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This thread has been linked to the game 'Resident Evil 5'.
The long-awaited fifth instalment of Capcom's extremely popular Resident Evil franchise has finally hit the shelves, and from the outset, it's clear that the game will deliver an experience quite unlike any previous outings in the gory series.
Let's begin with the aesthetics. Visually, the game is impressive, as you'd come to expect from a major Capcom title. The new MT Framework engine proves itself here once again, delivering high polygon counts, great levels of atmospheric detail, a smooth frame rate throughout, and mutated monsters which look just as horrific as ever. The soundtrack does a pleasing job of creating that creepy Resident Evil ambience, but doesn't particularly stand out at any point. Voice acting is a little cheesy, but not nearly as bad as some of the cringe-inducing lines found in the original PlayStation trilogy ("Stop! Don't open that door!").
Resident Evil 5 plays a lot like Capcom's critically acclaimed 2005 offering, which took the series in a completely different direction. Instead of a focus on puzzle solving and strategic conservation of ammunition, the series became more action-oriented the new over-the-shoulder viewpoint and abundance of weaponry most accurately reflected this. Resident Evil 5 continues in the same vein, and pushes things even further into the realm of action. It's fair to say that the series can no longer be considered survival horror at this point. While diehard fans will cry out against Capcom's blasphemy, it's clear that the franchise needed to evolve if it was to appeal to a larger audience. However, it could be argued that perhaps Capcom went a little too far this time. Most of the game takes place in broad daylight, and you now have a partner, which effectively nullifies the fear factor a large part of Resident Evil's appeal.
Of the significant changes made to the gameplay, the most obvious (aside from having a partner) is the new inventory. Capcom has done away with the old system in favour of a real-time inventory with nine slots for each character. Presumably the intention was to make switching weapons in a pinch a tenser affair, but players can easily circumvent this by running to an empty area while the sluggish enemies catch up. In single player mode, exchanging items with Sheva can get a little frustrating at times, as it can take a considerable amount of juggling within the inventory to get the item you need.
Speaking of Sheva, the AI is fairly decent. I'm guessing co-op is more fun, as I've heard, but I went solo, so I got to experience the AI. Partners controlled by an AI have generally been pretty awful in most games, but I'd like to credit Capcom here. Sheva will keep up most of the time, and she proves to be most useful in encounters with multiple enemies. Arm her with a decent rifle, and she'll work wonders; she'll also heal you when you're in the heat of battle and can't spare the time to reach for a herb. The only common gripe is her wasteful use of ammo, but since you can control her inventory this isn't a big issue.
The controls remain pretty much unchanged from Resident Evil 4, aside from a few altered commands. Character handling is still a little clunky, and we're still unable to shoot while running. I've heard people say that this is to keep the tension levels high, but I have to disagree there. Handicapping the character in order to maintain the game's feel reflects poorly on the developers if they needed to exclude the ability to operate a firearm while running, which is something that even most normal people could do, this implies that the enemies were poorly designed. What they should have done is taken a page out of Valve's book and designed faster, more intelligent zombies to compensate for the increased character mobility. Regardless of this, however, the game is still fun there's nothing like taking out a dozen enemies with the stun rod.
The weapons are extremely satisfying to use, and there are a great deal to choose from. I'd have to say the shotgun and the aforementioned stun rod are my favourites to wield. The upgrade system is also well implemented you collect treasures, and use the money earned to buy new weapons and upgrades between levels. The combat itself however, is a little repetitive. There's not much variety to the enemies, and you'll often find yourself either running away without consequence or repeating the same pattern of run, shoot, run to get rid of the horde. In contrast, I found the boss battles more entertaining. In particular, you'll be in for some cinematically spectacular fights towards the latter half of the game. The difficultly is well tuned; if you're like me, you'll find sufficient challenge even on the default setting.
The near absence of puzzles is regrettable. In its efforts to westernize the series, Capcom neglects the puzzle solving element found in earlier games. The most you'll get here is a switch or something similar there are attempts at puzzles later on, but these are so easy they insult the player's intelligence and may as well not have been included.
The plot was spread a little too thin for my liking. While the pacing was spot on, and the cut scenes were engaging with their quick-time events, there was a distinct lack of character development, and I found the story itself to be hollow. Perceptive gamers will see the major plot twist coming a mile away and the clichιd ending leaves a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, the B movie plot probably won't bother most gamers it's entertaining at least, and the main draw has always been killing mutants and zombies anyway.
Resident Evil 5 is a solid action title, and will keep the average gamer busy for around fifteen hours on the first play-through. In terms of replay value, you'll get a lot out of the game if you're a completist, as there's a lot to collect and unlock. The new multiplayer mode should also be entertaining, as well as the online or split-screen co-op (with an online scoreboard), and the mercenaries game mode where you can take on a horde of enemies and unlock new characters.
If you liked Gears of War, you're sure to enjoy this game. However, if what you yearn for is true survival horror, I'd have to say something like Dead Space would be a more fitting choice. That being said, I don't think any gamer should miss this it's a worthy game in its own right, as long as you don't try too hard to measure it by the yardstick of previous incarnations.
8/10
Let's begin with the aesthetics. Visually, the game is impressive, as you'd come to expect from a major Capcom title. The new MT Framework engine proves itself here once again, delivering high polygon counts, great levels of atmospheric detail, a smooth frame rate throughout, and mutated monsters which look just as horrific as ever. The soundtrack does a pleasing job of creating that creepy Resident Evil ambience, but doesn't particularly stand out at any point. Voice acting is a little cheesy, but not nearly as bad as some of the cringe-inducing lines found in the original PlayStation trilogy ("Stop! Don't open that door!").
Resident Evil 5 plays a lot like Capcom's critically acclaimed 2005 offering, which took the series in a completely different direction. Instead of a focus on puzzle solving and strategic conservation of ammunition, the series became more action-oriented the new over-the-shoulder viewpoint and abundance of weaponry most accurately reflected this. Resident Evil 5 continues in the same vein, and pushes things even further into the realm of action. It's fair to say that the series can no longer be considered survival horror at this point. While diehard fans will cry out against Capcom's blasphemy, it's clear that the franchise needed to evolve if it was to appeal to a larger audience. However, it could be argued that perhaps Capcom went a little too far this time. Most of the game takes place in broad daylight, and you now have a partner, which effectively nullifies the fear factor a large part of Resident Evil's appeal.
Of the significant changes made to the gameplay, the most obvious (aside from having a partner) is the new inventory. Capcom has done away with the old system in favour of a real-time inventory with nine slots for each character. Presumably the intention was to make switching weapons in a pinch a tenser affair, but players can easily circumvent this by running to an empty area while the sluggish enemies catch up. In single player mode, exchanging items with Sheva can get a little frustrating at times, as it can take a considerable amount of juggling within the inventory to get the item you need.
Speaking of Sheva, the AI is fairly decent. I'm guessing co-op is more fun, as I've heard, but I went solo, so I got to experience the AI. Partners controlled by an AI have generally been pretty awful in most games, but I'd like to credit Capcom here. Sheva will keep up most of the time, and she proves to be most useful in encounters with multiple enemies. Arm her with a decent rifle, and she'll work wonders; she'll also heal you when you're in the heat of battle and can't spare the time to reach for a herb. The only common gripe is her wasteful use of ammo, but since you can control her inventory this isn't a big issue.
The controls remain pretty much unchanged from Resident Evil 4, aside from a few altered commands. Character handling is still a little clunky, and we're still unable to shoot while running. I've heard people say that this is to keep the tension levels high, but I have to disagree there. Handicapping the character in order to maintain the game's feel reflects poorly on the developers if they needed to exclude the ability to operate a firearm while running, which is something that even most normal people could do, this implies that the enemies were poorly designed. What they should have done is taken a page out of Valve's book and designed faster, more intelligent zombies to compensate for the increased character mobility. Regardless of this, however, the game is still fun there's nothing like taking out a dozen enemies with the stun rod.
The weapons are extremely satisfying to use, and there are a great deal to choose from. I'd have to say the shotgun and the aforementioned stun rod are my favourites to wield. The upgrade system is also well implemented you collect treasures, and use the money earned to buy new weapons and upgrades between levels. The combat itself however, is a little repetitive. There's not much variety to the enemies, and you'll often find yourself either running away without consequence or repeating the same pattern of run, shoot, run to get rid of the horde. In contrast, I found the boss battles more entertaining. In particular, you'll be in for some cinematically spectacular fights towards the latter half of the game. The difficultly is well tuned; if you're like me, you'll find sufficient challenge even on the default setting.
The near absence of puzzles is regrettable. In its efforts to westernize the series, Capcom neglects the puzzle solving element found in earlier games. The most you'll get here is a switch or something similar there are attempts at puzzles later on, but these are so easy they insult the player's intelligence and may as well not have been included.
The plot was spread a little too thin for my liking. While the pacing was spot on, and the cut scenes were engaging with their quick-time events, there was a distinct lack of character development, and I found the story itself to be hollow. Perceptive gamers will see the major plot twist coming a mile away and the clichιd ending leaves a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, the B movie plot probably won't bother most gamers it's entertaining at least, and the main draw has always been killing mutants and zombies anyway.
Resident Evil 5 is a solid action title, and will keep the average gamer busy for around fifteen hours on the first play-through. In terms of replay value, you'll get a lot out of the game if you're a completist, as there's a lot to collect and unlock. The new multiplayer mode should also be entertaining, as well as the online or split-screen co-op (with an online scoreboard), and the mercenaries game mode where you can take on a horde of enemies and unlock new characters.
If you liked Gears of War, you're sure to enjoy this game. However, if what you yearn for is true survival horror, I'd have to say something like Dead Space would be a more fitting choice. That being said, I don't think any gamer should miss this it's a worthy game in its own right, as long as you don't try too hard to measure it by the yardstick of previous incarnations.
8/10
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The long-awaited fifth instalment of Capcom's extremely popular Resident Evil franchise has finally hit the shelves, and from the outset, it's clear that the game will deliver an experience quite unlike any previous outings in the gory series.
Let's begin with the aesthetics. Visually, the game is impressive, as you'd come to expect from a major Capcom title. The new MT Framework engine proves itself here once again, delivering high polygon counts, great levels of atmospheric detail, a smooth frame rate throughout, and mutated monsters which look just as horrific as ever. The soundtrack does a pleasing job of creating that creepy Resident Evil ambience, but doesn't particularly stand out at any point. Voice acting is a little cheesy, but not nearly as bad as some of the cringe-inducing lines found in the original PlayStation trilogy ("Stop! Don't open that door!").
Resident Evil 5 plays a lot like Capcom's critically acclaimed 2005 offering, which took the series in a completely different direction. Instead of a focus on puzzle solving and strategic conservation of ammunition, the series became more action-oriented the new over-the-shoulder viewpoint and abundance of weaponry most accurately reflected this. Resident Evil 5 continues in the same vein, and pushes things even further into the realm of action. It's fair to say that the series can no longer be considered survival horror at this point. While diehard fans will cry out against Capcom's blasphemy, it's clear that the franchise needed to evolve if it was to appeal to a larger audience. However, it could be argued that perhaps Capcom went a little too far this time. Most of the game takes place in broad daylight, and you now have a partner, which effectively nullifies the fear factor a large part of Resident Evil's appeal.
Of the significant changes made to the gameplay, the most obvious (aside from having a partner) is the new inventory. Capcom has done away with the old system in favour of a real-time inventory with nine slots for each character. Presumably the intention was to make switching weapons in a pinch a tenser affair, but players can easily circumvent this by running to an empty area while the sluggish enemies catch up. In single player mode, exchanging items with Sheva can get a little frustrating at times, as it can take a considerable amount of juggling within the inventory to get the item you need.
Speaking of Sheva, the AI is fairly decent. I'm guessing co-op is more fun, as I've heard, but I went solo, so I got to experience the AI. Partners controlled by an AI have generally been pretty awful in most games, but I'd like to credit Capcom here. Sheva will keep up most of the time, and she proves to be most useful in encounters with multiple enemies. Arm her with a decent rifle, and she'll work wonders; she'll also heal you when you're in the heat of battle and can't spare the time to reach for a herb. The only common gripe is her wasteful use of ammo, but since you can control her inventory this isn't a big issue.
The controls remain pretty much unchanged from Resident Evil 4, aside from a few altered commands. Character handling is still a little clunky, and we're still unable to shoot while running. I've heard people say that this is to keep the tension levels high, but I have to disagree there. Handicapping the character in order to maintain the game's feel reflects poorly on the developers if they needed to exclude the ability to operate a firearm while running, which is something that even most normal people could do, this implies that the enemies were poorly designed. What they should have done is taken a page out of Valve's book and designed faster, more intelligent zombies to compensate for the increased character mobility. Regardless of this, however, the game is still fun there's nothing like taking out a dozen enemies with the stun rod.
The weapons are extremely satisfying to use, and there are a great deal to choose from. I'd have to say the shotgun and the aforementioned stun rod are my favourites to wield. The upgrade system is also well implemented you collect treasures, and use the money earned to buy new weapons and upgrades between levels. The combat itself however, is a little repetitive. There's not much variety to the enemies, and you'll often find yourself either running away without consequence or repeating the same pattern of run, shoot, run to get rid of the horde. In contrast, I found the boss battles more entertaining. In particular, you'll be in for some cinematically spectacular fights towards the latter half of the game. The difficultly is well tuned; if you're like me, you'll find sufficient challenge even on the default setting.
The near absence of puzzles is regrettable. In its efforts to westernize the series, Capcom neglects the puzzle solving element found in earlier games. The most you'll get here is a switch or something similar there are attempts at puzzles later on, but these are so easy they insult the player's intelligence and may as well not have been included.
The plot was spread a little too thin for my liking. While the pacing was spot on, and the cut scenes were engaging with their quick-time events, there was a distinct lack of character development, and I found the story itself to be hollow. Perceptive gamers will see the major plot twist coming a mile away and the clichιd ending leaves a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, the B movie plot probably won't bother most gamers it's entertaining at least, and the main draw has always been killing mutants and zombies anyway.
Resident Evil 5 is a solid action title, and will keep the average gamer busy for around fifteen hours on the first play-through. In terms of replay value, you'll get a lot out of the game if you're a completist, as there's a lot to collect and unlock. The new multiplayer mode should also be entertaining, as well as the online or split-screen co-op (with an online scoreboard), and the mercenaries game mode where you can take on a horde of enemies and unlock new characters.
If you liked Gears of War, you're sure to enjoy this game. However, if what you yearn for is true survival horror, I'd have to say something like Dead Space would be a more fitting choice. That being said, I don't think any gamer should miss this it's a worthy game in its own right, as long as you don't try too hard to measure it by the yardstick of previous incarnations.
8/10
Let's begin with the aesthetics. Visually, the game is impressive, as you'd come to expect from a major Capcom title. The new MT Framework engine proves itself here once again, delivering high polygon counts, great levels of atmospheric detail, a smooth frame rate throughout, and mutated monsters which look just as horrific as ever. The soundtrack does a pleasing job of creating that creepy Resident Evil ambience, but doesn't particularly stand out at any point. Voice acting is a little cheesy, but not nearly as bad as some of the cringe-inducing lines found in the original PlayStation trilogy ("Stop! Don't open that door!").
Resident Evil 5 plays a lot like Capcom's critically acclaimed 2005 offering, which took the series in a completely different direction. Instead of a focus on puzzle solving and strategic conservation of ammunition, the series became more action-oriented the new over-the-shoulder viewpoint and abundance of weaponry most accurately reflected this. Resident Evil 5 continues in the same vein, and pushes things even further into the realm of action. It's fair to say that the series can no longer be considered survival horror at this point. While diehard fans will cry out against Capcom's blasphemy, it's clear that the franchise needed to evolve if it was to appeal to a larger audience. However, it could be argued that perhaps Capcom went a little too far this time. Most of the game takes place in broad daylight, and you now have a partner, which effectively nullifies the fear factor a large part of Resident Evil's appeal.
Of the significant changes made to the gameplay, the most obvious (aside from having a partner) is the new inventory. Capcom has done away with the old system in favour of a real-time inventory with nine slots for each character. Presumably the intention was to make switching weapons in a pinch a tenser affair, but players can easily circumvent this by running to an empty area while the sluggish enemies catch up. In single player mode, exchanging items with Sheva can get a little frustrating at times, as it can take a considerable amount of juggling within the inventory to get the item you need.
Speaking of Sheva, the AI is fairly decent. I'm guessing co-op is more fun, as I've heard, but I went solo, so I got to experience the AI. Partners controlled by an AI have generally been pretty awful in most games, but I'd like to credit Capcom here. Sheva will keep up most of the time, and she proves to be most useful in encounters with multiple enemies. Arm her with a decent rifle, and she'll work wonders; she'll also heal you when you're in the heat of battle and can't spare the time to reach for a herb. The only common gripe is her wasteful use of ammo, but since you can control her inventory this isn't a big issue.
The controls remain pretty much unchanged from Resident Evil 4, aside from a few altered commands. Character handling is still a little clunky, and we're still unable to shoot while running. I've heard people say that this is to keep the tension levels high, but I have to disagree there. Handicapping the character in order to maintain the game's feel reflects poorly on the developers if they needed to exclude the ability to operate a firearm while running, which is something that even most normal people could do, this implies that the enemies were poorly designed. What they should have done is taken a page out of Valve's book and designed faster, more intelligent zombies to compensate for the increased character mobility. Regardless of this, however, the game is still fun there's nothing like taking out a dozen enemies with the stun rod.
The weapons are extremely satisfying to use, and there are a great deal to choose from. I'd have to say the shotgun and the aforementioned stun rod are my favourites to wield. The upgrade system is also well implemented you collect treasures, and use the money earned to buy new weapons and upgrades between levels. The combat itself however, is a little repetitive. There's not much variety to the enemies, and you'll often find yourself either running away without consequence or repeating the same pattern of run, shoot, run to get rid of the horde. In contrast, I found the boss battles more entertaining. In particular, you'll be in for some cinematically spectacular fights towards the latter half of the game. The difficultly is well tuned; if you're like me, you'll find sufficient challenge even on the default setting.
The near absence of puzzles is regrettable. In its efforts to westernize the series, Capcom neglects the puzzle solving element found in earlier games. The most you'll get here is a switch or something similar there are attempts at puzzles later on, but these are so easy they insult the player's intelligence and may as well not have been included.
The plot was spread a little too thin for my liking. While the pacing was spot on, and the cut scenes were engaging with their quick-time events, there was a distinct lack of character development, and I found the story itself to be hollow. Perceptive gamers will see the major plot twist coming a mile away and the clichιd ending leaves a lot to be desired. Nevertheless, the B movie plot probably won't bother most gamers it's entertaining at least, and the main draw has always been killing mutants and zombies anyway.
Resident Evil 5 is a solid action title, and will keep the average gamer busy for around fifteen hours on the first play-through. In terms of replay value, you'll get a lot out of the game if you're a completist, as there's a lot to collect and unlock. The new multiplayer mode should also be entertaining, as well as the online or split-screen co-op (with an online scoreboard), and the mercenaries game mode where you can take on a horde of enemies and unlock new characters.
If you liked Gears of War, you're sure to enjoy this game. However, if what you yearn for is true survival horror, I'd have to say something like Dead Space would be a more fitting choice. That being said, I don't think any gamer should miss this it's a worthy game in its own right, as long as you don't try too hard to measure it by the yardstick of previous incarnations.
8/10