While it really isn't survival horror anymore, Resident Evil still is a lot of fun. Real Score: 8.8
The biggest thing about Resident Evil 5 is that it has been rebuilt from the ground up for co-op gameplay. Which if one thinks about it, is the logical next step for the series, and unlike some other games (Kane and Lynch I'm looing at you) it gets the co-op right. You can play online or split screen, which should be an option for every single co-op game but sadly it isn't. The co-op is also such a nice addition because the partner AI can be a little difficult to work with on the higher difficulty levels.
The plot of RE5 brings back hero Chris Redfield and it also brings along a new parther for Chris to kill the hordes with and that is Sheva. They both work for an organization known as the BSAA (Chris in the North American division and Sheva in the African division) and they have been teamed up to stop a large weapons deal. Well it turns out that things are not as they seem and this weapons deal is a biological weapon called Urobors, which is turning all the towns people into mindless zombies, or the "manji". There are some nice twists for those that are long time fans of the series, and even those who haven't played any RE games before are given enough backstory that they feel comfortable with the characters and can still appreciate the story.
The gameplay in Resident Evil 5 is pretty good. At first I will admit the controls feel a little clunky, but after you find the right scheme for you (there are four) the game runs smoothly and character movements feel fluid and comfortable. That being said there are some problems with the parther AI on the higher difficulties. It would be nice to see a game built for co-op have good AI for when you are not playing co-op. On the lower difficulties Sheva isn't too much of a pain but if you are going to play on the higher difficulties I would reccomend playing on Live or finding a friend who wants to spend the afternoon mowing down some Manji. I will add that this game isn't really survival horror. It is more action horror, becuase although there are some tense moments you won't get the sheer terror that was in some of the earlier entries in the series.
The graphics in Resident Evil 5 are some of the best that we have seen this generation. They are simply top notch. The character models look great and so do the setpieces. There are lots of different enemy character models which is always nice because in a zombie game its pretty easy to just use a couple character models and try to get by. I would also like to point out just for comparison sake that this African Savannah is definately a lot better looking than the one in Far Cry 2.
The sound in Resident Evil 5 is pretty good as well. While some of the voice overs still have that classic Resident Evil cheese factor, they are continually getting better and better. Some characters are laughable while others are surprisingly good. The bullets sound great and the explosions especially. The sound of an enemy dissinegrating as you launch a acid round at them is pretty cool as well. That being said the score is also pretty good, and it kicks in at all the tense moments.
Resident Evil 5 is brimming with content you just have to take the time to find it. There are lots and lots of collectables and a mercenaries mode that unlocks when you beat the game. There are emblems, treasures to collect, and weapons to upgrade and unlock. For those that need motivation to do these things (why someone wouldn't want to play through this game again is beyond me) there are achievements for doing all of these things. There is a multiplayer download for five dollars but I have been told by many people that the only reason for buying this would be to get all the achievements because it's apparently not very fun, but I haven't played it myself thats just what I have heard so, if you want to spend the five bucks to see for yourself I am not going to try to persuade you otherwise. That being said it took me just a little over nine hours to beat the game on the normal difficulty setting, but I have a feeling I will be playing a lot longer getting all the emblems and weapons. Resident Evil 5 didn't tickle my fancy right away, but now I must admit it is truley a fantastic game that everyone should play.
Gameplay: 8/10
Graphics: 10/10
Sound: 8/10
Value: 9/10
Tilt: 9/10