Resident Evil 5 is, without a doubt, one of the most hotly anticipated titles of the year, as it marks the groundbreaking series' first foray into the HD generation. With the game set to launch on both the PS3 and 360 on Friday 13th March (Nice touch, Capcom), we decided it was about time we spent some hands on time with the title.

Resident Evil 5 puts the player back in the blood-stained combat boots of series stalwart, Chris Redfield. This time around, Chris is joined in his zombie-stomping antics by new female character Sheva Alomar, who can either be controlled by a second player or left up to the game's AI.

The demo we played, which is now available on both the Playstation Store and Xbox Live Marketplace, featured three separate modes, single player, online co-op and offline co-op. Capcom, the game's developer and publisher, have been highlighting the games' emphasis on co-operative play throughout the game's marketing campaign, and for good reason.

Co-operative play is implemented well throughout, with both players relying on each other for more than just an extra gun in a tight spot. Players can share or exchange ammunition, weapons and healing items through a simple and intuitive joint menu system, as well as work together to reach otherwise inaccessible areas. 

Although Resident Evil 5 focuses on co-operative play, the single player experience doesn't suffer from it at all, thanks in part to well structured partner AI. Sheva usually does exactly what you want her to do, although she can occasionally wander in to your line of fire, exposing her to a few slugs to the back of the head in the process.

The core gameplay of Resident Evil 5 remains almost completely unchanged from 4, almost to the point that the game can occasionally feel like Resident Evil 4 HD. Though the player can now strafe, the character movement is still a bit sluggish and the inability to aim and shoot while running can become frustrating, particularly in heated battles.

While we've only had a small taste of what Resident Evil 5 has to offer, it seems like Capcom are onto another winner. Despite some minor problems, most of which have become almost trademarks of the series, it seems that Resident Evil 5 is shaping up to be yet another great entry into the classic series.

We'll be back with a full review when the game launches in March.