The biohazard threat has not ended: Just when it seemed that the menace of Resident Evil had been destroyed, along comes a new terror to send shivers down player’s spines. Chris Redfield, returning Resident Evil hero, has followed the path of the evil literally around the globe. After joining a new organization, Chris heads to Africa where the latest bioterrorism threat is literally transforming the people and animals of the city into mindless, maddened creatures. He is joined by a new partner, Sheva Alomar, who lends her strength, intelligence and sharp-shooting skills to the mission. In order to survive, Chris and Sheva must work together to take on the challenges of discovering the truth behind this evil plot. Utilizing a revolutionary new co-op mode of gameplay, players will be able to assume control of either Chris or Sheva and experience Resident Evil in new ways. In Resident Evil 5, Capcom will have players fearing the daylight as much as they have feared shadow in previous games.

Co-producer and series veterans Jun Takeuchi (Lost Planet) and Masachicka Kawata (Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition, Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles) unleashes an unprecedented level of fear for the next generation in Resident Evil 5, the sequel to one of the highest-rated videogames in history, according to Metacritic.com and Gamerankings.com. Promising to revolutionize the series by delivering an unbelievable level of detail, realism and control, Resident Evil 5 is certain to bring new fans to the series. New technology developed specifically for the game, as well as incredible changes to both the gameplay and world of Resident Evil will make this a must-have game for gamers across the globe.

The next installment of the landmark survival horror franchise from Capcom will take action to a new level with a two-level, playable demo available exclusively on Xbox 360 for one week beginning Monday, January 26.

Fans will have the opportunity to experience “Resident Evil 5’s” revolutionary new features early, including two-player co-op with voice chat along with new characters, weapons and environments. The demo is set within two stages from the beginning of the game – Assembly Place and Shanty Town -- featuring plenty of co-operative action, shooting, hordes of bloodthirsty infected Majini enemies and a few puzzles to round out the action. The demo has three levels of co-op play: single-player with AI support, two-player split-screen on a single Xbox 360 and two-player across Xbox Live.

Xbox 360 gamers will also be first to take on the new enemies in battle, including an army of weapon-wielding infected Majini, the gigantic hooded Majini Executioner and even the dreaded Chainsaw Majini. Players can also choose between the classic “Resident Evil”-style controls or switch to the newer “Action” controls inspired by games like “Gears of War 2” and “Halo 3.”

Key Features

• Chris Redfield, protagonist of the original Resident Evil and Resident Evil: Code Veronica, returns
• Chris is joined by new character Sheva Alomar, an African special agent tasked with investigating the epidemic
• 2 player co-op online gameplay means that players are not alone in their fight against the horror lurking around every corner
• Simultaneous global release date for both PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 on March 13, 2009
• New enemies bring new challenges: speed and intelligence make adversaries as dangerous singly as they are in groups.
• An arsenal of weapons at the player’s command to keep the evil at bay, including knives, pistols, machine guns, sniper rifles and more.
• Lighting effects provide a new level of suspense in both harsh light and deepest shadow
• True high definition gaming on multiple game platforms, using an advanced version of Capcom’s proprietary game engine, MT Framework, which powered the next-gen, million-plus hit titles Devil May Cry 4, Lost Planet and Dead Rising.

Resident Evil 5 is currently scheduled for release in Japan on March 12, 2009, and in North America on March 13, 2009.