Resident Evil 5 is well-polished and will get you hooked
Let's get one thing straight: RE5 is very polished. I give extra points to a game that has undergone full testing and fixing before getting released to the public. It plays well in every sense of the phrase.
Graphically RE5 looks great. I certainly wouldn't call it the best but the characters and bad guys look great and the environment is as gloomy and sometimes sunny as you would think a cross-globe trek would be. The graphics have no problem pulling you into the game mentally.
The sound is good too but a quiet game like this doesn't get tested much in the sounds department. Guns sound realistic, bad guys sound vicious and quiet moments do allow you to pick up on important sounds around you.
Gameplay is awesome, refined, and well-done. Its a third-person shooter and, thankfully, your guns have lasers on them to help you aim. Ammo can be limited so headshots are definately important. The environments are linear but do allow a few options for you to choose from though you'll always end up in the same place.
The enemies are smart and creepily realistic. They're unique and you learn over time how to handle each different type. The bosses get progressively harder but not much more than you end up getting better so the playing field is always even.
RE5 really shines in co-op mode. Going through the campaign with a human buddy is very rewarding and you learn early how important it is to work as a team. RE5 even features a level where you have to split up yet still support each other with gunfire.
Players may not like the 5-8 hour long campaign but they may want to try on the hardest mode possible to help lengthen it. Also there is a mode that rivals Gears of War Horde mode available after the campaign.
9.5/10: Graphics, sound, gameplay and storyline are excellent. The campaign may be shorter than we would've liked but if you play it with a friend then the entertainment will more than make up for the length.