Resident Evil 4

"Simply Astonishing, Even Years After its Release"

Before this game came out, there hadn't been any Resident Evil games for quite some time. Many thought that the formula for the series was worn out, Capcom had run out of new ideas for the series.

Then, Resident Evil 4 was announced as a Gamecube only exclusive. It would have a new engine, new combat system and a completely different feel from older games. To top it off, the game would star RE2 veteran Leon Kennedy.

Fans were excited but nervous that it might not live up to the hype. Also, it being Gamecube exclusive turned off some people. Upon it's release, the game met with mixed reviews. It was one of those "you either love it or hate it" type of games.

Now, in 2009, the ps2 version has been out for a few years and RE5 has come out recently. Other games have followed this game's example to take gaming to the next level. If it weren't for RE4, games like Gears of War and Grand Theft Auto IV would be very different.

Because of it's greatness on it's own, plus the new standard it set on action games, RE4 earns a 10 out of 10 hands down. And now, to the thick of it...

Graphics 10/10
They really pushed the limits with this one. Being a later ps2 game, Capcom had time to really test the waters before releasing this game and it shows.

The backgrounds and setting really make you feel like you're there. Everything from the village to the castle and caves is done with utmost attention to detail.

The characters, while not up to next-gen standards, look awesome compared to other ps2 games. Jagged edges are mostly avoided, everything is crisp and clear. The whole graphics engine pushes the ps2 to it's absolute limit.

Sound 9/10
The game sounds great. The music puts you in the mood to kill ganados, it may even scare you sometimes (okay probably not). Gunshots sound very realistic.

Even Ashley's screaming and the Ganados' chattering helps create the atmosphere. Without the sound as good as it is, you would be left with a game that feels empty.

Story 8/10
Don't expect any Pulitzer prize material here, but the story is pretty cool. The premise is that Leon, a newly appointed White House agent guy, is sent to Europe to investigate the kidnapping of the president's daughter Ashley.

It just so happens that, upon arriving in a Spanish village, Leon finds that the townspeople have all turned into...not zombies but something...else. He must now fight his way through the hordes of ganados (as they are called) and rescue Ashley and stop the evildoers!

The story is all in all not that great, but it has charm. The villains are all pretty interesting and Ashley is fun to hate. I would say the story is at least twice as good as RE5's which is just terrible. However, the gameplay is what makes this game so innovative and fun.

Controls/Gameplay 10/10
Stop me if you've heard this one: "this is where the game really shines...." oh, you've heard it? Well...then I guess I'll just have to say the gameplay rocks!

Before there was Sheva, and co-op along with her, you had to go it alone against the hoary hoards of haggoth er... I mean the ganados. Leon gets an attache case with a pistol and an F-aid (first aid spray) to start with and you get to it!

What seperates this game most from the other RE games is the attache case inventory system. You start with the small case, and gradually buy bigger ones. You can have as many items as you can fit inside it. It's really fun just to try to organize it so you can have as many items as possible.

Unlike previous RE games, RE4 features an over the shoulder camera at all times. This changes everything because in older RE games, some camera angles would be really hard to see anything. While RE4 wasn't the first game to use this camera style, it inspired newer games to use it.

The controls, while hard to get used to , will feel like second nature after playing for a while (I still use RE4 controls when playing RE5). Basically, you use the left analog stick to turn and move forward or backwards. The right stick is used for aiming. You hold down one button (r1 default) to aim, and shoot with X. The controls fit very well with what the game does.

The enemies range from stupid village people (YMCA anyone?), to slightly intelligent priest ganados. There are crossbow wielding ganados, creatures with claws that are blind and even chainsaw wielding ganados. Every enemy is very well thought out, including bosses.

The bosses in RE4 are very creative, except maybe the final boss who seemed a little too easy. You will find yourself doing something very different to beat each boss. One will have you throwing harpoons, another you will have to use a zip line to avoid etc. On the first playthrough, you will die a few times for sure.

Finally, I just want to mention the guns and the merchant system. There are 2 or 3 types of each kind of gun. The different kinds are: pistol, shotgun, rifle and magnum. There is also a mine thrower and rocket launcher. You can also upgrade these guns in the shop, which is run by a mysterious man in a purple cloak.

He will greet you with an enthusiastic "Welcome!" each time you see him, he also runs the shooting gallery.

The shooting gallery is played in order to win action figure type things of different characters, and if you get enough of them you get a cash reward. It is a rather fun minigame in itself.

Replayability 10/10
There is loads to do after you beat this game. If you only beat it once and move on, you will miss out on a lot of different weapons and costumes. You can unlock the handgun "Matilda", the infinite rocket launcher and the chicago typewriter (a machine gun with infinite ammo).

Not only that, but the ps2 version has "Seperate Ways", which lets you play different missions as Ada. There is also the Mercenaries mode, returning from RE3 and which is used again in RE5. Both of these are very fun and rewarding.

All in all, there will always be something you can come back to in this game. If you unlock everything, you can always just start from scratch and beat it again (I've beaten it like 5 times, I have no life). It is well worth the $10 you can get it for today.

Overall 10/10
This game is definitely worth playing for those who missed it. If you started with RE5 and want to know what came before it, play this before the other RE games since it is so similar to 5. In my opinion, this game is right up there with the greats like chrono trigger and metal gear solid 2.

Okay, then I think I've taken up enough of your time. I hope this review has convinced you to at least give the game a chance if you've never played it. RE4 will go down in history as one of the greatest, most innovative games of all time.

Reviewer's Score: 10/10, Originally Posted: 05/06/09

Game Release: Resident Evil 4 (US, 10/25/05)