REVIEW - Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (Nintendo DS)

Every gamer remembers the first time that a video game brought them to tears.  Was it the poignancy of "The Aeris Moment" in Final Fantasy VII?  The ending of Half-Life 2: Episode 2?  The brutality of that scene with Jenny in "The Darkness"?  Heck, even the storybook scenes of Super Mario Galaxy have been known to make the bottom lips of some gamers tremble!  The "game that made me cry" is one of those war stories that every gamer has, along with the tv/console/controller they broke out of frustration, and the story of the all night gaming session that only stopped when the sun came up.  For the record, in over 20 years of gaming only one game has made this reviewer crack - the scene where little Vivi has to kill a fellow Black Mage in Final Fantasy IX.  However, this changed when I played Professor Layton and the Unwound Future (Level 5)- now there are two games that have broken me...

Professor Layton - Part Three

That such an innocuous title as Unwound Future could stir such attachment to the characters and to the plot is a testimony to what an amazing puzzle game this is.  For the Professor Layton story is really designed to be secondary to the main aspect of the game, which is the solving of various puzzles.  The Layton series is well known as one of, if not the, best puzzle series on the DS, and for puzzles Unwound Future is certainly not lacking.  With over 160 in depth puzzles and with additional ones that can be downloaded over Nintendo Wi-Fi, Unwound Future is bursting at the seams with brain teasers, most of which will take more than a few minutes to solve, while some will have you chewing on your stylus for a good half an hour or more!

The story is excellent, if a little far fetched at times!

This is the third game in the immensely popular series.  For those not familiar with the Professor Layton trilogy, the games focus on the adventures of Professor Hershel Layton and his young side kick Luke, as they go around solving various mysteries that all seem to involve an inordinate amount of little puzzles.  In this title, they must discover the origins of a mysterious time machine, and locate a kidnapped Prime Minister.  As with all Layton titles, the story is bizarre, and its many twists and turns sometimes border on the ridiculous, but it is without doubt an entertaining tale.  Along the way the heroes will encounter various people (who will almost always request them to solve a puzzle), solve various side mysteries (which again involve solving little puzzles) and eventually come to solve the main title mystery (involving yet more puzzles.)  In short, if you like puzzles, this game is for you!

Yet even if you do not, you might still find this game to be a good purchase.  I am not the world's biggest puzzle fan, never do crosswords, and could not explain the rules of Sudoku with any certainty; and Professor Layton had me chewing on my stylus for hours without boring me.  The puzzles that are integrated within the game are varied, from maths puzzles and brain teasers, to unique puzzles such as constructing a machine gun out of a coin machine in a casino!  They are never repetitive, and with the help of various hint coins that are collected on the journey and that can be used to give hints about how to solve a puzzle, they never feel like they are entirely unsolvable.  The player is allowed to have as many attempts at a puzzle as they like, although one gets more points (or picarats) if one solves it first time.

A Beautiful Mind

Everything is very well drawn.

As I pointed out earlier in this review, the story is secondary to the joy of puzzle solving, but this doesn't mean the story and graphics suffer.  The graphics are beautifully animated, especially the cut scenes that are scattered throughout the game.  The character models are crisp, the whole game beams with color, and the game is enriched by a significant amount of well acted voice overs that make the characters really come alive.  The result is a very immersive game that leaves the player caring a great deal about the characters in question, and gives motivation to keep going even if one feels a little "puzzled out"!  Mix in a well orchestrated soundtrack and you have an absolute peach of a DS game that is not done justice by merely being described as a "puzzle" game.

The Unwound Future brings in new features for fans of the existing series, although the game's core is essentially more of the same.  New mini games such as feeding Luke's parrot and navigating Prof. Layton's car through a series of obstacles may sound innocuous enough, but there are enough levels and tasks within the mini games to waste a great many hours aside from the main quest.  I found some of the mini games a little tiresome, but I noticed that I still kept going back to them, keen to hunt out the rewards that they offered.  It results in a game that is by no means short, especially for a DS game, and there are well over 20 hours of gameplay here for the gamer who wishes to explore everything.

The character are all very likeable.

On what may be a downside, it is worth noting the difficulty of this game.  The game's cover may present itself as a children's game, and may indicate relatively easy puzzles - do not be fooled!  Almost every puzzle in this game is challenging even for adults, and if you are a parent considering buying this game for your youngster, you will need to be aware that this is a game that a child who has not yet reached their teens will certainly need help with from time to time.  The game does make a lot of the puzzles optional, so you can skip one or two that are particularly infuriating.  It also uses hint coins (as well as the new "Super Hint") to good effect, meaning that an impossible looking puzzle can be broken down.  However, it still means that this game requires a lot of patience, and the ability to contend with some very tricky puzzles, making it unsuitable for the very young.

Puzzled Gentlemen

You'll spend a lot of time with these screens!

From a Catholic perspective The Unwound Future is a highly commendable game.  Not only are the protagonists clearly on the side of good, attempting to prevent those who wish to alter the course of time for their own ends, but there is also a strong emphasis on the strength of politeness and good manners.  Layton and Luke are both directed by what makes a gentleman, and being a gentleman is seen as being the highest accolade that a man can aspire to.  In a gaming industry that can often be accused of glorifying undignified conduct and bad language, this central message of polite behaviour and good manners is a breath of fresh air.

Additionally, the game's message contains an explicit rejection of the principle that the ends justify the means.  In fact, it is over this principle that the main battle between good and evil is fought, and the idea of doing something evil to attempt to achieve something good is a difficulty that comes up time and time again, with the Professor being the key voice who rejects the principle.  Just like always being well mannered, it is important to Professor Layton and Luke that they do not only the gentlemanly thing, but the right thing.  By following this, The Unwound Future affirms basic Catholic moral principles.

Conclusion


From a technical perspecive, Professor Layton and the Unwound Future is a triumph.  Puzzle games are often known for their lack of story and minimalistic graphics.  The Unwound Future breaks the mould and provides one of the most moving stories of the last year, along with an excellent soundtrack and high quality graphics.  With a multitude of puzzles and minigames to get lost in, The Unwound Future is a must have, both for puzzle fans, and even for those who would not normally consider the genre.

From a Catholic perspective, The Unwound Future also receives high praise.  The title both affirms a fundamental principle of Catholic philosophy - the ends do not justify the means - as well as promoting good manners, kindness, compassion, and all round decency.  It is also worth noting that with its puzzles that will challenge both teenagers and adults (although very young children will find the game perhaps too taxing unassisted), The Unwound Future is a great way to exercise the mind, and most will find it not only fun, but mentally beneficial.  The title contains two scenes of cartoon violence and destruction, as well as some emotional scenes that may be unsuitable for sensitive children.

The technical rating for this title is 10/10


The Catholic rating for this title is A-I -- general patronage.

REVIEW - Batman: Arkham Asylum (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

Superhero games have a poor reputation in the video game world.  Developers know that a great many video game fans are also comic book fans, and that therefore any game with a superhero on it will sell healthily - even if the game is below par.  This had led to a constant stream of (at best) poor quality titles that disappoint year after year.  Throw in the almost always dreadful tie-ins to any superhero movie that is released, and it has led over the years to mass cynicism about games with Batman/Spiderman/X-Men etc on the cover.

Batman:Arkham Asylum (Rocksteady) destroys this trend, and provides what may very well the best superhero game ever made.  Yes, it's that good!  It is to superhero games what Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Butcher Bay was to movie tie-ins.  Which is convenient as the two games are very similar in style.

The Dark Knight Returns...again

You play Batman (surprise surprise) who has apprehended the Joker once again, and is escorting him to Arkham Asylum - the place where Gotham's most dangerous psychopaths are kept in high-security conditions.  Thankfully Rocksteady have resisted the urge to try to imitate Heath Ledger's Joker (which would almost certainly looked like a cheap rip-off), and have instead created their own version of the infamous character; and one that is more faithful to the earlier comic books.  Joker (voiced by the excellent Mark Hamill) is a genuinely funny character, and remains interesting throughout, and heads what is an excellent line of characters that brighten up the game.

Mark Hamill is excellent as Joker

Sure enough, within the first few minutes Joker breaks free and quickly takes over the Asylum with his gang of hoodlums, with Batman left trapped inside and wondering whether this is really what counts as "high-security" nowadays.  It is up to the Dark Knight (voiced by Kevin Conroy) to rescue the innocent people trapped inside (including Commissioner Gordon) and to stop the Joker from using the Asylum as a place from which to wreak havoc upon mainland Gotham City.  As it is based on the Grant Morrison graphic novel of the same name, you can see how this is pretty standard comic book fare, and the game does feel like you are playing through a genuine Batman story as opposed to a set of levels with a Batman theme thrown in as an afterthought.  The game's comic book roots means that the dialogue is often a little stilted and over the top, (expect lots of close ups of a snarling Batman staring into the distance and muttering, "Joker....") but it adds to the feeling that you are playing a Batman game in a genuine Batman world, and the story will keep you playing to see how it turns out.

At first glance the gameplay appears to be a standard third person beat-em-up, but as the game develops, the combat comes into its own and the "Batman" style of combat really begins to shine.  The game alerts the player as to when an attack by a henchman is being prepared by some white lines appearing about the henchman's head, allowing the player the block in time, and the system allows you to pick your next target before you've finished pummelling the present target.  This means stringing together combos is quite do-able, and the system as a whole feels very satisfying.  There were plenty of times I couldn't help but cringe at the slow motion punch (and a very expensive dental bill) being delivered to a henchman by ol' Bruce Wayne.

As Quiet as a Bat

He's behind you...

In addition to just 'biffing' various henchmen with various types of combos, the stealth aspects to Batman's character work really well.  The game allows you not only to take cover behind walls, but allows the player to use the Batclaw to launch Batman up to various stone gargoyles that are suspended as decorations around large rooms.  From there with a tap of a button, Batman can glide without a sound between gargoyles, and from there plan a variety of stealth assaults such as dropping down and stringing a henchmen up on the gargoyle, setting up a distraction, or just swooping down and putting the boot into the bad guy's chest.  Batman's "detective mode" assists in this by allowing Batman to see a unique infra-red meets X-ray display of his surroundings that quickly allows the player see through walls and objects, and to figure out how many enemies are in a room and how many of those are armed.  It even allows the player to monitor the henchmen's heart rates, so you can judge to what extent they are aware of your presence.  It makes the whole experience a little cleaner, and a lot less frustrating.  This is not just some crowbarred in stealth segment, it is an integral part of the game.

As Arkham Asylum progresses and the player finds themselves with more and more enemies - many of which are armed with health-draining machine guns - the stealth becomes absolutely vital.  While the combat is intuitive enough to allow the player to fight off a hoard of unarmed baddies using the game's excellent counterattack and combo system, once the guns come out you can forget just wading in unless you want to be riddled with bullets in seconds.  It is therefore vital to the game that the stealth aspects work well, and thankfully they do.  In addition to the gargoyles, Batman can set up distractions, arm explosives to catch guards unaware, take them out with the Batarang (Batman's boomerang) as well as whole set of other tactics that can be used to thin the herd.  As the player progresses through the game, new upgrades become available, which allow even more options in both combat and stealth, constantly breathing new energy into the mechanic.

It results in an experience that is lots of fun to play through as you soar about through parts of the environment, slowly picking out one guard after another as they become more and more distressed and frustrated at their inability to find you.  Then, when you finally swoop down from your perch and take out the final, panic stricken bad guy and the game rewards you with a slow-motion view of the final punch, it is difficult not to chuckle wolfishly with delight.  It's exactly what a Batman game should be all about.  The game's difficulty remains solid without being too tough, meaning that when you die, you will know that it is your fault, and not down to some perceived fault or unfairness in the combat system.  Some areas might take a full ten minutes to clear out, and it feels a lot more like Metal Gear Solid than I was expecting.

What a Croc!

Yet it isn't just stealth and action; Batman: Arkham Asylum manages to keep the action very fresh by implementing a whole slew of different areas throughout the game.  The boss segments are evidence of this; such as the periods with Scarecrow, who takes you into the depths of Batman's subconscious, and Batman must then sneak around the level, avoiding Scarecrow's sightline, until he can reach the Bat-signal and shine it in Scarecrow's face.  My personal favourite was the level with Killer Croc, where Batman has to tred carefully through a sewer level (yes I know, but trust me it's good!) trying not to alert Croc to his presence while Batman collects a necessary chemical.  Not only is the level extremely tense, but when the enormous Croc intermittently jumps out of the water and chases after you, leaving you to only flee and throw Batarangs at him as quickly as possible before he insta-kills you, it is a genuinely terrifying set of moments that is up there with the Resident Evil series.

Combat is more than just button-mashing.

Where the game does suffer is in terms of variety of environment.  Your main areas are the main Asylum, the gardens, some caves and the Mansion.  That's about it really.  Yes, there's a sewer level, and there's one or two areas of the asylum that differ, but generally you'll be walking around in dark gardens or dark laboratories or prisons.  Now granted this is a Batman game and it would be out of character for the developers to transport the player to some beach in California, so we know that most environments are going to be dark and a bit drab; but sticking the player on a pretty tight island and letting them know they aren't getting off it for the whole game feels a little bit restrictive.  This is by no means a free-roaming game and you will see the same environments time and time again.

Riddle me this!

Yet Arkham Asylum makes up for this lack of variety in a number of other ways; most notable the characters.  Although the two main villains are the unusual, but strangely likeable, Joker and sidekick Harley Quinn, there is also a whole band of others that follow along, such as the aforementioned Killer Croc and Scarecrow, the seductress Poison Ivy, and the Riddler - whose side-quest puzzles make up the primary side missions of the game.  These puzzles are usually discovery puzzles - trying to find a clue based on one of the Riddler's riddles and then pressing a button to acknowledge that you've found it.  It may sound dry, and sometimes it is, but working out the riddle, and then discovering what it is referring to is a fun process, and the clues will often make reference to other areas of the Batman mythology and other Batman villains, which will be fun for Batman fans in particular.  Although nothing outstanding, they provide a fun way of making sure that the player doesn't just rush through the game as quickly as possible, and for those completionists out there, they will add significant length to the game, as some of the locations are quite tricky.

Expect lots of Batman moodiness and scowling.

The story mode is a solid 12-15 hours if one takes little notice of the extra challenges.  If one does, then the game easily exceeds the 20 hour mark.  From there, there is also a "challenge" mode, whereby the player can unlock a whole set of challenges - either stealth or plain combat - similar in a way to Resident Evil Mercenaries mode.  How well you take out the henchman (with bonus points available for dispatching them in certain way) will determine your final score, which can be compared with friends and the wider online community.  I initially dismissed it as a tacked on mode, but when I tried it out I found myself surprisingly hooked by the whole thing, and it can easily hook one in for a number of hours.  The game is therefore very good value for money, even if the story mode might not be the most replayable mode in the world.

Arkham of the Covenant?

From a Catholic perspective, Batman: Arkham Asylum is up and down.  One of the notable things about the game is that henchmen aren't killed, but merely knocked unconscious.  This is a nod to Batman's surprisingly blood free past, and it is pleasing to see that the game follows in this tradition.  Batman has never been one for killing, instead choosing to knock bad guys out and bring them to justice.  It may not sound much, but when one is so used to headshots and over-the-top blood letting in videogames, to see a defeated bad guy lying dazed on the floor with stars around his head is a refreshing change.  Yet, even though it may share in the "BIFF!!" "POW!!" heritage of the Adam West Batman in that respect, the tone of the game is one very much one of the Christopher Nolan movies, and therefore this game is not one that is suitable for children or teenagers.  Although bloodless, the violence is significant and rough, with the fighting being close to beat-em-up levels of violence.  Additionally the game includes some scantily clad women, with a few fleeting instances of lower rear female nudity.  Throw in the issues raised in many of the villains' past, including abuse, disfigurement, psychosis etc, and you have a game that is really best played by adults only.

The themes of Batman: Arkham Asylum however are generally very positive.  Batman's mission is to rescue innocents, save lives, and to bring the bad guys to justice.  This is not a one man killing spree, but a rescue and arrest mission, and is therefore comfortably in line with Catholic concepts of justice.  The only other red flag I would raise is about the way the game treats mental illness.  Although it is made clear that Arkham Asylum is a place for the criminally insane, the game at time risks associating mental illness with violence and criminality.  Although the game does not come close to making this link explicit, it is somewhat clumsy in its treatment of mental illness, and it often appears that the game brackets people into two categories; either one is entirely normal, or clinically insane and a psychopath.  While I am sure the writers and developers had no intention of making any unfair generalizations, at times Arkham Asylum unwittingly comes close to re-enforcing some unfair and inaccurate stereotypes about mental illness.

Conclusion


From a technical perspective, Batman: Arkham Asylum is a superb game, and an enormous surprise considering the track record of superhero video games.  Arkham Asylum is a well-crafted and thoroughly absorbing 3rd person action adventure.  The stealth aspects work very well, as does the combat system, and it is supported by a solid story mode, a slew of side missions and extra challenges, and some marvellous acting and character development that make this game a joy to play.  Arkham Asylum puts you into the role of Batman and allows you to do the things you have always wanted to do as Batman, and in a way that will draw in even those who aren't big fans of the franchise.  Arkham Asylum could do with a few more environments, and sometimes the game risks lacking in variety, but it takes little away from what is a truly excellent title.

From a Catholic perspective, this is a game that is acceptable for adults, but not recommended for gamers any younger than that.  The game promotes themes of justice and respect for innocent life, and provides a combat system that results in few dead bodies, and almost zero bloodshed.  However, the game's dark themes, instances of lower rear female nudity, some scenes of chemical mutilation, and the unsatisfying treatment of sensitive issues surrounding mental illness make this a game that parents will most likely wish to keep out of their youngster's consoles.

The technical rating for this title is 9/10
The Catholic rating for this title is A-III -- adults.

REVIEW - Dead Rising 2 (Xbox 360, PS3, PC)

How does one approach zombies from a Catholic perspective?  Do they have the inherent dignity of the human person?  Pope John Paul II failed to mention this in Redemptor Hominis, nor does a quick scan of the Catechism reveal any mention of our undead friends.  One may even question whether they are deserving of the same respect that we give animals, for at least animals are among the living.  Therefore is it possible to show that typically Franciscan love of animals towards the living dead?

Surprisingly, although theological minds such as St Augustine and St Thomas Aquinas failed to take into consideration our moral obligations to those staggering across fields and crying out for brains, Dead Rising 2 (Capcom) decides to confront the issue head on...well, for a bit at least.

Love Thy Zombie?

Pandemonium is a constant state of mind in DR2

The game opens in a world in which zombies are now a facet of everyday life.  After the outbreak of zombies in the previous game, zombies have been largely contained (except for the occasional outbreak), those bitten by zombies can be treated by a daily dose of medication called "Zombrex", and there is even a gameshow by the name of "Terror is Reality" in which contestants zip around a stage on motorbikes attempting to run over as many of the undead as they can.  Consequently, this raises significant ethical issues and has lead to the formation of "Citizens for Undead Rights and Equality" (CURE) - a zombie rights group determined to stop what they see as the unethical treatment of our undead friends.  This plot device is abandoned relatively quickly for the usual "kill as many zombies as you possibly can" storyline, which is a shame as one can imagine that such ethical questions would be discussed if the dead did come back to life.  CURE is an interesting take on a well worn subject, and it is unfortunate that Capcom chose to abandon it so quickly

The plot as a whole focuses on typically grizzled all-American action hero Chuck Greene - a contestant on "Terror is Reality" who, having lost his wife to the undead in an outbreak in New Vegas, gets caught up in a fresh zombie outbreak in fictional Fortune City, along with his young daughter Katey.  They hole up in an emergency bunker situated within Fortune City, along with other survivors that include CURE member Stacey Forsythe, and an over-zealous security guard known only as Sullivan.  One of the more interesting aspects of the plot and gameplay involves Chuck's daughter who, instead of being the usual kidnap fodder that family members often play in games, has been infected by a zombie and requires a daily dose of "Zombrex" in order to prevent her from turning.  "Zombrex" is in short supply, which requires the player to be on the continual lookout for the drug, leading to many a frantic journey as the clock ticks down to Katey's daily dose.

So Much To Do, So Little Time...


The gameplay can best be summed up as a time limited game in an open world.  There are various story missions that need completing, various survivors that need rescuing, items that need collecting and all sorts of wacky additional side missions that add a whole new layer to the plot.  As it is almost impossible to complete all the missions in one sitting, the player is left with the decision of which missions to miss.  The game is never "over" unless Chuck dies, so the player is free to skip the main story quest completely, and the game will progress accordingly, with an ending to match.  Also, if one chooses to restart or replay the game, Chuck's levelled up stats will remain, making the game a lot easier to blunder through on the second or third time round.  So, if there is a side mission that was just too tough on your first play through, beef yourself up and try again in game 2.  It is a unique way of adding replayability, and quite a successful one.  The replayability is not just about collecting 100% achievements or just repeating the game, a second play can be an entirely different experience, and for this Dead Rising 2 is real value for money.

"Bash X to make the horrible people go away!!!"

Having read the above, the reader may be tempted to pose the question,"What about the Zombies??"  After all, this is what we are here for, right?  If it wasn't for the zombies, DR2 would just be "Lets Go To The Mall 2".  What makes Dead Rising so much fun is that all the rescue missions, all the collecting missions, all the Zombrex missions etc take place in an enormous mall packed full of the undead.  The zombies individually are not particularly harmful.  They are slow and unwieldy, and you can easily dodge and kill them, or simply push through them.  However, Dead Rising 2 compensates for that by bringing in the sheer amount of zombies it throws at the player.  This is no Resident Evil, where one might be facing off against four or five zombies at a time - Dead Rising 2 puts literally hundreds of the moaning dead on a screen at any one time, and it is very easy to get overwhelmed in the melee if you allow yourself to get crowded out by them.

Let's Go To The Mall!

Luckily you do not go into the melee unarmed.  The standout characteristic of Dead Rising has remained in Dead Rising 2 - that is, the ability to use anything in the mall as a weapon.  Want to go for the traditional crowbar?  That's fine!  Want to run into a sports store and clock various zombies with everything from dumbbells to golf clubs?  Go ahead!  Why not then nip into the next door toy store, distract the zombies with a buzzing toy helicopter, and then throw marbles on the floor so the zombies stumble into one another?  Yet the game doesn't stop there - combination of weapons are by far and away one of the most fun parts about this game, both for practicality and for general madness.  So, combining the sledge hammer and the fire axe will result in a weapon that will turn enemies into mincemeat with one easy swing for those who want efficiency, while those after a bit more humor in their game may turn to mixing the battery and the wheelchair for the electric wheelchair, or the can of spray paint (from the skateboarding store) and the traffic cone in order to make a device that creates a noise so loud that zombies heads explode when in its vicinity.

Someone is about the get hurt...probably a zombie...

As you may have grasped already, this is a game where there is lots with which to explore and experiment.  There are plenty of side minigames and missions, as well as lots of different stores and areas to explore that are by no means mandatory.  It is a game that at once encourages you to explore while also slapping an enormous time limit on the game that limits that exploratios, and it is for this reason that one will need a few plays to discover and see everything.

This is not too difficult to do however, as the game does not feature a great deal of grind and repetitiveness.  Apart from an early abundance of search and rescue missions, the missions remain fresh and interesting.  In addition to zombies, players will have to fight off various people who have not dealt with the outbreak particularly well, from the man who worships the zombies to the sheriff trying to hang as many looters as possible.  These "boss" missions are the hardest in the game, and often require a special trick in order to defeat them.  Due to their relative speed and ability to take enormous chunks of damage out of Chuck in no time at all, it can also be in these areas where the slightly clunky controls begin to show themselves - leading to some rather frustrating moments.  Add in some slow loading screens when replaying a scene, and boss fights can become tedious and frustrating very quickly.

Bite for a Bite, Tooth for a Tooth


One of the game's strong points is the excellent story.  Dead Rising 2 puts its tongue firmly in its cheek, and digs out every single zombie movie cliche available, but it is a joke that the gamer is in on, and the game's decision not to take itself too seriously means that we can have a plot that is fun and enjoyable, along with some very likeable characters.

Chuck's daughter Katey provides a nice human element.

It is also the main plot that is the most commendable aspect from a Catholic perspective.  While it would be tempting for the makers to focus on a game that is nothing more than "Yeh, zombies, kill 'em!", there is actually a real human aspect to Dead Rising 2.  The main thrust of the plot is getting as many people rescued as possible, by bringing them back to the safe house, by finding out who was responsible for the outbreak (it's a Capcom game, expect conspiracy theories aplenty) and by holding out until the rescue team arrives.  Add in the very loving relationship between Chuck and his daughter, as well as a whole range of very interesting characters who you will genuinely want to survive, and the game is surprisingly pro-life and even pro-family!  The aim of the game is not to kill zombies, but to save people, and it is for this reason that some of the more grotesque parts of Dead Rising 2 can be tempered.

In true zombie fashion Dead Rising 2 is indeed a gory and bloody game.  Although limited somewhat by the cartoon and functional graphics, as well as the comedic element in which most of it is done, Dead Rising 2 will still quite happily fill your screen with zombie blood and exploding heads on a number of occasions.  Take for instance the guitar/amp weapon combo - when one forms this weapon and plays the guitar, nearby zombie's heads will explode almost instantaneously.  As a Catholic game reviewer it is difficult to know how to approach such gore.  Apart from one or two instances, the gore and blood is always from the zombies and is always comic book hyperbolic gore that has barely any resemblance to reality.  It is certainly problematic for any Catholic, yet it is light years away from the realistic gore of a Call of Duty or a Saw, and it is for this reason Dead Rising 2's gore is not morally offensive.

Conclusion


From a technical perspective, Dead Rising 2 is a thoroughly recommendable game.  Knocking out most of the kinks from the first game, Dead Rising 2 builds upon a unique gameplay mechanic and makes a game that is one of the most fun games I have played all year.  Although only graphically competent, this allows more to be shown on screen, resulting in one of the most intense zombie games of all time.  Throw in some very likeable characters, tons of replay value, great customization and sandbox options and the ability to "rock" a zombie to death, and Dead Rising 2 is a game that is not only unique but also a delight to play.  Although it is let down by clunky controls, long loading screens, insubstantial music and an extremely strong similarity to the first game, Dead Rising 2 is still one of the best console titles out there at the moment.

From a Catholic perspective, Dead Rising 2's main problem is zombie gore - something in which the game delights.  The sometimes gruesome suicides of some of the bosses is also something that Catholic gamers should be aware of, and makes the game suitable for limited adult audiences only.  However, the extreme cartoon violence is tempered by a pro-family storyline that emphasizes self-sacrifice and love for one's fellow man (if not fellow zombie) that results in a surprisingly pro-Catholic zombie story!  Catholic gamers should also be aware of strong sexual innuendo, a few crass and crude terms and frequent alcohol use.

The Technical Rating for this title is 9/10


The Catholic rating is L -- Limited Adult Audiences.  Contains problematic content that many adults would find troubling.

REVIEW - Mass Effect 2 (PS3, Xbox 360, PC)

Western RPG's have a lot of negative press surrounding them in the gaming community.  Often derided as the shallower, shorter and weaker cousins of the Japanese RPG, and with a less loyal fanbase, a Western RPG in hope of success has a lot of obstacles in its way.  The first major title to break down those barriers was Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic on the Xbox.  Mass Effect 2 is the latest title to decimate the myth of Western RPG's being poor, and it does it with style.

First things first - you do not have to have played the first Mass Effect in order to be able to enjoy Mass Effect 2.  Granted, you will get a fuller experience of what is going on with various character histories if you have played the original, but the game does not assume that the player has played the first title, and will therefore fill in the gaps for any newbies.

The Lord is my Shepard

You play Commander Shepard (yep, that's how its spelt!) - a character who has no first name, gender, or particular look, until you assign him/her one.  A neat little feature is that, if you have played the original Mass Effect, you can import your old character into the new game from a memory drive, and continue with the same character.  The game will act off the various decisions you made in the previous game, which is a really excellent touch and shows that this is a genuine part of a trilogy and not just some cash-in sequel.  If you choose not to do this, then the game will ask you various questions with which to shape your character in standard RPG form.  Yet most of your character will develop later in the game, specifically through the normal route of the options the player chooses in various conversations, but also how the player responds to various situations.

If you choose to become evil, your facial features suffer...a lot!

The game's "moral compass" is split into two sets of behaviour - "Renegade" (i.e bad/evil) and "Paragon" (i.e good/peaceful), and the game will generally make it clear which one is which, allowing the player to mix up their morality however they like.  So, if someone is in your way, do you negotiate with them, or go in all guns blazing?  It's entirely up to you, and the game offers plenty of decisions to make.

However, there is not always the clear good option vs bad option choice system here - not all decisions are clear cut.  The gist of the plot (without giving away any spoilers) is that Commander Shepard (i.e you) is brought back to life after dying horribly, and now must unite with sketchy human supremacist group "Cerberus" who, despite their significant moral flaws, may be the only group capable of stopping the rise of the anti-life "Collectors" and the consequential subsequent destruction of the human race.  Shepard and Cerberus need to build up a team, and go into the homeland of the Collectors to destroy them and save humanity.  Although your aims are good, the means by which it is carried out are not always pure, leading to some superb plot developments and moral dilemmas.

The plot is very compelling, and has a whole host of different endings that are dependent on how you play the game and what decisions you make, which adds to the replayability of the title.  The moral choices that one makes are rarely black and white, with the developers choosing to go instead for various shades of gray.  It is usual to pick an option that will result in both Renegade and Paragon points, but with one more than the other.  This implies that one might not pick the "good" option, but has instead chosen the "better" option, or the "worse" option.

Gameplay works well and feels intuitive.

Does Mario Go To Mass Effect 2?

Games like this that offer open ended moral choices are difficult to judge from a Catholic perspective.   Mass Effect 2 allows you to be the savior of the universe, or the absolute personification of everything that is wrong with humanity, or somewhere in between.  How you choose will dictate what sort of game you play, and therefore in one sense, Mass Effect 2 is morally neutral.  Yet, I found that the game made it both easier and more rewarding, to choose the good options rather than the bad.  Characters are generally likeable, which means you will be tempted to be nice to them rather than shoot them, and the whole story seems designed in a way that invites you to be the savior of mankind as opposed to its enemy.

The first game generated a lot of controversy for the way in which it handled sex.  Mass Effect 2 is not plagued by the same controversy, and the sexual aspect of the game is toned down to the extent that it is almost non-existent.  It is possible to engage in intercourse with one of your fellow characters, but to do this requires the player to have said and done all the things that makes your partner more attracted to you.  It is something the most players will not have to deal with, and requires a conscious effort (and probably an internet walkthrough) to unlock such options.  Once unlocked, the subsequent cut scenes are not suitable for children, but contain little to no nudity and therefore does not exclude this game for Catholic adults.

Levelling up is easy, and very clear, even for beginners.

The characters are one of the best things about this excellent game.  The cast of Mass Effect 2 are not remotely stereotypical, most have very interesting back stories and are very likeable in their own ways.  You will genuinely care about these characters and want to get to know all of them better; something that is catered for with a host of character specific side missions.  All characters can be levelled up, not just Shepard.  This means that the player has to think carefully about who to take on a mission, taking into consideration not just the character's abilities, but also their levels.  A lot of work has gone into creating a whole world for the player to be immersed in, and for the hardcore there is an enormous encyclopaedia of all the races, technologies and characters which would take hours to read - although it won't appeal to most gamers, the fact that it is there shows how much effort has gone into this title.

The Illusive Voices

This process of immersion is helped by some tremendous voice acting.  The immense Martin Sheen voices The Illusive Man - the main NPC around whom the question "Is he good or bad?" continually hangs.  Alongside Sheen sits famous actors such as Star Trek TNG's Michael Dorn (Worf), The Matrix's Carrie Ann Moss (Trinity) as well as a whole host of big names that will have you pausing the game and checking Wikipedia to see if that voice is who you think it is.  Yet even those who names will not be familiar still do an exceptional job.  The voice acting of single line of dialogue in the game is top notch and makes the characters truly come alive.  Throw in a tightly written, exciting plot and this is an RPG you will be coming back to time and time again just to experience the different ways that the game can pan out, and it will have you drooling in anticipation for the completion of the trilogy with Mass Effect 3.

The game is stunning, especially on the PS3.

Graphically, Mass Effect 2 is without doubt one of the prettiest games of this console generation so far.  Although a lot of the combat is standard cover shooter fare, the enormous worlds in which they are set make them feel completely different.  Additionally, even the most random side mission on a planet in the middle of nowhere will have its own unique design, giving a sense of enormity to the world.  This graphical niceties extend everywhere, including to your ship - a ship so beautiful that I spent a long time happily exploring it.

Although Mass Effect 2 is pretty much perfect, I felt that there were a handful of missed opportunities dotted around this vast game.  For instance, while one of the most exciting things in the early part of the game was running of and doing various side missions for the members of my crew (so, picking up posher types of food for my hilarious chef), I was disappointed to find that these were not followed up later in the game.  Don't get me wrong, there are a good number of side missions in addition to the many main plot missions, but there are various things that the game introduces, and then seems to have decided to not follow up.  Also, while there are enough varied missions to prevent the gamer from getting bored, most missions are of a similar style - mostly involving a lot of cover to cover combat.  If you don't like shooting and cover to cover combat, then this game is not for you, no matter how much you may love the RPG elements of a game.

Conclusion


I give these criticisms mainly out of an attempt to give balance to this review.  The fact of the matter is that Mass Effect 2 is one of the best games ever made, and this comes from someone generally sceptical to WRPGs.  Its story is immensely compelling, the presentation is perfection, and the the gameplay is fun (if occasionally a little repetitive) and will have you wanting to come back and play this game time and time again in order to discover the many different ways this amazing title can be played, and to see how it connects with the other two instalments of the series.

From a Catholic perspective, Mass Effect 2 is not without its problems.  Although it has tamed down the sexual aspects from the previous game, the "copulation option" is still there.  Although there is no nudity, it is not for the faint of heart, nor for anyone who is not an adult.  The game deserves to be commended for offering the player a number of non-violent options, as well as the ability to play as a (mostly) good guy, but don't let the non-violence approach fool you - this game has the player killing a lot of people, no matter what options you choose.  This is a game that emphasises the "action" in an action RPG.  Although not particularly gory, there is blood present at a number of moments, as well as occasional distressing cut scenes of death.

The technical rating for this title is 10/10

The Catholic rating for this title is A-III -- adults.

REVIEW - Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light (Nintendo DS)

If there has ever been an inappropriately named franchise, then it has to be the Final Fantasy franchise.  Since the release of the first Final Fantasy back in 1987, there have been somewhere in the region of 65 various games, spin-offs and remakes.  However, the beauty of Final Fantasy is that (with the odd exception) the games are all stand alone titles, and you don't need to have grinded through the others to enjoy the latest installment.  So to enjoy Final Fantasy X, you don't need to have played the nine prequels; the same stands with the spin offs.

Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light - or FF:FHL as it will now be known - is one of the spin offs, and once again is a stand alone title, this time for the Nintendo DS.  You control main character Brandt, and his band of followers in their quest to first rescue a princess, and then save the world from the darkness that is spreading throughout the world.

Black and White

The plot is Final Fantasy by numbers, and is designed to be.  The game is set in the style of its retro predecessors, and fans of the series will recognise a great deal of the game as having been done before in previous titles.  This is not necessarily a bad thing - Final Fantasy games are popular for a reason - but don't come to FHL expecting stunning originality.  A darkness has set over the world, and your party must go around various towns and dungeons conversing with people, levelling up, fetching things for key NPCs, and defeating evil villains in order to restore the world back to light.  If you have played a Final Fantasy game before, you know the drill.

The Crown System works, but it isn't revolutionary.

The action side of the gameplay is also standard Final Fantasy fare, with random battles in the field with which to upgrade your characters, and plenty of dungeons to battle through in order to face the big boss that sits at the bottom of each dungeon or cave.  Yet this is not to say that FHL does not bring one or two new aspects to the table, such as the "crown" system that means that the player can change the classes of members of the party mid game, and then upgrade those skills with various gems that are collected on the way.  Although a mere rehash of the "job" system from some of the older titles, the crown system works nicely, even if many of the crowns that you are awarded are completely and utterly useless.  The hardcore fans of the series will probably settle down with the traditional classes of White and Black Mage and be done with it.  In my party of four for instance, I had one Black Mage, two White Mages and then picked an Elemental crown (that adds power to magic spells) to complete the party.  From there I never had the urge to change from that combination, especially as I had spent so much time upgrading those crowns to get the extra spells.  I imagine most hardcore players will go along similar lines.

Final Nightmare Mode

He is as difficult to fight as he looks.

Speaking of the hardcore RPG players, this is a game designed almost exclusively for those fans of the genre. Despite the cutesy looking graphics, this game is perilously hard at times, and this comes from a reviewer who knows his Final Fantasy inside and out.  If a gamer is looking at this as an opportunity to dip into the genre for the first time, I would recommend they try somewhere else.  FHL requires the gamer to be comfortable with long periods of grind and levelling up, while being able to deal with the party system and crown system from the very start.  If one attempts to try to defeat a boss (even early on) without a high level and without the correct equipment equipped in order to be able to counter the boss attacks, then it will not just be difficult, it will be entirely impossible.

Yet the difficulty is also one of the game's weak points.  Although a high difficulty is not necessarily a bad thing, considering its target audience, the difficulty is largely inconsistent.  I found the early parts of the game very tough, but then the middle sections a breeze that bordered on completely boring, only then to be faced with an almost impossible final dungeon.  I found that I was either being destroyed, or was waltzing through the dungeons like a demi-god - there seemed to be no comfortably challenging middle ground.

No More Ether...Almost!

Also, the game's aim at the hardcore Final Fantasy player seems inconsistent with the general design of the game.  The plot is so clichéd by Final Fantasy standards, the dungeons so generic, and the world so small that the game would only be able to impress those who had never experienced the franchise before; those of us who have will have seen it all before, and have seen it done better.  With the exception of the aforementioned crown system, and nice touches like the ability to "auto battle" and the replacement of MP points with regenerating Action Points, I struggled to see any real originality in this title whatsoever, which is a great shame.

Graphics are blotchy but pretty.

Additionally, although the game's length is solid for a handheld title, a lot of that time is spent revisiting old areas in the second half of the game.  There are a handful of villages/towns to go to, each with their own dungeon or cave, and the player will visit each of these once during the first half of the game.  Unfortunately, the second half simply involves revisiting those same areas, which quickly becomes tiresome.  Throw in a distinct lack of side quests and missions, and although FHL is by no means a short game, it lacks the immersive depth for which the franchise is known.

Final Fantasy: The Gospel of John Edition

From a Catholic perspective, FHL does everything right.  Although the appearance of a giant crystal early on that speaks to the party may worry Catholics that there is going to be some sort of weird new-age spirituality thrown at them, the plot is a classically Christian one of the struggle of good over evil.  Additionally, the game shows that the evil has been allowed into the world through cruelty, isolation and division.  The solution is the introduction of goodness through kindness, compassion, nobility, forgiveness and unity.  Although the picky amongst us might get a whiff of Pelagianism and maybe even Gnosticism from the title, there can be no doubt that the game promotes a tale of the triumph of virtue over evil.  When one is fighting bosses named "Satan" and "Lucifer", a Catholic gamer cannot moan too much!

Your four heroes of light.  Hmmm....

This is not to say that this positive moral message is not a little corny at times, but the sentiment is definitely in the right place.  Lines of dialogue such as "There is no beauty greater than life itself" and "...in their hearts lives a love, brave and true" sit in stark contrast to some of the macho marine stuff we gamers face on a day to day basis.

The plot is touching at times, and it is just a shame that the characters are so poorly formed.  I found it difficult to care too much about any of the main characters, and found them uninteresting.  This isn't helped by the game's blocky graphics.  Although the graphics are technically decent for a DS title, the character faces emote even less than those of Final Fantasy VII, and with a lack of cut scenes this makes it difficult to really get behind the characters, and consequently the plot as a whole.

FHL does certainly have its moments, such as turning into an animal in order to be able to converse with other animals in order to find out what is going on - the caped mouse who accompanied me through one particular dungeon was easily my favorite character of the game!  However, the few moments of inspiration don't conceal the fact that this is a solid, but rather uninspiring title.  FHL does nothing wrong, but yet does nothing to make it stand out as a title that one simply must buy.

Conclusion


From a technical perspective Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light is a title designed exclusively for hardcore fans of the series who simply cannot get enough Final Fantasy.  The game's difficulty makes it unsuitable for anyone who is not already well invested in the series, yet conversely those who are invested in the series will have seen all this done before.  If you are desperate to play a Final Fantasy or RPG title on your DS, then you cannot go too far wrong with FHL, but there are better titles on the market.

From a Catholic perspective, Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light impresses with its strong moral message about the triumph of good over evil, of hope over fear, and of light over darkness.  Although most of this message expresses itself in vague superlatives, there are a number of moments when the virtues of kindness, strength of character, friendship and forgiveness are expressed in meaningful and touching ways, and therefore collects a big thumbs up from a Catholic viewpoint.  Final Fantasy: Four Heroes of Light contains mild fantasy violence and a single reference to alcohol.  The death of a minor character in the middle of the game may distress very sensitive children.


The Technical rating for this title is 7/10

The Catholic rating for this title is A-I -- general patronage.

REVIEW - Resident Evil 5 (Xbox 360, PS3, Windows PC)

Most gamers over the age of 20 will have encountered a Resident Evil game at some point in their time as gamers, and will almost certainly have a story or set of memories to go with it.  As for this reviewer, I remember being a terrified 15 year old sat in front of the tiny TV in my room, playing through Resident Evil 2 back in the late 90's.  When I discuss the "Resi" (as they've become known) games with fellow gamers, we all have our favorite moments, and it can be tempting to look back on those truly terrifying games with cloudy nostalgia.  Yes those games contained pant-soiling levels of terror at times, and sometimes had me so scared that I didn't want to progress into the next room or corridor; and yes although the dialogue was risible, I still loved the story - but the games were also quite flawed in many ways that are so easy to forget about when we put on our rose tinted nostalgia glasses.

It has therefore been with some controversy that the series was redesigned with Resident Evil 4; a game that changed a great deal of the established methods of the series - specifically turning the game from a survivial horror game to an action horror game.  Resident Evil 5 (Capcom) follows on in this tradition, and is therefore drastically different from some of the earlier installments into the Resi series.

Chris and Sheva, looking at something...

You play well known Resi character Chris Redfield, who is now part of the Bioterrorism Security Assessment Alliance (BSAA), and is called in to investigate a terrorist threat in (fictional) Kijuju, Africa.  In typical Resident Evil fashion, things go wrong almost immediately, and Chris finds himself fighting for survival alongside fellow BSAA member Sheva Alomar against hoardes of infected Africans who have been infected with some sort of parasite - think faster, more aggressive zombie like creations!  It is therefore up to Chris and Sheva to stop the spread of bioweapon technology in Africa and survive, in addition to a variety of other plot devices that appear throughout the story.

Although the story follows the typical Capcom route of becoming more and more ludicrous as the game progresses, with voice acting to match, it is certainly an entertaining one, and setting the game in Africa instead of just some dark Western factory or house makes the game fresh.  Although the typical Resident Evil environments are still there (sewer, laboratory, docks etc), there is a real sense that this is a game that is breathing new life into the series.

Shoot or Run?  Run!!

He ain't trimmin' hedges!

Yet it is not just the environments that are different, but the whole style of the game.  Like Resi 4, Resident Evil 5 is very action orientated, and you'll be slaughtering your way through a lot more zombies (sorry, "Majini") than in the earlier instalments, and the results of this move are sometimes a little mixed.  The critics of this new turn in style are correct when they say that games like Resident Evil 5 are not as scary as the earlier games.  Although it has a few "jump out of your seat" moments, this game gets its thrills from intensity, not from traditional horror scares.  Whilst initially disappointed by this, I found the game to be scary in its own way.  For instance, the game will frequently put the player into a situation that they simply cannot shoot themselves out of - there will be too few bullets, or there will simply be too many Majini running at the player.  The only answer is to run as fast as you can, and try to escape.  At which point, Sheva might lag behind and get caught up in the mob, meaning you'll have to go back and rescue her while not getting killed yourself.  Although the old Resis did have some of those intense moments, they are a lot more common here, and they are absolutely superb.

Unfortunately some of this dissipates towards the end of the game, and it risks falling into the template of  standard cover based shooter.  Although the action is a joy to play, one can't help but feel that it loses some of its intensity and originality in later levels.  The action is cut up with boss fight segments that are exactly what you'd expect from almost any Capcom game.  Locate the weakspot and attack it with everything you have, while avoiding the crippling attacks that the enemy occasionally unleashes.  They are lots of fun, but many of them drag.  Boss fights that are going on well over 10-15 minutes are simply too long, especially if you get right through to nearly defeating the creature, only for your computer controlled sidekick to get killed, forcing you to restart from your last save point.  That is how TV screens get broken with control pads!

Speaking of the computer controlled side kick, this is one of the innovations to recent games that plays a significant part in the game, and like the change in atmosphere, it is up and down when it comes to implementation.  The implementation of NPC comrades in shooters as a whole has been a move defined by bugs, uselessness and downright frustration.  For the most part, Resident Evil 5 avoids these pitfalls.  Sheva is genuinely useful, and although she needs rescuing from time to time, she will pick up items so you don't have to, will come to your aid when you are in a tight spot, will revive and heal you when necessary, and her aim with a gun is flawless.  Hand her a machine gun and almost every bullet will be on target - she can be very very handy.

'Tis but a flesh wound!

However, she is not without frustration.  She can often be very eager to heal you, even if you are only a little bit injured, and will therefore quite happily use up all your health herbs on the most frivolous of pretexts.  I ended up having to confiscate some of them from her, like she was a naughty child who couldn't be trusted near the cookie jar.  Also, it matters not what monstrous weapons Sheva would have in her arsenal; if she had any bullets for her 9mm pistol, that would be her weapon of choice - always!  Although this sometimes worked in preserving ammo, it meant that when we came to face enormous multi-tentacled, building sized bosses, I'd be running around trying to arm my rocket launcher, while Sheva would be happily taking pot shots with her pistol.  Eventually it got to the point where whenever we came to an ammo dump, I would try to locate the 9mm ammo and get to it before she did, so that she would be forced to use one of the bulkier weapons I'd handed to her.

Heal me!!

Apart from these two faults, the system works very well.  It is a much better system when used as a co-op, and is obviously designed to be played in such a way, but the computer controlled player works well enough for it to be an over-all positive addition to the series, despite the frustrations.

Yet Resi's long tradition of frustrating movement and controls have not been vanquished entirely, despite the radical overhaul of the series.  The movement is a heck of a lot better in this instalment, with the ability to turn round and flee a lot easier to accomplish - which is a good thing, as you'll be doing it a lot!  Guns are very easy to aim, and apart from the machine gun which is a little tricky, they all work pretty well.  However, the biggest gripe has to be the inventory system.  Say you are in the middle of some raging battle against a hoard of creatures and you are pounding rounds of your shotgun into anything that moves.  Your health is low and you're stuck in a corner, but you're fighting your way out tooth and nail.  Suddenly, your shotgun clicks empty - disaster!  No worry, you can still fight your way out with your pistol.  In this panicky and heated atmosphere, you must then press the Y button to bring up the inventory, find the pistol with the d-pad, select it with A and then press A again to equip it.  Simply locating the pistol from your selection of guns can take a few seconds,bringing up the inventory, and then selecting and then equipping takes even longer.  None of this would have been a problem had Capcom decided to implement an inventory screen on the pause menu, but this all has to be done in real time; meaning you can be trying to reselect and equip the machine gun, or trying to swap a healing potion for bullets with your partner, all while Chris is stood there with a monster chewing off his arm!

It might not sound big, but in the later levels, it frequently became my number one reason for dying.  Then there are other gripes; loading is automatic when you fire your weapon with no bullets in the chamber, but Chris cannot move as he is reloading (which takes a long time), so you can frantically be trying to avoid some enemy hurling themselves at you, but find yourself unable to move because Chris is slowly putting more rounds in his gun.  With no way to cancel the reload (which can take a good five seconds depending on the gun) and the frequency of some insta-kill enemies, blood pressure can rise very, very quickly.  Yet these frustrations do not make the game bad; but they do prevent it from being an all time classic.

Thomas Malthus vs Zombies!

Wesker is back and as awesome as ever!

From a Catholic perspective, Resident Evil 5 has a good message in there somewhere, but it is obscured by the ridiculous plot surrounding it, and a great deal of gore and violence.  The people Chris and Sheva are fighting against are people who want to use biotechnology to unleash a virus on the world and enact a sort of "Darwinist meets neo-Malthusianist" fantasy of humanity evolving to become gods.  The aim is to create an advanced race of humans at the expense of those who would not be strong enough to deal with the introduction of the foreign virus into their systems.  The influence of the Tower of Babel on the story is obvious, specifically Wesker's claim that it will make them like gods.  Chris and Sheva rightly see this as a monstrous plan and it is this plan that they are trying to prevent from taking place.  Although you will hack your way through plenty of Majini on the way, the ultimate goal is a worthy one - to stop an unprecedented act of bioterrorism and slaughter.  However, this message is slightly obscured by the sheer amount of bloodletting and violence that will occur on the way.  Granted, the violence is occurring to zombie-like creatures, so doesn't carry the same moral implications as killing humans, and you are constantly on the defensive; but it does limit the pro-life message somewhat.

No Resident Evil 5 review would be complete without looking at the accusations of racism that have been levelled at this game.  There can be no doubt that setting the game in Africa was a risky move, and opening up with a hoard of savage out of control Africans attacking the player does nothing to allay this fear.  One of the more amusing aspects of the game is that (presumably at the last minute) Capcom have thrown in a few non-African character models, so occasionally you'll be attacked by a hoard that consists of a handful of people from South-East Asia or Europe; which makes zero sense in terms of plot - unless we are supposed to believe that Kijuju is some sort of tourist hot spot.  As a consequence, it is a slightly tacky way of trying to alleviate people's accusations of racism.

Racist? No. Problematic? Yes!

I saw nothing in the early parts of the game that made me think that the game was even coming close to racism.  Setting the game in Africa means that you are naturally going to get African zombies, just like setting the game in America results in American zombies.  However, Resident Evil 5 gets a little bit dicey later on when it transports the characters to a remote tribal village.  Here, you will find yourself being attacked by virus-infected African tribesmen and women brandishing shields and spears, and making guttural noises at you.  Although I would not want to go so far as to term this part of the game "racist" - it is clear that the writers simply wanted to change environments - I couldn't help but feel that the approach was clumsy and insensitive.  Two Westernized soldiers (although Sheva is African herself) running away from, and gunning down, savage spear-throwing African tribesmen?  Stealing sacred African treasures in order to upgrade your machine gun?  Yeh, I was a little uncomfortable with it, and I like to consider myself pretty open minded.  Again, I don't see any reason to believe that anyone at Capcom had a racist agenda here, and I wouldn't want to discourage games from exploring new environments like Africa, but I did feel that this could have been approached a little bit more carefully by the developers.  It is certainly something that Catholic gamers will wish to ponder before investing in this title.

Mercenaries mode is a lot of fun, and adds hours to the game.

In terms of length, Resident Evil 5 is solid.  The campaign sits at a relatively unremarkable 12 hours, yet the game's vast amount of unlockables means that this is a game that a player will have little problem replaying and discovering a new experience.  Unlockables include the ability to play as Sheva, new costumes, different graphical designs, a graded rating system for each level, and unlimited ammunition that will change the way in which the gamer approaches the game.  The latter unlockable is a great way of encouraging gamers to try the campaign on the harder levels.  Additionally, the Resident Evil: Mercenaries mode makes a very welcome return.  For those unfamiliar with this mode, it involves what is essentially a timed survival mode; where the player has to fend off hoards of Majini and other creatures until the timer runs out.  The more time pickups you collect, and the more enemies you kill (with more points for combos) results in more points.  Not only can you compare your high scores, but they are also used to unlock more levels and more characters with which to play in those levels.  Amidst this swarm of unlockables there are a few duds - notably the collectible figurines of various players and enemies, that seem completely redundant for all but the most obsessive of completionists - but Capcom deserve high marks for making the game so replayable, and giving such good value for money.

Conclusion


From a technical perspective, Resident Evil 5 is very close to being a masterpiece.  Its plot is well-paced and frequently changes environments to prevent boredom, the action is intense and enjoyable, and the co-op system works very well.  The graphics and sound are both of the highest quality and contribute enormously to the creepy atmosphere that hangs over the game.  The campaign sits tight at about 12-15 hours, but other collectibles and modes such as Mercenaries can keep the player occupied for a lot longer, and the game has significant replayability.  A lot of effort has gone into fixing a lot of the problems of the previous instalments, and by and large it works - controls are better, and it is a lot easier to wade through enemies and escape, as well as easier to shoot them when required.  Yet a slightly buggy computer controlled character, a ridiculous inventory system, and some basic control errors (such as the inability to move while reloading) that still remain keep the frustration levels high at various points, and therefore Resident Evil 5 falls short of perfection.  It is still one of the most heart-pounding, exciting, and downright fun experiences available, but it falls just short of top marks.

From a Catholic perspective, Resident Evil 5 has a positive message that is drowned out by fanciful story telling and the quantity of violence and gore that is contained within this title.  Its explicit condemnation of those who wish to use science to forcibly evolve humanity into gods will meet with nods of approvals from Catholics, but exploding heads and significant gore will tarnish this somewhat  Although the blood will by and large belong to what can safely be described as non-humans, there are some gruesome human deaths if the player gets captured by the creatures, and the creatures deaths can be extremely gruesome at times, with decapitation and mutilation a common theme in this game.  Resident Evil 5 also contains frequent crude and crass language and a few instances of profanity, as well as some instances of tribal animal sacrifice.  Additionally, the issues of race that hover over the game are handled clumsily at times which Catholic gamers may wish to consider before investing in this title.

The technical rating for this title is 9/10

The Catholic rating for this title is L --limited adult audiences.  Contains problematic content that many adults would find troubling.