Resident Evil 5

You've come a long way, Resident Evil. We still remember your childhood, as if it were yesterday. We laughed with you - yes, more of you, really - as you learned to speak, so when you took your first clumsy steps and never a second thought you'd grow so much.

And now look at you the envy of all your mates and so very easy on the eye too. But for all of your newfound strength and good looks, there is still a certain stubbornness about you that refuses to acknowledge or change those negative attributes that so many have pointed out over the years. In spite of this, but we can not help but love you - we are just suckers for your ample charms, or are you just really that good? Hmmm ...

Resident Evil 5 is a confused game. Despite a level of aesthetic splendor that puts most other games to shame, and bouts of incredibly intense action similar to that you will not find elsewhere, Resident Evil's star still suffers from the same curious affliction they did when the series first emerged - the inability to move and fire a gun at the same time. In the first game, pre-rendered backgrounds done this, and clunky tank inspection, almost a necessity, and it has been argued before that such a static firing was also a practical tool in light of heightening tension. But in the wake of games like Dead Space, our eyes are opened that it is fully possible to restore all Resident Evil's action-packed treble without the need to cling to the anachronistic downs. But whether through habit, laziness or misguided good intentions, they often criticized the control setup will return here and will undoubtedly be the primary point of contention in most RE5-based discussions. But you know what? It works.

Initially, those who have been pouring hours in other action games will be hit hardest by the almost retro-control scheme of Resident Evil 5 It's not a bad setup in itself, but one that just feels a touch dated and clumsy in the light of more accurate and intuitive games to hit in last Christmas' deluge. Once you have agreed to stand still to shoot a design choice - no different from not being able to jump in Time Splitters, for example - and work around it, things start to fall into place. Yes, within an hour you'll be so engulfed in the relentless action that any problems you might even have had with the way the game controls will soon have faded into insignificance. Archaic it might be, but the move / shoot digital divide is still adding to the stress and panic in a given situation, a little battered and faded badge of honor tells you that despite great changes in other areas, it is still very much a Resident Evil game.

Of these changes, most notable is the addition of a genuine partner in Shiva character. Where earlier versions - notably Resident Evil Zero - have touched on this concept, RE5 embrace it as a core mechanic, and introduces a number of other new features to flesh it accordingly. But perhaps the most striking aspect of having two main characters - once the initial shock of having someone on hand to back you up buyer, at least - is just how clearly the co-op-focused everything is, especially compared to the simple character - the exchange of Zero.

From the fact that the case now runs in the background while you juggle balls and herbs in your inventory at the way Shiva needs to be present to leave a certain area, you are constantly given the impression that this is an experience for two. This is even clearer in the early stages of the solo game, with Al Shiva come to a very uncertain start. She bleeds ammunition at an alarming pace before whining about how her empty guns are slowly improving as the game continues until you fight with a conservative and really useful ally.

There are just so much more potential co-operative play here, not least when it comes to proper inventory control. While it's easy to load Shiva with First Aid Sprays by the Dozen and use her as a healer and pack mules - she will not use any grenades or mines, she wears - a second human player is much less likely to see this as a fair way to enjoy the game. For that you have the correct equipment for each area is crucial, with only nine inventory slots each to play with. Key items, for example, no longer takes precious space in your three-of-three carryall, with keys, plates and other machinery Resident Evil uneven door-opening instruments now only appears at the top of the screen when collected since you 'all never be far from the point where they will be used.

Minimizing the series' trademark puzzle elements are securely anchored in co-op part of the game. While a head-scratching moment is a good way to break up efforts in a solo experience, complex puzzle with two persons can easily become confused, messy, or just boring. Resident Evil 5 has its own methodology to ensure a good pace experience outweighs plenty angry mob ominously quiet moments or lower density is related to Left 4 Dead. These do every mass onslaught that much more impressive and overwhelming, but also delivers the expected fetch quests and puzzles with gentle occasional break.

But with so many enemies attack at once for most of the adventure ten-odd hours, the most frightening scenes are those when you and Shiva must be split to achieve your collective goals. These are usually kicked off by giving the new girl a lift up to a high ledge or a hole, and as soon as you two are separated you can expect to be flooded in bad guys.

More often than not, one way or the other of you will have most of the attention that the driver of the other is to provide support from a supposedly advantageous position. It is a system that works well enough, but you're longing for a human partner in many situations, because just being able to communicate strategies, beyond the issue of fundamental attack and cover the commands to Al, there will often be extremely beneficial.

It should come as no surprise, since the bringing in another human player as an integral part of the experience here as recruiting three other real-world survivors of a decent Left 4 Dead session. Coordinating an intelligent attack where you have time to line a headshot without your partner drop target to their knees - usually just in time for your precious bullet to fly harmlessly when - is a delight, as is the melee combo system only works in multiplayer. This allows you to stun enemies with well placed shots and strikes and then, just as in Resident Evil 4, follow up with a penalty for melee finisher.

The main difference here is that after your finisher connection, an obvious partner because your battles with one of their own, which you can chain into a grand final attack if you are still within, reach. Against tougher enemies, this is an invaluable way piling on the damage without expending ammo by the box load, even though co-op games is the only way to pull these clever combinations with any degree of regularity.

Another laudable aspect is severity, which is constantly challenging after a short initial period, yet never absolutely unfair ... well beyond a solitary aspect, which relates back to our earlier statement, at least. While you are able to heal Shiva she would be overrun by the horde every time you do this will result in fewer opportunities to save her if she falls again shortly after.

Capon is obviously well aware of the challenge set out for prospective players - the once esteemed First Aid Sprays are now freely available to buy, what Amy of Two called 'mid-mission shopping, and they are handily affordable for. Only one safe and the foolhardy would exit the screen without at least two or three of them on standby, especially given that the more you have on hand, the less chance there is of Shiva in one hit too many at a inopportune moment and whisking you back to the last checkpoint. There, as it happens, will probably not be too far away.

There is not a typewriter in sight, so rightly saves only occur between chapters, you will be grateful for the commendable charitable checkpoint system, which means that no errors will cost you too heavy. This is especially important with a couple of the more threatening adversaries boasting one-hit-kill attack, something that would certainly be broken without this system. It is still frustrating, especially when you suddenly cornered by such an opponent, and even more with those who are less able to clearly fatal blow, the first time they bust them out, but with an archaic save system, things will inevitably be a lot worse.

And while there is a list as long as an account of all those who died in Raccoon City for things we can not mention in the story of what we can say is that it is deceptively basic story quickly opened up to fill some of the Resident Evil universe greyer areas. Expected moments of daftness littered around - especially towards the end of the game - just as there always is, but the basic approach and its ongoing explanation will certainly prove interesting for those who have received the following questions when Spencer Mansion incident.

So there is little doubt that Resident Evil 5 is a really outstanding video game. It really is just that good and is arguably Capon’s most ambitious entry in the series yet - with the outbreak game best described as "delusional". Most of the criticism will be leveled at the new co-op part, but as we have already mentioned, can neither verify or Al ultimately March an intense and relentless action experience. Not only are the two issues highlighted as more serious than they actually are - especially because of the brilliance of the rest of the package - but they are easily solved with an hour-long refresher course and introduction of a new player, respectively. So the best Resident Evil yet? We will say this, if only by a Whisker.