How to Change Difficulty in Resident Evil 5: A Comprehensive Guide
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Changing the difficulty in Resident Evil 5 isn’t as straightforward as selecting an option from the main menu mid-game. Unlike some modern titles, RE5 locks in your difficulty choice at the start of your campaign or when starting a new chapter via Chapter Select. You cannot change the difficulty setting mid-chapter. To change the difficulty, you must either start a completely new game or, alternatively, you can choose Chapter Select and start a new chapter on your desired difficulty.
The game offers several difficulty levels, each presenting a unique challenge: Amateur, Normal, Veteran, and Professional. It is important to note that the Professional difficulty is initially locked. You must first complete the game on Veteran to unlock the Professional difficulty. Therefore, if your goal is to play on the highest difficulty, be prepared to go through the game at least once on a prior difficulty setting. Each of these difficulties changes the aggressiveness, health and damage of the enemies as well as the amount of items that are available.
How Difficulty Changes the Game
Different difficulty levels in Resident Evil 5 significantly alter the gameplay experience, forcing players to adjust their strategies and approaches. Here is what you can generally expect from each difficulty:
Amateur
This is the easiest difficulty mode designed for beginners or those who want a more relaxed experience. Enemies are less aggressive, take less damage, and deal minimal damage to players. Ammunition and healing items are plentiful. This mode allows new players to understand the mechanics, navigate the world, and enjoy the game’s narrative without being overwhelmed by combat.
Normal
The default difficulty level for Resident Evil 5, it provides a balanced experience. Enemy aggressiveness and health are moderate, forcing you to utilize resources wisely and develop combat strategies. The game here is challenging but fair and allows for most players to complete the game with relative ease after adapting to the mechanics and game patterns.
Veteran
Designed for experienced Resident Evil players, the Veteran difficulty increases the game’s overall challenge. Enemies are more aggressive, deal more damage, and can take more punishment, especially with the increased health pool. Ammo and healing items are less plentiful, requiring careful resource management. This mode provides a rewarding challenge for those familiar with the series’ mechanics.
Professional
The highest difficulty setting in RE5, it is designed to test even the most skilled players. Enemies are significantly more powerful, more aggressive and have a higher health pool. Ammunition and healing items are scarce, demanding extreme precision and resourcefulness. Successfully beating RE5 on this difficulty is a real testament to your gaming skill and requires complete mastery of the game’s mechanics.
Choosing Your Difficulty
When you begin a new game or select a chapter from Chapter Select, you’ll be presented with the difficulty selection screen. It is crucial to understand that once a chapter is started, you are committed to that specific difficulty. There is no way to change the difficulty mid-chapter. This is particularly important to keep in mind if you get stuck in a section or run out of resources in higher difficulties.
New Game
Starting a new game means you are beginning the entire story from the beginning. You will have the option to select your desired difficulty level before starting the playthrough. The difficulty you choose will remain for the duration of this playthrough unless you choose to restart the game at a different difficulty.
Chapter Select
Selecting “Chapter Select” lets you replay any chapter you have previously completed. This provides a great option to either replay through a chapter with the resources and upgrades you have acquired throughout your previous playthroughs, or to practice specific sections for speedruns. Upon selecting a chapter to replay, you will once again be presented with the difficulty selection screen, giving you full control to try any section on any difficulty you like. It’s a helpful tool to change the difficulty without having to completely restart the game.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Here are some frequently asked questions regarding difficulty in Resident Evil 5:
1. Can I change the difficulty mid-game in Resident Evil 5?
No, you cannot change the difficulty while playing a chapter of Resident Evil 5. You have to restart the chapter or start a new game to change the difficulty setting.
2. How do I unlock Professional Difficulty in RE5?
You need to complete the game on Veteran difficulty to unlock Professional mode. Once you have done so, it will become available when starting a new game or using Chapter Select.
3. What is the difference between Veteran and Professional difficulty?
On Professional, enemies are significantly more aggressive, have increased health, and inflict considerably more damage compared to Veteran. Item availability is even more limited.
4. Is Amateur difficulty too easy?
Amateur difficulty is designed for a relaxed experience and is very forgiving, perfect for those new to the series or players wanting an easier experience. You will likely not find a significant challenge in this mode.
5. Which difficulty is recommended for a first playthrough of Resident Evil 5?
Normal difficulty is generally recommended for a first playthrough. It offers a balanced challenge that allows players to learn the mechanics and story without being overwhelmed.
6. Does playing on a higher difficulty affect the rewards?
While playing on a higher difficulty can be a challenging experience, it does not typically affect the rewards you receive, like money or weapon upgrades. Some achievements may be tied to higher difficulties, but there are no specific in-game rewards for finishing on higher difficulties. The challenge itself is the main reward.
7. Can I start a new game on Professional right away if I’ve beaten the game before?
Yes, if you’ve beaten the game on Veteran, you can start a new game on Professional difficulty right away, as the difficulty is permanently unlocked for your game save.
8. Does changing the difficulty affect the story?
No, the game’s story remains the same across all difficulty levels. Changes are only to enemy health, aggressiveness, damage and item availability.
9. Can I lower the difficulty if I’m stuck in a section?
Yes, you can lower the difficulty. You would have to exit to the Chapter Select screen and restart the chapter at a lower difficulty. This allows you to continue progress in the story at a pace you are comfortable with.
10. Does the difficulty affect my partner AI?
While the partner AI’s effectiveness doesn’t significantly change with the difficulty settings, you might find yourself more reliant on them in higher difficulties, which indirectly changes how you interact with the AI. In lower difficulties, there is generally enough resources that the AI’s support is not necessarily needed, but on higher difficulties you will need to rely more on partner AI to get past enemies.
11. Are there any game mechanics that change between difficulties?
Aside from changes to enemy aggressiveness and health and item drop rates, there are no significant changes to the core mechanics of the game. However, on Professional, resource management becomes critical, and any mistake will be heavily punished.
12. How many difficulty levels are there in Resident Evil 5?
There are four difficulty levels: Amateur, Normal, Veteran, and Professional, the latter of which is unlocked after beating the game on Veteran.
13. Is there a way to change difficulty during co-op?
In co-op, the difficulty is still chosen at the start of the chapter by the host and cannot be changed mid-chapter. All players will experience the chosen difficulty.
14. Do DLC chapters also have the same difficulty options?
Yes, the difficulty settings apply to all chapters, including DLC content, giving a consistent experience across the game.
15. Can I use an easier difficulty for achievements or unlockables?
Yes, you are free to utilize the easiest difficulty mode to complete challenges and unlockables; it is not necessary to complete these on harder difficulties.
By understanding these difficulty settings and mechanics, you can fine-tune your Resident Evil 5 experience to match your skills and preferences. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned veteran, RE5 provides multiple layers of challenge for all gamers. Be sure to carefully choose the difficulty level before starting each chapter. Happy gaming!