The Guide: Gears of Evil
Welcome to The Guide, an editorial feature in which former Xbox 360 Fanboy lead Richard Mitchell looks at issues important to Xbox fans. The opinions expressed here belong to the author and don't necessarily reflect those of Joystiq, Weblogs Inc. or its affiliates.
If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery -- and I have it on good authority that it is -- then Capcom and Epic must just love each other. Cliff Bleszinski has said that Resident Evil 4 was one of the main inspirations for Gears of War. It's easy to see the comparisons, with Gears apparently borrowing Resident Evil 4's over-the-shoulder perspective, aiming system and even a bit of its sense of survival horror. Both games even have blind bosses you have to trick in order to beat.
If Gears of War paid tribute to Resident Evil 4, then Resident Evil 5 is definitely returning the favor. I can't decide whether that's a good thing for Resident Evil as a series, but its definitely a good thing for the latest entry.
Despite the complaints, the controls in Resident Evil 5 are actually much more user friendly than those in Resident Evil 4. Being able to use the right stick to turn is an absolute blessing, although it's still a bit plodding. Another mechanic seemingly borrowed from Gears is the inventory system. It's not exactly the same, as you still have to futz around with item management a lot, but it similarly maps items to the D-pad. I quickly found myself assigning weapons in the same spots as Gears (primary guns left and right, pistol down, grenades up). Tapping a spot on the D-pad and watching Chris peel a rifle off his back, it's hard not to think of Gears, whether that was Capcom's intention or not.
The biggest new feature in Resident Evil 5, co-op, also has a distinctly Gears feel to it. Sheva's a bit sexier than Dom, but her role is similar. She provides crucial backup during firefights, of course, but she also helps solve puzzles. Have you stumbled upon an impassable roadblock? Perhaps a gate needs unlocking or a bridge needs extending. If so, chances are that Sheva will have to press a button or turn a crank to let you pass.
What's that you say? There are zombies waiting on the other side? Now they've mortally wounded you? No problem! Just like in Gears, Sheva will quickly come to your aid before you "bleed out," as it were. As long as neither of you is, you know, killed killed, everything is hunky-dory.
But wait, there are more similarities! You want to fight huge bosses with chainguns? Go for it. On-rails vehicle sections? Check. Minor characters dying left and right? Yup. On top of all that, for the first time ever, Resident Evil 5 even has a cover system. It only shows up every once in a while -- protip: if the enemy has mounted machine guns, there's probably cover nearby -- but its exactly what you would expect. Crouch, wait for the gunfire to stop, pop up, snipe, repeat.
I realize I've been cheekily comparing these two games, but please understand the most important thing they have in common: They're both good. Some may not be able to stomach the control choices in Resident Evil 5, but there's a solid game in there. I should note I haven't finished it, but it's kept me coming back so far. I suspect it will keep me coming back for multiple plays, too.
One thing Resident Evil 5 has going for it that Gears doesn't is tons of unlockables. There are figures to buy, files to read, weapons to upgrade and even graphical filters to try. And that's before you unlock Mercenaries mode, which can also be played co-op.
That actually brings me to the last point I'll make. For the most part, the whole survival horror aspect of the series has gone out the window. This is even more apparent when you're wielding a fully upgraded magnum with infinite ammo, or even a marginally upgraded shotgun. You're so empowered in Resident Evil 5 that there's rarely any reason to be scared. Sure, you might run out of ammo at the wrong time or fall victim to an unexpected quick time event, but the ever-present fear is gone (for me, anyway).
As I wrote above, I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Honestly, the series has been headed down an action road for a long time, and franchises like Silent Hill have long since usurped whatever psychological oomph Resident Evil may have had. Sorry, but garden variety zombies (or Ganados or Majini) don't hold a candle to the shambling, psycho-sexual things of Silent Hill. Resident Evil, essentially, has become survival horror in the sense that Doom is survival horror. You can kill all of these evil things, sure, but they can sure as hell kill you too.
As long as it stays fun, I think I'm okay with that.
