== RESIDENT EVIL 5 ==
The Resident Evil games have been one of my all time favourite game series. They have been very successful and films have been made because of this but I feel that most of the films are not even like the games. Resident Evil 5 is of course developed and published by Capcom. Capcom are also one of my favourite game companies and they have released many top notch games. Resident Evil 5 is available on a wide range of systems including the Xbox 360. There are also other editions of the game available including Resident Evil 5 Gold Edition for the Xbox 360. The game has a lot to offer but in my eyes it was never going to be the best especially with the fact that it was going to be a zombie free game. Resident Evil games have been made famous for many reasons and one of these is the inclusion of zombies in every game that has been made except for Resident Evil 4 & 5. I did like Resident Evil 4 but it was definitely one of the worst and now it has competition from Resident Evil 5. The story to Resident Evil 5 isn't really as good as what Capcom have done in the past but in all fairness its not entirely bad.

=== STORY ===
Chris Redfield is back for Resident Evil 5 and he means business. Chris Redfield is a former S.T.A.R.S member who is now part of the BSAA (Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance) and has been sent to Kijuju in Africa to work with Sheva Alomar to apprehend a guy that goes by the name of Ricardo Irving who is trying to sell a bio-organic weapon on the black market. After they arrive to town they shortly learn that the people of Africa are being turned by parasites into Majini. Now I'm not entirely sure what a Majini is but its not human and it certainly isn't a zombie. Chris and Sheva team up with a DELTA team to try and bring down Irving but little do they know that Albert Wesker is back with a few tricks up his sleeve along with someone Chris knows very well that has been forced to work with him. The story isn't bad but its really predictable and the outcome is so obvious. I would say that it does have a couple of surprises in but nothing like previous Resident Evil games have had.

=== GAMEPLAY ===
In Resident Evil 5 you can only play as Chris Redfield in the main story mode at first but after completing it or going into online multiplayer or co-op offline you can actually be Sheva. This is all great but Sheva isn't even as good as Chris and I would sooner be him because hes quicker, stronger and definitely looks the better character. The game is shot from a third person perspective and the camera is shot over your characters right hand shoulder which is becoming increasingly more popular with the modern day games and to be fair I actually think it works really well. The whole game is set in Africa but you do explore different facilities and other bits whilst you are there so it gives a bit of variety. As you play through the game Chris will walk unless you use a button to make him run and running in this game is a must at the best of times. In previous Resident Evil games especially back on the Playstation one there were a lot of puzzles to solve but just lately in Resident Evil 4 & 5 there has hardly been any and its a huge disappointment.

One good thing is there are lots of collectibles such as items, weapons, jewelry and even gold but one thing I hate about this is the fact they have put a beam of light where the items are so you can spot them from a mile off. Back in the day you had to search and click every where for items and sometimes they would have the faintest of flashes to give a clue but now its a massive coloured beam of light and its just too easy that way. You can also upgrade your weapons and when they're fully upgraded you can earn new special weapons. Chris can use the Gatling gun where as Sheva uses a Bow. There are quite a few different types of Majini on the game. There are biker Majini, normal Majini, Majini's that head splits in half and can only take damage in their tentacles. There are literally loads but as I said they're not zombies. There are also quite a few boss fights which are quite similar to previous Resident Evil games which does give a feeling that its actually a really good game at times. The biggest let down of story mode is the fact its obvious where you have to go and its obvious what you have to do.

New to Resident Evil is a co-op story mode so you can play with a friend via split screen or you can play with someone over Xbox Live providing you have your Xbox 360 connected to Xbox Live. This is much more fun and a lot more challenging when your with someone else. There is also a Mercenaries mode which is fantastic but only really any good over Xbox Live. You can play alone but your scores wont be uploaded to the Xbox Live leaderboards. The aim of this mode is to score as many points as possible and achieve the best rank. The better the rank the bigger the rewards. You have to survive the onslaught of Manjini and kill as many as you can until the time is out. However you do also have to collect time bonuses to add time on which makes it slightly harder because you have to survive for longer but doing this will get you a better rank. You can unlock new characters, new levels and more in this mode. All the levels are taken from parts in the story mode but this mode is a lot of fun to play but can get increasingly frustrating overall.

=== GRAPHICS ===
One thing that has always impressed me with the Resident Evil games is the graphics. The characters are fantastically designed in most of the games and in this one its no different. Chris looks a brilliant a main character and is detailed really well. Like Leon from Resident Evil 4, Chris has also be changed but you can still tell its him. Other main characters look great but I was slightly disappointed with Sheva. Wesker still looks fantastic and has always been one of the best bad guys to a game ever. The facial expressions are really good as well. The design of the levels is also pretty good and I do like the fact its set in Africa because its different. The scenery to the game is really good at times and I love the way the weather changes now and again. I'm a little disappointed in how the Majini's are designed but that might be because I prefer zombies. I'm a massive zombie fan. Overall the graphics to the game are really detailed in every aspect of the game and are definitely one of the high points.

=== SOUND EFFECTS ===
Resident Evil games have also been famous for the sound effects they offer but Resident Evil 5 in a slight letdown in my opinion. The music is nothing like Resident Evil music except for one the boss fights are taking place. There also isn't many different soundtracks in the game. The characters are voiced fairly well Roger Craig Smith is the voice of Chris Redfield and plays his part tremendously well and he also does the voice to Ezio from Assassins Creed. When your running around you can hear the footsteps on different soils and surfaces but it all sounds the same and sounds plain. When firing weapons at the Majini the sound effects really do come to life with the gun fights and everything. Other than that the sound effects are pretty plain and not really that special. Its a shame really because it does have promise.

=== DIFFICULTY ===
Resident Evil has always been a fairly simple game to me but that's because I am a HUGE fan of these games and can play them over and over again. It could be seen as difficult though especially when you get surrounded or when you've got the game on a harder difficulty setting. There are 3 difficulty settings available amateur, normal and veteran in which ranges from easy to extremely hard. Veteran mode is almost impossible at times because most things will kill you in two hits. The other two settings should be quite easy. The boss fights can be tricky because it usually involves doing one thing and its not all out relentless assault. You have to bide your time and suss out what needs to be done. The controls for Resident Evil 5 are very easy to master and remember and are also very similar to every other Resident Evil game. Overall the game can prove somewhat difficult but it all depends on what setting you choose and how you choose to play. Online play could be more difficult depending on what your opponents skill level is.

=== LONGEVITY ===
Ever since Resident Evil 4 the Resident Evil games have been really terrible in length especially the main story mode. I think Resident Evil 4 lasted me 12 hours at most and number 5 is no different. The story mode is very weak and lasts at best 12 hours again. This is worse if you don't play Xbox Live because the other modes are pretty much pointless otherwise. However if you do play on Live then with Mercenaries mode and the add-on available on Xbox Live the game can actually last you months on end. Mercenaries mode alone is really good fun and can be played over and over again and it will always have variety in it. The add on available for download is just new levels and new games that can be played on Xbox Live. If you have Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition then you get everything free with that version. Overall I would say its mixed but definitely benefits the online gamer more.

=== ACHIEVEMENTS ===
Resident Evil 5 is one of the best games for achievements. There are a whopping 70 achievements to get on the game but that's only really relevant if you have the Gold Edition or add-on because a lot of those are from there. Normal game has 50 but with the add-on its 70 so its pretty good. You can get a total of 1400g from the game but some of the achievements take time or are really challenging. Some are for completing the chapters in the game and some are for completing the game on different difficulty settings. By far the hardest achievement is completing the game on the hardest difficulty setting. There are also time consuming achievements which include upgrading all weapons fully which does require a lot of gold. Overall there is a great mix of achievements that will keep you on your toes for ages.

=== PROS ===
*A great cast of characters as always.
*Some superb graphics are on display all the way throughout the game.
*There is downloadable content available and has a lot of variety to offer gamers.
*Lots of different weapons, costumes, collectibles, items and much more to find.
*Play a co-op story mode with a friend or someone on Xbox Live.
*Mercenaries mode is brilliant and can last a long time and is also a lot of fun.

=== CONS ===
*There is not one single zombie in the whole game!
*The story is a little weak compared to other Resident Evil games.
*Some of the sound effects are a little weak and none of the best music is on the game.
*At times it just doesn't feel like a Resident Evil game at all.
*Poor in length for the story mode and for a non-online gamer.
*Could be difficult for some people especially on the hardest setting available.

=== FINAL THOUGHT ===
Resident Evil 5 is a direct sequel from Resident Evil 4 and carries on the series but with a different character. Being a massive Resident Evil fan made me enjoy this game even though its lacking numerous things. One of the biggest letdowns is the fact there are no zombies and instead we have Majini's. These are okay enemies but Resident Evil cannot be successful without zombies. The game runs and plays smoothly thought. Even with numerous enemies on screen at once it plays really well.

I would recommend the game but only because its a Resident Evil game. The game is much better than the film and I feel the film is way off being anything like the game. If you've played the others and want to try something new this is it because it seems different to a Resident Evil game. It does have certain qualities in which you know instantly that its a Resident Evil game and Chris Redfield is one of them. If you like survival horror games then this is for you because its jam packed with action and you must do what you can to survive. Plus new to Resident Evil games is the co0op story mode and the new and improved Mercenaries mode which has been changed from Resident Evil 3.

The game has an age rating of 18+ because it contains excessive violence and gore throughout and really strong language. The game manual is okay and lists all relevant information. I bought the game a while back from my local Game shop and it only cost me £19.99 which was really good value for an Xbox Live gamer. I have however been meaning to upgrade to Gold Edition and would recommend you get that version because it offers more. This version is selling now for as little as £6 and is definitely worth every penny even though its not the best game ever. Gold Edition isn't much more to be honest and can be picked up for about £12 and has everything you will need and more.

I love the franchise and long may it continue but I just feel this isn't half as good because there are no ZOMBIES!!! I would give the game a reasonable 6/10 but would recommend it!


Review also posted on Ciao under username: MrBrightside1987!