The Resident Evil 5 demo that was released a few months back had me feeling a bit wary of what the final product would look/play like.  Now after quite a few playthroughs with the retail copy I’m happy to say that the control problems from the demo are not deal breaks after some time with the game.  The levels are set up so that they provide the player with the utmost excitement without ever letting the “tank-like” control scheme become too much of a hindrance.

Two To Tango

As with any activity. having someone to play with is where Resident Evil 5 truly shines.  While the single player game does allow you to play along side an AI partner having someone sit down on the couch with you or play with online is where the real fun starts.  Staying ahead of the zombies becomes a breeze when you have another human to play along side.  It can be quite satisfying to plan strategies with a partner when facing off against one of the game’s many larger-than-life enemies.

Plain ole’ Dumb Fun

I’m sure there are many die hard fans of the Resident Evil franchise that will love the small throw backs to the series’ prior installments but when it came to me it seemed more like a summer blockbuster action movie plot rather than anything to pay attention to.  While this may be a negative point to some, I feel it’s a perfectly acceptable video game equivalent to a popcorn flick plot that’s just meant as a backdrop for the action that’s happening on screen.

But Wait There’s More…

What really caught me off guard was the fact that there was such a robust end game that was unlocked once you completed the campaign the first time.  There’s money and XP to gather that is utlized to upgrade weapons and to purchase bonus items like costumes, unlimited ammo, and 3d figurines of all the characters in the game.  Along with those features you’re also able to play the Mercenaries mode which puts you and your AI or human controlled partner against waves of infected creatures.

Resident Evil 5 provides an experience that is well worth any of the frustration you may come across while attempting to learn the control scheme.  The variety in locales throughout the game provide a backdrop that keeps the stop and pop pace of the from getting to monotonous.  I’d recommend the game to anyone looking for an exciting experience that is a blast to share with friends.

Related articles by Zemanta

• The Evolution Of Chris Redfield [Clips] (kotaku.com)
• Destructoid review: Resident Evil 5 (destructoid.com)
• Four million copies of Resident Evil 5 have been shipped (destructoid.com)

It’s hard not to think of arcades when I reminisce around my early gaming experiences.  Yes I had plenty of time on everything from the ColecoVision to the NES but there were many a lazy summer afternoon spent in the backroom of hot and smelly bodegas (corner stores in NYC) pumping quarters into whatever machines the owner had that month.  One mainstay of those machines was the rickety old Street Fight 2 machines that always had way too many kids waiting to use them.  The same appeal followed the game when it showed up on the SNES and prompted a whole Summer of kids packed onto my couch all waiting for their turn to play my SNES.

Fast forward to 2009, and up until Street Fighter IV I really had not gotten into another iteration of the series since, yes I made a brief foray into the Vs. series of games but even then I lost interest quickly.  It seemed like the series thrived to reinvent itself and I was left to the wayside while tournament players and change mongers got their fill of flashy counter moves and other technical features that seemed to force a player to adapt or move on rather than encourage mastering the game.  Street Fighter IV on the other hand is a return to form that I am glad Capcom had the guts to make.  The game itself still remains as deep as ever but a lot of the fat from past iterations in the series have been trimmed away leaving the essence of Street Fighter still in tact

One of the most interesting choices Capcom has made in regards to the game is art style.  Many of the character models are based very closely on their Street Fighter II dopplegangers with stylistic changes being made here and there to give SFIV a unique almost water-colored look that still feels very much like the SF of old.  Another choice that was made that seems a bit baffling is how the player is forced to complete certain tasks to unlock quite a few characters in the game which seems like an antiquated restriction only tacked on to falsely elongate what is already a fairly deep game.  There is a lot to the game, including LIVE functionality that allows Vs. play so the inclusion of this limiting unlocking scheme seems a bit convoluted and a bad choice in general.

Regardless of the headaches unlocking items can be this game is addictive beyond all belief.  My first experience online had me cheering as my behind was beat around 5 times in a row, not because I’m some masochist that loves being whooped but because it only made me try harder each consecutive time.  Sure this could never duplicate my times spent at the arcade with a quarter on the glass marking my next turn but it does a really good job of coming just short of it and I have no complaints about that.  Street Fighter IV is a game made for fans of how the series used to be but still advances the 2d fighter genre a few levels in the process.

Related articles by Zemanta

• Watch a Unicorn Review Street Fighter IV [Clips] (kotaku.com)
• Street Fighter IV premium theme quietly tip-toes onto Xbox LIVE (destructoid.com)

The only bad thing about zombies is becoming one yourself, otherwise they’re a blast.  It can be quite viseral to take out a whole group of them with abandon.  One of my favorite  zombie games was the original Dead Rising for Xbox 360.  The great mix of gore and outright silliness (Mega Man costume!) created a sandbox that allowed for dozens of ways to tear through the zombie horde.

With great enthusiasm I’d like to pass on the news that the inevitable sequel to Dead Rising was officially announced by Capcom on Feb 9th of this year.   The story is set to throw at you, “tens of thousands of zombies” while you roam the “new gambling paradise of Fortune City” which seems to have a bit of Las Vegas flavor (zombie Elvis impersonators anyone?).  From the screenshots that were released along with this announcement Dead Rising 2 looks to be on par with its predecessor and seems to be attempting to up the ante in every way possible.

I really enjoyed the first one regardless of the technical difficulties (limiting save system, timeline based story progression).  If Dead Rising 2 dixes those issues and just follows the original’s flavor this entry will only add to the franchise’s appeal.  There’s currently no announced release date for Dead Rising 2 but I predict the game to be out sometime during the 4th quarter of ‘09, til then I’ll be waiting impatiently to get my hands on it like the sick zombie fiend I am.

_

I have no idea why they included the old “tank” controls that are even a further throwback to the old PS1 era Resident Evil games.  Thankfully they included the option to switch to Gears of War type controls but you’re still forced to stand still whenever you wish to shoot your gun which can be a hassle when you can easily be surrounded by the enemies bent on tearing you apart.  Another antiquated game mechanic is being forced to bring up a menu just to heal yourself or your teammate.  This wouldn’t be a bad thing if it wasn’t for the fact that the game still continues as you’re in this separate screen allowing you to once again be surrounded by enemies.

All of the above can be a huge headache but just like any control scheme it takes some getting used to but once they’re learned or at least “compensated” for there is a lot of fun to be had.  If the online co-op mode included in the demo is any indication playing with a friend or someone online will be the best way to experience the game.   Otherwise I’m confident the people at Capcom will make mastering the controls well worth the time spent through a great story and interesting situations.