March 12, 2009 - Resident Evil 5 occupies a curious spot in the RE canon. It's hardly the dramatic revamp that RE4 was for the series, but it marks the first time that co-op play has been implemented. As a result, the overhaul makes it a good single-player game, but a great multiplayer one.

March 9, 2009 - Don't let the negatives fool you though - [Resident Evil 5 is] still one of the best balls-to-the-wall co-op excursions you can buy.

March 12, 2009 - The series has gone from a leader to a follower, but Resident Evil 5 still succeeds at being an incredibly enjoyable video game. You'll get a lot more out of it than you do from typical games with no competitive multiplayer and while played cooperatively it really sings.

March 12, 2009 - There's really no way Resident Evil 5 could have lived up to the momentous impact made by the last proper Resident Evil game, but I don't think it needed to. That game paved the way for a lot of other great games, one of which is this direct sequel.

March 6, 2009 - As an action game, RE5 is a success, and there's a wealth of replayability through item collection, weapon upgrades, score chasing and the unlockable Mercenaries mode. But this is no gentle nudge to the formula of the previous main RE games; it's an evolution.

March 9, 2009 - Don't let that rather disappointing comparison to Resident Evil 4 fool you. Coming second to one of the best games of our generation is nothing to be sniffed at, and Resident Evil 5 is still a game that does the series proud.

March 12, 2009 - The bottom line is that RE5 is a very beautiful, occasionally exciting game with a lot of built-in value to recommend it, but it's far too disjointed to qualify as a top-tier addition to the canon.

March 9, 2009 - So while Resident Evil 5 might not be the game that the traditionalist might have hoped for, it still stands out as hugely enjoyable in its own right. Bereft of puzzle and exploration, Capcom has instead pointed both barrels at the action element in the hope that the masses will warm to it.

April 12, 2009 - If you can look past the innovations made in the genre these past few years, you'll find Resident Evil 5 to be an enjoyable action-packed experience.

March 12, 2009 - Resident Evil 5 is both wonderful and disappointing. Everyone should experience it, but after waiting four years, we expected better.

March 13, 2009 - Though the slow, deliberate movement and shooting may not appeal to everyone, this new sequel's frequent large-scale battles and co-op play still offer a fun and exciting adventure.

March 12, 2009 - Resident Evil 5 is mired in poor design decisions that drag down the experience and render single-player campaign a tedious exercise in working around the game.