Chaos Raiden
Avid Gamer & Reviewer
I was excited when Resident Evil 5 was released. After I finished playing the game, I can't help but felt that something is missing. Good gameplay, check. Great story, check. Fantastic music and voice acting, check. Beautiful graphics, check. But where is the horror? The game is not as scary as Resident Evil 4. The game lacks suspense, and the horror factor is quite low in the original game. But, the DLC content Lost In Nightmares are included, and this new chapter is quite scary, and you will have to do anything to survive in that chapter, unlike the main chapters.
Storyline
To avoid spoilers for those who haven't played it yet, the storyline is good, and easy to understand. The game itself felt like a high quality Hollywood movie, and the cutscenes are gorgeous which makes the game awesome. Although, the plot to destroy the world felt cheap these days, but I can live with that.
Gameplay
The gameplay is similar to Resident Evil gameplay, but with some new alterations. First, you can play the game with your friend. Second, the Item menu is now real time like Dead Space's menu system, not like RE4 menu system. Third, you can swap your weapons or items anytime when pressing the Directional Buttons for PS3 and Xbox 360.
These alterations are good, but the real time menu system can be annoying, since you can be attacked anytime whenever you bring up the menu. However, this provides realism, like Dead Space.
Like RE4, you can aim your weapon in any direction. This is crucial to hit enemy's vital points to defeat them faster, especially bosses. You gonna strategy to defeat the bosses as they can be hard to defeat.
The enemies are smart, and they can dodge whenever you try to shoot them, especially in higher difficulties. When you try to aim at them, they will crouch or dodge your aim. They will attack systematically, and will often try to gang on you and your friend. The bosses are dangerous, as most of them have one hit kill attacks, so be aware of that. Learn their patterns, and find their weak points to defeat them.
Instead of few melee moves in RE4, you now have an array of melee moves. The melee attacks depends on which part your enemy was shot, like the head, hands, and legs. You can also chain melee attacks to a 3 hit combo, but only certain enemies will allow that. Using melee attacks is a good strategy, since you can conserve your ammo and defeat your enemies faster.
One thing you should know that you now have a Dying Status. Your partner must resuscitates you before you are dead, or use healing items to heal you. If both of you are in Dying Status, it is an immediate game over. You can also do the same if your partner is in Dying Status as well.
You can execute certain dodging QTE when certain enemies attack you with a special attack. Use this often to save your lives, as they can be fatal or highly damaging. However, not all one hit kill attacks can be dodged using dodge QTE, so be wary.
Like RE4, you can purchase items and weapons whenever you start the game or restart a checkpoint. You can get money by enemy's spoils, and selling treasures you found during playing. You also need the cash to upgrade your weapons, as the enemies get tougher every time you progress.
This system is exploitable, you can always restart a chapter whenever you found a sufficient amount of treasure to get more of it. Certain chapters have a lot of treasures that can sell expensively, while some don't. This is important to learn to upgrade your weapons faster and buy expensive weapons as well as items. You can also use this technique to get healing items and ammo faster, as you can always get stuck with 'no ammo situation' many times, especially if you play Veteran difficulty as your first playthrough instead of Normal difficulty. In other words, you can grind money and weapons in this game easily, thanks to it's friendly saving system and the chapter selection system.
However, this system dilutes severely of the limited items procurement like older Resident Evil games, as you can repeat any chapters after you completed it anytime. In comparison to Resident Evil 4, you must play all the way to get items and stuff. This also applies to Dead Space too. Somehow, I felt that both Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space are better survival horror games than Resident Evil 5, but it is still a great game.
Graphics
This game is one of the best looking games made by Capcom. I am always in awe whenever I see the cutscenes playing. They are simply awesome. The character details, environments, and others are simply fantastic.
Sound
The voice acting in this game is good, although not as good as RE4's voice acting. I hate seeing Wesker's regular voice actor Richard Waugh, replaced by D.C. Douglas. However, the new voice actor for Wesker is good, and I like Chris's and Jill's new voice actors respectively. Overall, the voice acting is solid, although not as good as Resident Evil 4 voice acting.
The soundtrack is well made, reminiscent of Hollywood style of music. The music complements on every situation perfectly, and I must applaud the composers and performers of the soundtrack. However, the soundtrack lacks of scary and horror music, unlike the previous Resident Evil games.
Replay Value
Due to the way this game made, the replay value is high. After you complete the game, you can play the Mercenaries with your friends, tackle higher difficulties, getting infinite ammo for your weapons, and etc. That's the one thing I like about this game. The replay value is high.
The Gold Edition contains two new chapters, Lost In Nightmares and Desperate Escape. Both episodes are DLC, and are worth playing. The Gold Edition also contains several new stuffs, like Versus mode, new costumes, and etc.
Honestly, I love both new chapters and the new content. However, Lost In Nightmares is the DLC episode compared to Desperate Escape, and that game has a good survival horror factor. You must procure items in the spot, you can't upgrade or buy items, enemies will try to ambush you out of nowhere, and etc. However, this didn't apply to Desperate Escape, as it is more action packed. Both DLC episodes served as extra sidestory for Resident Evil 5's storyline, and it is good purchase.
Conclusion
If you haven't played and bought Resident Evil 5, I suggest you get Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition instead of the Collector's edition or the normal one, as the Gold Edition has a lot of new contents included. However, this only applies to PS3 version, as it was already included in the disc, whereas you still need to download the DLC for the Xbox 360 version, albeit for free using the download token included in the Xbox 360 version.
However, if you have already owned the original game, it is much better if you download it via PSN or XBox Live, as you can choose which DLC to get with an affordable price. If you don't, get this.
This game is a worthy purchase, but don't expect it to live up to RE4's atmosphere, because this game focuses more on action instead of horror, but the horror is still there. However, Lost In Nightmares episode will provide you with a good experience of survival horror, so that is one of the main reason this Gold Edition is worth buying. This game should have higher scoring thanks to the new contents included.
Score
Story - 9/10
Gameplay - 7/10
Graphics - 9/10
Sound - 9/10
Final score: 36/40 or 8.5/10.0.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Great gameplay and action.
- Great story.
- Awesome characters.
- Replay value is high.
- Fantastic visuals.
- Masterpiece soundtrack.
- Good voice acting.
- Additional contents in the Gold Edition makes this game is a worthy purchase.
- Lost In Nightmares and Desperate Escape are great two new chapters.
Cons
- The survival horror genre has less influence in this game, thus making it less scary and horrific.
- The final boss fight is not epic. I expected more of the fight.
- Cumbersome menu system.
- Sheva's AI can be annoying sometimes.
- Split screen is confusing.
*Images are downloaded from IGN's website.*
Storyline
Chris have a new partner this time, Sheva Alomar, another BSAA agent.
The story takes a few years after Resident Evil 4, and this time, you will be controlling Chris and Sheva will be his partner. Both of them are in a mission to capture Ricardo Irving. However, things did not go well, and it gets more and more complicated, and entirely uncovering the plot of total annihilation of the world.To avoid spoilers for those who haven't played it yet, the storyline is good, and easy to understand. The game itself felt like a high quality Hollywood movie, and the cutscenes are gorgeous which makes the game awesome. Although, the plot to destroy the world felt cheap these days, but I can live with that.
Gameplay
Shoot your enemies weak points.
The gameplay is similar to Resident Evil gameplay, but with some new alterations. First, you can play the game with your friend. Second, the Item menu is now real time like Dead Space's menu system, not like RE4 menu system. Third, you can swap your weapons or items anytime when pressing the Directional Buttons for PS3 and Xbox 360.
These alterations are good, but the real time menu system can be annoying, since you can be attacked anytime whenever you bring up the menu. However, this provides realism, like Dead Space.
Like RE4, you can aim your weapon in any direction. This is crucial to hit enemy's vital points to defeat them faster, especially bosses. You gonna strategy to defeat the bosses as they can be hard to defeat.
The enemies are smart, and they can dodge whenever you try to shoot them, especially in higher difficulties. When you try to aim at them, they will crouch or dodge your aim. They will attack systematically, and will often try to gang on you and your friend. The bosses are dangerous, as most of them have one hit kill attacks, so be aware of that. Learn their patterns, and find their weak points to defeat them.
Instead of few melee moves in RE4, you now have an array of melee moves. The melee attacks depends on which part your enemy was shot, like the head, hands, and legs. You can also chain melee attacks to a 3 hit combo, but only certain enemies will allow that. Using melee attacks is a good strategy, since you can conserve your ammo and defeat your enemies faster.
One thing you should know that you now have a Dying Status. Your partner must resuscitates you before you are dead, or use healing items to heal you. If both of you are in Dying Status, it is an immediate game over. You can also do the same if your partner is in Dying Status as well.
You can execute certain dodging QTE when certain enemies attack you with a special attack. Use this often to save your lives, as they can be fatal or highly damaging. However, not all one hit kill attacks can be dodged using dodge QTE, so be wary.
Like RE4, you can purchase items and weapons whenever you start the game or restart a checkpoint. You can get money by enemy's spoils, and selling treasures you found during playing. You also need the cash to upgrade your weapons, as the enemies get tougher every time you progress.
This system is exploitable, you can always restart a chapter whenever you found a sufficient amount of treasure to get more of it. Certain chapters have a lot of treasures that can sell expensively, while some don't. This is important to learn to upgrade your weapons faster and buy expensive weapons as well as items. You can also use this technique to get healing items and ammo faster, as you can always get stuck with 'no ammo situation' many times, especially if you play Veteran difficulty as your first playthrough instead of Normal difficulty. In other words, you can grind money and weapons in this game easily, thanks to it's friendly saving system and the chapter selection system.
However, this system dilutes severely of the limited items procurement like older Resident Evil games, as you can repeat any chapters after you completed it anytime. In comparison to Resident Evil 4, you must play all the way to get items and stuff. This also applies to Dead Space too. Somehow, I felt that both Resident Evil 4 and Dead Space are better survival horror games than Resident Evil 5, but it is still a great game.
Graphics
Fantastic, realistic graphics.
This game is one of the best looking games made by Capcom. I am always in awe whenever I see the cutscenes playing. They are simply awesome. The character details, environments, and others are simply fantastic.
Sound
Fantastic music and voice acting, albeit not as good as RE4's voice acting.
The voice acting in this game is good, although not as good as RE4's voice acting. I hate seeing Wesker's regular voice actor Richard Waugh, replaced by D.C. Douglas. However, the new voice actor for Wesker is good, and I like Chris's and Jill's new voice actors respectively. Overall, the voice acting is solid, although not as good as Resident Evil 4 voice acting.
The soundtrack is well made, reminiscent of Hollywood style of music. The music complements on every situation perfectly, and I must applaud the composers and performers of the soundtrack. However, the soundtrack lacks of scary and horror music, unlike the previous Resident Evil games.
Replay Value
Mercenaries are extremely fun to play, whether solo or playing with your friends.
Due to the way this game made, the replay value is high. After you complete the game, you can play the Mercenaries with your friends, tackle higher difficulties, getting infinite ammo for your weapons, and etc. That's the one thing I like about this game. The replay value is high.
Lost In Nightmares take place before Resident Evil 5.
The Gold Edition contains two new chapters, Lost In Nightmares and Desperate Escape. Both episodes are DLC, and are worth playing. The Gold Edition also contains several new stuffs, like Versus mode, new costumes, and etc.
Desperate Escape takes place after Jill was saved by Chris and Sheva.
Honestly, I love both new chapters and the new content. However, Lost In Nightmares is the DLC episode compared to Desperate Escape, and that game has a good survival horror factor. You must procure items in the spot, you can't upgrade or buy items, enemies will try to ambush you out of nowhere, and etc. However, this didn't apply to Desperate Escape, as it is more action packed. Both DLC episodes served as extra sidestory for Resident Evil 5's storyline, and it is good purchase.
Conclusion
Get the Gold Edition, as it has a lot of new content compared to the original edition.
If you haven't played and bought Resident Evil 5, I suggest you get Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition instead of the Collector's edition or the normal one, as the Gold Edition has a lot of new contents included. However, this only applies to PS3 version, as it was already included in the disc, whereas you still need to download the DLC for the Xbox 360 version, albeit for free using the download token included in the Xbox 360 version.
However, if you have already owned the original game, it is much better if you download it via PSN or XBox Live, as you can choose which DLC to get with an affordable price. If you don't, get this.
This game is a worthy purchase, but don't expect it to live up to RE4's atmosphere, because this game focuses more on action instead of horror, but the horror is still there. However, Lost In Nightmares episode will provide you with a good experience of survival horror, so that is one of the main reason this Gold Edition is worth buying. This game should have higher scoring thanks to the new contents included.
Score
Story - 9/10
Gameplay - 7/10
Graphics - 9/10
Sound - 9/10
Final score: 36/40 or 8.5/10.0.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Great gameplay and action.
- Great story.
- Awesome characters.
- Replay value is high.
- Fantastic visuals.
- Masterpiece soundtrack.
- Good voice acting.
- Additional contents in the Gold Edition makes this game is a worthy purchase.
- Lost In Nightmares and Desperate Escape are great two new chapters.
Cons
- The survival horror genre has less influence in this game, thus making it less scary and horrific.
- The final boss fight is not epic. I expected more of the fight.
- Cumbersome menu system.
- Sheva's AI can be annoying sometimes.
- Split screen is confusing.
*Images are downloaded from IGN's website.*
