Resident Evil 5

The best way I know how to sum up Resident Evil 5 is this: If you want a better looking version of Resident Evil 4 with a slightly shorter, better paced experience, this is the game for you. Since I loved RE 4, playing through RE 5 was a blast and was hard to put down. Everything that made Resident Evil 4 great such as the improved over-the-shoulder aiming system, the upgradeable weapons, the action rather than puzzle-focused gameplay, and the hordes of zombies (as opposed to the one or two at a time from the days of old). The most significant change from RE 4 is clearly the addition of Sheva, who is an AI partner that is with you at all times. While I was extremely nervous about how well she would work out after having a terrible experience with the demo, I am happy to say that she definitely held her own. The AI prioritizes the right weapons for the right situation, rushes to my side when I needs healing, and doesn't get herself killed, which is really all I could ask for short of a human-controlled partner.

There are several other smaller tweaks to the RE 4 formula that I personally welcomed. First, the pacing of this game is much better. I always felt like RE 4 was a perfect game while you were still in the village, but then dragged on once you got to the castle. This game does a much better job of moving through a variety of environments while never keeping in any one place longer than you want to be there. To compliment the variety, the game's visuals are a significant step up from RE 4. The boss detail is nothing short of incredible, which really adds to the game's tension and scare factor. Also greatly improved from RE 4 is the weapon balance. Anyone who remembers the Red 9 in RE 4 can appreciate how overpowered some of the weapons were in that game, which basically emphasized "you are an idiot for taking anything but the best gun". RE 5's weapons each have their strengths and weaknesses, which gave me a lot to think about as I was making my choices about what to take with me.

The only real drawback was final couple of boss battles involving Wesker. I thought whoever designed these encounters clearly had an unhealthy obsession with The Matrix and sacrificed good design for "cool factor". Compared to the other boss battles, which are likely the best in the RE series, the Wesker battles just seemed silly and trivial. The story is also nonsense, but I always have come to expect as much from my RE games.

I really enjoyed my time with Resident Evil 5 and plan to start my second playthrough today, which speaks volumes for this game given the rarity at which I will replay a game. I highly recommend this to any fans of any previous RE games as well as shooter/action fans looking for something a little different. Great job Capcom and I'm looking forward to seeing what RE 6 has to offer after two gems in a row.