I hope you don't have school work to do cause if you own this game, it's not gettin done
User Rating: 9.7 | BioHazard 4 GC
Let's the get basics out of the way. Most everyone has been watching this game to some extent for about the last year or so, if not atleast since last summer. With the ambiguity of what this game was about, if Umbrella was involved in anyway, to the release date getting pushed back, most any gamer has been keeping that watchfull eye on it. Finally after a few years of production, here we are. Janurary 11th, 2004, will go down as another Tuesday in most of the worlds mind but for any formative gamer who loves action, blowing the living crap out of things, and overall one of the best games to date, it will live in our minds as the birth of a revolution. The end of Third-person shooters as we know it and into an over the shoulder view that proves great when tryin to kick some manic villagers ass. Gameplay: For anyone who has played any Resident Evil game before, knows the basic story and what you need to do to get through this story. Go through a mansion or a city and solve puzzles (some very difficult) in order to escape with ur can in check. This took usually about 3-9 hours, depending on how many times you have played it and what you were trying to accomplish for the unlockable features. Well Resident Evil 4 has done away with what you used to know. Granted there are still puzzles you need to do to pass thru levels but also they have almost eliminated the factor of busy run around. No longer do you need to walk for what seems forever just to get a lock pick or some other valuable just to walk the same amount of time back just to unlock a door. Now naturally this was part of the origional RE formula which added a lot of the survival horror to the franchise. You couldn't just waltz thru a area or run from zombies cause chances are that you would have to pass thru there a few more times. RE4 is almost a linear game now. There is no real question as to where you are to go next due to the fact that they give you a detailed map (compared to past RE games) that gives you a destination. Now you still have to go around looking for ways to get through areas and you can't just go through all of the areas blazzin guns of fire because the AI in this is remarkable. They gang up on you, they will get up after a few shots to the face, and sometimes they will try to plainly light you on fire with some torches...ya know how the guys in the circus do with the spitting flames, it's pretty cool, you should check it out. Well anyway to put in retrospec. This game is redone, revamped, and completely kicked into high gear. Graphics: Stunning, absolutly stunning...I really don't need to go into more detail but for those who want to know, here we go. Now usually the movies in games are not done with the game engine and you definatly can tell the difference between gameplay and movies. Well not anymore. Capcom used the gamecube to the fullest extent that it can push out, or atleast the best I've ever seen, or anyone for that matter. The graphics are crisp, clear, and grusome. Which is how a horror game should feel. Seeing a villager get their head blown off and stumble they're way toward you never looked so real. It is something that needs to be wittnessed for oneself. Sound: Like the graphics, they are superb. The music fits at the right time, the squishing of limbs being shot off could never sound so real, and the way at the surroundings fit in is just remarkable. Anythiing from footsteps in the distance, to crows, to chatty villagers can be heard at anytime and with surround sound, you reall get a great feel for it. Drawbacks: Ok, here are few, and I repeat, few drawbacks of this game. Not everyone will respond to this game in the same way. For those who are hugh fans of the previous RE games will be a little disappointed because some of the basics are thrown out. No more randomly searching for clues that will make your head spin. The control aspect is something to also get used to but well worth it in my mind. But the drawback of this is the inability to move while shooting. R is aim and you can use the control stick or D pad to aim with a lazer scope. Much more advantagous than previous RE games but with the good comes the bad. You can only see what's in front of you so if you get surrounded then look out, you'll get hacked by some baddies. the best things that could have been done to it would be the ability to move while aiming and shooting. Use the C stick to aim and Control stick to move. R to aim, and Maybe L or Z to shoot. This way you could back up and still fire away. Also the gameplay, making it linear will bring distraught to some people who loved the idea not knowing where to go next. It gives it more of a shooter feel rather than a survial-horror feel. Other than that, no more complaints. Closing: One of the greatest games ever in my mind. And it seems to be following code with others in the gaming world. People are conforming faster than a sorostitute during rush week. It redefines survival horror for the better but like always, there are those who will be taken back by it. Like a playboy collection, this should be in every guys game collection. and for the ladies, well they should just get the game. If skepticle, go rent it or "borrow" it from your buddy and forget to give it back. It was worth the wait for Capcom to release this a few months later than expected in order to give them enough time to do what they wanted to do and to get it right. And damn, did they get it right. 
