Review: Resident Evil 5

[mr rofl]

SOOO CLOSE to midnight here wherei live!!!!!! Gamecrazy is where i'll be at midnight!!! (cool thing is, i live like 5 minutes from the one in our town)

 

[ultimatechance]

good review, but i highly disagree about what you said on AI.

1. Why is the commands system only available for online co-op. Even ashley from RE4 had a "wait" feature, and so does co-op.
2. She does heal when you break a nail in my experience. Since RE5 has the dying meter, i like to save it until then, but she wastes it way too early. She also treats the combination of herbs like regular herbs, so its even less resourceful.
3. A big strategy in RE4/5 is to shoot the face, then melee. That way, only one bullet is wasted. Instead, sheva will waste an entire clip into the body, and is a very inconvenient thing in a game that focuses around ammo preservation.

Then there are random things like her not picking up items, but doing it at other times, not listening to your commands, not doing their proper action when you restrain bosses. List goes on with my issues in this game.

 

[DJPirtu]

Now, now. No using the z-word. I belive the politicaly correct term in this case is 'the infected'.

 

[Taerdin]

If you had played RE4 for more than a couple hours you would have no problems with RE5's control scheme, you would be used to it.

I guess I am the exception to that rule, because I loved playing RE4 on the Gamecube, but the 360 controls were frustrating me to no end. It could just be years of not being used to it, but I was having a lot of problems playing and felt like the game was limiting my enjoyment with the controls. I mean really why does it take Chris 1/2 an hour to turn while aiming, maybe I need to jack the sensitivity up?

I plan to give it another chance, but my first impressions were not so great. Watching Susan play while we captured video for the review helped, there were some nuances to the controls that I didn't figure out from playing the demo. Example, left thumbstick left and right movement become turns while running, instead of strafe. At first I thought you it was impossible to turn while running without the use of a third hand, you would need to be holding Left Trigger + A and trying to move the right thumbstick.

Well in RE4 unless I am mistaken the same thumbstick would move you forward and back, and always made you turn. The 'other' stick (I played the ps2 version :S) made you 'look around'. This option is still available if you go to to the controls option.

Also my comment about being used to the controls was moreso directed towards my ps2 to ps3 transition, as the controller has stayed the same and the only difference in controls is that they switched square and X for some reason I will not understand. Maybe the Xbox controls are awkward, I really wouldnt know. But the PS3 controls are exactly what I expected, and flow so naturally for me.

 

[WilliamWhite1]

Hopefully RE5 will bring enough action to the table for Capcom to get its money back for producing it.

And RE5 probably will; it has a solid fan-base and added co-op. I won't ask 'what's not to like?' but simultaneously, I don't think we can complain about much.

 

[Susan Arendt]

good review, but i highly disagree about what you said on AI.

1. Why is the commands system only available for online co-op. Even ashley from RE4 had a "wait" feature, and so does co-op.
2. She does heal when you break a nail in my experience. Since RE5 has the dying meter, i like to save it until then, but she wastes it way too early. She also treats the combination of herbs like regular herbs, so its even less resourceful.
3. A big strategy in RE4/5 is to shoot the face, then melee. That way, only one bullet is wasted. Instead, sheva will waste an entire clip into the body, and is a very inconvenient thing in a game that focuses around ammo preservation.

Then there are random things like her not picking up items, but doing it at other times, not listening to your commands, not doing their proper action when you restrain bosses. List goes on with my issues in this game.

I hear what you're saying and don't necessarily disagree, but in some cases it comes down to a matter of personal playstyle. Personally, I didn't want her picking up items -- I wanted to decide who got what. Naturally, she's never going to be as good as a human player, but she's still far better than most of the companion AI you get saddled with in games.

 

[ultimatechance]

good review, but i highly disagree about what you said on AI.

1. Why is the commands system only available for online co-op. Even ashley from RE4 had a "wait" feature, and so does co-op.
2. She does heal when you break a nail in my experience. Since RE5 has the dying meter, i like to save it until then, but she wastes it way too early. She also treats the combination of herbs like regular herbs, so its even less resourceful.
3. A big strategy in RE4/5 is to shoot the face, then melee. That way, only one bullet is wasted. Instead, sheva will waste an entire clip into the body, and is a very inconvenient thing in a game that focuses around ammo preservation.

Then there are random things like her not picking up items, but doing it at other times, not listening to your commands, not doing their proper action when you restrain bosses. List goes on with my issues in this game.

I hear what you're saying and don't necessarily disagree, but in some cases it comes down to a matter of personal playstyle. Personally, I didn't want her picking up items -- I wanted to decide who got what. Naturally, she's never going to be as good as a human player, but she's still far better than most of the companion AI you get saddled with in games.

understandable, but there are times when she is in the "assist jump" area, and with a co-op partner, they could grab the ammo, gold, and treasure, but the AI wont. And another random problem i had was her constantly giving me her items thinking its helpful, when its annoying when i want to decide who gets what.

 

[Ninja D]

good shot throwing the "army of darkness" quote at the end. i agree with the zombie-sharks, too. if you havent seen it, there's a film by lucio fulci simply titled "zombie". in this movie is the greatest fight scene of all time: zombie vs shark. think about that for a second, bc it's brillant.

 

[Susan Arendt]

good review, but i highly disagree about what you said on AI.

1. Why is the commands system only available for online co-op. Even ashley from RE4 had a "wait" feature, and so does co-op.
2. She does heal when you break a nail in my experience. Since RE5 has the dying meter, i like to save it until then, but she wastes it way too early. She also treats the combination of herbs like regular herbs, so its even less resourceful.
3. A big strategy in RE4/5 is to shoot the face, then melee. That way, only one bullet is wasted. Instead, sheva will waste an entire clip into the body, and is a very inconvenient thing in a game that focuses around ammo preservation.

Then there are random things like her not picking up items, but doing it at other times, not listening to your commands, not doing their proper action when you restrain bosses. List goes on with my issues in this game.

I hear what you're saying and don't necessarily disagree, but in some cases it comes down to a matter of personal playstyle. Personally, I didn't want her picking up items -- I wanted to decide who got what. Naturally, she's never going to be as good as a human player, but she's still far better than most of the companion AI you get saddled with in games.

understandable, but there are times when she is in the "assist jump" area, and with a co-op partner, they could grab the ammo, gold, and treasure, but the AI wont. And another random problem i had was her constantly giving me her items thinking its helpful, when its annoying when i want to decide who gets what.

Interesting, I didn't run into that problem at all. I never had her giving me things I didn't need...but perhaps that's because I was making a point of picking up everything myself. Similarly didn't have a problem with her not grabbing items from areas only she could reach (though perhaps I simply didn't notice).

 

[stewcurrentTV]

The gameplay was great and the co-op a lot of fun, the controls definitely could have been better but they wern't bad enough to not make this a worth while purchase.

 

[Drake the Dragonheart]

in that video, where the "zombies" actually driving vehicles? Ok so I think from least dangerous to worst, it goes zombie, flaming zombie, fast zombie, zombie coming at you while covered in killer bees, and now smart zombie. Didn't another resident evil feature zombie sharks? Although they might not have been zombies. But the zombie elephant in I think it might have been 3? That was a nightmare. I remember doing a zombie apocalypse tabletop RP using the White Wolf's World of Darkness, and one guy had his arm torn off by a zombie silverback gorilla.

 

[Ago Iterum]

Can't wait for the PC version! With it's slightly superior graphics, yeah, all the ladies will love me.

 

[Susan Arendt]

in that video, where the "zombies" actually driving vehicles? Ok so I think from least dangerous to worst, it goes zombie, flaming zombie, fast zombie, zombie coming at you while covered in killer bees, and now smart zombie. Didn't another resident evil feature zombie sharks? Although they might not have been zombies. But the zombie elephant in I think it might have been 3? That was a nightmare. I remember doing a zombie apocalypse tabletop RP using the White Wolf's World of Darkness, and one guy had his arm torn off by a zombie silverback gorilla.

Yep, the infected are still capable of just about anything they could do as ordinary humans; the new strain of Las Plagas was engineered to make them more formidable as opponents.

 

[Taerdin]

I just finished this game, and its definitely better than RE4 (in my opinion).

I can't wait to replay sections of it again! But seeing as I've basically been playing it for the past 12 hours I should probably take a moment to make sure my girlfriend doesn't forget I exist.

Anyways, if you liked RE4, you will love this game! Its pretty much the same in every way, except there are so many new enemies and new traps and ambushes to get yourself out of, weapons, a real live human partner... its just... wow

Ok so I guess thats a lot of differences... maybe its not the same... but nothing has been changed in any bad way (imo). Even Chris grew on me after a playthrough (though my love for Leon has already been growing inside me for so long).

So from one RE friend to all others who read this, in case there was even the slightest doubt about this game, you will love it I swears! If you're a non RE fan or haven't yet picked it up because the price is scaring you away, RE4 is probably right cheap now... and its an amazing game and way to see if you'd be into this kind of game.

Sorry to gush all that RE love into your review thread but I can't get over how much I love this thing. SERIOUSLY!

 

[Estarc]

I thought this was a great game! Since I spent $120 on it, that's good. But I believe anyone who has played Dead Space will have to acknowledge that that game nailed the feel Resident Evil 5 should have had. It had better controls (save for the one eighty turn feature in RE5) and was scarier. RE5 is too close to an action game not to miss the terror of earlier games...

BUT, Sheva's unlockable tribal outfit (glorified bikini) made up for that, in my opinion. And the longbow is awesome! Still, hopefully Capcom can make something a little more like Dead Space next time, rather than have to rely on those kinds of easter eggs.

 

[Inverse Skies]

A lot of other websites went ballistic at the AI partner in single player for being completely useless when it comes to inventory management (ie mixing of herbs, etc). I haven't played the game myself, but my roommate and I will probably hire it out at some stage to give it a crack on co-op.

 

[Iampringles]

I hope I'll love playing it anyway.

Because if I don't...

*Mumbles angrily to self*

 

[Taerdin]

A lot of other websites went ballistic at the AI partner in single player for being completely useless when it comes to inventory management (ie mixing of herbs, etc). I haven't played the game myself, but my roommate and I will probably hire it out at some stage to give it a crack on co-op.

I'd like to know what the 'etc' is after 'mixing of herbs' because I really had no issues with how the AI manages their inventory. It kind of lets you decide what their inventory should be doing, which is preferable imo. But I wouldn't have that much experience with that anyways because I played with a person like 90% of the time, which is the way its meant to be played really. Its so much fun to play with a real person, but that has its issues too. Like some people just snatch up every single ammo and weapon like they're the only person who fires guns or something. Last time that happened to me I just had a firing 'slowdown' as in I only fired as many bullets as I was allowed to pick up, which wasnt much. Eventually he smartened up and let me get some ammo... yay!

There is mic support, but I've only played with one person who had a mic and I ended up leaving that game because well... talking to someone kind of pulls me out of the game experience, and ruins the survival horror feel a tad. I don't know how to describe what I mean except that talking to a real life person makes me feel more like its just a game, and we're not in real danger, which is the whole point of survival horror; a great fear of your impending lack of survival...ing.

I wish I had time to play this more, but I have to do work... sigh

 

[Inverse Skies]

I'd like to know what the 'etc' is after 'mixing of herbs' because I really had no issues with how the AI manages their inventory. It kind of lets you decide what their inventory should be doing, which is preferable imo. But I wouldn't have that much experience with that anyways because I played with a person like 90% of the time, which is the way its meant to be played really. Its so much fun to play with a real person, but that has its issues too. Like some people just snatch up every single ammo and weapon like they're the only person who fires guns or something. Last time that happened to me I just had a firing 'slowdown' as in I only fired as many bullets as I was allowed to pick up, which wasnt much. Eventually he smartened up and let me get some ammo... yay!

There is mic support, but I've only played with one person who had a mic and I ended up leaving that game because well... talking to someone kind of pulls me out of the game experience, and ruins the survival horror feel a tad. I don't know how to describe what I mean except that talking to a real life person makes me feel more like its just a game, and we're not in real danger, which is the whole point of survival horror; a great fear of your impending lack of survival...ing.

I wish I had time to play this more, but I have to do work... sigh

As I said I haven't played it, just read a few other reviews who got annoyed at the ineptitude of the AI partner in inventory management. I think they had issues with ammo as well, and some other items. It was just interesting to see that Susan hadn't had a problem when a lot of other people did on the single player. The co-op apparently is fine.

I'll play it reasonably soon, so I'll judge it myself then.

 

[Lt. Sera]

Making a survival horror game co-op seem counter productive to the sence of lonelyness that i'd expect a survival horror game to have.

Good thing it's just a shooter then. Seriously though, did anyone even get a startle out of this or was it just me that didn't see any horror anywhere? Seems like Resident Evil is more of a run and gun type of game now rather then the survival/horror it used to be.