PS3 Fanboy

Gamers planning to pick up the PS3 version of Resident Evil 5 come this March can expect to have a nice extra feature tucked away snugly on their game disc. Taking advantage of the massive space found a Blu-ray disc, Capcom is adding in a making-of-Resident Evil 5 documentary produced from "Hollywood staff."

While the bonus material is currently secured for the Japanese RE5 release, there's still no word whether it will be seen in Western releases. Considering that the PS3 version's content is on the game disc itself and is supposedly made from Hollywood, we're thinking there is a good chance Capcom will include it for North American and European releases.

One of the hottest games of the year, Resident Evil 5, is ... well, it's not coming out this year. Capcom has positioned the next iteration of its popular horror franchise as a 2009 title, missing the crowded and competitive holiday season. Just in case you were being lured away by all the recent games coming out, these screenshots should remind you that you should save at least $60 for next year -- or tell Santa to give you a raincheck.

Speaking to Eurogamer, producer Jun Takeuchi hinted that a playable demo of Resident Evil 5 will be announced soon. Hopefully, that demo will include co-op play when it finally comes our way. Takeuchi had also said that DLC for RE5 is also "possible," but did not disclose whether Capcom is actually working on it.

One thing in particular for PS3 owners, Takeuchi suggests that Capcom has opted not to include a mandatory install for Resident Evil 5. The company has noted that consumer's Majini-like reaction to Devil May Cry 4's space-eating install and are changing their ways. "We're still working on those technical elements in the last couple of months, but we can tell you that if users are dissatisfied with that kind of thing, then it's certainly something we keep in mind when we develop," said Takeuchi. Resident Evil 5 is four months away and will release on March 13, 2009.

Two heads really are better than one! Unless ... those two heads are attached to one body and both of them are trying to bite your face off. All of a sudden Resident Evil 5 feels fresh and new again. The addition of a new "Action" control scheme and the spectacular online co-op gameplay have pushed RE5 back into the limelight as one of our most-wanted games of 2009.

Make sure you have a headset -- or if you can afford to, do a local LAN environment, with two PS3s and TVs connected to each other. Communication is vital here, and thinking through strategies together will help you survive. For example, when facing against RE5's new chainsaw guy (he's real fast, watch out!), James and I thought up a plan. Because I had the sniper rifle, James would bait the chainsaw-wielding psycho on the ground. I'd make my way up a dilapidated building. Then, I can snipe the baddie, making him fall to the ground. James can then go up to the boss and use Sheva's devastating finishing attack.

This kind of cooperation is at the heart of RE5's utterly compelling gameplay. In one level, we were stuck in a small shack, with enemies trying to break in. As they came swarming in, we played back-to-back, with each player responsible for covering one half of the area. Perhaps a situation like this would be too overwhelming alone -- but with two players, we felt a bit more confident.

Resident Evil 5 looks to be a step above RE4 by mixing up the over-the-shoulder view mode with a brand new co-op gameplay. The teamwork between Chris and Sheva, as seen in the trailers posted after the break (for age restriction purposes -- view if you're 17 and above only!), makes the duo look like a two-person army. They're really cleaning up the African town of Kijuju of all its troublesome lot. Check out the vids and see for yourself.

Also, an official website for RE5 just opened up. Head on over there for character dossiers on Chris, Sheva, Excella, and Wesker.

We can't say too much about these two Resident Evil 5 trailers from TGS -- they contain plenty of action, plenty of gore and plenty of spoilers. All of the newly announced characters make an appearance, so that's a first. Without further ado, take a look at them after the break.

Resident Evil fans know how bad the RE movies are. Hopefully Resident Evil: Degeneration -- the CG movie featuring a seven-year Claire and Leon reunion -- will pick up the pieces and make everything good again. It won't be too long before we find out the answer to that as the Sony Pictures film is set to hit stores this winter.

If you're just dying to know more about this direct-to-Blu-ray film release, Blu-ray.com scored some skin-crawling details regarding the zombie flick. Video will be presented in "1.78:1 1080p AVC" which is complemented by a "5.1 Dolby TrueHD soundtrack." With specs like that, stepping into the world of survival horror won't ever be the same. In addition to that info, a full list of Blu-ray Extras can be found after the break.

[Via Capcom Unity]

New screenshots just in, and well, they're all seemingly about the teamwork between Chris Redfield and Sheva, a new masked bad guy (seen in yesterday's trailer), and ... some gratuitous butt shots of Sheva. Oh, and somewhere in between all this, you'll see zombies. What's a Resident Evil game without zombies? There are more Resident Evil 5 images in the gallery.

Another games convention, another trailer for Resident Evil 5. Not that we're complaining, of course. It looks absolutely breathtaking, and we're glad it's coming ever-so-closer to release. Let's hope that Capcom doesn't reveal too much before the game actually comes out -- some of the most terrifying things about the franchise are the surprises they keep hidden away from us.

Also check out: Our E3 hands-on impressions

Remember how innovative the original Resident Evil game was? It essentially defined what the survival horror genre should be on consoles -- and in spite of its infamous "tank" controls and fixed pre-rendered camera angles, it become an instant-classic for PS1 fans everywhere. Resident Evil 2 was also a great game, but it simply added more of what fans came to love about the first game.

Resident Evil 5 is Resident Evil 4's immediate successor. When RE4 debuted on Gamecube last generation, it was praised for its innovative reimagining of the then-aging series. The series lost its fixed camera angles, and gained a behind-the-shoulder perspective to fight a horde of intelligent enemies. RE5 for PS3 is simply more of what we've come to expect from the new invisioning of the franchise.

Considering the accolades RE4 received when it debuted (considered by many to be the finest game of the last generation), continuing with the established formula shouldn't come as a surprise. With a new coat of (incredibly beautiful) paint, will RE5 garner as much praise as its PS2/GC predecessor?

It's called an alternate trailer, but really its a trailer with the same intro and then a completely different focus. Instead of staring at Chris Redfield's hair for two minutes, you see a woman dressed like a Greek goddess and a guy who took his wardrobe right from the Xenogears and Xenosaga dressing rooms. Then, around the one minute mark, it's the same ol' trailer from before. Enjoy!

Chainsaws! Dirt bikes! Giant hammers! Tentacles! These two Resident Evil 5 videos from E3 has them all. The first one features half gameplay and half cinematics; new enemy types are shown, and a whole bunch of explosions. Of course, you've got that dude with the crazy voice (he sounds sort of like Meowth, no?) in the beginning warning you of that. The second one showcases a first to the main Resident Evil games: online co-op. The much-anticipated feature is demonstrated after the jump:

Who knew that you'd get some news from the Microsoft keynote happening right now? The upcoming multiplatform Resident Evil 5 is confirmed to have online co-op, with players taking control of both Chris and the newly-introduced Sheva. Unfortunately, the game won't be readied until next year. Appropriately, the plan is to release the title on Friday the 13th ... but in March 2009. Ouch. From the looks of it, it'll be worth the wait.

[UPDATE] While the game has been pushed back to next year, it has been confirmed to be a worldwide release on that day. So that's one less thing to zombie-moan about.