Resident Evil 5 Review

Resident Evil 5 is a fascinating installment in the iconic Resident Evil series, notable for its distinct shift from survival horror to a more action-oriented experience with a heavier focus on co-op gameplay. This transformation comes with its share both exhilarating and frustrating moments that give players plenty to ponder.

The co-op gameplay is a standout feature of Resident Evil 5, designed to be savored with a friend and creating an environment ripe for shared adrenaline-pumping experiences. The synergy between players elevates the action sequences, allowing for coordination in tackling enemies and problem-solving, making it an exciting opportunity to build camaraderie. Through joint endeavors, each encounter feels more personal, and the presence of another player can turn frustrating obstacles into fun challenges.

Visually, Resident Evil 5 doesn’t disappoint. Despite the passage of time since its release, the graphics hold their ground, enhanced by stylistically impressive locations. From sunbaked savannas to dimly lit laboratory interiors, the game manages to uphold a visual consistency that captivates players. This aesthetic approach maintains the franchise’s trademark allure, inviting new and returning players to lose themselves in its detailed world.

The combat mechanics have aged horrifically and breathe endless frustration into confrontations. The laser sight offered by weapons takes a LOT of getting used to as you need to be actually targeting something nearby to actually see where your gun is aming. In the heat of the battle, it can get tricky to actually target enemies.

To further exacerbate the problem, the aiming feels like they tried to take the worst aspect of tank movement, and make it even worse. This style of combat may have worked back in the early 1990s when Resident Evil was making a name for itself on the PS1 but today, it just felt terrible. Not being able to move while shooting is one problem but the weird way in which you have to rotate your character like a tank was a design choice that is very hard to understand. Sure there are some shortcuts to allow you to perform a 180 degree turn but given 100s of successful games existed at the time of the release of Resident Evil 5 that had managed to deliver a kick ass third person shooter experience, there is absolutely no excuse for the complete garbage heap that we get in Resident Evil 5.

Storyline and DLC Content

Despite its outlandishness, the storyline in Resident Evil 5 isn’t devoid of charm. It weaves its own twisted adventure, embellished with unexpected turns designed to hold the player’s attention. Although some may argue it doesn’t meet the standard set by previous entries—ditching intriguing bio-research madness for fantastical flora—the narrative is engaging enough to maintain player interest from start to finish.

However, having played the previous 4 games in succession prior to playing this, I couldn’t help but feel this game lost a huge amount of its charm. Resident Evil has always been a little cheesy but it is definitely taken up a notch. Interactions with the main characters and antagonists like Wesker always feel like something taken from a childrens cartoon. Only kids would find the suspense and depth of the conversations in any way entertaining.

The game does try to further the story and lore set in the first 4 games but overall, it feels like the game is beginning to lose its direction. The intense mystery of umbrella and the overarching feeling of some deeper corruption and evil lurking in the labs just feels absent here. Its a cheesy zombie shooter based on the franchise but does little to further the lore and feels more like a poorly executed spinoff.

Additional DLC content is probably the only part of the game that really feels like it is worth any grain of salt when it comes to the lore. Returning to Spencer’s Mansion is incredibly exciting but overall, its execution feels a bit weird. I get its meant to be a nightmare but it kinda feels like someone tried to make Spencer’s mansion in the Sims. It sort of resembles the mansion but they didn’t have all the assets needed and there were limitations so they had to make some changes. It was disappointing overall.

The inventory management system has seen improvements over its predecessors, offering a slightly more organized approach. While still not perfect, it attempts to address some long-standing issues and makes inventory supervision a more intuitively manageable task, even if occasional frustration pops up. I do feel the UI could do with a little more love but it definitely didn’t get in the way quite as much as it has in previous entries to the franchise.

Challenges and Critiques

One of the most polarizing aspects of Resident Evil 5 is its departure from traditional survival horror elements, as the scales tip heavily in favor of full-throttle action. Die-hard fans of the series might find this shift disappointing, longing for the tension and suspense that once defined the franchise. The lack of genuine horror elements might feel like stepping into unfamiliar territory, reducing the eerie atmospheric pressure that previously kept players on edge.

Sheva, your AI companion, often exacerbates this frustration. While designating an AI partner may sound advantageous, in practice, Sheva tends to become a liability, especially during pivotal boss battles that demand precision and coordination. The AI struggles to respond appropriately under duress, leaving solo players feeling hamstrung by its limitations. In particular, the final showdown might leave many wishing they had a human ally to weather the storm.

With that being said, while Sheva is a constant source of frustration and makes the game harder at times, from a technical perspective, it was implemented incredibly well. Not once did she ever get stuck, glitch out or fail to do what was needed. The AI felt incredibly well built but it just seems like some of the puzzles and challenges require you to be in constant communication with your partner. Very easy when you play with a buddy over a headset but considerably harder when you can’t let the AI read your mind.

The enemies in the game, even the bosses feel like they are sort of half baked and generic. The monotony of enemy encounters drains some of the game’s intensity over time. Players re-encounter the same minions ad nauseam, leading to experiences that grow increasingly predictable and devoid of the trepidation synonymous with the series. Oh look, more infected tribes people that walk super slow yet somehow drop pistol ammo when you kill them. Furthermore, certain areas, especially in the latter stages, suffer from uninspired design—a repetitive maze of tunnels and ship hulls that hamper immersion and disrupt pacing. It often feels like gears of war was the inspiration but they aimed to make it look like gears without having any of fun stuff from that game.

THE VERDICT