Resident Evil 5: “A New Genesis is at hand”

Back in 2007, I wrote a column on innovation in games and predicted that Resident Evil 5 would become one of the best games of its year without heavily improving upon or changing its formula. That time is now; Resident Evil 5 has been released recently and finally we were able to find out if our expectations had come true.

Together with Iturio, I had a chat about this release and our views on the game at that time. Had it fulfilled our hopes and dreams? Was it, in fact, Resident Evil 4, only bigger and better?

First and foremost, most of my predictions were justified. It does not improve or change the formula presented in the fourth part. It takes what its predecessor offered and goes from there. No heavy alterations were made and most of the gameplay that many gamers loved was kept intact, and only improved upon slightly. We are basically talking about Resident Evil 4 with better graphics and a different setting, and we love it.
But there is one major addition we hadn’t expected back then: co-op multiplayer (off- and online).

And to be honest, this is a step forward for the series. After all, it is the first true Resident Evil game that allows two players to enjoy the experience together, either split-screen or via online services. The change in gameplay that was offered since Resident Evil 4 is a perfect fit for co-op gameplay and it (pleasantly) surprises us that we hadn’t even thought of this more than a year ago.Some words of thanks are well in place: Capcom has given us another monster hit. Admittedly, the game’s multiplayer offers more fun than the single-player mode. The AI of your partner character is only occasionally frustrating and mostly perfectly dependable, but leaves no room to strategize with, an asset that human players can offer. We have come to find that if you are to enjoy the game together with a second player, this minor flaw becomes null. Note that the game is still perfectly enjoyable when you play alongside a computer-controlled character; arguably, I’d recommend playing it by yourself at first to enjoy the experience and the world to its fullest. It’s just so obvious this game was intended to be played with others, and not doing so would mean that you would miss out on (possibly) one of the best gaming experiences of 2009.

Also, it has to be said that Resident Evil 5 delivers heavily on its replay value. All things considered, you have multiple hours of fun to look forward to. With the main game’s ranking system, unlockable weapons and upgrades and the incredibly addictive The Mercenaries mini-game (unlocked by completing the game once) making its eagerly awaited return since part 4, the game’s replay value is huge. And even then, there’s the online mode and all the unlockables within The Mercenaries to consider.
So it’s safe to assume Resident Evil 5 doesn’t fail to impress. It’s a gorgeous game that will keep you playing for hours on end. If you were a fan of part 4, you’ll definitely enjoy Resident Evil 5 and even if you haven’t played any Resident Evil games before, we encourage you to try it out. Maybe I don’t think it’s actually a better game than 4 was, but it surely comes close.
A pleasant surprise was the storyline and how it was presented. At times it still shows some of that persistent tackiness the series is known for, but one could arguably claim it has become part of Resident Evil’s identity. It’s over the top, but enjoyable nonetheless and probably better than its prequel’s storyline.

(If you do not want to be spoiled on Resident Evil’s storyline, be advised to skip the next paragraph)

And we say farewell to one of the most iconic characters the series ever knew. Despite his constant presence within the series continuum, it seems everyone’s favorite Resident Evil villain has bit the dust. Of course we’re talking about the man that has almost become the embodiment of persistence: Albert Wesker. Ever since the original game, he has been acting behind the screen to put in motion many of the events that tie your beloved games together. Charismatic, relentless and mysterious, this Machiavellian schemer made an undeniable impact on the series, whether or not he made a physical appearance. And we at least, have come to respect him for that. Saying goodbye to him feels like saying goodbye to Bowser or Ganondorf. It means a lot.
But is this really farewell? Call us crazy, somewhere we expect (or at least hope) he will make his unlikely and triumphant return in Resident Evil 6.
Who is to take over the role of primary antagonist if a sequel were to be made (and to be honest, there’s no doubt there WILL eventually be another Resident Evil game)? Most notable key-figures of Umbrella are pretty much dead. Will it be another mysterious organization? Will never-before-revealed Umbrella employees make their debut? Time will tell…

We are, in any case, convinced that Capcom will pleasantly surprise us in the future with yet another high-quality part of the Resident Evil series, be it a true sequel or a game takes place somewhere in between the other games’ storyline. Perhaps even a(nother) remake of the first game in Resident Evil 4 and 5’s style. Maybe that wouldn’t even be so bad after all…

Author: Tom Kerkhof and Geert van Ostaden

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