i was finally able to download the resident evil 5 demo yesterday on my ps3.  and i gotta say, it’s really hard.  it may just be that you’re sorta dropped into the middle of a couple levels without any sort of training or familiarity with the controls, but damn i died a lot.

and the controls.  hmmm.  i’m kinda split on it.  on one hand, they’re the standard resident evil controls.  on the other, they’re the standard resident evil controls.  i feel like with the addition of 28 days later-style track star zombies, the ability to run and shoot should be a no-brainer.  it worked really well in dead space.  still, the wonky controls are part of what makes a resident evil game a resident evil game.  that and endless searching for a rook plug, which you need to get the eagle crest, which opens up a secret elevator to an even more secret lab beneath a mansion on the outskirts of town, which houses mutant sharks.  the lab, not the mansion.

but visually, it certainly looks great.  we’ll see how things pan out with the full release right around the corner.

-srd

1 . metal gear solid 4

this is a no-brainer for me.  my favorite franchise comes to an epic conclusion with stunning visuals, engrossing storytelling, and great game mechanics.  my hat’s off to kojima on this one.  now hurry up and get cracking on mgs5.  or just remake the original nes metal gear for next gen.  that would be incredible.

2. dead space

i actually haven’t finished this yet.  i’m on chapter ten (of twelve) at the moment.  the atmosphere of this game is downright creepy and the story is very solid.  the best part about dead space is how immerse the experience is.  think event horizon, but actually good.

3. littlebigplanet

littlebigplanet just makes me smile.  it is the most charming game i’ve ever played and it’s just damn fun.  i haven’t played around with the online component as much as the internet i “borrow” from my neighbors is less than reliable.  but i see untold possibilities in the user-generated content.

4. devil may cry 4

i almost forgot about dmc4 because it came out pretty early this year, but that doesn’t make it any less great.  i wasn’t ever a huge fan of the series, but dmc4 was a ton of fun.  it had a great wry sense of humor while telling a compelling story with impressive visuals.  dante has never looked so hot.

5. wipeout hd

i am terrible at this game.  really bad.  the first few levels i was winning trophies and thinking i was the best wipeout player ever.  then it gets super hard.  but it’s a lot of fun and it looks fantastic.  and it brings me  back to the early days of the original playstation when everything was mind-blowing.

-srd