Resident Evil 5 is the next installment in Capcom’s popular survival horror series. Details have been scarce to date with a video interview with Jun Takeuchi, the producer of the game, providing the only clues so far.

Let’s recap on what we know then. Resident Evil 5 is set in Africa because Takeuchi “wanted to show the origins of the virus” and decided to use “the place were humankind was born.” Chris Redfield is back and heading to dusty Africa where a bioterrorism threat is transforming the people and animals into “mindless, maddened creatures.” The game will take the players outside as much as possible into a range of different situations and introduces variations including weather, passage of time and the use of light.

If you are anything like my friends you will insist on playing any Resident Evil game in the dark with the surround sound turned up real loud and you will be happy to know that the primary objective that the development team had was to escalate the player’s fear of the darkness.

Takeuchi gave us some insight into the creation of this fear. “The fact that you can’t see into the shadow is nothing major for a Biohazard title, but for any other game it would make creating the game itself very difficult; you can’t see your enemies, you can’t see any items, you can’t see your surroundings.”

“But for a Biohazard game that is a quintessential part of the game itself. By focusing on that element we’re able to escalate the player’s fear of the darkness.” To do so if a player is in a brightly lit area and then enters a dark area, it will take a little while to adjust to the dark and vice versa, just as a real human eye would. “It’s those few seconds where you can’t see that really fans the fires of panic.”

The game system will be similar to Resident Evil 4 but will also incorporate a system that is unique to Resident Evil 5. There will be more weapons, rejoice! “Biohazard was originally based somewhat on the idea of fighting enemies with a limited amount of weaponry. But when the number of enemies gets this large, things would be a bit tough with just the handguns and shotguns that we’ve used up until now, so we have greatly increased the number of weapon variations.”

Gamers will get a chance to learn more about Chris Redfield and what has happened in the ten years since STARS disbanded. “Everything he’d experienced in the past ten years we wanted to be able to allow the player to experience as well, so we’re preparing a few ways to encourage the player to do just that,” commented Takeuchi.

Resident 5 will also include hand to hand combat. The action button which was used in Resident Evil 4 will return but will be expanded on and will include increased variations.

Takeuchi’s final words were “For those who have been waiting a long time for Biohazard 5: with this game we’ve at last been able to use the power of the next-gen consoles, and everyone on the project agrees that it is shaping up to be something incredible. From the graphics, to the game play, to the storyline we think we have reached the pinnacle of Biohazard games with this title.”

Recently Capcom held their Captivate 08 event in Las Vegas where they revealed the latest Resident Evil 5 trailer. To say it is chilling could possibly qualify as the understatement of the year.

The trailer shows the African village where the game is set. A single African man with a loudhailer tells the crowds “Africa is our land. The land will guide us to paradise.” Chris comments that there is “no reason” and “no humanity,” that he is met with “vacant stares” and that “all [he] sees is death.” The trailer shows how players will fear both the darkness and the light in the game as discussed above.

You will get a glimpse of quite a few enemies that you will have to face in the game. Apart from the zombies with tentacles that erupt from their mouths and then retract and crazy mad dogs, you will also meet a hooded executioner armed with a chainsaw. Chris makes use of a shotgun, a pistol as well as a machinegun. You will also notice him shooting at a barrel on a distant bridge to defeat enemies.

Finally you are introduced to a new girl, complete with an African necklace dangling around her neck. After she welcomes you to Africa, she points out to Chris that “I may not be as big as you but I can still hold my own.” And we do not doubt that, not for a second. Apparently neither does Chris who simply comments “No worries, my last partner was a woman too.”

Resident Evil 5 is due to be released on the PS3 and Xbox 360 at the end of March 2009.

More details of Resident Evil 5 are promised at the E3 Media & Business Summit being held this July. Until then, head over to the game’s website for more screenshots and information to sate your appetite. And whatever you do, don’t miss the trailer below.

Purchase: