Other than Sonic, I've been in a Resident Evil mood lately. The other day I picked up Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition. For the longest time I refused to play it, as my friends claimed it wasn't that good. Well, my dad (who is a major RE fan) said it was ok, and furthermore, without RE5, I wouldn't have the entire main series.
I haven't played too much of it, as I have been switching back and forth between it and The Ballad of Gay Tony. Regardless, here are my early impressions...
Pros...
The Graphics: Certain Japanese developers (they know who they are) claim that Japan is five years behind the US graphically. Normally, I would slightly agree, but RE5 looks excellent! Even though it was released two years ago, I think it still holds up nicely.
The Story: If you're like me and love the RE canon, this game dives deeper into the struggle. The game answers many questions from previous titles, all the while expanding the universe.
The Gameplay: Pretty much the same from RE4, but still very enjoyable.
The Intensity: The first 7 minutes of the game, you fight a horde of 30 or so zombified Africans along with a giant, ax-wielding brute...with limited ammo. Nuff said.
Josh Stone: I've always had a thing for badass, black characters in games. He's awesome. =)
The Extras: The Gold Edition folks.
Cons...
Chris Redfield: Truthfully, I never cared much for the character...or his sister. Give me Leon or Rebecca any day. Hell, give me Bruce McGivern!
Sheva: While it is good to have a partner along, AI-controlled Sheva can be a hinderance just like Ashley from RE4. She uses up ammo and health units like no one's business!
Not Scarey: This is Resident Evil! Sure, RE4 wasn't all that scarey, but it still had plenty of jumpy moments. Zombified Europeans freak me out more than zombified Africans.
The Controls: I'm still getting used to them, as the PS3 scheme is way different than a Gamecube controller. The fact that the button I'm used to for firing a weapon is now the map activator, doesn't help.
I'm not saying I don't like it, just so far I'm a bit indifferent. I'm sure it'll get better. Can't wait to find out.
-SFT