Resident EvilCo-op and multiplayer horrorHorror shooters and action horrorBody horror
Resident Evil 5
Rate itChris Redfield and a partner against a parasite outbreak in Africa, built for two.
- Platforms
- PC, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch
- Stores
- Steam
- Price
- Paid
- Rated
- Very Positive on Steam (87% of 68,924 reviews); Metacritic 86 for the PC version
- Players
- 1-2
- Controls
- Gamepad or mouse and keyboard; stop to aim over the shoulder, quick inventory on the directional buttons.
- Made by
- Capcom
- Released
- 2009
No. 27 of the soldier horror games · No. 30 of the mutant horror games · No. 13 of the parasite horror games · No. 9 of the tentacle horror games
What frightens Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar arrive in a sun-baked African town where a parasite has turned the locals into Majini, a mob that hunts you through alleys and shanties with tools and weapons; executioners with giant axes, chainsaw-wielding brutes and ever larger bioweapons wait further in.
Content: gore, blood, violence, strong language.
Resident Evil 5 is Capcom's 2009 co-op action horror game. As BSAA agents Chris Redfield and Sheva Alomar you fight through an African region where a parasite has turned people into violent Majini, sharing ammunition and covering each other, alone with an AI partner or with a friend.
About Resident Evil 5
Resident Evil 5 was released in 2009 and is the fifth main game in Capcom's series. The Steam version is a port of the original Games for Windows Live release, and the game was later brought to PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch. The Xbox release from 2016 includes the earlier downloadable content: the Lost in Nightmares and Desperate Escape chapters, Versus mode and the No Mercy mode once exclusive to PC.
Years after Raccoon City, Chris Redfield works for the BSAA, an agency that fights bioterrorism. He is sent to a region of Africa to stop a black-market deal for a bioweapon and is partnered with local agent Sheva Alomar. The deal goes wrong, and the two find towns, mines and marshes full of Majini, people taken over by a parasite, as they follow the trail of the bioweapon.
It plays like Resident Evil 4 with a partner: you stop to aim, fight crowds that surround you, and trade ammunition and healing items with your partner in real time, since the inventory does not pause the game. It is much more action than horror, but the mobs, the giant executioner and the bioweapons at the end of each chapter still bring tense moments.
On Steam those two chapters come with the Untold Stories bundle, which matches the Gold Edition. Mercenaries, a timed score mode, can also be played with a partner, and Versus pits players against each other online. It suits players who want a Resident Evil to play with a friend.
How to play Resident Evil 5
- Start the campaign alone with an AI Sheva, or invite a friend to play as her.
- Stop and aim to shoot; target legs and heads to stagger Majini and follow with a melee move.
- Share ammunition and herbs with your partner and revive them when they are downed.
- Buy and upgrade weapons between chapters with the gold you collect.
- Play the Untold Stories chapters and Mercenaries mode after the main story.
Screenshots
Tips
- Give your partner the weapons and ammunition they use best; an armed AI Sheva helps a lot.
- Keep moving when a crowd forms; standing still lets them surround you.
- Do not sell every treasure early; upgrades are what keep you alive on harder difficulties.
- Coordinate on bosses: one player draws attention while the other hits the weak spot.
Questions
Can you play Resident Evil 5 in co-op?
Yes. The whole story is played as a pair; a friend can join online, consoles also allow split screen, and an AI takes the partner's role when you play alone.
Is Resident Evil 5 scary?
It is more action than horror, set largely in daylight, with tense fights against crowds and grotesque bosses rather than slow dread.
Where does it fit in the series?
After Resident Evil 4 and Revelations, before Resident Evil 6. It follows Chris Redfield.
What platforms is it on?
PC on Steam, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
How long is Resident Evil 5?
About 12 hours for the main story, and around 35 hours to see everything.
Ratings and reviews
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