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RESIDENT EVIL 5 (PS3)
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Publisher: Capcom.
Developer: Capcom. Released: March 2009. Genre: Action/Adventure. Other versions: X360; PC. Posted 21st September 2023. By Shane Battams © 2023 |
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Once the chief progenitor of survival horror, Resident Evil – much like the biohazard monstrosities synonymous with it – has morphed and expanded into several genres over the years. The most dramatic metamorphosis came with the fourth game: an action-focused rollercoaster that defined third-person shooters for a generation to come and was critically lauded. It’s bewildering, then, that RE5 proved one of the most contentious entries in the series, as it merely continues on the lucrative path established. While diehards would be left disappointed by the lack of survival horror tendencies, this was nevertheless an intense and exhilarating shooter, especially when played with a friend.
Set four years after the previous game, Chris Redfield is a member of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance which serves as a force to deter Bioterrorism. He is dispatched to the fictional African region of Kijuju to work with Sheva Alomar, a member of the BSAA’s African division. Attempting to intercept a bioweapon arms deal, things go downhill when it is revealed that the locals are infected and turned into Majini, raving monsters with a thirst for violence. Chris and Sheva must uncover the root cause of this outbreak while confronting ghosts from Redfield’s past. Utilising motion capture for cut-scenes, the story unfolds nicely with some intriguing twists and dark sequences, though the series’ tendency for stiff acting and cringe-inducing dialogue remains rampant.
The co-op dynamic is RE5's most notable change: it's great fun whether played with AI or a friend
Resident Evil 5 retains many of the mechanical elements of its predecessor. While controlling Chris or Sheva from an over-the-shoulder perspective, you can move freely until aiming forces you to stand still. The trademark knife attack is performed by holding down the L1 button and attacking. This helps conserve ammo but proves a weaker, riskier mode of attack. Both characters start with a basic pistol, but you can collect and purchase firearms, explosives and even melee weapons with currency found as you play. You’re often tasked with making your way through hordes of Majini, with very brief spurts of puzzle-solving and dramatic QTE events. The game feels quite partitioned, with the story divided into dozens of shorter chapters – a likely compromise due to the biggest addition to the game.
RE5 is built with co-op in mind, and it’s one of the most successful of its kind. Two players can guide Chris and Sheva through the entirety of the game, and it throws a few neat features into the mix. You can trade items, heal each other with herbs and even resuscitate your partner should they see their health depleted. While it continues to shed the horror elements of classic Resident Evil, it adds a layer of tension. Frantic struggles force you to prioritise your partner in a mob of Majini, QTEs are spread between both players and brief instances of separate paths form some of the most tense, challenging segments. That being said, the lone gamer can enjoy this one fully with an AI partner. They prove quite adept at healing and defending themselves, and they’re always willing to trade items.
RE5 is built with co-op in mind, and it’s one of the most successful of its kind. Two players can guide Chris and Sheva through the entirety of the game, and it throws a few neat features into the mix. You can trade items, heal each other with herbs and even resuscitate your partner should they see their health depleted. While it continues to shed the horror elements of classic Resident Evil, it adds a layer of tension. Frantic struggles force you to prioritise your partner in a mob of Majini, QTEs are spread between both players and brief instances of separate paths form some of the most tense, challenging segments. That being said, the lone gamer can enjoy this one fully with an AI partner. They prove quite adept at healing and defending themselves, and they’re always willing to trade items.
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Whichever side of the fence you find yourself on, Resident Evil 5 should be considered a fantastic action game, with a litany of memorable set pieces. The intro chapter has you fending off dozens of Majini in a cramped building as well as contending with an axe-wielding monstrosity. An intense pursuit has you manning a vehicular turret while fending off motorcycle-riding Majini and convoy trucks of death. Later chapters put the pedal to the metal, with non-stop action that is visceral and heart-pounding. There’s also a great selection of slower-paced chapters to help you catch your breath, including an intricate marshland which has hidden islands for extra treasure. It strikes a decent balance, one that keeps the action from becoming muted.
Capcom’s shooter would also prove a technical masterpiece. The visuals are simply breathtaking for the gen, with incredible lighting, sun-kissed environments and some outstanding details. Characters look great, despite some huge changes to iconic staples of Resident Evil, and the motion capture during cut-scenes really lends them a dynamism. The explosions, often tinting the screen with an orange hue that forces the player to squint, are very impressive. The Majini enjoy fast animation and varied models, and despite all the action on-screen, RE5 manages to maintain a smooth performance. The sound has pros and cons. As mentioned, the voice work and writing can be stiff. However, the music is great, with some memorable tracks that both heighten the action and intensity. The guns are potent, the classic RE jingles feel well-placed and the action is ear-ringing.
Capcom’s shooter would also prove a technical masterpiece. The visuals are simply breathtaking for the gen, with incredible lighting, sun-kissed environments and some outstanding details. Characters look great, despite some huge changes to iconic staples of Resident Evil, and the motion capture during cut-scenes really lends them a dynamism. The explosions, often tinting the screen with an orange hue that forces the player to squint, are very impressive. The Majini enjoy fast animation and varied models, and despite all the action on-screen, RE5 manages to maintain a smooth performance. The sound has pros and cons. As mentioned, the voice work and writing can be stiff. However, the music is great, with some memorable tracks that both heighten the action and intensity. The guns are potent, the classic RE jingles feel well-placed and the action is ear-ringing.
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Resident Evil 5 is consistently exciting, with loads of action and some exciting boss fights
Resident Evil 5 has a ton of meat on the bones too. Though you can finish the campaign in around 10 hours, you can end up, like with the series’ best entries, playing through multiple times. Collectible BSAA emblems, sellable treasures and an unlockable difficulty that will test your skills to the max, all add reasons to return. There’s a lot of engrossing upgrade systems too, allowing you to enhance the guns you’ve collected. After fully upgrading them, you can eventually unlock infinite ammo. There are rewards for speed-runs, unlockable outfits for both Chris and Sheva and lots of extra bonuses. Not to mention the prospect of co-op. It’s loaded.
Resident Evil 5’s legacy would prove a divisive one, with the gaming press stirring controversy and fans voicing their disapproval at the series moving further away from its survival horror roots. However, for the latter, a playthrough should clear any doubt in your mind: Capcom would craft one of the most intense, stunning and enjoyable action games of the generation. Narrative inconsistencies and a few foibles with controls mean it’s not quite top of its class, and it doesn’t prove as revolutionary as its predecessor, but it’s still a treat to explore, especially if you can find a friend to join you. Those who can shed their preconceived notions as to what a Resident Evil game is should pick it up without hesitation.
Resident Evil 5’s legacy would prove a divisive one, with the gaming press stirring controversy and fans voicing their disapproval at the series moving further away from its survival horror roots. However, for the latter, a playthrough should clear any doubt in your mind: Capcom would craft one of the most intense, stunning and enjoyable action games of the generation. Narrative inconsistencies and a few foibles with controls mean it’s not quite top of its class, and it doesn’t prove as revolutionary as its predecessor, but it’s still a treat to explore, especially if you can find a friend to join you. Those who can shed their preconceived notions as to what a Resident Evil game is should pick it up without hesitation.
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VERDICT
"Despite narrative inconsistencies and a few foibles with controls, Resident Evil 5 proves one of the most intense, stunning and enjoyable action games of the generation." OVERALL: 8/10 |
PIXEL SECONDS: RESIDENT EVIL 5 (PS3)
Survival horror’s loss was action gaming’s gain in 2009 as Resident Evil 5 simultaneously managed to alienate series die-hards and yet deliver one of the most enjoyable co-op experiences of its time. Continuing RE4’s from-the-hip third-person approach, RE5 upped the ante considerably in the action stakes, thrilling the player with numerous fraught battles and exciting boss fights. The combat is tricky and satisfying, with a range of fantastic (and upgradable) weapons and grisly enemies. Bright yet hostile African-inspired settings make for a profound but effective change from the claustrophobic interiors of earlier instalments, and the game looks superb. It’s tailor-made to promote teamwork, with co-op (either online or split-screen) showing this off to fine effect. Whether it’s providing sniper cover for a partner, teaming up to solve a puzzle, or delivering a crucial shotgun blast in the nick of time to save them from an ambush, Capcom pulled out all the stops to give it a buddy movie vibe. The developers never received the credit they deserved for the partner AI: Sheva’s handy in a gunfight without taking all the kills, and she rarely gets into trouble unnecessarily. This means the game is plenty of fun, even in single-player. The story and voicing are as hammy as you’d expect from Resident Evil (we wouldn’t have it any other way) and there are a few strange moments, not least a scene that has Chris repeatedly punching a boulder in the closing stages. Nevertheless, copious explosions, a marvellously malevolent villain and massively over-the-top shooting all add to the fun. RE5 is jam-packed with great sequences, and bursting with incentives to encourage repeat plays. [8] – Tom Clare © 2023
OTHER ACTION-LED RESIDENT EVIL GAMES REVIEWED
Resident Evil: Operation Raccoon City (2012, PS3)
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Resident Evil 6 (2012, PS3)
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