The Resident Evil Series has focused on Fear as it's main factor over it's lifespan. While it's been going fine with that, the newest installment appears to have tied "Fear" up, pushed it out of a plane at thirty thousand feet landing in the middle of the ocean, before letting oil burn on top of it's landing location.
[font color="Red"] Expect Spoilers. You have been warned.[/font]
The above being nothing more than a visual aid for those of you that aren't very creative. Where the other games have actually held a level of horror to it, Resident Evil 5 does not. Please keep in mind by no means am I even saying the game is bad, it just doesn't follow the traditional route the other games in the series follow.
This installment plops you down in Africa as Chris Redfield (The fellow with Biceps larger than his own head, with the ability to stretch and move as well as anyone.) or your new partner Sheva (Not racist). Did I just say 'or'? Yes I did. This game features co-op that allows you to play online or split screen with a friend. On the subject of Co-Op let us go over some things. Co-Op with the NPC is not recommended at all. The NPC uses ammo unsparingly, uses any blasted weapon it wants even if you give it one, gets in your way now and then, requires extra effort to be able to complete certain points in the game, etc. While some things aren't really "bad" it all just ends up being one major pain in the behind that shouldn't have to be dealt with. The online play is actually pretty fun and I enjoyed it to a pretty good extent.
Your lovable inventory has also been slapped across the face, with only 9 spaces per character this time around. It also isn't accessed through pausing the game, you do everything in it real time. Which isn't too much trouble until you find out changing weapons takes as much time as it does for a zombie to bite your face off. Oh by the way. They aren't zombies anymore. That's right. Resident Evil 5 even took the Zombie aspect out of it. It is arguable that they are still zombies but in the general term, zombies they are not.
The weapons range from OK to use to "why am i using anything else?". By the time you unlock unlimited ammo for weapons you upgrade all the way, there isn't too much of a point of using anything else. Magnums tend to blow things away in one shot. There are character specific weapons you can unlock (gatling gun for Chris, Bow for Sheva....Not racist). The bow is enjoyable but doesn't make much sense. I can understand it not having a laser sight like every other weapon. What I can't understand is a bow and arrow doing the same if not more damage than a magnum doing. The bow takes things down in one shot for the most part.
The story isn't too long but it is long enough to last a few days on the first play through and if you play it casually. The enemies range from the generic drones that just rush at you from the start to other things. There are a few white people thrown into the horde now and then (Not Racist) to mix things up a little. That goes great until you get to the grass skirt wearing, tribal mask shield/wearing, spear chucking African areas (Still not racist). At least I got a chuckle out of that.
Through out the entire story you are slapped with voice acting that isn't needed. Some times it's much more enjoyable to just do your own voice overs along with the actors."Wo! I know this game is rated M but come on!" I exclaimed as Jill Valentine ripped open the top of her skin tight suit. "What's that thing on her chest?" Asked Sheva while looking at the things on Jill's Chest. "Breasts!" I exclaimed in my mic hoping some common sense would reach the Character inside the game that HAS THEM TOO. "We need to get it off!" Said sheva. "You want to take her clothes off?" I questioned to my Co-Op partner whom of which I assumed was controlling Shevas every action.
Speaking of Jill, remember Dom from Gears of War? Well this game some what reminds me of that. Chris is crying about finding Jill, just not to the extent that Dom cries about his wife. Why are the big muscular men the babies in games these days? It sets a bad example.
Below includes game ending. Don't continue reading unless you want it to be given away.
Finishing up, the ending is the most cliche/horrible thing I have ever witnessed. After the plane you are on crashes into a volcano. You go through the final boss fight sequence, ending with the main evil character falling into said volcano (of course). When that happens Jill and the Black guy who managed to actually survive the game (Not Racist) come with a Helicopter to rescue you. Before you can fly away, a giant tentacle arm grabs part of the helicopter (gasp! he isn't dead!). You and Sheva grab the Rocket Launchers and blast a final shot at him and killing him through the use of a quick time event.. Then you fly off into the sunset. The game ENDS with a quick time event. No game should EVER end with a quick time event. That just isn't right. I also should have mentioned. The game has a lot of quick time events.
Recommendation: Buy it. Despite the negatives it's still a good game with quite a large number of un-lockables and re-playable story (well, mostly to help friends).
