Chris Burke gives us the lowdown on Resident Evil 5…

Resident Evil was the first genuine stone classic on the PlayStation in 1996, and now, several sequels and spin-offs later, it’s only right and proper that it’s on the PS3 that number Five really shines.

Once again you play as Chris Redfield, investigating the testing of genetic mutagens on poor Africans, which is turning them into zombies. It’s a nice development of the themes and previous story, and fans will enjoy the appearance of other familiar faces (no spoilers, you’ll have to find out for yourselves).

Like Resident Evil 4, it’s more about fast-paced action than survival horror, but the biggest difference this time is the co-op element. You are accompanied throughout by sexy female agent Sheva Alomar. Apart from being nice to look at, she’s also useful in helping solve certain puzzles which require you to give her a bunk up (easy now) so she can take a different route and open up locked doors for you. You can also do assisted jumps to get across bigger gaps, and some puzzles require two of you to simultaneously operate levers. And, so long as she’s not overwhelmed herself, she will get enemies off your back, or revive you with a shot of adrenaline. You have to help her out too or it’s game over, but luckily she can take care of herself, even without ammo – though she’ll be a lot more use to you if you share the wealth.

The real beauty of this is playing co-op, which can make for some pretty exciting and tense situations. Online you can continue your own game as Chris and allow another to join, or assist someone else as Sheva.

The graphics are awesome. The African setting is perfectly captured with great environmental effects and a sense of brooding menace that eclipses previous Resi’s for realism and atmosphere. And for the most part it’s not even dark!

The characters are beautifully presented with smooth and believable animations and movement and there’s very little difference between cut-scenes and the game engine. Sheva is perhaps one of the sexiest ever game characters, partly because she looks so realistic. The voice acting and facial animations are great too and add to the game’s movie-like qualities.

Once again the perspective is third person, but only slightly behind Chris, so you can see little outside his field of vision. This means that the monsters can be RIGHT BEHIND YOU!

The zombies this time are not only more plentiful than in previous Resi’s but also move believably, and fast, and they can use weapons.

The AI is impressive. Obviously they’re possessed by a mutating virus and manically bloodthirsty, so they’re never going on University Challenge. However, if there’s cover or a shield to be had, they won’t let themselves be killed easily.

Progress through the game is still as linear and simplistic as previous games – kill everything, pick up key from biggest enemy, go through locked door. However, each area is sizeable and allows for different routes through.

Bosses are well-paced and not insanely difficult - just find the weak spot, usually by first knocking the monster down, then blasting away at a vulnerable part.

Between levels and checkpoints, you can organise your inventory and buy new gear. You only have slots to carry nine items, but you can use your partner as a pack mule, and give or request items during play. You have to do this in real time, too, which adds to the tension and means the action isn’t broken up by accessing menus. Most mutants, once you’ve dropped them, will leave behind ammo or gold with which you can buy stuff. You can’t buy ammo, though – one of the main nods to the game’s survival horror tradition. You can’t waste a single shot, and sometimes it’s better just to run away rather than fight everything you meet.

The best parts of the game are those which are most claustrophobic, when you find yourself surrounded and trapped inside a room, with mutants clambering through windows and breaking down doors which you can block with furniture to delay the onslaught. The game’s more open environments (including lake villages, an oil refinery and a lost city) mean there are perhaps less jump-out scary moments than previously. That said, there’s enough menace in the eyes of your assailants and in their sheer numbers, not to mention the presence of zombie dogs, spiders, crocodiles etc, to give you a healthy sense of terror.

It’s a beautiful looking game, atmospheric, visceral and immersive and a joy to play, especially co-operatively. My biggest criticism would be that it seems a little short, although there is an absolute wealth of unlockables for decent replay value. Do yourself a favour, though, and play it on ‘Veteran’ from the outset – it’s well worth the challenge.