Amazing Co-op with a heavy replay value
The gameplay is similar to Resident Evil 4 (which is the only other Resident Evil game I have experienced) You control Chris or Sheva with an over-the-shoulder view. You don't kill zombies, you are instead destroying people infected with the uro boros virus (these people are known as the "Majini," and I read that the word Majini means "evil spirit" in Swahili). They are similar to Los Ganados from Resident Evil 4 (which are infected with the Las Plagas parasite) in terms of the way they yell in their language, run, handle weapons, and lunge at you.
There are several varieties of different guns to obtain and they can all be upgraded pretty nicely, which is always fun. I thought the 'buying system' was a little boring since my first exposure to Resident Evil had an awesome friendly merchant to buy and sell from with memorable lines recited every time you interacted with him (and a cool accent and voice to go along with it). But Resident Evil 5 just has a menu to scroll through; which is fine, just not interesting. The inventory space is 9 spaces big. This made it a little bit of a challenge because it forced you to pick and choose what you brought with you rather than allowing you to hoard everything you find. That is a good thing, in a sense, but I wish that when you got the melee vest and bullet proof jacket that they didn't take up their own inventory spaces. Why do they? You're not putting them in your pockets your wearing them on your chest!
The most amazing and wonderful thing about this game (and the reason it has turned into one of my favorite games) is that Resident Evil 5 is built around co-operative play. You need to stick together, work together, and watch our for each other. Although you can separate, it is a bad idea because if one of you is in critical health, your partner is too far away to save you, so you're pretty much dead… I got the pleasure of experiencing this game with my boyfriend, Aaron, and it made this game's entertainment value skyrocket. There was a lot of laughter and memories created (and still are being created as we play through it a second time). We took our time through our first play and I advise anyone else to do the same. The very first time I played Resident Evil 5, it was with my brothers and they were always moving quickly, so we finished the game in probably 10 hours... Re-playing it again with Aaron, I have discovered so many things that I had no idea were there. And it's like playing a whole new game. I absorbed the story much better too.
I have experienced playing RE5 online and with split screen. The only way you can truly enjoy the split screen is if your TV is huge… But the online play is fantastic. It runs incredibly smooth with only very minor and rare 'character jumps.' I am very impressed with the online play. If you have a headset, then you are pretty well prepared to have a remarkable experience online with Resident Evil 5; though I recommend you play with somebody you love. I don't think I prefer one over the other.I have never played single player, but I read that Sheva, for the most part, stays out of your way and is pretty good… Although she tends to waste ammo and health a lot.
Something to mention about Resident Evil 5's co-op is that it is comforting and you know you have that safety net. So, you don't constantly feel like "Oh Crap! I'm going to die!" This reduces the intensity, which can be seen as a downfall, because you can usually always avoid death since you have your partner to save you. In my opinion, the fact that you have a partner that is not a computer makes up for a loss in intensity. This does not mean that the game is boring or dull, by any means.
I think the controls are nice. It really did not take long for me to get used to them. Something that I kind of wish was different about this game is that it would be nice if you could run or at least walk while you shoot. But instead you have to stop and shoot. It's not a big deal, but it would have been nice to have that little freedom.
The replay value is very high. The difficulties are armature, normal, veteran and then once you beat veteran you unlock professional. There are also a lot of treasures to find and BSAA badges to shoot. Once you beat Resident Evil 5 for the first time, you are able to unlock infinite ammo! Although it isn't infinite ammo for all your weapons, it is just for the weapons you have fully upgraded and have enough points to purchase the infinite ammo. It is somewhat of a complicated process and I am not sure why Capcom made it that way. But once you get it, it's very rewarding. I kinda like the idea of not making all weapons instantly infinite ammo because then you'll still have goals to work for and it keeps it exciting when you finally get a certain weapon.
Resident Evil 5 is more of an action/adventure game rather than horror. It really isn't that creepy and there aren't many things that jump out at you. People who have played past Resident Evil games really like this game, but they don't exactly classify it as a "resident evil genre" because the horror element is missing. Although, this game is much more appreciated by those who have played other Resident Evil games because it refers to the older games often and ties up loose ends. They understand what is going on much more than those who have only played Resident Evil 5. My boyfriend, Aaron, understands what is going on much more than I do because he has just recently beaten the first Resident Evil. So, he will explain things to me to help me appreciate the story better, which I am so glad about.
It is easy to spend hours on this game and not realize it because you make progress so nicely. The game doesn't move too fast and it sure doesn't move too slow. You're always moving on with the story and it is extremely entertaining. There was a day that Aaron and I played 7 hours straight and it mayyyybe felt like 3 hours. That is a pretty good sign for a game.
The graphics in this game are absolutely gorgeous. Capcom paid close attention to detail, that is for sure. The environment looks very authentic. And I really love the sound effects. The music works well for when you're being attacked by a large group of Mijini's but sometimes, with the boss battles, the music is extremely dramatic and not something you would expect to hear from this game. Both Aaron and I agreed that the music sounded like it was from Warner Brother's Batman: the animated series.
I think the voice acting and the script is very entertaining as well. There were several times that Chris made Aaron and I burst out laughing because of the way he delivers his lines.
Sheva: How can these survive underground?
Chris: These are no ordinary flowers…
There is a lot more to say about this game, but I think I covered most of the basics. If you want to know about the story, then play the game... But play it co-op! You're cheating yourself if you don't. You will certainly get your money's worth because the re-play value is incredibly high. There are always new things to unlock and discover. Playing through Resident Evil 5 just one time only touches the surface. Slow down and see what you can find!
"More and more I find myself wondering if it's all worth fighting for. For a future without fear... Yeah, it's worth it."
-Chris Redfield