Biohazard / Resident Evil 5 [Demo] Video Review – Playstation 3

The Biohazard 5 demo has hit the PlayStation Network stores this week. It’s been what feels like a long long wait, especially since Xbox 360 owners had this demo for about a week already. But let’s stop wasting time and get right into it.

Plot
As this is a demo we won’t go into the plot (as there’s nothing really). So when you start the game up you have two choices – one being the “Public Assembly” and the other one being “Shanty Town”. Only the former contains a bit of story, which presents you with an in-game cutscene shortly after selecting the stage. After that you’re confronted with getting used to the controls.

Gameplay & Controls
The controls themself are absolutely nothing new for any Biohazard veteran – they are basically an exact copy of Leon’s venture to Spain in Biohazard 4. The only addition now is Sheva, your female partner in the game. While you are controlling Chris, you can give Sheva commands to pick something up, cover you, and so on. Also a reload function has been included which is always nice. Overall, maneuvering works a charm of course – as they say ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’. There is one drawback though, if you have played “Biohazard 4 Wii Edition” you will feel like traveling back in time. Pinpoint accuracy with the Wii remote was the best thing that could happen to the Biohazard series, so having to go back to using an analog stick for aiming feels almost retro… or rather, downright annoying! To be fair, after an hour or so of playing you’ll get reaccustomed to it, and every thing’s gonna be fine and dandy.

Graphics and Visuals
As to be expected, the graphics are outright beautiful. It’s one of the best looking games out so far. MGS4 might have looked awesome in its style, but Biohazard has certainly got nothing to be embarrassed about. The game features a great style of art and everything looks beautifully placed. There are two things I did pick up on from the demo though – the first thing was that shooting the infected looks a bit blunt as there’s just blood popping out at the point you shot at. Biohazard used to feature more blood on single shots so it looks a bit strange in comparison. The second thing is that when an infected dies and literally sinks into the ground, they bubble up and dissolve, which, when you’re playing in HD, makes it look way too sharp and stands out too much in comparison to the rest of your surroundings. Being a demo though, these are all things which might differ when the retail copy comes out.

Sound & Music
A great soundtrack is provided on the demo, it always makes you aware of the situation, enhancing the scene to make you feel hectic and panicky – just the way it’s meant to be. I am sure the full game will feature a lot more of these tracks for a full rounded experience.

Overall Experience
Biohazard 5 is definitely a game to look out for. If you’re a fan of the Biohazard series it’s a given you’d get this game; if you’re not, this game really might convert you. Bonus points go to the two player mode which is also part of the demo. We haven’t had the chance to test it offline yet, but online works so well, it’s the best addition to ever grace Biohazard. Get the demo and make your own mind up for free!

Final Score
With all this, we give the Biohazard 5 Demo an 8.5/10