Resident Evil 5 Demo – Hands-On Preview

Guest Writer: Pascal Martin

I’ve always been a Resident Evil fan. From the original that was released on PlayStation, right up until Resident Evil 4 on Gamecube (eventually released on Playstation 2 and the Wii as well).

When they first announced RE4 on the Gamecube, I was skepticle of the change to a third-person perspective and that it had become more of an action game. Never the less, I went out and bought it on release date and boy, was I happy. The whole package felt solid and I was instantly sold on it.

This time around you play as Chris Redfield but you aren’t alone. The biggest addition to RE5 is the introduction of Sheva Alomar, your partner. She can be controlled by AI, or by another human player, either online, or sitting right next to you playing split-screen.

The demo gives you all the options for co-op play, and a choice between two levels: Public Assembly or Shanty Town. Both levels feature enough infected and come with their own more evil, more badass infected and your typical cut-scene just before something bad is about to happen. The demo throws you straight into the deep-end. You are given limited ammo, and a herb to keep you going for those few seconds longer.

The one thing that I know is going to scare the new comers away [ Besides the hordes of zombies? -Ed ] , is the inability to move and shoot simultaneously.

This may look like a run and gun action shooter, but its not. This is a survival horror title. The system they have implemented is to keep the game full of suspence, and it works. There’s nothing like seeing a horde of infected running at you, and all you can do is run, or shoot (and scream like a girl). You have to make your decision right there and go with it.

Another change is that when accesing your inventory, it doesn’t pause the game anymore, so if you are in need of health asap, make sure you have quick fingers to navigate the inventory items, or run like hell.

The graphics are looking amazing, everything is crisp, and runs at a solid framerate. The character animation within the cutscenes are very believable, with voice acting fitting them perfectly. The sound quality is top notch, and is proven when you hear the inevitible sound of a chainsaw revving up.

If you played and enjoyed RE4, this will be an easy decision for you. If not, wait till the demo comes out and give it a try, stick it out, it will be worth your time.

Last Updated: December 17, 2008