Is Resident Evil 5 worth playing in 2025?

Resident Evil 5 introduced split-screen co-op to the mainline games, giving players a new way to experience the franchise. The title also shifted in tone, as it was more action-oriented compared to the previous entries in the Resident Evil series. This made Resident Evil 5 a divisive game for fans, as it was not true to the franchise's roots of survival horror.

While there were a large number of players who enjoyed the title when it was first released 15 years ago, those sentiments might have changed with time. This article will take a look at Resident Evil 5 to see whether the title is still worth playing in 2025.

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Resident Evil 5 has a complex story

Albert Wesker makes a return (Image via Capcom)

Resident Evil 5 brings back Chris Redfield as a playable protagonist, along with a new character, Sheva Alomar. The story here revolves around our leads traveling to Africa to stop the spread of a new bioweapon unleashed by the returning villain, Albert Wesker. While many fans enjoy this new approach toward action, others miss the survival-horror roots of the franchise.

The game introduces some over-the-top action set pieces to the series, along with crucial lore about the Umbrella Corporation and the Progenitor Virus. These aspects make this title an important entry in the franchise that should not be skipped if you have been following the mainline games since their inception back in 1994 on the original PlayStation.

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Co-op-focused gameplay was a huge part of Resident Evil 5

The co-op play here was exciting (Image via Capcom)

Resident Evil 5 introduced co-op gameplay for the first time in the mainline series, which was also carried over to Resident Evil 6. The mechanics here are designed around cooperative play that can be done in split-screen or online mode. It is also possible to finish the main campaign with an AI companion. However, it can get frustrating at times when Sheva doesn't properly follow the player's instructions.

The over-the-shoulder camera perspective returns here from RE4, but the ability to walk around while aiming is still nowhere to be found. These tank controls can make the game seem outdated compared to the recent RE remakes. It should be noted that the gameplay never feels dull, as the emphasis on over-the-top action, teamwork, and resource management is the best part of Resident Evil 5.

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Resident Evil 5's graphics and performance

The visuals still hold up (Image via Capcom)

Capcom makes sure that every RE release becomes one of the best-looking titles of its time. This is also the case for Resident Evil 5, which looked fantastic back in 2009 when it came out on Xbox 360, PC, and PlayStation 3. While it's obvious that the visuals won't be able to compete with recent releases, they still hold up pretty well thanks to the well-detailed character models and lighting effects.

The title was ported to the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 in 2016, which bumped the resolution to 1080p and the frame rate to 60 FPS. This brought the title closer to today's standards without the use of technology such as Ray Tracing and Nvidia DLSS.

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Is Resident Evil 5 worth your time in 2025?

It is worth a try (Image via Capcom)

Resident Evil 5 is 16 years old, but still leaves a positive impression with its visuals and gameplay mechanics. While it is not your traditional RE experience of survival horror, the action here still fits in well with the overall theme of the game.

It also adds a ton of lore, which is essential to know if you are a true fan of the franchise, making it a must-play for everyone.