As you are aware i wasn’t a massive fan of the demo which released a short while ago, however the final game is out now and here is my review, its just a shame things don’t improve after the demo.
Resident Evil 5
Players 1-2 (Co-op)
Online 2 (Co-op)
Campaign length 9-11 Hours
Release Date Out Now
Resident Evil as you can probably guess from the title are meant to be in ‘Survival Horror’ genre, over the years Capcom have excelled in this area with previous entrants into the Resident Evil franchise. However after completing Resident Evil 5 a couple of times, i can’t get the impression that it is actually a Survival Horror game and I really see it as more of an Action title which is disappointing.
I have two reasons for this, the first of which is that the game is played at a faster pace than previous games and there is a lot more action. Now this already takes away a lot of the tension required to be classed as a horror title. The Second reason is Co-op. I will say that the Co-op is a blast and i highly recommend that if you pick this game up that you go through it in Co-op mode. However the problem with having someone with you who can revive you really takes away the ‘Survial’ part of the game.
Now here’s where the control problem comes in, because its comes across as more of an action game not being able to move is still frustrating like it was in the demo, while you do it used to it, it will be one of the features you will remember about the game for the wrong reasons, however this wouldn’t be the case if they created a more of a survival horror title, as the frustrating controls would work well in creating tension and panic aka Resident Evil 4.
The game isn’t all bad however, while it uses some of the Resident Evil 4 animations, the level of visuals is very high and is up there with Killzone 2 and Uncharted as best visuals this generation so far. Likewise the sound is also good. The game also boasts great enemy AI, while the friendly AI is average at best which is another reason why i recommend that you play the game on Co-op, the enemy AI is good enough to give you a decent challenge.
The game also has a half decent story which is nice considering a decent story is one feature of games which seems to be dying out in recent years. Overall the game left me with a ‘meh’ feeling. It felt dated and Capcom really needs to have a long hard think about the next title, either they create another action game however change the controls accordingly or they go back to the series roots. However what ever root they chose to take there are plenty of titles on the market which they can gain ideas from.
What We Loved
-The Visuals
-The Story/settings
-Enemy AI
-Co-op
What We Hated
-Left feeling disappointed
-Friendly AI
-Dated and Frustrating Controls
Overall Verdict – 2 Stars (what does this mean?)
I do have a feeling that there will be a lot of people out there which will disagree with this review, but whenever you class Resi Evil 5 as an Action or Survival Horror title there are better options out there in each genre (as the score given shows - A below average game compared to others in its genre). Give this title a rental at best.
March 16, 2009 at 1:51 am
This really is the biggest disappointment for me so far this generation. I have friends who rave about this game but i can’t see where they are coming from.
I do recommend either Dead Space or Siren: Blood Curse over this.
March 16, 2009 at 2:53 am
Hi this blog is great I will be recommending it to friends.
March 16, 2009 at 11:49 am
when it goes to ps3,it’s ok,n nice,but when it’s goes to pc,it’s really sucks!
March 19, 2009 at 2:52 am
Interesting blog, I’ll try and spread the word.
March 19, 2009 at 6:21 pm
[...] Bioshock 2: Sea of Dreams Details Resident Evil 5 Review [...]
March 19, 2009 at 10:34 pm
this is my first and last post on this pathetic website, your review is pathetic as are you, RE5 is the best game this gen and nothing compares, you call yourself a gamer? Then get over the controls and be a man and be up for the challenge
March 19, 2009 at 10:38 pm
@ash7612
Thank You for your comment. In my personal opinion Resident Evil 5 is a massive let down and there are far better games out there. However if you like the game yourself, why do you care about my opinion so much?
And as for the controls, they provided me with a poor gaming experience, especially when comparing them to other survival horror games this generation such as Dead Space and Siren: Blood Curse.
However like every other review out there this is just opinion at the end of the day and everyone is aloud their own one.
March 19, 2009 at 11:04 pm
ok dont take any offence i dont mean to sound rude or nothing but the controls are a part of RE, it has been there since the start so why should it change now? RE plays like RE and not like gears or dead space, why can’t you see that and judge it for what it is and not what it isn’t?
March 19, 2009 at 11:28 pm
@ash7612
No offence taken. While yes the controls have always been part of RE, however as the series has changed, the controls needed to change however they haven’t.
Like i stated in the review, Resi 5 is more Action Horror now and with the game being at a faster pace and more enemy’s at once, the controls just don’t work as well as they used to in previous games.
I would have no problem with the controls if the series was still a survival horror, however it isn’t and while that isn’t a problem, the fact they have kept the controls the same is the problem.
Hope that makes sense.
However at the end of the day its all opinion, and you will never find a product which everyone shares the same opinion.
PS Gamer UK