The ability to bring a friend along really is what makes this game so special. In all seriousness the plot isn't all that great; it introduces forgettable villains (with the exception of Morpheus - err, Wesker, who spends half the game beating the crap out of you, and the other half dodging bullets and hurling missiles your way) and a back story which doesn't make sense even if you've been paying attention to the previous games in the series.

Add a bit of co-op play from a well-planned LAN party into the mix however, and you have a classic MS3TK-style recipe where you poke fun at the game's over the top cutscenes in between segments of addictive zombie-killing action. That mixed in with some beautiful environments (doubly so if you run the game in DX10 mode), smooth framerates, and enough gameplay to last you at least a good day help make this a very memorable experience - although you can always take things one step further by checking out the 'New Game +' mode to start a new session with all of the weapons and items collected previously, or by checking out the "Mercenaries" run-and-gun gameplay mode.

Is Resident Evil 5 worth the purchase if you're sadly lacking in friends and are just looking for an enticing solo zombie hunt? Maybe, but then you'd be missing out on the game's biggest charm. The true value of this release is how it represents another glorious step forward for the ongoing lean towards of co-operative gaming in the industry. In that sense, it’s a huge success.

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