E3 2008: Resident Evil 5 Impressions

One of the biggest games of the show this year was no doubt Resident Evil 5. Capcom's game was on display for all to play, and boy did it gather a large crowd. Side-by-side were the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 kiosks, and from what we saw, they looked and moved practically identical to one another. The first thing that comes to mind when you see RE5 in person is just how flat-out stunning the game looks. It was, without a doubt, one of the best looking games of the show.

Everything about Resident Evil 5 looked superb; the lighting was gorgeous, as everything cast around you looked so perfect it bordered photorealism in some cases. Capcom's use of lighting really is some of the very best this generation has seen, not too much, not too little; you're not going to see a plethora of glare and bloom.

Because the lighting is so spot-on, the details all around you look that much better, and the fantastic textures are complemented by it all. Furthermore, character detail as a whole gets the same triple-A treatment, as does the rest of the game. Brilliant stuff here. On top of all that, the game ran superbly well, without a single framerate hitch to be spotted. The game engine ran flawlessly at, what appeared to be, 60 frames per second.

The gameplay is very much like Resident Evil 4, in that you still have to stop when you want to shoot. If this aspect of the game bothered you in the past, then you're out of luck. But if you can look past it, then Resident Evil 5 looks to deliver a much more solid experience than RE4. Overall, the controls were smooth and easy to get adjusted to no matter which version you'll be playing. We also loved how powerful the shooting felt, every shot fired came alive through the sound and recoil of the controllers.

Additionally, a co-op online mode has now been put together for the game which will allow players to take control of Chris and a new character called Sheva. This co-operative mode marks a first for the main franchise, and will allow gamers to come in and out, at will. During a co-op session, you aren't required to stick to your partner at all times, either, so you're free to run about at any time you wish.

Resident Evil 5 is coming along extremely well. Set your sights on March 13th, 2009.

Related Game(s): Resident Evil 5

7/21/2008 Arnold Katayev

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