We are starting to see so many games now that are getting the Re-master treatment for the next-gen consoles. We`ve already seen a few released, and with the announcement this week of Bio shock getting the full treatment from September, combined with Modern Warfare being re-mastered, it seems loads of companies are jumping on the bandwagon. Capcom announced earlier this year that they were going to release 3 of their successful titles, Resident Evil 4,5 and 6 as re-masters this year. We`ve already seen Resident Evil 6 released, and now it`s time for perhaps the best selling Resident Evil game out of the franchise. I loved Resident Evil 5 when it was first released on the 360. Is it a game that now warrants and is worthy of the re-master treatment? Yes.
Resident Evil 5 was released back in March 2009 for the last-gen consoles, and is the fifth instalment to the award-winning franchise. We are told the story of Chris Redfield, and Sheva Alomar, and an investigation into a terrorist threat in Kijuju, a fictional region in Africa. Along the way Chris discovers something that must ask him to put the past behind. Resident Evil is a third-person horror shooter, and is regarded as one of the most well-known and best Zombies game franchise.
The re-release came out on the Xbox One and PS4 Consoles last week, and includes all the DLC packages and PC exclusive modes that were originally DLC and exclusive back on the last-gen consoles. As with all re-masters, it also up scales the graphics to take advantage of the next-gen capability. Now, before I talk about the game, I think the graphically Capcom have done a good job, but not a fantastic job. I think with re-masters that Graphically they don’t really appear to be much different. It`s up-scaling game graphics the best without re-designing and re-devoping the whole game again. I think they`ve tried to do the best they can, and they do look good, but it`s not a game that`s going to stand out in terms of its graphics.
Now, onto the gameplay itself. You have 3 difficulties to choose from ranging from easy (which is what it says on the tin, very easy) to its hardest difficulty (which will take time, and patience, but is obtainable). You`ll need to make sure that you make your bullets count, and make you or Sheva stock at every possible opportunity. There`s nothing worse than a horde full of zombies chasing after you with guns, crossbows, axes, and more, and you`ve no ammo to slay. You`re able to upgrade your weapons throughout the game though, as the game progresses more and more, the more the zombies can take health wise. Making sure you stock up on Herbs too is another important matter, as both yourself and Sheva will use them whenever you are approaching death (Sheva will do this automatically if she has them equipped in her inventory and you are playing with the AI) so having a stock of them are vital. Similarly, to not having any ammo, and being trapped by the horde, if you`re on your last legs, you are not going to survive without any herbs or greens to help you through.
The game is broken down into chapters, where it is then broken down into sub-chapters. Sub-chapters will range anywhere between 2 and 5, and breaks up the story throughout. Bosses await at the end of certain sub-chapters, and also offer a puzzling element to the game, in that you have to work out with the weapons and surrounding you have, of how you are going to kill them. These are bosses that just like any other game and a boss, you normally can`t progress within the game until you kill them. You`re going to need to strategize and work your way through what seems and feels like a puzzle. You are then given some stats at the end of every sub-chapter such as your accuracy, number of kills, deaths and you`ll get a nice lovely achievement at the end of each one. Nice.
I`ll move onto what perhaps made it as one of the best games for the Xbox 360, in terms of playing with your mates and that was the ability to run co-op on the game. You can play with your very own partner throughout the game, taking control of both Chris and Sheva, as you fight your way through the campaign. I would often find myself spending ages on RE5 back on the 360 with friends, as we`d look to slay, kill, and preserve when it came to Zombies, Ammo, stock. Fears will be sacred, blood will be shed, and patience needed.
Resident Evil 5 is a game that isn’t full of jump scares. In fact, that`s not the element of it at all, and I think there`s very little of those throughout. But Resident Evil 5 offers a fun, gripping, compelling story-line, both of which are fun to be completed on your own as Chris, or with a partner joining you as Sheva. I`m up for Remasters on games, if they get it right. I always fear that one of my favourite all-time 360 games is about to be ruined by having a re-master, but so far, so good. Capcom have released a version full of DLC and exclusive modes that are no longer exclusive, and although there may not be much different in terms of changing much, they`ve released a game that feels like a much more complete game, and you`ll be taken back to the old memories of when you first joined the BSAA back on the Xbox 360. Is it worth it? Yes. Have Capcom got it right? Yes. And with Resident Evil 7: BioHazard announced back at E3, it may be a point to get back into the Resident Evil games.
A huge thank you to XCN for supplying us with a Review copy.
