High on content...high on challenge...after hours of grueling gameplay, you'll be high on Resident Evil 5!
My first impressions of RE 5 were admittingly negative. Since I wasn't already a fan of the previous entries' core gameplay mechanics, I was turned off by the approach of a lot of the gameplay. Another thing that still bothers me even now after my change of heart towards the game is how it did seem to stray away from the zombie killing theme. Much like Resident Evil 4, the "Majini" are intelligent enough to speak, organize, use weapons (firearms included), and even drive. This gave it a different feel from previous Resident Evil games that I had played, so initially it felt more like an action game where I was just fighting a bunch of crazy people than dumb blood thirsty zombies.
So with that said, you're probably still wondering what exactly won me over, the answer is as simple as this: patience. Despite, all of my initial negative views of the game, I stuck with it and charmed the hell out of me. Am I now a fan of the survival horror genre? Probably not. Am I a fan now of the Resident Evil series? Err...the jury is still out on that but the game did successfully peek my interest enough to see if I exercise the same amount of patience with the previous games, can I enjoy them as well.
Graphically, the game is amazing. I really enjoyed the unique approach to boss fights. Some bosses were fought in completely different ways than others. Capcom didn't stick them at the end of every chapter but at the end of random chapters or some time right smack dab in the middle one. The gameplay was VERY challenging and kept me on my toes for the majority of the game (so things never really got boring). You even have to be on your guard when watching cut scenes because a button sequence can (and will) pop out at you out of the clear blue. There's a pretty nice arsenal of upgradable weapons to purchase as well. In addition, I like how you can find treasure to later cash in for currency to buy more weapons and armor. As far as the story, I found that it really picked up or at least peeked my interest in the latter parts of the game.
Other than the straying away from the zombie killing them, my main complaint is the partner AI and annoying online gamplay. Some times Sheva (Chris' new partner in this game) can be incrediably stupid and overuse healing items that you may want to save for later. The way online multiplayer works in this game is that either an invited or random player can join your session as Sheva. If the person wasn't invited, it can get even more annoying than have the AI. Not being insync with what the other is doing is disasterous. The other slight complaint that I have is weapon and item swaping. THE GAMEPLAY DOES NOT STOP WHEN YOU NEED TO CHANGE WEAPONS, HEAL, OR SWAP ITEM WITH YOUR PARTNER. This can be especially frustrating when trying to get away or hide from hordes of enemies or bosses.
My Breakdown:
What's Good:
- Visually impressive
- Interesting story
- Great voice acting
- Challenging and action pack fun
- Epic boss fights
- Interactive cinematic scenes
- Awesome weapons
- Gameplay constantly changes. You're not doing the same thing over and over
What's Not-So-Good:
- Dumb A.I. controlled ally
- The weapon/item swaping system (having to do so while game is still in play)
- Deviating from fighting zombies
What's Bad:
- The online multiplayer/campaign hybrid. I hated it!
In all, if RE 5 can will me over and gain my interest in the series then it has to be quite the game. Its definately one of the better games that I own in my PS3 library. Give it a try ;)