Resident Evil 5
Console(s):
Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Story (8/10):
Resident Evil always has the same basic gist to it; there's zombies, there's weapons, and lots of violence. The story itself brings back Chris Redfield from the original RE, searching for his partner Jill Valentine. Although the story seems pretty similar to RE4 and doesn't really bring anything new, it's still quite captivating and brings in a few twists (a few that personally brought a tear to my eye.)
Controls (8/10):
As someone who has never played a shooter before nor used an xbox controller, the controls seemed a bit clumsy at first. They were easy to get used to after playing through the game, however, and the few times I accidentally shot the crates instead of knifing them were most likely my fault. : )
Graphics (10/10):
Graphics were absolutely beautiful. The shading, textures, and characters were all brilliantly done. Nothing bad to say here.
Sound/Music (10/10):
Sound and music were also beautiful-- although the only time music is really played is when you're being attacked or enemies have spawned. So between the deafening silence and adrenaline-producing music, it creates a unique mood contrast that keeps you ready to shoot.
Replayability (10/10):
There is a huge replayability factor! You can beat the game on amateur, normal, and professional modes, you can leap right into the "Mercenaries" mode to slaughter waves of zombies to earn points to spend on collectible in-game figurines and new costumes, you can re-play chapters to earn money, ammo, weapons, and hidden items, you can fully upgrade weapons to unlock infinite ammo options while playing through the game, and even more. There are lots of things to do once you beat the game, which I appreciated, because I never wanted it to end!
Online/Multiplayer (if any) (9/10):
I'm not sure about online multiplayer, but it probably exists. My boyfriend and I played through the entire game in the split-screen mode of multiplayer, him playing Chris and me playing Sheva. Mercenaries mode is made for multiplayer as well. It's pretty much designed for 2 people, and it was highly enjoyable. (Many doors and locks required both people to press B at the same time, and many bosses required teamwork.)
Game-play (9/10):
It's an over-the-shoulder shooter. You use all types of guns, ranging from the basic handgun to the triple-barreled hydra shotgun. It's
quite 3D, with interesting landscapes with traps and puzzles (albeit not especially difficult, it's still refreshing for the game not to be completely comprised of pure shoot-zombie-in-the-head mentality.)
Overall Score (9/10):
This game is worth buying, especially if you're already familiar with the RE series. It's really nostalgic to meet up with old characters again. I could've easily rated this a 10/10, but this was my first shooter-type game and I can't compare it to anything else so I don't wish to mislead anyone. Also, I've watched every Resident Evil game in the series from start to finish (I've always watched rather than play), and I find this one a lot less... "creepy". RE1, 2, and 3 filled me with real fear occasionally, but it seems RE4 and 5 moved away from that awkward feeling. Regardless, it still has creepy zombies that find delight in popping up behind you as you're reloading, and monsters that can kill you in one hit (along with their violent cutscenes). It's just a different kind of scary.
I loved it.
Linear Mode
