Post by McGowan on Feb 3, 2009 15:00:23 GMT
So Resident Evil 5 has a demo on Xbox Live that's been out for just over a week. I was massively impressed as it was everything I hoped and more.
The controls are solid and do their job wonderfully. Not being able to move while attacking has been a staple of Resident Evil games right from the start and it's used to build the tension of each fight. You're either running for your life or fighting for survival. Seeing as it's survival horror this gameplay style suits the game perfectly.
Ok so the inventory is a lot stunted from Resi 4 (where you had an attaché case for storing scores of health, weapons and ammo) but you share ammo and health with your partner and you can see what they've got at anytime. It's also real-time as in checking your items doesn't pause the game. Again, this adds to the survival aspect of the game (you have to make yourself a quite moment to check items safely) and bolsters the co-op as well, as you have to monitor your friends items as well, to know when they need health or when they can give you ammo and such.
As for the co-op itself, I am impressed. I'm usually sceptical about co-op because very few games have ever done it right. Mostly it's just adding another player into the standard campaign and making it easier as a result (Halo, TimeSplitters etc.). Other games specialise in it but force co-op by designing the game to require two players (Army of Two) making the whole experience hollow.
Then we got Left 4 Dead. The co-op is forced, yes, by providing enemies who it isn't possible to fight alone but even with 4 players the game is still difficult at times and the limited resources encourage sharing and teamwork which makes the other players more valuable to you, so you'll try to protect them even if for your own sake.
Resi 5 kinda mixes the good of Left 4 Dead (limited resources and a difficult, scary situation) to make the team aspect seem more vital and real to the player, you do feel as though you couldn't survive alone, along with some of the more cliché things like helping someone reach a high area or jump over a big gap. But these clichés work better in Resi 5 because it seperates the players, putting you in the horror situation you didn't want to be in, being left alone. This hightens the tension, making you feel more vulnerable really increases the survival horror aspect of the game. You also want help from your team mate as you're supplies or sheer nerve mightn't be enough to see you through.
Helping your team-mate with covering fire from another building for example really makes you feel as though their life is in your hands and when you are reunited you feel great for having helped them survive a trying scenario. It's Resi 5's core gameplay and setting therefore which makes the co-op work and the ability to play the whole game with a friend is such a great prospect.
Then there's the trailers, epic as they are, which hint to one of the most revealing and interesting plots in Resi history. Who is the woman in the green liquid? Who's that old man with Wesker? Who's the one with the hood and fake beak? Is Jill really dead?! Where did Barry go in the mansion? Why did Carols' accent change halfway through RE3? These questions and more need answers. Hopefully we won't get them all and they'll be saved for Resi 6.
So I frankly loved the demo. There are some very minor quibbles which'll probably be sorted before release but otherwise this is shaping up to be everything I thought it would be.
So what did everyone else thing? Love it? Hate it? Not downloaded the demo? Why not!? Download it right now! Resident Evil 5 is set to be amazing when it comes out on 13th March. And with Street Fighter 4 out in February (I think) Capcom are going to have a pretty good start to 2009.
The controls are solid and do their job wonderfully. Not being able to move while attacking has been a staple of Resident Evil games right from the start and it's used to build the tension of each fight. You're either running for your life or fighting for survival. Seeing as it's survival horror this gameplay style suits the game perfectly.
Ok so the inventory is a lot stunted from Resi 4 (where you had an attaché case for storing scores of health, weapons and ammo) but you share ammo and health with your partner and you can see what they've got at anytime. It's also real-time as in checking your items doesn't pause the game. Again, this adds to the survival aspect of the game (you have to make yourself a quite moment to check items safely) and bolsters the co-op as well, as you have to monitor your friends items as well, to know when they need health or when they can give you ammo and such.
As for the co-op itself, I am impressed. I'm usually sceptical about co-op because very few games have ever done it right. Mostly it's just adding another player into the standard campaign and making it easier as a result (Halo, TimeSplitters etc.). Other games specialise in it but force co-op by designing the game to require two players (Army of Two) making the whole experience hollow.
Then we got Left 4 Dead. The co-op is forced, yes, by providing enemies who it isn't possible to fight alone but even with 4 players the game is still difficult at times and the limited resources encourage sharing and teamwork which makes the other players more valuable to you, so you'll try to protect them even if for your own sake.
Resi 5 kinda mixes the good of Left 4 Dead (limited resources and a difficult, scary situation) to make the team aspect seem more vital and real to the player, you do feel as though you couldn't survive alone, along with some of the more cliché things like helping someone reach a high area or jump over a big gap. But these clichés work better in Resi 5 because it seperates the players, putting you in the horror situation you didn't want to be in, being left alone. This hightens the tension, making you feel more vulnerable really increases the survival horror aspect of the game. You also want help from your team mate as you're supplies or sheer nerve mightn't be enough to see you through.
Helping your team-mate with covering fire from another building for example really makes you feel as though their life is in your hands and when you are reunited you feel great for having helped them survive a trying scenario. It's Resi 5's core gameplay and setting therefore which makes the co-op work and the ability to play the whole game with a friend is such a great prospect.
Then there's the trailers, epic as they are, which hint to one of the most revealing and interesting plots in Resi history. Who is the woman in the green liquid? Who's that old man with Wesker? Who's the one with the hood and fake beak? Is Jill really dead?! Where did Barry go in the mansion? Why did Carols' accent change halfway through RE3? These questions and more need answers. Hopefully we won't get them all and they'll be saved for Resi 6.
So I frankly loved the demo. There are some very minor quibbles which'll probably be sorted before release but otherwise this is shaping up to be everything I thought it would be.
So what did everyone else thing? Love it? Hate it? Not downloaded the demo? Why not!? Download it right now! Resident Evil 5 is set to be amazing when it comes out on 13th March. And with Street Fighter 4 out in February (I think) Capcom are going to have a pretty good start to 2009.