Who is the girl in the bird mask? What has Chris been doing and why is he in Africa? What is Wesker’s part in all this? While “Resident Evil 5” starts off as a game of mystery these questions and many others are answered as you control the character of B.S.A.A. agent Chris Redfield who is investigating a report of bio-weapons being sold in a small town in Africa.
Like it’s predecessors “Resident Evil 5” has an intriguing, although complicated, storyline that grabs a hold of you from the beginning and never let’s go. From the moment you realize that the people in the African Town you begin in are acting a bit strange, to the moment you finally beat the game, “Resident Evil 5” delivers taut tension and unparalleled suspense that simply cannot be matched in the survival horror genre.
“Resident Evil 5” achieves this mostly through its game play and game mechanics.
The controls are quick and easy to become accustomed to but force you to act and anticipate in the moment in order to combat the overwhelming amounts of enemies that you will face in the course of the game.
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The biggest change with the controls compared with previous “Resident Evil” games is the fact that the attaché case is no longer available.
Every action involving inventory is to be done in real time within the game forcing you as a player to time your switching of weapons or other items very carefully. Not having the right gun out, or reloading a gun in the middle of the action can be hazardous to your health in this game.
You are still able to purchase new weapons from a separate screen and store some in an inventory slot that can be switched out before levels begin or when you die.
The in-game slots that can hold weapons are limited however making you decide cautiously what weapons should be used now and which ones should be used for later.
Although these new features add significantly to the tense nature of the game, two old staples of past “Resident Evil” games produce the most panic as you play the game. These two features are the music involved and the simple fact that you cannot run and shoot at the same time.
The music in “Resident Evil 5” only begins when you are close to an enemy, only reaches its crescendo when you are about to be killed, and only ends when all the enemies around you are dead making you feel stressed and trapped.
Not allowing you to run and shoot also induces this effect forcing you often to stand your ground and shoot while a guy with a chainsaw and a bag over his head comes rushing towards you. This game certainly tests your nerves.
In terms of new groundbreaking features, this game has plenty.
For the first time ever in a “Resident Evil” game you can now complete the entire game co-operatively with one player filling the role of Chris Redfield and the other controlling his newfound partner Sheva Alomar.
Introducing another player to work cooperatively adds a whole new element of fear to the franchise as you often find yourself making hard decisions quickly in order to stop your partner from being killed. With the help of solid controls working together to survive has never been as much fun.
Graphically this game is incredible. Environments are detailed, enemy variety is extensive and cinematic cut scenes are exceptionally well done forging a new outlook for many gamers on just how important the look of a game can be.
With its taut game play, captivating storyline, interesting new features and beautiful graphics “Resident Evil 5” is destined to be the greatest survival horror game of all time. If you’re looking for a thrilling, bone chilling adventure or are a die hard fan, “Resident Evil 5” is for you. This truly is fear you can’t forget.
Peter J. Smith is a fourth-year student majoring in english. He can be reached at PS683072@wcupa.edu.