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.

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Never have I felt as on edge while playing a game as during my late night play sessions with Dead Space.  EA’s Dead Space was originally a game that was under my radar due to the simple fact that it was surrounded by so many top tier games when it was first released during holiday season of last year.  I had vowed to eventually bring it back to the forefront and I’m thankful that I did because it has blow me away from start to finish.

With a generic name like Dead Space one would think that this is simply another space marine FPS game cast from the same mold as Halo 3 and Gears of War 2.  But you’d be sadly mistaken if you were to make that assumption because Dead Space’s world has more in common with Bioshock than either of those two games.  Both Bioshock and Dead Space adhere to an eerie ambiance that permeates every moment of the player’s experience.  Whether it’s the story or the world itself you’re immersed in a experience rather than playing through one like you would in the former two games.

Survival Horror Done Right

In Dead Space you’re put in the shoes boots of a ship engineer (glorified custodian) named Issac that is tasked with slowly activating the various areas of a huge ship that you’re currently stuck on.  Along the way you uncover a huge conspiracy that may or may not be the cause of the ghastly creatures hellbent on throwing a wrench into your plans.  Since you’re an engineer you’re equipped with weapons that are pretty much futuristic tools that work perfectly to lop the lim

bs off of your would be assailants.  You will also be outfitted in a suit that can be upgraded and has the handy features of being able to pick up items using a telekinesis type power and slowing down enemies or machines (which sorta kinda makes sense in weird way while dealing with the huge engines on a spaceship).

Dead Space achieves what many survival horror games attempt to and that’s the simple act of being scary.  It does so by making sure the player is as immersed as possible in the game by limiting the amount game-yness that can be experienced at any given time.  Your health, power, and ammo can all be seen just by looking at your character.  All your in-game menus are also shown in teh form of a holographic display that appears in front of your character but only has depth when you look at it the hologram is paper-thin if you rotate the camera around your character which is a really slick effect.  You’re also constantly surrounded by moans and groans as you move throughout the levels which keeps you on edge even as you’re sitting in a room that’s obviously empty.

There’s not much else I can say about the game really.  It’s a fantastic ride that can be predictable at some points but utterly satisfying during others.  I loved the fact that about a quarter of the way into the game I had learned to hold up my gun whenever entering rooms which saved me being caught off guard like I suffered through the early parts of the game.  My constant vigil only helped immerse me into the game and made the experience all the more enjoyable.  I’d suggest Dead Space to anyone that is looking for a truly satisfying action horror game, also I’d suggest checking out the animated movie they released in tandem with this because there’s a lot of back story that may not be a necessity to enjoying Dead Space but does help flesh out the story.

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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.