited ammo, and change their visual modes (Cinematic) to change the way you experience the game. Speaking of unlimited ammo, this is my favorite feature in Resident Evil 5, playing the game again on Veteran difficulty using unlimited ammo and running around in my safari suit only boosts the fun factor.



-
Loading Screens: The one thing that I hate the most about this game is its loading screens. Popping up every time the player moves to another section, enters an interactive cut scene, or after an interactive cut scene is completed, the loading times almost feel like they pop up just for the sake of popping up. Some loading screens are either 10 – 15 seconds, and others can reach to almost a minute or more.

-
Button Mashing: Why encourage button mashing? Am I the only player who thinks that button mashing is not the way to complete a select maneuver? Many times throughout Resident Evil 5, the player is forced to tap continuously at one or two buttons to complete a task or maneuver, and no I am not talking about the interactive cut scenes. For instance, at the ending of the game (Chapter 6-3), in the very last scene, the bridge collapses under Sheva, forcing her to grab on to the ledge. The player is then forced to beat down a certain button as fast as they can for at least a minute or two in order to make Sheva climb up. Why must we mash a button that has nothing to do with what the character is doing? It makes no sense.

-
Are you frozen?: You have all probably heard that while aiming your weapon, you cannot move. This of course eliminates run-and-gun, an aspect of game play common in first person shooters. Some of you may say that this is not a FPS, and that is true, but wouldn’t it be smart to run away and shoot at the incoming zombies?

9/10

Even with its flaws, Resident Evil 5 is a great game. Although it lacks any real scares or frights, Resident Evil 5 combines solid game play, graphics, and teamwork to create an excellent sequel to a well-known franchise.

Resident Evil 5 was developed by Capcom, and can be purchased at any main game retail facility, or online at amazon.com or gamestop.com.



Please leave your comments below and give suggestions. As this is the first of many One Giant Review’s, I would like to know your opinion.