Resident Evil 5

NOTICE: This review is comprised only of a direct comparison of handpicked elements between Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil 5.
 
Let me briefly state that in general I find Resident Evil 4 to be an overall superior game when compared the latest installment. One exception should be noted, which is obviously the cooperative elements of RE5. All round the coop features of RE5 are an important addition, and if it were not for this feature my rating would drop to three or less stars.
 
That being said, the remainder of the package is relatively lackluster in my opinion. I am a big fan of the new direction the series has taken and trust me when I tell you that you will probably enjoy RE5 quite a bit, if you enjoyed RE4. So why just 3 1/2 stars? Well... Because of
 

• Lack of Innovation: RE5 is (apart from the coop element) an absolute rehash of a working formula. Fundamentally, so little has changed since the last game. While this doesn't necessarily deserve a good thrashing, it does make one reevaluate how "good" the same old stuff really is. This is probably why most of the rest of the list is as written below. My main argument - which I am trying to follow through on - is that RE4 had a number of aces on its hand, partially due to innovation, but RE5s aces are few and far in between, which makes the rest of the content seem more mediocre.
• Story: Perhaps the most compelling element for me in RE4 was the setting and story. Extremely compelling characters (with some exceptions - such as Ashley) and nice exposition along with interesting dialogue and an overall sense of mystique where everything was headed. Practically everything I just mentioned is missing from RE5 is missing. It's not that the dialogue is awful, it's quite competent, but nothing more than that. The characters are semi bland, some quite stereotypical. Perhaps the antagonists are the biggest let down. Sure, their motives are clear. Irving is in it cause he's somewhat crazy and greedy, the woman wants power as well as a perfect mate, and Wesker wants ultimate power. But the exposition in between the characters is so dull. I was no where near as captivated with the story as in RE4.
  
• Inventory: I cannot speak for the console players, but I find the inventory quite a hassle on the PC. It's nice that tedious organization is no longer an issue, but the lack of space is often so annoying. I know limiting the number of items is part of the gameplay, but... I don't know... It's late and I can't be bothered with explaining it more deeply.