In 2005, Resident Evil 4 was released for the Nintendo Gamecube. Taking
the series in an entirely new direction, it introduced concepts that
have provided the groundwork for many of today's highest grossing
games. Now, 4 years later, Resident Evil 5 has arrived. Despite a
somewhat dated control scheme and some derivative enemies, RE5 is worth
playing, if only to experience the beautifully crafted boss battles and
technically stunning graphics.
Graphics:
Resident Evil 5 is the best looking game on any console. Barring
Crysis, I have not seen a more technically impressive game released, on
any console. Every texture is modeled perfectly, but despite that
aspect of the graphics, what makes them so impressive is the lighting.
The stark contrast between light and dark works wonders for the games
immersion and realism. Despite this, there are some objects that feel
like they should be effected by your interactions with them, but this
is a small blemish on an otherwise stunning technical achievement.
However, where the game truly shines technically is in the pre-rendered
cinematics. They are made using the in-game engine, and while the voice
acting is spotty, they are a treat to behold. The camera angles work to
highlight the games technically impressive graphics, and immerse you in
the game in a way nearly as impressive as many high-budget Hollywood
movies. From the highly polished cinematics to the beautiful in-game
environments and characters, RE5 is a technical feat worthy of the
highest accolades.
Score: 9.5
Summary: Despite some limited environmental interactions, great
lighting and beautiful texture work combine to create the most
beautiful game on any console.
Audio:
The audio in Resident Evil 5 is a mixed bag. On one side, the guns and
explosions sound very good, giving them a heavy, meaty feel that suits
the game well. However, the trademark dodgy voice-acting that the
Resident Evil series has been known for returns in full force. Chris is
your everyday manly-man, while Sheva is the stereotypical
badass-action-girl, and while these stereotypes are fine, many of the
lines seem forced and overly melodramatic, wheras at other times the
characters come off as stoic and nonchalant. Without spoiling any of
the games bosses and enemies, the voice acting is, again, a mixed bag,
varying from decently characterized evil-doers to the corny, cheesy
bosses series fans have come to expect.
Score: 8
Summary: Good effects and weapon sounds, however, the game's audio
package is marred by typical Resident Evil spotty voice-acting.
Gameplay:
This is where Resident Evil 5 truly becomes hit-or-miss. While Resident
Evil 4 introduced revolutionary changes to the third-person action
genre, Resident Evil 5 seems somewhat tentative in comparison. While it
does not regress on any of the advances in RE4, it does not expand upon
them either. This would have been more palatable had RE5 been released
only a year or two following RE4, but in the series' 4 year absence,
games have advanced upon the strides made in RE4, and this results in
RE5 feeling somewhat dated in comparison. The game sticks to its
stand-and-fire mechanics, and they are fairly successful in the game.
However, when this becomes to feel dodgy is once you advance later into
the game and the game begins force-feeding you cover sections. Compared
to the advances made by games like Gears of War, (yes, I know that GOW
did not invent cover-systems, but it revolutionized them), and
Rainbow-Six: Vegas(1-2), the cover system in RE5 feels sticky and
un-intuitive in comparison. The game simply does not achieve the flow
that these titles achieved, and suffers for it. Cover is limited only
to spots where the designers felt you needed to take cover, and thus
ends up feeling like a contrived excuse to join in on the "new" fad.
This would not have been an issue had taking cover merely been an
option, a fall-back if you will. However, if it is your first play
through, some of the enemies you face will end up forcing you into
using the mechanic. However, if you end up finishing the game and go
back for a second, (or third, or forth) play-through, with upgraded and
unlocked weapons, this becomes less of an issue. Having unlocked the
Hydra triple-barreled shotgun, or the trademark "hand-cannon" (S&W
M500 Magnum), cover becomes less needed, due to the sheer amount of
fire-power at your disposal.
This brings me to the biggest hit-or-miss aspect of the game. It is
short, beaten on the first play-through in somewhere between 7-12
hours. However, this is not the end of the experience. Having beaten
the game once, you will unlock new costumes, game-filters, and, most
importantly, mercenaries mode, a score-based time-trial mode that is
surprisingly addictive in the same way that Gears of War's horde mode
is. Another big draw is that, if you have fully upgraded a weapon, you
are then able to use points accrued by beating the game, completing
challenges, shooting emblems, and the like to buy infinite ammo for the
gun. Also, many of the weapons, when fully upgraded, allow for the
purchase of even more powerful weapons, which can in turn be upgraded.
This lends credibility to the games insanely difficult "Pro" difficulty
level, which nearly requires a fully upgraded hydra just for survival.
In short, RE5 is a game that is meant to be played multiple times, and
the addictive mercenaries mode lends it even more replay-value.
Score: 8.5
Summary: A somewhat dated control scheme holds back an otherwise great
game. Though short, the main campaign can be re-played at higher
difficulty levels, and mercenaries mode and various other unlockables
make this a highly re-playable game.
Scores:
Graphics: 9.5
Audio: 8
Gameplay: 8.5
Overall: 8.5
Summary: Despite feeling somewhat dated, Resident Evil 5 is a
beautifully polished game with some memorable boss fights and sometimes
hit-or-miss controls. It may not be a huge leap forwards, but it
certainly is not a step backwards either, and is a must for fans of the
previous game, and highly recommended for action-shooter fans in
general.
