Resident Evil 5
Preview
Co op with a lady friend
by MarvellousG
previewed on X360
Westernization (cntd)
Capcom have also hinted at online functionality possibly included, at least for the 360 version. No details are known yet, but the mind boggles when you consider what a zombies versus humans death match could lead to. With coop and online, together with an inevitably superb single player experience, Resident Evil 5 is certainly looking to pack a lot of content in. And that is before you consider a series trademark; unlockable time attack style affairs, such as Resident Evil 4’s ‘Mercenaries’ game, which had many players going at it for months after the main quest had been bested.
Speed
One thing that’s changed about your enemies from Resident Evil 4 is their speed; whilst your Spanish foes simply lumbered towards you at walking pace, Resident Evil 5’s zombies will literally sprint at you in great numbers, forcing you to think faster than a survival horror has ever caused you too before. There is still the idea of area denial that Resident Evil 4 was built around, as Chris retains the ability to scale and kick down ladders, setting up shooting zones for he and Sheva to capitalize on. But this time there are for more enemies out to get you, so don’t think just because you have played Resident Evil 4 you will know what to expect.
The change of location will also have an impact on the gameplay experience. As the game seems to be set in a part of Africa, heat will play a big role in your battle for survival. Staying out in the open for too long could lead to, among other things, dehydration. The lighting in the game looks set to capitalize upon the slightly more exotic setting, with incredible looking glare effects leading the way.
Changes?
A problem many have with the game is that it might just be too similar to Resident Evil 4. And aside from the co operative play, early footage and gameplay sessions have done little to dispel that notion. This could be the game’s key problem, especially as Capcom seem to be taking the ‘if it ain’t broken, don’t fix it’ philosophy a little too far. Sure, Resident Evil 4 was a fantastic game, and among last generation’s top tier of titles, but do we really want a simple rehash with much much nicer graphics? According to Capcom we do.
To summarise… Resident Evil 5 will undoubtedly be a great game, but it might not do enough to build upon Resident Evil 4. Don’t get me wrong, I adored Resident Evil 4, and I could happily play it again now and have no problems with it. But this is a sequel, one that looks almost the exact same. And coming from a game that turned its genre on its head, which just isn’t good enough.
