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Resident Evil 5 is a game where it was no surprise to me that the powers to be decided to re-release on the Nintendo Switch.
Originally it received relatively positive reviews, but I never felt it really stamped its name down in the Resident Evil history. Please do not buy this game if you are expecting a massively upscaled version of the original PS4 port, or even the original 2009 PS3 version, because that is not what you will get.
If you have never played a Resident Evil game before, then I will enlighten you with “shooting” you up with some knowledge. Angling, slowly around a corner just to hear the floorboards creek and you jump up and smash your lightbulb: Resident Evil games were the epitome of survival horror. I genuinely had nightmares for years after playing the first Resident Evil, and still remember the first time I saw a zombie. Resident Evil 5 doesn’t bear too much of the survival horror genre and took the risky move to show its real power in the shoot-em-up genre. Did it work? I never was quite too sure but the experience generally was enjoyable.
The game focuses on the good old Chris Redfield and his new partner. You’ll even get to see Jill Valentine (original Resident Evil character) but I don’t want to give you any particular spoilers… That would be very mind-controlling of me. However, Chris works for a fictional company who need to come and clean up an area, only to find out that everything and everyone have been infected by some sort of virus making them..yeh you guessed it.zombies. It’s not all peaches and cream from there and a journey unfolds.
The gameplay is set in the traditional third-person, but focuses a lot more on shooting rather than creeping about. I would comment on how well it works as an online game, but I never found anyone to play with. Every time I played as an open game, no-one came to join me so it would be unfair of me to mention it. What I can say, is it is good to have the opportunity to play with friends… however all of mine are currently playing the new Star Wars and Call of Duty games.
The guns are all upgradeable and offer some nice variants. However, the best button is definitely the one which spins you completely around so you can face what’s behind you whilst a venomous swarm of hungry flesh-eating zombies are trying to gnaw at your bits. This should definitely be a button that is inputted in every shooting game. I could never quite get to grips with the sensitivity of the shooting, though.
You won’t be astounded by the graphics at any point because, simply, there are games which look better nowadays. However, at no point did I feel disappointed with them. That said, I was quite impressed with how smooth the game ran, and that slightly nostalgic look presents itself perfectly on the Switch. I’m glad they didn’t try to be too fancy like they have with a few games recently, which could lead to the game stuttering all over the place. That would have made a shooter really unenjoyable.
Even though this game isn’t as eerie as some of the previous ones in the series, the music does play a freaky part in trying to scare the living daylights out of you. It’s mainly the times when you think everything is just ticking along nicely… and then a solemn mood takes control of you. You’re on edge, wondering what will happen, then out of nowhere.. Well you know the score: zombies! Out of thin air! All over you!!!
Overall, Resident Evil 5 is quite fun. You’ll get a little bored and feel the pains of lonesome if none of your friends actually play the Switch that they bought themselves just to seem cool. If you have originally played this title on the PS3 and PS4, then I wouldn’t overly recommend picking it up unless it was one of your favourites. It isn’t a new experience but it is a decent and solid one.
Overall score: 7/10
Resident Evil 5 is out now on Nintendo Switch from the online store.
It’s also still available on PS4 and Xbox One.
Important info:
- Developers: Capcom
- Publisher: Capcom
- Players: single-player, multiplayer
I have been a video game player since 1993 and a music fan since I can remember. I studied Film and Journalism at university and ended up becoming a Primary School teacher. Video games changed my life and sent me on the right track and have stayed with me ever since.