With Resident Evil 5 hitting shelves on March 13, we're getting into critical "give me this s**t now" territory. From our first detailed glimpse early in 2008 to the levels Hamza got his paws on in December, one thing is evident -- we want it, and we want it now.
Capcom brought along a new stage to show off at this year's CES, which has Chris and Sheva as passengers on a small boat, taking out infected villagers from afar as they roll swiftly down the river. Bat-like creatures descended from the sky to gnaw on our faces as we fired at the requisite exploding barrels that lit up the dreary skyline as balls flames would shoot into the air.
More about this, but not much, after the jump.
At this point in the game, there's very little to say about Resident Evil 5 that you don't already know. It's gorgeous, and in most ways, feels almost exactly like Resident Evil 4. That alone should make it on your list of must-play games for 2009. But one thing that's particularly noticeable was the pacing of this particular level and some of the other areas we've played.
The game clearly seems to be focused on fast-paced, adrenaline-charged action sequences. While it's doubtful fans of Resident Evil's puzzle element won't have anything to look forward to, it seems obvious that the intensity of the action has been beefed up considerably. Chris or Sheva can take cover by pressing X (on an Xbox 360 controller), and then popping out Gears of War-style to take out enemies, for instance. Or in one section of the level, we were able to man a turret, something that -- as far as I know -- has never been in a Resident Evil game before.
Resident Evil 5 seems to be taking the direction of a Hollywood action blockbuster, something I personally don't have much of a problem with. I've had a blast playing the game both single-player and cooperatively, despite my split-screen complaints. But is Capcom walking a dangerous line shifting the priorities of the series, or are you fine with this potential new direction?
Contest:
8:00 AM on 01.10.2009
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I agree with SpunkyLoveChild on the how the series' changes worked in RE4, but I'm not as confident with the changes made in RE5. If you could disable co-op, and if they got rid of the completely stupid looking stuff like Ganados on dirt bikes and the masked ladies, I wouldn't be so pessimistic.
All the same, there is no way that RE5 will be a bad game. It just doesn't look like it will be as good as RE1, RE2, and RE4.
To go along with what spunky and Jonathan are saying, how excited would everyone be if they remade RE 2 using this engine? Now THAT would be a game.
I still don't feel like I've played a game that really gives me the feeling of being in a city during a zombie outbreak. Dead Rising came close, but the zombies were too easy to dispatch. L4D is great too, but those zombies are a little too un-Romero to really give me that zombie feeling. Plus, L4D's lack of a real campaign mode continues to bum me out.
It'd be great to see a slower paced, more tactical, and more strategic zombie game. Think open world with supply gathering and a choice of where to go. I'd say it's really only a matter of time till we get it. Zombies never really go away, but right now I'd say they're pretty in demand.
Still, sounds like they're making it harder yet trying to make it more accessible or American.
Strange.....
I'm sorry but this is kind of like what Fable 2 is to Fable 1... I'm really not excited about playing an updated version of the same game.
Question for fans: do you guys think that after all the flak for the classic RE controls being dated in 5, Capcom will finally buckle and make RE6 control like Fable, etc?
@ Jonathan Holmes
I got that feeling of being in a city of zombies playing Code Veronica, and even though 3 was sub par overall, that as well. The locales for 3 at least were great, like the Zoo and Hospital. It was kind of like 2 but with more abandoned "city" areas.
Also @Nick Chester
Turrets were in Resident Evil 4. The Monks manned them.
Also- to those who think the zombies with guns is weird. In RE4 they had guns in spots too. I'd hope that the armed enemies were used just as sparingly here, if not- generic soup.
I really should play through the game again though. I haven't touched it since it in a while, maybe five years or so.
And you're right, RE3 was really cool too. Like I was saying, I pretty much love every RE game. I just think that RE1, RE2, and RE4 are the best of them.
@ Everyone else- I'm shocked that I'm not alone on my lukewarm feelings about RE5! I wonder ho many of us are going to buy the game day one even though we don't even really want it?
But I want it. So fucking bad.
I remember that was one part that disappointed me in RE4, at one point they actually had enemies behind mounted machine guns, but you couldn't use them yourself. :(
Yea, true. As far as "scare factor" goes, Code Veronica was a bit silly. 1 and 2 had their scare moments, but as far as full on scare factor goes, 3 takes the cake. Stalking you through the whole game was awesome, and the chainsaw enemies in 4/5 don't even compare.
I don't think Wesker was Matrix-y in the DC version of Code Veronica. I believe that was only added in X, for the PS2, I could be wrong though as I barely remember CV for the Dreamcast.
As far as the lukewarm feelings go, it's not really a shock to me since people were borderline not caring about RE4 due to the dated controls. I think they'll need to change them in 6 if they still want some of their fan base.
I still contend that it makes the game more suspenseful if you can't run and gun the whole game. I don't want another Gears of War/Halo. I like them both fine. I also love my Resident Evil.
Rest sounds good, I'm willing to let go of some stuff in past RE games but enemies with guns? DAMMIT.
While I respect other's opinions on the game, i just don't understand the whole "RE5 is going to suck because it's just like 4". philosophy. Everyone loved RE4 when it came out and praised it for it's gameplay-changing mechanics going from rotate, walk a straight line empty corridors to faster, more suspenseful action. The gimmick that made the first 3 REs so scary was the camera placement and pre-rendered backgrounds. With the next-gen technology, Capcom knew they could no longer exploit this so they took the scenic, action route.(which could be why they scrapped the awesome ghost hook man version).
But it's time to grow up people. Resident Evil is evolving slowly but surely. What started at as a survival horror game has now become a suspense action game. Instead of "what's behind that corner" scary, is now "omg there's something chasing me" scary. Do you know how freaked out I was when you fought Salazar's "Right Hand" in the sewers? Capcom can still make "scary", but that just isn't their focus right now.
I just say that RE5 is going to be as great as 4 if not better. As long as we have our isolation moments with Chris and Sheva, the game's gonna be fine. And you guys forgot about the whole being out in the heat too long brings hallucinations, too.