We reckon you’re bored of reading Resident Evil 5 previews by now. Like us, you’ve endured one thin droplet of information after another since that first teaser trailer in July 2005 (yup, that long ago), but still, in the back of your mind, know that there’s something special waiting at the end of the road. Resident Evil 5 has received attention for a number of reasons – primarily for the supposed ‘racist’ content, but also for the fact that co-op plays such a significant, unprecedented role.

The common perception of Resident Evil 5, judging from the impressions of people in our office and comments around the internet, is that the fifth instalment in this series bears too much resemblance to Resident Evil 4. Granted, there were notable similarities during our hands-on with the first two chapters of the game, but there were also crucial differences that certainly make it feel like a separate experience. Capcom hasn’t spent four years working up a rehash, after all.

The importance of co-operative play becomes apparent very early on in the game, and we believe it’s an aspect that all fans of the series will embrace. In case, for some understandable reason, you’re not familiar with the Resident Evil mythos, game number five follows Chris Redfield, the returning hero from the original Resident Evil and offshoot Code Veronica, as well as newcomer Sheva Alomar. Now, from the off these two become partners in the story, meaning that in co-op one participant will play Chris and the other will take care of Sheva. You’re not in direct control of Sheva during the singleplayer mode, but you manage her inventory, tactical attitude and have to keep her out of serious danger. Controlling her approach in battle is simple, as you either select ‘Cover’ or ‘Attack’ when holding down the O button. The former keeps her close to Chris at all times, while the latter has her aggressively suppressing the oncoming hordes of infected humans.

Either way, Sheva’s a smart, ballsy counterpart. She’ll try to dodge enemy attacks whether she’s on the defensive or offensive, and will rarely be less able in battle than you. The depth of her AI should demonstrate how much Capcom wants this to function as a co-operative experience. This isn’t a hammy, tackedon gimmick or something glossy to boast about in press releases. Resident Evil 5 is one of the few games out there actually built around co-op play, rather than a single-player game retrofitted to include such a feature. Chris and Sheva’s relationship is symbiotic.

Neither can handle the degree of hostile presence by themselves, and some instances require both sets of hands to progress – at one point during the second chapter, for example, you have to manoeuvre through a pitch-black mine. One character can hold the lamp while the other defends, giving you the choice of which role you’d like to perform yourself; you gradually delegate more and more tasks to Sheva, entrusting her with healing medicine, powerful machine guns and grenades as you acknowledge the extent to which Resident Evil 5 is a two-man job.

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