- Tested on PlayStation 3.
- Game purchased in physics (Gold Edition).
- About 40 hours of play spread over two weeks.
- Images piqués sur internet.
- No disclosure is expected from this article.
Released four years after an untouchable and instantly cult fourth episode that changed the face of industry forever, Resident Evil 5 had shoulders heavily loaded with expectations that he could not decently hope to fill. With the monumental success of his predecessor, Capcom puts the package at a technical and marketing level, letting guess an action game in the same vein, at the cutting edge of graphics. And that's actually what we had, to some extent. Unfortunately, too many waits easily kill an exit, as the result will never be up to it. Resident Evil 5However, far from being bad and with record sales, will be quickly abandoned. An injustice that we are returning to today, in the hope of reviving the coat of arms of this title full of good will which is still fined a lot of action games of the moment.
Welcome to Africa
Powered by a hyperactivity that only alcohol and hiking manage to soothe (temporarily), I had the displeasure to realize, with the appearance of an adult purchasing power, that I was a man of fleeting bribes. Every year, I go from hobby to hobby, from one routine to another, all without real logic, just as the desires of the moment, the influences of different readings and fleeting passions. A few months ago, it was the picnic in the forest, the night bike rides, and the Roguelike. Two subscriptions to the gym and three attempts to register for group activities later, all of which resulted in a failure caused by a fatigue too quickly arrived, I set myself in the lead to collect the paper-based guides of video games that seemed worth it. This is how I put my hands on those who Soul Calibur 2, Final Fantasy XIII, and of course several Resident Evil, a series that I especially like. A quirk that passed me before I really looked at the content of these artifacts from another time (and even before my Vinted purchases ended in my hands to tell the truth), replaced since by kilometers of soulless but more practical web pages, making us more efficient what we lost in charm. Annoyant, one night of rain, I opened at random the guide of Resident Evil 5 and discovered, O surprise, several little things about this game which I thought I knew as the back of my hand. Neither one nor two, I jumped on this perfect opportunity to spend a white night on this authentic Madeleine de Proust.
Resident Evil 5 suffers from his ungrateful status between the two. Before him, Resident Evil 4 shook the industry stronger than any other action game had done so far (and perhaps never, elsewhere), becoming by the same token a real reference in the genre that everyone then took care of in one way or another. What gave a real monsoon of GST and Cover Shooter, of which very few will stay in the anals, if not Gears of War, having also participated in this booming development. After him, Resident Evil 6 will mark a decisive turning point for frankness, proving to be bad enough for many to begin to wonder about their future. Even Capcom, moreover, is not serene, despite very suitable sales, which prompted this wonderful Japanese firm to thoroughly review its plans, giving birth late to a Resident Evil 7 having nothing to do with the previous three numbered sections. For the best, certainly, since this clever blend of back to the sources and new way of playing, FPS way, has like who would say save the franchise of his demons: kitch and ridiculous. But I'm getting lost. Between the fourth adulated and the sixth hated, Resident Evil 5 is a little forgotten, probably because a large part of the internet has chosen to dispossess it from its legitimacy in the series, calling it more or less openly a big nanar and dumb action game. What he is, we hear on this specific point before launching hostilities. Resident Evil 5 Is stupid like rain! But any game abhorring that it is, there is something of the order of regression, in the right sense of the term, in his African adventure that is full of passages Over the top.
Regression which began moreover even before the availability of the game, with abhorrent words that called him racist based on considerations one can no longer ground to ground, reflecting too much where he was no need. Yes, Resident Evil 5 staged « dead alive », a term on which we will come back later don't worry, who proudly wear a color of black skin, in a fantasy sub-Saharan Africa, where white is an exception; And yes, he places at the center of his story a white, which inevitably shoots blacks, to say it in the most clear way possible. There is, however, no desire for pejorative representation or sign of colonial domination, as some militants who have been emboldened in dogmatic systems, unable by nature to question themselves, have been able to scream. Capcom's will is clear, however, when you think about it: Africa's choice as a theatre of events is an easy (and also effective) way to renew the decors, for a series that until then was held in a very grey occident. With this change of continent, the change of scenery is assured. And then, even if we disagree with the argument cited above, as much as remind that the great villain of history remains a white, blond, blue-eyed, at the initiative of the epidemic enslaving the local, black population. From this perspective, can we see a critique of colonialism? Instead, let's do what every sensible person would choose to do, turning away from these ridiculous political questions that have nothing to do with our video games.
The logical sequel
In hindsight, difficult to understand why Resident Evil 5 as disappointed among the players who have yet erected his predecessor as a monument. For by reviving it today, it does not take long to see that it does, in essence, the same thing, more modern. Even when it comes to narrative construction and progression, we touch something very similar, if not identical in some cases. Resident Evil 5 is the logical continuation of Resident Evil 4. And just by saying that, I know that I might attract the lightnings of fans. Yet it is the purest truth. There is a very similar gameplay, with a shoulder view and a vision system materialized by a red laser, as well as a character remaining, despite a new, freer camera, heavy in his movements. The developer kept the rich idea of two triggers to use his arsenal (also added in Deadly Silence on DS): one for the knife, the other for the equipped firearm. And he took advantage of a more mobile bestiary to implement new offensive possibilities to the body to body, resulting in more regular contextual actions. In terms of playability, we're really like home. Except on two points of detail that are of great importance. First, the inventory, which is more limited than ever, with only nine boxes to fill, but above all that no longer pauses the game while we consult it. Newness that drastically changes the way to play, adding a large dose of stress, especially against bosses or in the phases that send us a large amount of enemies. And if there is a reserve system, allowing us to keep the items and weapons of our choice safe, it is not accessible during the game periods. It will take until the end of a level to benefit from it.
The other change, and it's finally the one everyone has retained, is the appearance of a second player: Sheeva. A second protagonist, who will accompany Chris Redfield on all adventures, giving him offensive and defensive support, or even helping him reach certain hidden items or solve certain puzzles. A rich idea, which is accompanied by a more complex inventory management, since it is possible to send items to Sheeva or to ask for them, the latter being quick to treat us in case of difficulty. But an idea which is unfortunately counterbalanced by an artificial intelligence judged, at the time, clearly perfectable. And it is true that in replaying it today, it remains difficult to pretend that this defect did not exist. Yes, the second character sometimes blocks us the passage, may prove embarrassing when one wants to aim in small places, or will be stupidly killed when the enemies are too numerous. It would also have been nice to be able to programme its own reactions, if only the frequency of use of the care items (which quickly go into the highest level of difficulty). It is still possible to impose on him temporarily an offensive or defensive attitude, but this is really not enough. From there to say that the game is inexorably swept away by its presence? Far from it. Yes, Sheeva doesn't always react as we would have liked, and she tends to stick in our legs. But she also participates in the charm of this solo adventure and adds a very light
But of course, his biggest point is to be able to be embodied by a second player. And you have to admit that we didn't see him coming. Yet again, this is the logical continuation of Resident Evil 4. Farewell Ashley, the potiche that served nothing but to create extra tension (God that the Difficile mode was terrible because of her) and hello to a character who can not only defend himself, but also give you a good reason to invite a buddy to the house (sorry mom)! And seen from this angle, the game is no longer the same. From a big dumb wasteland, we move on to an excellent cooperative experience, which can be played online or, better still, on a shared screen, in the same sofa. The reduced inventory then finds much more meaning: each player can consider a different role (tank / sniper for example) and stick to it throughout the campaign. Too bad the game is so mischievous in money during the half of the adventure, since it is hard to improve the weapons of both players at a good pace when playing in coop. Resident Evil 5 makes the choice not to adapt its systems accordingly, which is a bit unfortunate. Especially at the level of difficulty, since we obviously come to the end of all the ages being two. Small advice for those who would have been titillated enough by this article to start the game with a friend: choose the difficult mode, much more just in these conditions. But don't think that RE5 is not worth it solo, after all this tirade on the multiplayer, especially since the challenge is quite raised, which is appreciative.
The black sheep?
However, if it is a remarkable development in many aspects, Resident Evil 5 Indeed, it loses a significant part of the DNA of its franchise, and a few points of detail may have made it tick. For starters, the title is much more linear than its predecessor. However, in order to achieve this result, it has had to relieve itself of (practically) the whole system of keys of the previous strands, pushing further the construction in levels of Resident Evil 4. From now on, you will not spend twice in the same sets, each environment is thought to be crossed from one end to the other without turning around. Except for one passage, not the most successful, leaving us a little freer from our movements, we are thus placed on rails, with extremely little branching, and therefore nothing to give us the illusion that we do not evolve in a simple corridor traced for us. What would certainly have sounded like a defect in another game can be seen here as a quality, since Resident Evil 5 Never waste time, let him constantly press the player, and play skillfully with the stress that some of his sequences can make. Past the introduction, which takes a few minutes to set the African atmosphere by letting us walk, without danger, in the middle of the premises, the action remains uninterrupted until the last second of the adventure. If it is during very short passages offering vague puzzles not well thought out, only there to let us blow a few minutes between two angry clashes. With all of this in mind, you are sure that this episode will be relieved of any horrific dimension, except through a bestiary that pushes the Body Horror ever further, which may also have disappointed.
Another change, the merchant of RE4 Here is replaced by a simple menu, allowing to do exactly the same thing, i.e. buy weapons, improve those in our possession, or sell our loot, but without this strange little touch so characteristic. Here, your reaction will depend on your affinity with the armorian. But as far as I am concerned, I find this choice rather relevant: we avoid having an additional character to integrate into these sets, and no one will wonder how he got here, or how he arranges with the premises. It looks like nothing, but even in such a stupid action game, immersion remains a quality. And then we save time, on the other hand, since the menu arrives at the beginning of each level, as in a Devil May Cry, and that we can quickly shop there before returning to combat, without having to hit the animation of a NPC. We lose some identity what we gain in efficiency... Does that remind you of something? It is difficult to miss out on the new enemies, moreover, who are even more perennial than those of Resident Evil 4, and can even undertake quite complex things. The Internet still doesn't recover from those infected who make motorcycles, and there's something to do. Infected who are not living dead, in the sense that frankness meant up to Resident Evil 3, but are therefore, again, a logical evolution of those found in the previous opus. What may have bothered, but is quite relevant in view of gameplay improvements, freer camera and co-op features.
And of course, it's hard to release a game in 2009 without including an online dimension. It has already been mentioned, the title allows to play in cooperation online, with an unknown or a friend. But that's not all: a new and competitive game mode. Nothing extraordinary, it was to be expected, yet the servers are still open, and some players still fight games regularly. I was extremely surprised to see that it did not take long to fall on a game, via my PS3 version, on a weeknight. I was able to spend two good hours there, during which I was a real ball in front of these players who visibly sanded the fashion and know all the weapons caches or tactics to master the game. But I still had a nice time, which allowed me to blow before reviving the solo. It's too bad that the concept is so boating, because it's just about scoring points, as a team or each one for his skin, by taking other players or enemies out of the campaign. All on quite large maps, taken from the Mercenary mode, itself the logical evolution of that of RE4. More enemies, more weapons, more playable characters, more content to unlock... In short, an effective way for those who adhere to its very simple proposal: to unfurl everything. In case this is still not enough for you content level, history, which will take you between twelve and fifteen hours to be completed, also offers a New Game + mode, and will offer you some joy if you fully improve some weapons. You can unlock other, hidden, or get unlimited ammunition-type bonuses. Finally, two DLCs were born, friendly but clearly below the main adventure.
Sus to realism, live the video game
Well, now that everything is said, why did you choose to talk to yourself about this opus instead of someone else? It is well known that Resident Evil Village is an excellent pick, and a nervous action game, also extremely inspired by Resident Evil 4. This choice would have been all the more logical in that it is the part of which Requiem, last of all, follows directly. Well for several reasons, to begin, as the title of article l clearly indicates, with the aim of rehabilitating this neglected part of the franchise. Resident Evil 5In contrast to him, he does not deserve the indifference he may have aroused, let alone the hatred of some players. Yeah, it's a stupid game, that I think I've addressed enough in these few lines. But there is still little to blame for today, even by comparing it with current standards. Apart from a heavy gameplay and an allied AI clearly perfectable, it's practically a faultless one, provided you are able to appreciate its absurd scenario. It should also be noted that the title is absolutely sublime, which the seventeen years that separate us from its release did not succeed in blunting. We just notice more easily the rare falls of framerate, which are nothing very embarrassing, or an aliasing pronounced on some shadows. Overall, Resident Evil 5 Still impresses, notably through its light effects licked, its textures particularly fine for the time, or its bloodshed. Without laughter, I was surprised to see the result on PlayStation 3, as I came out of much more recent titles, sticking to RE5. I also wanted to talk to you about it because he's one of my favorite games, obviously, and that doesn't count the games I've chained on his solo anymore.
But what I most wanted to highlight by scratching these few lines is my vision of video game. Because I find it too much with realism, with the content and the Open World, that we are trying to sell to ourselves too complete, too perfect experiences, which would certainly have made the kid dream that I was twenty years ago, but who completely indifferent as an adult. Today everything is asepticated, melted into the same mould, apart from the ever more remarkable work of the independents, and I do not understand why the players continue to follow this stream of titles all resembling each other, while they only singer past experiences that exceed them almost on all aspects. Take Crimson Desert for example, which arrives in a few days, and compare it to The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt. Do you really think that it is big in terms of narrative, coherence, atmosphere? Not me, anyway. I felt like we reached a ceiling a while ago, probably with the exit of Red Dead Redemption 2, and that now no studio is able to innovate in the Open World, let alone realism. Realism which, moreover, seems to me clearly to be the worst of the chimeras that the video game sells to us, since we lose a lot of fun that has nevertheless been part of the DNA of the media for several decades. So in this very flat landscape, a decomplexed action game like Resident Evil 5, aspired to nothing more, whose tension almost never debunks, is a real breath of fresh air. That's why I highly recommend it.
It would seem that Capcom is soon ready to revive Resident Evil 5 in remake too. I caught up with Resident Evil 7 this weekend and I almost finished Village. I enjoy it even though it's very different from the old ones. I wonder if I will occasionally write an article about the burlesque side of these two episodes.
Great article that boasts all the qualities of RE5 on which I spent very many hours. I keep one of the best memories of cooperation to two players in my life and also solo. I went back in every direction:-p
He really has an excellent sense of rhythm this game, we never bore. It's a little bit of an AR4 on steroids in my opinion, with what it causes but also some fun without taking the lead. Moreover, in memory, the higher levels of difficulty were well corsed.
P.-S. – And clearing a rock by punching him with Chris, it's priceless.