“Resident Evil 4” may be my favorite game of all time. It redefined the survival horror franchise by marrying fixtures of the third-person shooter genre to the series' trademark atmosphere of fright.
Though somewhat radical, this firmer emphasis on combat felt like an organic evolution for “Resident Evil.” The static camera and clumsy human tank controls were traded for a fixed over-the-shoulder view and pinpoint aiming power. What made these adjustments work was the preservation of “Evil's” other hallmarks, such as dutiful item management, clever puzzles and veiny, monstrous foes.
In “Resident Evil 5,” the next-generation sequel to “4,” these hallmarks are slowly dimmed as the combat commands more of the spotlight. This agenda of “5's” design team speaks loudest through the addition of co-op play, which marks the first multiplayer functionality in the main body of a “Resident Evil” game.
The partner is Sheva Alomar, an exotic African beauty who joins longtime “Evil” protagonist Chris Redfield - now with an unnatural 40 pounds of added muscle - on a government mission in her native continent. As agents of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance, Redfield and Alomar are tasked with stopping West African terrorists who've gotten their hands on a mysterious biological weapon that controls the minds of its victims and turns their mouths into fanged flaps.
The story of “5” unfolds at a slightly slower pace than that of “4,” and players may wonder exactly what they're doing in Africa by the time they gun down their 50th native. But “5” slowly weaves the dangling plot threads of past “Evil” games into a new narrative that successfully shifts the mythos beyond the now-defunct Umbrella Corporation.
Outside of Alomar's presence, “Resident Evil 5's” game play moves much less beyond “4” than that game did its predecessors. Third-person shooting mechanics once again dominate, only in grander fashion this time.
Redfield's journey through dingy West African shanty towns, mines and docks exposes them to the red-tinted eyes of a couple hundred infected villagers thirsting for blood. The majority of “Resident Evil 5” chains together maps of multiple foes that Redfield and Alomar must strategically mow down. When Redfield or Alomar shoot them, the foes react differently to gunshots depending on the site of the wound. Players choosing to conserve ammunition - which is once again scarily scarce - can shoot adversaries in the legs, then continue the attack through context-sensitive physical attacks like uppercuts and stomps.
All but replacing the puzzle-solving of past “Resident Evil” games are set pieces of even more action. The stationary shooting scenes, which play closest to the “Umbrella Chronicles” Wii game in spirit, ascend above mindless fun when they demand the strategy and pinpoint accuracy of that games' best battles. The boss battles also require a challenging mix of frantic gunplay and keen perception of foes' weaknesses to wipe them out.
As a larger component of “5” than even its predecessor, the game's combat plays provides an adaptible and consistently challenging main course of skillfully constructed action. An early problem, however, is the control scheme. It prohibits shooting while moving and automatically forces Redfield to strafe from side to side unless players hold the run button, which enables rotation. Most players will absorb this needlessly complicated setup within an hour of starting the game, but it never fully sinks in as natural.
Alomar can also feel burdensome as Redfield's partner, particularly when she blocks the player's field of vision or prevents Redfield from maneuvering in tight spots. These problems pop up too often to compensate for the fresh aspects of her presence, such as action set pieces where Redfield must provide cover fire from afar. Any advantage in her ability to rejuvenate Redfield with health power-ups after critical blows is again nullified by the necessity of the player rescuing her from similar close calls.
(Having played “Resident Evil 5” only solo, I must acknowledge that the co-op system could prove far more fun with a friend. I hope to experience the game this way and relate my impressions in a future edition of this column. Until then, I consider the new partner system gimmicky at best and a massive source of frustration at its worst).
Alomar also functions as a walking item bank. Combined, she and Redfield can carry about as many items as Leon could in “4.” Their limited storage is more realistic than Leon's huge attache case, but it requires a slightly more annoying amount of micro-management.
That process presents another of “5's” major innovations. Switching weapons and spraying herbs is now a real-time process, which means players can no longer pause and calmly switch from pistol to shotgun when a particularly tough foe pops out of nowhere. Instead, players can assign items - namely weapons or health - to each of the four D-pad buttons to arm themselves instantly. The other option - cycling through the item bank - costs players a few additional seconds that could spell the difference between survival and that lovely “YOU ARE DEAD” screen.
As another more realistic revision to “Evil's” game play, real-time item management can prove rewarding once players unconsciously react to combat through their D-pad shortcuts and learn to ready their arsenal in the lulls between. (Without knowledge of the shortcut system, I had criticized “Resident Evil 5's” real-time item management in my review of its demo. I happily retract this criticism now).
Most impressive about “Resident Evil 5” is its visual and physical design. The game places Redfield and Alomar in West African settings like marshes, train depots and villages with as many grungy details as sinewy twists and turns in the path forward. Though the graphics mark the only dramatic improvement over “4,” that precursor is also a towering achievement of the medium. “Resident Evil 5” doesn't fully measure up, but it manages many thrills of its own.
David Wilcox
253-5311 ext. 245
david.wilcox@lee.net
If you play
Game: “Resident Evil 5”
Score: B+
Parental rating: Mature for blood and gore, intense violence and strong language
Director: Kenichi Ueda
Lead designer: Jiro Taoki
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Price: $59.99
Play: Single, multiplayer
The final boss: Standing in the shadow of one of the greatest action games ever, “Resident Evil 5” fails to top its predecessor but successfully distinguishes itself through a few positive alterations to the series' formula.
In “Resident Evil 5,” the next-generation sequel to “4,” these hallmarks are slowly dimmed as the combat commands more of the spotlight. This agenda of “5's” design team speaks loudest through the addition of co-op play, which marks the first multiplayer functionality in the main body of a “Resident Evil” game.
The partner is Sheva Alomar, an exotic African beauty who joins longtime “Evil” protagonist Chris Redfield - now with an unnatural 40 pounds of added muscle - on a government mission in her native continent. As agents of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance, Redfield and Alomar are tasked with stopping West African terrorists who've gotten their hands on a mysterious biological weapon that controls the minds of its victims and turns their mouths into fanged flaps.
The story of “5” unfolds at a slightly slower pace than that of “4,” and players may wonder exactly what they're doing in Africa by the time they gun down their 50th native. But “5” slowly weaves the dangling plot threads of past “Evil” games into a new narrative that successfully shifts the mythos beyond the now-defunct Umbrella Corporation.
Outside of Alomar's presence, “Resident Evil 5's” game play moves much less beyond “4” than that game did its predecessors. Third-person shooting mechanics once again dominate, only in grander fashion this time.
Redfield's journey through dingy West African shanty towns, mines and docks exposes them to the red-tinted eyes of a couple hundred infected villagers thirsting for blood. The majority of “Resident Evil 5” chains together maps of multiple foes that Redfield and Alomar must strategically mow down. When Redfield or Alomar shoot them, the foes react differently to gunshots depending on the site of the wound. Players choosing to conserve ammunition - which is once again scarily scarce - can shoot adversaries in the legs, then continue the attack through context-sensitive physical attacks like uppercuts and stomps.
All but replacing the puzzle-solving of past “Resident Evil” games are set pieces of even more action. The stationary shooting scenes, which play closest to the “Umbrella Chronicles” Wii game in spirit, ascend above mindless fun when they demand the strategy and pinpoint accuracy of that games' best battles. The boss battles also require a challenging mix of frantic gunplay and keen perception of foes' weaknesses to wipe them out.
As a larger component of “5” than even its predecessor, the game's combat plays provides an adaptible and consistently challenging main course of skillfully constructed action. An early problem, however, is the control scheme. It prohibits shooting while moving and automatically forces Redfield to strafe from side to side unless players hold the run button, which enables rotation. Most players will absorb this needlessly complicated setup within an hour of starting the game, but it never fully sinks in as natural.
Alomar can also feel burdensome as Redfield's partner, particularly when she blocks the player's field of vision or prevents Redfield from maneuvering in tight spots. These problems pop up too often to compensate for the fresh aspects of her presence, such as action set pieces where Redfield must provide cover fire from afar. Any advantage in her ability to rejuvenate Redfield with health power-ups after critical blows is again nullified by the necessity of the player rescuing her from similar close calls.
(Having played “Resident Evil 5” only solo, I must acknowledge that the co-op system could prove far more fun with a friend. I hope to experience the game this way and relate my impressions in a future edition of this column. Until then, I consider the new partner system gimmicky at best and a massive source of frustration at its worst).
Alomar also functions as a walking item bank. Combined, she and Redfield can carry about as many items as Leon could in “4.” Their limited storage is more realistic than Leon's huge attache case, but it requires a slightly more annoying amount of micro-management.
That process presents another of “5's” major innovations. Switching weapons and spraying herbs is now a real-time process, which means players can no longer pause and calmly switch from pistol to shotgun when a particularly tough foe pops out of nowhere. Instead, players can assign items - namely weapons or health - to each of the four D-pad buttons to arm themselves instantly. The other option - cycling through the item bank - costs players a few additional seconds that could spell the difference between survival and that lovely “YOU ARE DEAD” screen.
As another more realistic revision to “Evil's” game play, real-time item management can prove rewarding once players unconsciously react to combat through their D-pad shortcuts and learn to ready their arsenal in the lulls between. (Without knowledge of the shortcut system, I had criticized “Resident Evil 5's” real-time item management in my review of its demo. I happily retract this criticism now).
Most impressive about “Resident Evil 5” is its visual and physical design. The game places Redfield and Alomar in West African settings like marshes, train depots and villages with as many grungy details as sinewy twists and turns in the path forward. Though the graphics mark the only dramatic improvement over “4,” that precursor is also a towering achievement of the medium. “Resident Evil 5” doesn't fully measure up, but it manages many thrills of its own.
David Wilcox
253-5311 ext. 245
david.wilcox@lee.net
If you play
Game: “Resident Evil 5”
Score: B+
Parental rating: Mature for blood and gore, intense violence and strong language
Director: Kenichi Ueda
Lead designer: Jiro Taoki
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
Platform: PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
Price: $59.99
Play: Single, multiplayer
The final boss: Standing in the shadow of one of the greatest action games ever, “Resident Evil 5” fails to top its predecessor but successfully distinguishes itself through a few positive alterations to the series' formula.
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