Partner up! It's time to dive into Resident Evil 5 (The Good and the Not So Good)
The Good:
- The co-op mode adds a great amount of replay value and fun to the game modes. This also allows for more strategizing when tackling enemies.
- Beautifully detailed environments that you can appreciate. A lot of attention was put into the little things here, and that goes a long way in today's gaming world.
- A wide array of weapons available to dispose of your enemies. Most of which are upgradeable with money you earn for completing missions.
- Great cinematics! The cutscenes were impressive and often will involve the player by requiring buttons to be pressed during them.
- Very detailed character models. There isn't a second guess about the graphics, they are top notch for this style of play.
- Your weapons/inventory travel with you in online co-op. Show off your arsenal to your friends and help them out with the items/upgrades you've obtained.
- High replay value. With the different modes of play, upgrades, and XBox Live, one should be able to find entertainment value here for quite some time.
- Impressive boss battles. A golden staple of modern gaming, boss battles are alive and well here.
The Not So Good:
- Although a step up from AI partners you might take on in some other games, you may find some habits to be frustrating. A way to improve this would be to have a few more command options for your partner. The two basic commands (Attack/Cover) don't always get the desired reaction. One way to avoid this ... play with a friend!
- The puzzle element is basically non-existent in this game. What was a welcomed additive to the previous installments has now been replaced by an action-driven style.
- The survival-horror style of gameplay that Resident Evil is known for is starting to fade away. Here we see a bigger step towards an action game with horror-themed enemies. Not a big detractor, as there are other games stepping up to fill in that void, but it will be missed.
In conclusion, a very well made game that should satisfy everyone from the casual gamer to the fanatics. While I can understand the drive to compare, I wouldn't put too much concern on the comparison between this and RE4. This is a new generation of RE gaming and still delivers an excellent experience from start to finish and beyond. Happy gaming!