Beat the game after a few days of not playing it... the end fight(s) remind me that while some gameplay conventions are good - some are not: I'm not a fan of patterns or "gimmick" fights - Do X to reveal Y weakness or "discovering" the encounter's "puzzle" what have you. And as it stands, I'd have to fall in with the majority of critics who sight the first half over the second half as "stronger" in terms of gameplay and entertainment value. The "reveal" was not much of a reveal IMO after about an hour of playtime, and the reliance on the gimmick fights and more militaristic enemies/settings detracted from the game in the long run, IMO. I also noticed the lack of overwhelming loots I would have playing through a second time, unlike RE 4. Still, the gameplay is solid and mostly well balanced, outside of a few frustrating sequences.

I'll definitely want to team back up with my friend and help him clear this thing via LIVE.