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I'll review the "Resident Evil 5" game at the end of the review. I want to address this Gold Edition for new buyers.
Simply put, I think getting the original standard release is the better buy, especially if you're not going to play this game online. If you're only going to use the single-player options, the bonuses that you're getting from this Gold Edition are:
* Extra Costumes who cares?
* Online Versus Mode you're not going to use it
* Updated Mercenaries Mode it's not that big of an upgrade
* Two Bonus Episodes these are solid 1-hour add-ons, but not worth the extra money
Let's address the two bonus episodes. "Lost In Nightmares" and "Desperate Escape" were originally downloads that are now being included on this disc. They're fun extras, but they're not worth 20 dollars if you're playing offline and/or alone. Similar to the bonus content in "Resident Evil 4", these are fun diversions, but not must-play experiences.
If you're a multiplayer gamer, jump right into this Gold Edition. There is a ton of content for you to enjoy. But offline users would be better served to get the original version of "Resident Evil 5", which (as of this writing) is only 20 bucks. Everyone should play this game, but this Gold Edition was meant for co-op or versus play.
The Gold Edition is also compatible with the PlayStation Move. I haven't tested the Move with anything, but if it plays as well as I've heard from a few others, then that's really the only catch for single-player gamers. Personally, I'm willing to bet that most gamers prefer a controller in their hands.
GAME REVIEW
As for "Resident Evil 5" itself, there's really not a whole lot to say. It's basically "RE 4" in Africa with co-op elements. That's not to dismiss the hard work that went into this game, but it's a very similar experience. The over-the-shoulder gun combat hasn't changed, and the animations aren't that different either. Enemies will stumble, attack, and fall very much like they used to. You will upgrade your weapons, manage your inventory, find treasures to trade in for cash, solve simple puzzles, and try to survive a truly intense experience from start to finish.
Where "Resident Evil 5" takes a strong step forward is in its co-op gameplay. Franchise hero Chris Redfield is joined by Sheva, an African agent who tries to solve the mystery of how her homeland has been taken over by a virus. Whether you're playing alone or with a friend, the two characters will have to work together to solve puzzles and strategically take down enemy attackers. While the AI for 1-player could be a little better --Sheva always uses the handgun first, and doesn't condense inventory well enough --it's still a great experience no matter how you play it. The inventory management isn't done through a pause menu; you'll have to exchange ammo and health herbs in real-time, while you're fighting to survive. Sheva does a good job of keeping herself (and you) alive, only faltering in a few forgiveable instances.
The only areas where "RE 5" failed to surpass "RE 4" are in its plot and atmosphere. I'm not gonna call "Resident Evil 4" a brilliant story or anything, but it was remarkably well-told, and you were mostly aware of where you were trying to go. In "RE 5", Chris & Sheva pretty much have the same goal from start to finish, making any detours in the plot feel like excuses for more action. As for the African setting in "RE 5", not only is it less interesting, but about halfway through the game, it didn't even feel like I was in Africa anymore. Crypts, laboratories, and fortresses don't exactly look African. In "RE 4", the Spanish flavor was constant, from the small villages to the religious cult architecture.
"Resident Evil 5" establishes its own identity through the African backdrop and through constant action. If you're looking for the chilling scares and horror of "RE 4", there's not a lot here. Quite frankly, "RE 4" was a terrifying experience with a great blend of action & horror. "RE 5" skips the horror factor, and goes for balls-to-the-wall action. But make no mistakes These two games are very different in style & tone, and they deserve to remembered for their own merits. To compare this game to its predecessors is nitpicking. Fans of action gaming must play "Resident Evil 5", pure and simple.
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**As a special side note please be aware that ONLY the PlayStation 3 version includes all the content on 1 disc, the 360 version of Gold Edition comes with a download voucher, which requires High speed internet access and a Xbox Live account to download the extra content without those you can not access the extra content on Xbox 360**
This game is essentially a HD version of RE4 with a co-op (2 player) online or AI (computer controlled) partner. This game is best with another player controlling Sheva but its perfectly fine as a single player game too. This Gold Edition re-release includes the following:
Lost in Nightmares bonus mission
Desperate Escape bonus mission
Mercenaries Reunion battle game
Barry Burton, Rebecca Chambers and Excella Gionne as playable characters in Mercenaries Reunion mode.
4 new costumes (2 for Sheva and 2 for Chris)
Extra in game figures to collect
Online player vs player Versus mode.
Overall this is a very good deal for those that passed on the original release.
Buy Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition Now
While I believe that this game is inferior in mood and setting to RE4, I felt a need to give this a 5 star rating for adding co-op in RE5 as well as PS3 Move support for this Gold edition.
Because it wasn't touched on in any of the reviews that I read before purchase, I want to point out that you can configure the Move controls to function exactly the same as the Wii version setup for RE4. This provides for a much more approachable but no less intense experience that I particularly appreciated. RE4 was the only shooter-type game that I could ever get my wife into and that was mostly because of the intuitive control scheme with the Wiimote and nunchuck. As such, this gold edition was a perfect purchase for my wife and I.
If you want in-depth opinions on the campaign, I think several other reviews touch on that better than I could hope to. I just wanted to applaude the efficiency and care given to implementing move controls for this title.
Read Best Reviews of Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition Here
If you are familiar with the Resident Evil series you will no doubt have played most of the series, especially the main series, if however you have never played any of the series or any of the series except Resident Evil 4 then you will be blown away by this game which will be one of the big releases of 2009. However if you have played Resident Evil 4 you may be somewhat disappointed that this is not an improvement on that game or is no where near as good.
Yes the graphics are stunning, the sound is crystal clear (especially when played through a 5.1 amp) and the cut scenes are great. But when compared to Resident Evil 4 you feel something is missing that would make this a truly great game, maybe they set the bar too high with Resident Evil 4 which was a breath of fresh air when it was released in 2005.
The game itself is enjoyable as you control the returning Chris Redfield who has bulked up since we last saw him and he is now joined by a new partner Sheva who will accompany you throughout the game, so you will have to make sure you keep her alive as well. She will also pester you for ammo so keep her topped up but keep the good stuff for yourself and use her to carry other items like first aid spray and bullets.
The game uses the same over the shoulder view that was used in Resident Evil 4, and you will as always have a good variety of weapons that you can find and buy throughout the game. The game is set in Africa so the locations are stunning, the enemies are the same type that were in Resident Evil 4 as in that they are no longer zombies and can run at you and attack more freely than the zombies ever could. There are different bosses scattered throughout the game but you shouldn't have to much trouble dispatching them. As in Resident Evil 4 when you complete the game you get the mercenaries game which is good and you can also play as Sheva in the main game, but she doesn't affect anything so you still get the same cut scenes.
The days of Resident Evil being a survival horror are gone and it really is more action adventure. Its a decent game in its own right but falls short of greatness when compared to Resident Evil 4.
Want Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition Discount?
Resident Evil 5 is the latest instalment of the Resident Evil series, and like it's predecessors, has you running around fighting bloodthirsty zombies who want to eat your brains, and any other juicy organs they can get their rotting teeth on. Like it's predecessor, "5" continues the shift from survival horror to action horror, in which you no longer have the turning speed of a drunk hippopotamus and are no longer constrained by cameras glued to odd portions of a room by duck tape. And where Resident Evil 4 took place in Europe, "5" takes place in the hot plains of Africa. It's a definite change of pace, and to some degree the game really isn't all that scary, seeing as most of it takes place in brightly lit areas in the daytime, which sucks out a lot of the fear factor. Add in the fact that you now have a partner with you at all times, along with enough guns and firearms to wipe out a small third world country, and it's not surprising to hear that people say RE5 has strayed too far from it's roots and has RUINED THE FRANCHISE FOREVER.
However, I don't think that's entirely true. Although the game is no longer a survival horror, it exchanges outright scares for tremendous tension. It's not uncommon to be running around, surrounded by a dozen zombies, many of whom are carrying axes, machetes, and other sharp instruments of death. Coupled with the fact that you take damage pretty quickly, and that you're frequently fairly low on ammo, makes for tremendous tension. There were many times when I was literally starting to sweat, and my heart was pounding while I desperately tried to hold off some particularly powerful monsters while waiting for an elevator to arrive. Having a partner also reduces the horror element, but again, this ties into the tension factor, as you have to keep her alive, as if either of you die, it's game over.
Personally, I think there's a lot to enjoy here. The run and gun gameplay (though this is kinda incorrect, in that you can't move while shooting) works well, and the gunplay is lots of fun, especially when using some of the more powerful weapons, such as rocket launchers, gatling guns, and grenade launchers that shoot off nitrogen rounds, which freeze enemies, allowing you to blast them into tiny, frozen chunks. There's a huge variety of monsters out to eat your brains, ranging from your standard zombies and dogs, evil chainsaw lunatics wearing burlap sacks over their heads, to all sort of giant nasties. There's also a lot of variety in the locations you'll visit, from abandoned shanty towns, to marshlands, to underground laboratories. Coupled with the amazing graphics, and you've got a lot to love here.
Special mention must go to your partner, newcomer Sheva. While most AI sidekicks have the IQ of a head of lettuce, Sheva is amazingly enough, actually pretty capable of taking care of both herself and you, and more once She'll come to your aid if you're dying. I also felt confident having her run around and gun down enemies on her own without having to worry about babysitting her, a feat virtually unheard of in video games. However, she's not entirely perfect, because she seems to have an almost religious devotion to her pistol. Equip her with a shotgun, machine gun, grenade launcher, and a pistol, and she'll use the pistol at every opportunity, even when facing a gigantic, multi-story monster that is clearly being unharmed from tiny pistol bullets. If Satan himself emerged from the bowls of Hell to destroy the planet, I wouldn't be surprised to see Sheva whip out her pistol and try to kill him with it, instead of doing the sensible thing and launching a tactical nuclear strike.
With regards to length, the single player campaign is just about right, and while shorter then previous entries, the game never feels too short. And to add icing on the cake, you can also go through the entire game with a buddy in co-op mode, and I highly recommend doing this, as it makes the game much more fun and enjoyable. Once you're done with the single player campaign, the game has a lot of replay value, with different costumes to unlock, the ability to get infinite ammo for all your weapons, the ability to play the game in black and white, and the return of the Mercenaries mini-game. All in all, there's a lot to keep you occupied, and coupled with the already fun campaign, this makes Resident Evil 5 a lot of fun to play many times over.
This version of the game, dubbed gold edition, features some new additional content that wasn't present in the original release of the game. You get two mini-games, four new costumes for Chris and Sheva, a Versus mode, and new characters for the Mercenaries mini game.
The biggest addition to this edition are the two new mini-adventures, "Lost in Nightmares" and "Desperate Escape". "Lost" takes place before the events of the main game, and feature Chris and Jill Valentine sneaking around a creepy mansion while avoiding large, powerful creatures who want to kill them. It's a throwback to the classic RE survival Horror structure, as the atmosphere is dark and creepy, and a heavier reliance on puzzle solving, rather then outright combat. "Desperate Escape" takes place near the end of the main game, following two characters (I won't say who, to avoid spoiling it for those who haven't played the main game yet), as they struggle to escape from a heavily infested compound with their lives. It won't be easy, considering that they're outnumbered almost a hundred to one. Both adventures, while short (you can complete each one in under an hour or so), are still a lot of fun and definitely worth playing through, especially "Escape", as enemies swell up and explode with such frequency that it becomes downright hilarious, especially enemies who's giant backpacks swell up as well, which, while impossible, is pretty damn funny.
The other big additions to the gold edition are the versus and Mercenaries reunion mini-games. I haven't played Versus mode, so I won't comment on that, other then to say that it allows you to go head to head with other players online to try and kill each other. Mercenaries Reunion is essentially the same as the original, complete with the same stages, only with new characters, including classic RE faces such as Rebecca and Barry (I LOVE you Barry!). While I normally despise Mercenaries mode, here you can select any character from the start, which means you get access to some very heavy fire power, rather then a dinky pistol and average shotgun. As a result, I actually had fun, something that I thought was impossible with the Mercenaries mode, so this addition gets a thumbs up from me.
The last additions are four new costumes. Heavy Metal and Warrior for Chris, both of which scream, "Mad Max Cosplay", and Fairy Tale and Business attire for Sheva. You also get some new figurines to unlock and admire. All in all, the new additions are a lot of fun and are definitely worth looking into.
In the end, is Resident Evil 5: Gold Edition worth it? If you haven't played the game yet, then I would recommend getting this version, as you'll be getting a lot of goodies that you wouldn't otherwise receive. For those who already have the main game, you can buy and download the new content from the official playstation store online, which means that you won't have to go out and buy a new disk to see all the new stuff. So all in all, if you're a fan of the series, even if the focus on Action horror has RUINED IT FOREVER, Resident Evil 5 is definitely worth a look.
