Resident Evil 5 professional mode is unlocked after completing the game on veteran difficulty, and provides an extra challenge for the most hardcore of gamers. Completing professional mode is seen by many gamers as the ultimate prize in Resident Evil 5, and it is a necessity if you want to complete your trophy collection, as you'll receive the 'War Hero' trophy.

For those that have ever played Resident Evil 4, and attempted the professional setting, you'll have some idea what you're in for, and you'll already know what an immense challenge it is. Resident Evil 5 professional is for people that want something a little more from the game, and who want to push themselves to the limit.

On Resident Evil 5 professional, as single attack from virtually any enemy is enough to bring you to the brink of death. After being hit, you must avoid all other attacks for a few seconds or it's game over. As you probably already know, this is quite a hard thing to do. In addition to this, the game's enemies seem to have taken on a new sense of urgency, and will go hell-for-leather to kill you, instead of just tamely limping in your general direction. The first time you play on the professional setting in Resident Evil 5 you'll most likely by shocked by how aggressive the enemies have become, and will wonder how on earth you're supposed to complete the game. The trick is to learn where the enemies come from, and after a while you'll get used to it.

In addition to these 'improvements', ammunition has now become a scarcity, and finding it in the usual places scattered throughout the levels (such as in lockers) is now a thing of the past. Instead you'll need to stock up on as much as you can by first going through the game on an easier setting.