Gaming Resident Evil 5 PC Review

http://www.bit-tech.net/gaming/pc/2009/09/20/resident-evil-5-pc-review/1

We take a look at the PC version of Resident Evil 5 to see what Capcom has added in for the PC version of the game and why it's taken five months to put it all together - which is especially confusing considering there isn't that much actually new content on show.

 

The review mentions the extended wait between the console and PC versions of RE5 several times, but if anyone here remembers playing (more to the point, trying to play) RE4 on the PC, then the wait was much needed. RE4 ranks as possibly one of the worst ports of all time. Having zero video options, it reminded me more of a shady emulator than an actual released product.

Back to the release gap, truthfully it's something that I would of though Bit-tech and most PC gamers would of come to expect by now. Prolonged gaps between console and PC release is just another tactic in the game industry's war on piracy, hoping to squeeze every last sale of the console version before quietly releasing the PC counterpart. We can try pointing fingers and blaming whoever we like, but piracy has done irreversible damage to the PC as a gaming platform.

Sadly, I now get a nice surprise when a single player multi-platform game I want is actually coming to the PC at all, even waiting for the release rather than just buying a copy for my Xbox360 (case in point, Batman: AA).

If you take the recent Marvel: Ultimate Alliance 2 (which is coming to every platform) as an example, the PC version looks to be another casualty of what's happening to PC gaming, the publisher has all but cancelled it. This is a game that IMO looks perfect for the PC market, with its Diablo-esqe gameplay (albeit heavily dumbed down) and 4 player online co-op.

It seems to me that unless you're happy only playing games with a heavy focus on online multiplayer, where piracy can be somewhat controlled (be it co-op, frag fests or mmo), it might be time to invest in another platform.

 

TF2 would like to have a word.

Also PC gaming is only dead when developers cannot develop anymore and proclaim it dead. Enjoy your bad port of Half-life2: Episode 3.

 

Joe just a quick question, you obviously played the console version first and saw that this is pretty much exactly the same but just say you hadn't, or were unaware of it, would this still recieve a 7?

the review is top stuff and with that then end score is perhaps surprisingly high considering the tone. so was the game marked on its own merit, or was it marked on its own merit and then knocked down for being released with the same flaws as the console port and not having extra content? would it recieve an 8 if you disregarded it being a port for example?

 

I scored the game the same as the console version because, while I was disappointed that the game hadn't been improved all that much and had exactly the same issues, it IS still the same game. You can't claim that it's the same game with no new notable flaws and then dock the score - not unless there's been a significant amount of time since then and the methods used in the game and so on have become outdated or difficult. It's just not fair or consistent, which are the two things scores should always aim to be where possible.

If I were reviewing the PC version without having seen the console version then I'd likely give it a sameish score (6/7), mainly on the basis that the game does feel like it was designed and built for consoles first, along with the other complaints. Contrariwise, if the PC version came with a new chapter or two, a new epilogue or something then I'd be tempted to push the score up because it offers something more than the console version, which is A Good Thing. As it was though, there is no really new content and I have played the console version and need to compare the two - I find them nearly identical, so the sensible thing to do is to give a similar score and then a full explanation of it all in the review itself.

Scores aren't what people should be focusing on though. They are there really only for political reasons and for readers who just want a score. To get a proper feel for our opinions it's usually best to read the review in full and then discard the score completely - which is especially true for games that come with some caveats, such as The Path, where the review actually advises you to dismiss everything about the score and the review itself.

 

Not everyone can use 3DVision, but everyone with a modern Nvidia card and a pair of 3d glasses (free) can use 3DVision Discover - any monitor will work. Have played Half Life 2 EP 2 in 3D and it is really quite surreal - the software comes with the latest forceware drivers.

 

cheers Joe... you should possibly even add that to the review! i know the score is mostly irrelevent but like i said it seemed off with the tone of the review which led me to wonder about how you saw it, as a good game, the same as the consoles, or inferior or whatever. thanks for clearing it up.

 

ATI cards seem to hate the gfx engine when you turn on Anti Aliasing, even at its lowest x2 setting, my frame rates drops around 30-40% with my 4850.

Fixed Benchmark: DX9, 1280, all other settings max.:

84fps

Fixed Benchmark: As above but with 2xAA

58fps

 

Oh and the same result is evident with StreetFighter IV, which uses the same gfx engine......

 

For those of us that are not bothered about buying a current gen console, being able to play the game on PC, even without extras, is fine by me.

I agree the game looks stunning.

I'm confused by you saying you only played with 4x AA. Surely since you have thousands of pounds of the latest PC tech you could play this with all settings maxed? Sure, test it on different systems/settings to see how it performs but to play it to review the actual gameplay why not use the best PC you have?

I tried it out with Xbox360 wireless controller first on my 50inch plasma but found it much easier with mouse to aim, (although console owners who don't use a PC prefer using analog stick).

off topic: it might be a good idea to get another member of staff to proof read articles before uploading as there's always grammatical errors, spelling mistakes or missing words from sentences in EVERY article on here! Small thing to live with thought as this website is great. =)

 

That would be me.

I passed it through Word and it couldn't see any, and nor could I

If you spot some, please PM us though - we're only human.

 

It's a personal choice. If I wanted, yes, I COULD have four graphic cards working in unison and I could constantly be swapping them out to make sure I was on the cutting edge. I COULD have a billion gigs of RAM in my work PC too...but what's the point? I'm of the opinion that it doesn't really matter as long as the game still looks good and runs well on higher-end settings. At home I only have a single 8800 GT something too, because it does what I want it to. Unlike Tim, Rich and Harry I don't feel a compulsion to have the latest PCBs, just the latest games. If those games run well then I won't get in a fret about a hypothetical bonus in framerates or being able to run at 8X AA or 4X AA, since I usually don't notice the difference anyway and care far more about other things. On top of that, it's more beneficial for me to have a stable machine to work on and not have to keep clearing drivers off or climbing under my desk. If I wanted to use the best stuff I'd have to be taking card back out to send back every week, then finding and chasing a replacement that would be with me for a fortnight...etc. Better to just use what's good enough and which I know I can use for a length of time.

I had this same argument with Rich and Harry recently, who were gobsmacked that I watched low quality videos of BSG, rather than blu-ray or HD torrents or whatever. They were of the opinion that it was always best to have it in the highest quality, whereas I was (for that series and at that time) more interested in the characters than the explosions and wanted availability and speed over fidelity.

For similar reasons, I won't be upgrading my home PC from Vista to Win 7 for a bit either. Vista works for me and does what I need it to do. I KNOW what games it will and won't run for a fact. Windows 7, I don't. Harry, Rich and Tim have all lectured me on the benefits of Win 7 and the new XP mode it has - but they gave me the same arguments when talking about Vista too and I was still PO'ed when I made the move to Vista and found that, actually contrarily to what they said, the compatibility modes don't always work and I could no longer play NOLF 1 and a load of my other games.

/rant

 

I picked this game up this week. It definitely recycles and reuses much of Resident Evil 4, but I'm of the opinion that it's not a bad thing simply because of how good the game was to begin with. I also don't think it's significantly more action-oriented, either - Resident Evil 5 does cut out a lot of the puzzles, and is a shorter game, but it's also more concentrated. Resident Evil 4 has a lot of pointless meandering, backtracking, and similar, which may have helped with the pacing, but was also a clear and obvious way of extending the length of the game.

Personally I think the tension in Resident Evil 5 is stronger than ever due to the extremely limited ammunition, and the writing has been cleaned up so that at least it won't make your bowels rumble. Plus, the atmosphere is extremely thick throughout - playing it co-op might ruin that, but personally I found myself constantly taking in the sights and dreading every corner. After a while it does get repetitive and the action gets piled on thicker, but mowing down zombies is just as fun as always. There's definitely stuff that can be improved upon, but overall I don't think it's a bad game as many have said, so much as it is a slightly stale one. As with Resident Evil 4, the replay value is awesome, too - playing through while keeping your old weapons means you can unlock tons of awesome stuff and amass a huge amount of money, which you can spend on special costumes and super-weapons. Mercenaries is great as well.

Of note is just how amazing it looks and plays on the PC. Okay, the controls are wonky and it's clearly designed for a gamepad, but barring that it runs extremely smoothly and looks phenomenal. I haven't had a single crash or issue, and performance is fantastic overall - with my aging 8800 GT and Athlon 64 X2 6000+, I can comfortably run the game at a locked 30 fps with 4xAA and 16xAF on highest settings. I'm actually able to manage a pretty stable 60 fps much of the time, but the fluctuations annoy me, so it gets capped. The image quality is absolutely superb, I should note - it's not a matter so much of the game's assets being stunning as it is the general sharpness and clarity of everything, whether it's in the art and character design, the shaders, etc. Screenshots don't do it justice.

Really, if you liked Resident Evil 4 but don't have a console, then this game is a no-brainer. It might not be the monumental release people were expecting, but it's still extremely solid and enjoyable for fans of the newer series.

 

It's a fantastic game

 

ha, I agree with the other guys, you are mad =)

 

Most lcd tv's are running @ 240 hz or 120, are they compatible with 3D-vision?

That would be nice to have a 56" screen in 3D with L4D!

 

Most LCDs run at 50-60Hz.

And yes, 56" L4D would be incredible!

 

why does this "boob tube advertise hz!? http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889253218

please change your avatar

 

Wow, first I've ever seen that. Most I've heard of is 120Hz and on small panels sub 24".

No. Stop asking.

 

ARTICLE: 'but moaners should probably be warned that the game also uses Games For Windows Live'

Aren't you one of those 'moaners', Joe? I don't think disliking Games For Windows Live makes one a 'moaner'.
On the other hand, I couldn't care less about this game (I'm not 'trolling', it's just my opinion). There are these things that I like to call the 'Rules of Japanese game development' that, as talented as Japanese game developers are, tend to ruin the end result. (Ico managed to scrape through without being affected to a great degree and as such I would consider a very good game. Not the best of the last ten years like some people at Eurogamer, though. Shadow of the Colossus - ruined by the ending. Silent Hill and Devil May Cry - worst and second-worst games I have ever played. Exclusive to consoles too - read into that what you will...) What the 'rules' are is best left for another time.

Could I ask again, too, Bindi (or anyone), that bit-tech reviews an LCD TV for use with a gaming PC and/or HTPC. I think it would be worthwhile (others too no doubt). Perhaps a 42", with a brief discussion of pros and cons of a TV as opposed to a standard computer monitor. Then again, you've probably got a better idea of what sort of articles would be most useful to most people.

Also, while I'm glad you guys did this review (even I was curious to see how the port turned out), could you do more indie games please? Even just in the 'blog' section (it's been good to hear about the flash games, for instance, even if I haven't had the time or inclination to check them out). I would have liked to see Joe review Aquaria, for example. I heard good things and would have liked confirmation.