We're big Resident Evil fans. Our love of the series peaked with the release of Resident Evil 4 on the GameCube back in early 2005, a game which redefined the survival-horror genre and finally addressed the clunky control scheme which frustrated some players of the previous games. Although the world's known about the existence of Capcom's RE4 sequel for some time now, it wasn't until very recently that we actually got our first hands-on with Resident Evil 5. Chronicling the adventures of ex-S.T.A.R.S. member Chris Redfield, we'll finally get to see what this guy has been up to since the events of Raccoon City... events other than him apparently working out at the gym for 19 hours a day.
While firm plot details remain in lockdown at Capcom headquarters, we do know that Redfield's new adventure takes place in an African setting and is somehow involved with tracing the origins of a deadly virus. During our brief playtest, we were able to check out two different stages, which occur early in the game's timeline.
It's obvious that Capcom doesn't want to tinkering around too much with the success of Resident Evil 4's core mechanics as RE5 plays and controls in a very similar manner. Picking up the Xbox 360 controller, this was very apparent. The same over-the-shoulder third-person view kicks in, as does the same movement, running, turning and aiming control scheme. Context-sensitive moves are back also, so when Redfield approaches a window or door, he's able to jump through it or kick it open with the press of a button.
A huge addition is the inclusion of a partner character. Redfield's new lady in waiting is named Sheva and is along for the ride, assisting him with first aid heals and the ability to trade ammo and weaponry on the fly. Together, they make a formidable pair. The best news here however is that Sheva will be fully controllable by a second player, making the all-new co-op mode something that should really appeal to RE fans. If you decide to let the AI handle Sheva's actions, you'll be able to interact with her by using the B button to call her over. Left to her own devices, she seems to be pretty good at taking care of herself (and you). She's certainly no stranger to the use of deadly force and firearms.
We played two brief levels in the E3 build. The first was named Assembly Place and introduced us to a large angry mob centered in the middle of the town. The leader of the mob was yelling obscenities through a bullhorn while a terrified, blindfolded prisoner was wrestled into a compromising position on an executioner's block. A huge, masked, overly-muscled figure wearing an executioner's hood brandished a massive blood-drenched axe, promptly severing the prisoner's head from his neck. The mob went off the deep end and it was at this point that our cover was blown.
As the evil anxiety-inducing music and effects kicked into overdrive, so did our adrenaline levels. Guiding Redfield and Sheva through a couple of beaten-down shacks and through some dusty back alleyways soon brought us into contact with multiple members of the mob. They wielded different weapons ranging from long sharp lengths of wood and spiked clubs to hand axes. Engaging with our shotgun and pistol felt very familiar and we were soon wading through corpse after corpse. Sheva's hunting rifle was nailing foes at range while Chris' close-quarters combat really stirred the action up.
RE5's inventory system seems more advanced than RE4's. Each character has nine initial slots available (you'll most likely be able to increase this number by spending money) and you can now access items and weapons in real-time without having to go into the pause menu and futz around.
As expected, RE5 is a visual treat; the use of gritty filtering and low, saturated colors gives a tremendous edge to the graphics. The level of detail seen in the characters, weapons and environments is very impressive, making it one of the best-looking games yet seen on the 360 and PS3.
The second playable level, dubbed Shanty Town, saw us facing off against more villager hordes. This time, their heads would on occasion split wide open, revealing tentacles and gaping maws reminiscent of "The Thing." Something was definitely afoot! We managed to find a functioning AK-47 assault rifle along with a decent supply of ammo, and for a few brief moments we were completely unstoppable. At least 12 or so enemies lay at our feet after we let rip with our new toy, and the feeling of satisfaction was immense. After encountering a new type of flying creature (and failing to hit them effectively) our bacon was saves by an Alpha Team gunship arriving on the scene. Our allies railed the creatures into oblivion just in time for us to find the exit out of the shanty town.
Even though our time was fleeting with the E3 build of Resident Evil 5, it's safe to say that it's one of the coolest games we've seen all year. We're exceptionally excited to get our hands on the more complete experience, and Resident Evil fans should rest well in the knowledge that the next installment in the series is in very good hands.
