RE 5: When anticipation turns into 'huh"? Part 2
Admittedly, I expected more from this game. Thus, when I first started playing, I was in a word, disappointed. Perhaps it was because RE 4 was so good, or at least my memory of that game was a little better than it actually was. Whatever the reason, this game did not blow me away as I thought it would. The first few levels felt bland. The horror part of the "horror survival" genre was simply missing. I felt as though the developers had paid a tremendous amount of attention to the mechanical aspects of the game, of making the game look good, run smoothly, the inventory management, the co-op play, etc... what got lost was the "vibe" of the game. At no point was I spooked out, it's as if the developers didn't effectively emphasize horror in the story boards. I'm not talking about grossing people out with ooze and guts, but about creating ambiance, tempo to the game, a feeling of isolation, a feeling of nervousness in the player that was so addicting and engaging in the last RE game. This game simply lacked that "it" I was looking for in any RE game. Perhaps it was the surplus of daylight, perhaps it was the lack of levels that emphasized darkness, however you want to call it, it missed the mark in the horror department.
Now, this game does have many qualities. As I said before, the developers did play close attention to the mechanical aspects of the game. This is a far, far departure from being a bad game. When you think about it, only a few developers can even be compared to Capcom's level of refinement and execution. My criticisms come from comparing the game to RE4, arguably one of the greatest games ever made. I did find that the game has grown on me, and that is a good thing because I think the developers had that in mind, of creating a high amount of replay value that would ensure that players would continue playing the game long after they beat the main campaign. They did succeed at that. All the unlockables, particularly the infinite ammo perks are especially satisfying. Feel like taking revenge on the Majini Marshland village with an inifinite ammo Magnum? Go right ahead and watch those tough tall masked dudes get blown away like they are made out of paper. Want to play as Sheva? Go ahead, there are some interesting twists in the gameplay as seen from her vantage point. Want to unlock more weapons such as the gatling gun and longbow to see how they work? Have at it. All in all, the developers really reward the player, perhaps to a much greater degree than other games. For that, I give RE 5 an A+.
In summary, RE 5 is a very good game that is head and shoulders better than many games out there. Capcom's problem is that Capcom has set the bar very high. But perhaps that is the greatest compliment that I can give Capcom, that very few can compete with Capcom's games, except for other Capcom games. To those who haven't played yet, expect a game that will get better the more you play it. I for one, will pick up RE 6. I expect that game to be as good as RE5 if not better.... One thing is for sure, we know Capcom is capable of making near-perfect games.