Here it is, the one that started dividing us all. On paper and critically speaking, Resident Evil 5 was a success straight from its launch; despite unfounded controversy where some claimed that it was "racist" for featuring mostly African-American enemies... the game takes place in deep villages within Africa, after all. Underneath the exterior ratings and glowing reviews, however, fans of the series were torn, as this is the first entry in the main franchise that fully pulled away from the survival horror roots that entangled it since the late 1990's. Long gone is the creepy atmosphere and tactful scares, all replaced by high-octane action against a diverse set of enemies and indelible bullet-sponge bosses.

Saving the world this time is long-standing Resident Evil main character Chris Redfield, last present in the main series as a playable character in the Resident Evil Remake, and his new partner Sheva Alomar. Taking place five years after the events of Resident Evil 4, a total of nine years after the original Raccoon City outbreak, Chris is now a member of the BSAA (Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance), having moved on from his famed role in S.T.A.R.S. Chris and Sheva are dispatched to Kijuju, Africa, in order to apprehend a man whose intent is to sell a bio-organic weapon (BOW) to the black market. Reaching their destination, they find that the inhabitants of the village are already infected with the Las Plagas virus; the same one that Leon Kennedy thought he destroyed, though highly mutated into what is referred to as Plagas Type 2. Chris and Sheva have to find the source, put a stop to it, and also prevent an even more sinister outbreak called Uroboros from happening

Even though this instalment functions more or less the same as its predecessor, Capcom refined the control scheme to be less clunky in most areas. Players have more control over the camera, whereas before it was nearly impossible to look in any direction but straight ahead. This definitely helps when it comes to looking for items, or simply scanning the environments. There's still no move-and-shoot mechanics, and the inventory system has switched to an undesirable live-action one. There are also a lot more QTEs (quick time events) present in this release, which is one of its more unappealing features. The merchant NPC is now gone, instead replaced by a "shop" type set-up at the beginning of each chapter where players can sell their treasures and unwanted items, and can purchase new weapons, upgrades, ammo, grenades, health items, and melee/bulletproof vests for a layer of added health and protection.

When Resident Evil 5 launched in 2009, it was praised for its graphics; which were cutting-edge for the time. A decade later and the visuals are still fairly stunning, holding up exceptionally well, especially when compared to other games that were released around the same time. Being able to see the freckles and moles on Chris' skin and the threads of his clothes, the captivating use of lighting, and the lively environments are all features that never seems to wear out their welcome. Pairing with the observable portion of this title also comes its stellar soundtrack, which is arguably one of the most memorable and enthralling audio creations of the entire franchise. In particular, the end chapter theme, boss battle music, and enemy encounter tracks are the most bewitching. The OST really captures the feeling of being abandoned in an infested, humid jungle wasteland.

Although most Resident Evil games are generally short, this fifth entry feels like one of the briefest. This is more than likely due in full to the overwhelming amount of unlockables that become available once the campaign has been completed. Players are able to use special currency to attain infinite ammo for every weapon in the game, which makes repeat playthroughs fast and easy; even on higher difficulties like Professional. In fact, this is probably the most unlockable-centric release in the main franchise, with other collectibles such as figures, files, and costumes to be had. It leaves room for dozens upon dozens of hours of replayability for those that are into that sort of thing, and getting infinite ammo for powerful weapons like the magnums and rocket launcher feels great. There are also four additional campaigns to enjoy, three of which are locked behind the Untold Stories DLC.

In the end, Resident Evil 5 is a love it or hate it game. Those who love it do so because the action is good, the gunplay is amazing, and the campaign reveals a ton of insightful information about what happened between the Raccoon City incident, and the events happening in Africa. Those who hate it do so because, well, the game isn't horror anymore, it's still a little clunky, there aren't many good puzzles, and the bosses simply need a lot of bullets in order to kill them; they don't have any real patterns or mechanics to learn. If you're on the fence, it's worth picking this game up on sale, especially if you're more into the lore of Resident Evil rather than its scares. There's a lot of great information here that closes the doors to many questions people still had regarding Wesker, Umbrella, and some other previous plot holes. Personally? It's my favorite game of the main series, second only to the Resident Evil Remake, and people may discredit me for that opinion but I find no shame in it.
*GFWL has been removed, and is no longer an issue.

The Horror Network Curator | Group Click for Gore

Here it is, the one that started dividing us all. On paper and critically speaking, Resident Evil 5 was a success straight from its launch; despite unfounded controversy where some claimed that it was "racist" for featuring mostly African-American enemies... the game takes place in deep villages within Africa, after all. Underneath the exterior ratings and glowing reviews, however, fans of the series were torn, as this is the first entry in the main franchise that fully pulled away from the survival horror roots that entangled it since the late 1990's. Long gone is the creepy atmosphere and tactful scares, all replaced by high-octane action against a diverse set of enemies and indelible bullet-sponge bosses. Saving the world this time is long-standing Resident Evil main character Chris Redfield, last present in the main series as a playable character in the Resident Evil Remake, and his new partner Sheva Alomar. Taking place five years after the events of Resident Evil 4, a total of nine years after the original Raccoon City outbreak, Chris is now a member of the BSAA (Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance), having moved on from his famed role in S.T.A.R.S. Chris and Sheva are dispatched to Kijuju, Africa, in order to apprehend a man whose intent is to sell a bio-organic weapon (BOW) to the black market. Reaching their destination, they find that the inhabitants of the village are already infected with the Las Plagas virus; the same one that Leon Kennedy thought he destroyed, though highly mutated into what is referred to as Plagas Type 2. Chris and Sheva have to find the source, put a stop to it, and also prevent an even more sinister outbreak called Uroboros from happening Even though this instalment functions more or less the same as its predecessor, Capcom refined the control scheme to be less clunky in most areas. Players have more control over the camera, whereas before it was nearly impossible to look in any direction but straight ahead. This definitely helps when it comes to looking for items, or simply scanning the environments. There's still no move-and-shoot mechanics, and the inventory system has switched to an undesirable live-action one. There are also a lot more QTEs (quick time events) present in this release, which is one of its more unappealing features. The merchant NPC is now gone, instead replaced by a "shop" type set-up at the beginning of each chapter where players can sell their treasures and unwanted items, and can purchase new weapons, upgrades, ammo, grenades, health items, and melee/bulletproof vests for a layer of added health and protection. When Resident Evil 5 launched in 2009, it was praised for its graphics; which were cutting-edge for the time. A decade later and the visuals are still fairly stunning, holding up exceptionally well, especially when compared to other games that were released around the same time. Being able to see the freckles and moles on Chris' skin and the threads of his clothes, the captivating use of lighting, and the lively environments are all features that never seems to wear out their welcome. Pairing with the observable portion of this title also comes its stellar soundtrack, which is arguably one of the most memorable and enthralling audio creations of the entire franchise. In particular, the end chapter theme, boss battle music, and enemy encounter tracks are the most bewitching. The OST really captures the feeling of being abandoned in an infested, humid jungle wasteland. Although most Resident Evil games are generally short, this fifth entry feels like one of the briefest. This is more than likely due in full to the overwhelming amount of unlockables that become available once the campaign has been completed. Players are able to use special currency to attain infinite ammo for every weapon in the game, which makes repeat playthroughs fast and easy; even on higher difficulties like Professional. In fact, this is probably the most unlockable-centric release in the main franchise, with other collectibles such as figures, files, and costumes to be had. It leaves room for dozens upon dozens of hours of replayability for those that are into that sort of thing, and getting infinite ammo for powerful weapons like the magnums and rocket launcher feels great. There are also four additional campaigns to enjoy, three of which are locked behind the Untold Stories DLC. In the end, Resident Evil 5 is a love it or hate it game. Those who love it do so because the action is good, the gunplay is amazing, and the campaign reveals a ton of insightful information about what happened between the Raccoon City incident, and the events happening in Africa. Those who hate it do so because, well, the game isn't horror anymore, it's still a little clunky, there aren't many good puzzles, and the bosses simply need a lot of bullets in order to kill them; they don't have any real patterns or mechanics to learn. If you're on the fence, it's worth picking this game up on sale, especially if you're more into the lore of Resident Evil rather than its scares. There's a lot of great information here that closes the doors to many questions people still had regarding Wesker, Umbrella, and some other previous plot holes. Personally? It's my favorite game of the main series, second only to the Resident Evil Remake, and people may discredit me for that opinion but I find no shame in it. *GFWL has been removed, and is no longer an issue. [h1]Rating: [b]4.5/5.0[/b] - Excellent, highly worth playing.[/h1] The Horror Network [url=http://store.steampowered.com/curator/28221963/]Curator[/url] | [url=http://steamcommunity.com/groups/thehorrornetwork]Group[/url] Click for Gore