Following the success of Resident Evil 4; arguably one of the greatest games ever made, I had high hopes for the latest addition to a celebrated series.
From the opening credits to the first movements, what becomes starkly clear is that ‘this feels a little familiar’.
Part narration, part play, time is divided between teaching my co-op buddy (a Gears of War fanatic who is unfamilar with the series) the controls; the best way to kill zombies; the boxes you can break; combing for herbs; selling treasures etc etc.
Part narration, part play, time is divided between teaching my co-op buddy (a Gears of War fanatic who is unfamilar with the series) the controls; the best way to kill zombies; the boxes you can break; combing for herbs; selling treasures etc etc.
Early on, some tension is present, mainly from the slightly dated controls. Not having the ability to move whilst shooting leads to a number of frustrated cries; while I’m trying to justify that it ‘builds tension’. The control system is both Resident Evil 5's greatest triumph and its biggest failure: a conflict perfectly demonstrated through Cooperative play.
When it triumphs, the pieces all fall into place. A great example is a stage where you and your partner have to flick two different switches, which trigger two chainsaw wielding maniacs wearing bulging fly-infested sack-clothes for hats. The desperate running and dodging that follows leads to a brilliant moment where I’m being chased by both of them around a gas cylinder; my partner frantically trying to place a well aimed sniper shot. It brilliantly infuses comedy and fear, something that very few games can ever boast.
When it fails, it’s nothing but sheer frustration. Evidence of its flaws occur on a number of occasions, especially in areas where there is little room to manoeuvre. One low point arrived jogging (there is no sprint) down a narrow corridor, towards an open elevator, being chased by an army of Lickers (the games toughest and most annoying enemies). Trying to reload; heal yourself; save your partner from instant death and press the lift is a juggling nightmare, and grinds against the generally smooth flow of the game as a whole.
In terms of setting, it’s the more expansive, open-world environments that really work. One of the games highlights is a stage set in an underground Aztec Kingdom. The objective is to take different routes to acquire different items and pull different switches, before taking on a boss. The freedom given allows for a variety of tactics to be used and is an absolute triumph. The opportunity to navigate different paths is not explored enough due to the linear design of many of the stages and their environments. Eventually both players are going to have to leave through the same door.
Playing through the game in single-player is an adequate experience, but the loss of comradeship is never too distant from memory; especially on parts where you are divided from each other or they die un-ceremonially as you dash for a door, only to find them being mauled by the last remaining Licker they failed to kill. It feels like something is missing, and although it is manageable, it doesn’t feel like you’re playing the game the way it should be played.
The sense of sharing the experience with a good friend is clearly enough to take this pure action B movie to its finale, especially when the final boss is simply epic. The story is tight; if not a little déjà vu inducing and the settings are memorable; especially the Aztec Kingdom and slightly controversial tribe hut villages around a lake (but hey, its fiction right?). Overall, Resident Evil 5 a good game, however only with the addition of its Co-op mode does it reach moments of greatness. It’s the joy of playing a game where constant communication is essential; where tactical discussion is key and the triumph of beating difficult stages and bosses is enhanced through teamwork.
I must say that there will always be a part of me that feels I should have just given my mate a copy of Resident Evil 4 to play through instead.
7/10
When it triumphs, the pieces all fall into place. A great example is a stage where you and your partner have to flick two different switches, which trigger two chainsaw wielding maniacs wearing bulging fly-infested sack-clothes for hats. The desperate running and dodging that follows leads to a brilliant moment where I’m being chased by both of them around a gas cylinder; my partner frantically trying to place a well aimed sniper shot. It brilliantly infuses comedy and fear, something that very few games can ever boast.
When it fails, it’s nothing but sheer frustration. Evidence of its flaws occur on a number of occasions, especially in areas where there is little room to manoeuvre. One low point arrived jogging (there is no sprint) down a narrow corridor, towards an open elevator, being chased by an army of Lickers (the games toughest and most annoying enemies). Trying to reload; heal yourself; save your partner from instant death and press the lift is a juggling nightmare, and grinds against the generally smooth flow of the game as a whole.
In terms of setting, it’s the more expansive, open-world environments that really work. One of the games highlights is a stage set in an underground Aztec Kingdom. The objective is to take different routes to acquire different items and pull different switches, before taking on a boss. The freedom given allows for a variety of tactics to be used and is an absolute triumph. The opportunity to navigate different paths is not explored enough due to the linear design of many of the stages and their environments. Eventually both players are going to have to leave through the same door.
Playing through the game in single-player is an adequate experience, but the loss of comradeship is never too distant from memory; especially on parts where you are divided from each other or they die un-ceremonially as you dash for a door, only to find them being mauled by the last remaining Licker they failed to kill. It feels like something is missing, and although it is manageable, it doesn’t feel like you’re playing the game the way it should be played.
The sense of sharing the experience with a good friend is clearly enough to take this pure action B movie to its finale, especially when the final boss is simply epic. The story is tight; if not a little déjà vu inducing and the settings are memorable; especially the Aztec Kingdom and slightly controversial tribe hut villages around a lake (but hey, its fiction right?). Overall, Resident Evil 5 a good game, however only with the addition of its Co-op mode does it reach moments of greatness. It’s the joy of playing a game where constant communication is essential; where tactical discussion is key and the triumph of beating difficult stages and bosses is enhanced through teamwork.
I must say that there will always be a part of me that feels I should have just given my mate a copy of Resident Evil 4 to play through instead.
7/10
by Liam Hocking
