Resident Evil 5 – CAPTIVATE 08 trailer analysis

After a gruelling ten-month wait, Capcom finally lifted the curtain on its latest Resident Evil 5 trailer this weekend, showcasing yet more of highly anticipated Survival Horror title, and offering us a better glimpse at Chris Redfield’s latest mission as he went toe-to-toe with dozens of infected villagers, canines and chainsaw-wielding psychopaths in a remote, dilapidated African village.

Given how there is so much more to go on this time around, PSU thought we’d take the time to dissect this latest portion of Resi action and take a look at some of the more conspicuous elements contained within. Read on to find out what we thought.

LOCATION, LOCATION

As hinted at in the latest issue of Famitsu, the trailer showcases a number of new areas that Redfield is able to explore on his quest, including an underground, cave-like setting very reminiscent of the mine section in Resident Evil 4. Intriguingly, this area also plays host to a strange cult-like symbol (in a blink or you’ll miss it appearance), which bares somewhat of a resemblance to the Los Iluminados cult from the same game. Other areas include a large suspension bridge (where Redfield is nearly flattened by a truck) along with an expanded village/town setting, abundant with claustrophobic alleyways and various structures.

Environments on the whole look far greater than those contained within the game’s predecessor, which ties in neatly with what we’ve heard about the game being far less linear than RE4, which can only be a good thing. One particular scene saw Redfield sniping a barrel across a vast body of water, which then exploded, killing a nearby cluster of enemies crossing a suspension bridge. Indeed, scenes like this only help to solidify previous comments regarding the scale of the games locations, which should hopefully lead to some particularly engaging set pieces.

THE INFECTED

The creatures in the trailer clearly exhibit similar traits to that of the Los Ganados from Resident Evil 4. For the first time since RE5’s unveiling, we’re finally able to see the process of what appears to be a villager becoming infected, as the victim is held down by two assailants, who proceed to implant him with a parasite-like entity. Furthermore, we are given a clear view of several parasitic organisms that appear to produce from the head of their victims, which again, bare a striking resemblance to the Plagas creatures from the previous game. Redfield is shown grappling with the villagers in close proximity several times throughout the trailer, although rather than simply throwing the player’s character to the ground, a creature sprouts forth from their mouth, apparently in an attempt to devourer their victims.

The inclusion of the parasites is somewhat surprising, given Jun Takeuchi’s comments in the recent Famitsu interview that the game was supposedly set in Africa in order to explain the “origins of the virus”, specifically the Progenitor Virus, which was used by the Umbrella Corporation to create some of the first Bio Organic Weapons (BOWs) before the company successfully created a more powerful strain in the shape of the Tyrant Virus. According to a preview from Games Radar, RE5’s infection is unleashed through volcanic activity, which seems to rule out the possibility of any viruses, seeing as theoretically they wouldn't be unable to survive in such extreme conditions. Of course, nothing concrete has been revealed as of yet, although from what we have seen, RE5 appears to be reinstalling the Plagas threat with little or no evidence to support the idea that there may be another culprit involved. Fan speculation has suggested that the threat may have been caused by an amalgamation of the Plagas and the T or G Virus, although this remains to be seen.

Moving on, we’re also given the glimpse of another chainsaw wielding maniac, in addition to the first non-human enemies in the form of a pair of bloodthirsty canines, evoking similar memories of the Cerberus creatures from past Resident Evil games. The number of foes on screen appears substantially greater than those in RE4, with various “mob” scenes in particular that exude a sense of desperation, with the situation exacerbated further by sheer ... (continued on next page)