Resident Evil : Resident Evil 5
System: XBox 360, PS3, PC
Release date: March 5, 2009
We’re getting close to the end of the marathon and now I get to talk about the game that was thought to be last RE game, Resident Evil 5. It’s also the game where I’m going to disagree with a lot of game critics and call RE5 the worst entry in the Resident Evil main line. It’s not an awful game in itself but when compared to the other games of the series I feel it’s the worst one so far if you don’t take into account spinoffs.
The game that wanted to be too much all at once…
Let’s get something straight first, RE5 is not a survival horror game, the gameplay doesn’t even come close to it. It’s a 3rd person shooter plain and simple… and a not so great one. Cover mechanics are awkward and the partner AI is downright awful. It was to the point where I would remove all weapons from my partner except a knife and play as if I had none.
Not only that but most of the game is somewhat pointless in the overall storyline. We get to Africa, there’s a new virus and some bad guys, lots of filler and then toward the end the game suddenly remembers it has a story and main villain Wesker makes its appearance…. it’s a bit anti-climactic.
So it’s a bit hard to pinpoint but I guess my main issue is this. A lot of the game is filler combined with sub-standard gameplay makes for a poor experience overall. It could be worst, it’s playable but it doesn’t grip you like the other title can. I mean most RE game have somewhat poor gameplay but they make up for it in storytelling and atmosphere. You want to know what’s next…. not so much here and it’s very sad for a game that feature the main fight with the series arch-villain, Albert Wesker.
Wesker, at last!
After five games and years of fighting zombies we get to the main event, killing Albert Wesker… and that’s pretty much it. There’s something about a plot to destroy the world with a new improved virus but all in all it’s nothing really memorable that we haven’t seen before. It’s filler and a plot device to get to the final fight which to be honest was somewhat disappointing considering the great fights RE is usualy delivering.
Luckily this will allow me to jolt down the entire plot here. Chris Redfield is headed to Africa because there’s a new evil virus called Ouroboros. He’s all torn up about Jill Valentine being dead after jumping off a cliff with Wesker (which we know means they’re not dead) and he meets with new and forgettable sidekick Sheva. Lots of dead enemies dead later, Chris finds out Wesker and Jill are not dead, goes after Wesker and they end up fighting each other. Wesker loses, the end…
Sorry.. I wish I could make it sound more exciting.
Spinning tales
Last but not least RE6 is next and once again I’ll be disagreeing with the critics. Unlike a lot of them I had fun with it.
