Resident Evil 5

I don’t think I’ve ever actually played a Resident Evil game – but I’m a huge fan of the series. My tradition has been one of watching other people play. It’s quite something to come across a game which is entertaining even when you’re not in the proverbial driver’s seat. But Resident Evil has always managed it pretty well. I think it’s that, like a good horror movie, we can laugh at its foibles even as it's scaring the bejesus out of us (that, and when you yell “behind you!” the main character actually listens …sometimes.)

Prior to Resident Evil 4, the franchise was perceived to be losing its way somewhat, or of getting stale. And Resident Evil 4, responding to the need for change, was a tremendous success; it completely overhauled the gameplay system, and even threw zombies out the window (figuratively, not literally – though zombie defenestration does sound like a lot of fun).

The upcoming Resident Evil 5, though still shrouded to a certain degree in mystery, will apparently follow the changes made in its immediate predecessor. So expect more fast enemies, rather than a return to the more traditional ‘shambling dead’. And the game is said to strongly feature escape – having overtones of Black Hawk Down to it.

Obviously, coming to the Xbox 360 and the PlayStation 3 (simultaneously, rumour has it – which would be a first for the series), we can expect Resident Evil 5 to look amazing: scarier enemies than ever before, and deeper immersion. It will also, apparently, ship with as yet undisclosed online elements. No release date is set yet, but optimists are talking about it arriving as early as the end of Feb.

When more news on Resident Evil 5 hits, NZGamer will have it – along with all the latest previews and reviews.