Resident Evil 5 Xbox 360 Reviewed

Evolution of a Revolution - Familiar Controls and Incredible Visuals

Jul 13, 2009

Resident Evil 5 delivers tenfold with its incredibly vivid visuals, but the experience is slightly marred due in part to an antiquated control scheme and lackluster plot

Evolution of the Resident Evil Franchise

In 2004 Capcom released Resident Evil 4 to critical acclaim. The game awed audiences with a refreshing take on the third person action genre, implementing the "over the shoulder" camera angle which has since been the standard in a barrage of video games up til today. Now, 5 years later Capcom has released Resident Evil 5 which is a fine sequel to one of the most well received games of the last generation, but fails to make a significant impact.

Resident Evil was the first successful pioneer franchise in the survival-horror genre, but has since evolved into the action genre through on through. Resident Evil 4 was the first in the franchise to stray from its ancestral path, but Resident Evil 5 follows down a different path altogether.

Story

Resident Evil 5 casts players as the protagonist male archetype of the story - Chris Redfield. Set in the fictional Kijuju dessert in Africa, Chris has been sent by the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA) to investigate the threat of a biochemical weapon in enemy hands. Upon arrival in Kijuju, Chris is paired up with a member of the BSAA African branch - Sheva Alomar. Shortly into the game Chris comes across a photograph of his old partner - Jill Valentine. While Jill has been missing and presumed KIA, Chris has a hunch she may still be alive and is determined to discover the truth behind her mysterious disappearance.

A Game Best Experienced as a Team

Fundamentally, the game was designed to be played cooperatively and in that regard the single player campaign feels rather soulless and cheapened, even. Right off the bat, Sheva is introduced as the player's designated sidekick, but doesn't add much to the equation as an artificially intelligent companion.

Fundamentally Problematic Controls

While Resident Evil came out less than 4 months ago, its controls feel like they belong back in 2004. Players familiar with those of Resident Evil 4 will feel right at home here; the basic control scheme is identical:

Outdated Control Mechanics

What makes the controls feel outdated is the inability to run and shoot simultaneously. The combat in Resident Evil 5 is typically as such: the player enters a new area A and enemies slowly trickle in, after taking out a few, a short cut scene shows an entire horde of foes coming at the player in full force. After all enemies have been downed, move to area B. Therein lies the problem - when the character becomes overrun with so many enemies, being stationary is a sure way to get taken out. The solution is relocate, pause and shoot; repeat as necessary.

Being unable to circle strafe and maneuver around hostile enemies can be cumbersome and may prove to be a major issue to some players. The lack of simultaneous gunplay and maneuverability doesn't necessarily make the control scheme bad, it just leaves something to be desired.

An Impressive Arsenal

Weapon upgrades are an integral part of the game and allow the player to really adjust their equipment according to their preferences. Throughout the game the player will find various treasures and currency which can be used to purchase upgrades and items during post chapter interims, or even simply when the player dies. This aspect of the game in particular lends itself to its high replayability. The catch is that there is only so much money the player can really earn and such a variety of weapons that the player has to prioritize and choose wisely as to what to buy and which upgrades to use.

One thing that may inhibit the player's lust for a vast array of firearms is the inventory system. The inventory can be accessed on the fly at the press of a button. The inventory contains 9 slots for items, of which any can be mapped to the d-pad for even quicker access. With a limited number of slots for items, player will have to choose wisely as to which weapons and equipment are most valuable.

Wrapping Up

However present those flaws may be, the girth major issues concern the single player aspect of the game. Those playing cooperatively are likley to have different experiences. Like a summer action movie, this game is nonstop action and gorgeous visuals from beginning to end. The amount of aesthetic polish in the game is quite phenomenal, these are the most pristine visuals around bar-none. Numerous familiar enemies reappear such as the chainsaw Ganados (now chainsaw Majinis), mammoth sized trolls, lickers and various other grotesque monsters and tentacle-laden beasts.

Those looking for an engaging story or three dimensional characters look elsewhere, because those are certainly not the focus here. For players looking for a straight up action romp with some of the best visuals out there or an enjoyable cooperative experience - Resident Evil 5 is sure to please.

Score: B -

The copyright of the article Resident Evil 5 Xbox 360 Reviewed in Action Games is owned by Dennis Buckley. Permission to republish Resident Evil 5 Xbox 360 Reviewed in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.