Review: Resident Evil 5 (PS3, 360)

Chris Redfield, one of the heroes of the original Resident Evil game from 1996, returns to the fight still grieving the loss of his partner Jill Valentine. In Resident Evil 5, he travels to Africa to battle the latest outbreak of killer zombies.

The venerable horror/survival series has weathered well through the years.After the destruction of previous viruses in earlier games, Redfield, a former member of the elite S.T.A.R.S. team, arrives in Africa to investigate reports of a new outbreak. Joined there by new partner Sheva Alomar, the pair immediately encounter natives that seem zombie-like, but without the lethargy and stupidity of the undead. These creatures display cunning and ingenuity and skill with weapons.

The duo becomes enmeshed in a terror plot of worldwide scale, with mutating viruses at the heart. The game is, in other words, Resident Evil through and through.

Criticisms of aspects of the series, while mostly valid, are part of the RE heritage.

Chief among them is the inability to move while aiming and firing a weapon. When a killer with a chain saw is coming at you, you’re given the option of standing and firing or running – and running is usually not the best option.

Enemies, however, can move freely and attack while moving. Especially irritating is melee attacking while immobile. If you’re slashing with your knife and your enemy moves out of range, you can either move and then attack or stand there flailing until he gets close again. Neither is optimal.

This restriction has always been a part of the series. It is maddening at times, but can be adjusted to.

Another limitation that becomes critical is the number of items that can be carried in-game. Both Chris and Sheva can carry up to nine items, which include weapons, ammo, healing items and physical protection. It becomes quite easy to max out your allotted positions.

Fortunately, between levels, you can organize and swap items and also store them for later use. Unfortunately, levels can last upwards of an hour, limiting the options.

You can also swap items between players during play, but it is done in real time, meaning if you are being attacked, there is no pause that allows you to review your inventory.

Those are the main downsides to a game that elevates the series to new heights.

The visuals are top notch. The dusty African streets, the wetlands, the docks and an epic battle on a ship at sea stand out. The lighting and detailing bring the scenery to life around you.

The variety of enemies is also stellar. There are hordes of individual undead just bent on attacking, but there are also enemies with rifles, machine guns, chain saws, dynamite and many other weapons. Boss battles unfold on a large canvas, with immense evil intent.

Levels play out as chapters in a grand novel, with key personnel from earlier games returning and new evil stepping forth.

Weaponry is extensive, with several handgun, rifle and shotgun choices, as they are found or become available to purchase. Grenade launchers can use several types of grenades. Each is upgradable in multiple ways, using gold found while exploring or by selling unneeded items.

The game is also the first in the series to feature co-op gameplay, called Mercenaries mode, with online play between two players fighting the good fight together.

Resident Evil 5 does nothing to tarnish the series’ image. It broadens the world, much as Resident Evil 4 did several years ago, making the battle against bioterrorism a world-wide concern. It is grand in scope, with a stellar storyline.