Of course a game with this many fans is bound to cause a bit of controversy. Some people love it and others hate it. The reviews have been decidedly mixed.

“It’s a solidly constructed, workman-like effort with some cool set pieces that figure into some exciting boss fights (I’m looking at you, rad blast furnace battle with giant plague zombie). But too often you’re left befuddled, muddling through some strange, wrong-headed mixture somewhere between action and horror, hoping against hope that Resident Evil finds its way again,” wrote Joystiq.

Resident Evil 5 is out there and shipping like hotcakes so it’s likely we’ll be hearing a lot more about the game in coming weeks.

We’ve been playing through a preview version of the game for more than a month now, and found it to be a largely successful mix of familiar and new elements. Like all the Resident Evil entries, this is essentially an action game where a somewhat generic protagonist has to travel through creepy houses, compounds, cities, or secret bases, shooting zombies, madmen, and other monsters along the way.
Two key elements separate games of this genre (the awkward Japanese translation is “survival horror”) from straight-up shooters. First, there are occasional brain-twisters to solve, such as deciphering a puzzle to open a door; secondly, ammunition for one’s firearms is relatively scarce, so making every shot count is important. However, RE5, like its immediate predecessor, Resident Evil 4, tones down both of these gameplay factors, at least compared with earlier games in the series, opting for a more fast-paced (some would say mainstream) approach.

You can purchase Resident Evil 5 for $59.95. It ships today.

Resident Evil 5