Better on the PS2?
Bad Points
Occasionally bland textures and questionable voice-acting, but do you really care?
General Comments
No matter how hard you care to try, you’ll find it very difficult to imagine a bigger and more pioneering game franchise than Capcom’s legendary Resident Evil series, the world‘s premier survival horror game. Almost immediately after its initial launch in 1998 on the original Playstation, Resident Evil became an instant global success, selling well over a million copies over its lifespan. Since it's inception, it has spawned several lucrative sequels and spin-offs, not to mention being the source of inspiration for many other aspiring titles. Each sequel has bettered and improved upon its predecessor in almost every respect. Resident Evil 2 introduced an enhanced graphics engine, Resident Evil 3 boasted a stronger narrative and included the ability to literally make your own ammo, and Resident Evil Zero introduced a brand new teamwork system and took a huge leap forward in graphics and cinematic appeal - thanks mainly to the power of Nintendo’s Gamecube. However, in terms of gameplay, the series was staring to show its age as a 5-year old survival horror game. Capcom seemed to be fighting a losing battle with the fans in that each new title in the series was selling less and less copies. Recycling old ideas simply wasn’t working anymore and players were hungry for a Resident Evil that innovated rather than replicated. As such, there was an unprecedented amount of pressure on the developers to create a completely detached Resident Evil game, with wildly improved graphics and an overhauled game engine that the dedicated Resident Evil fans would love.
3 years later, and the final result is Resident Evil 4. The latest opus in the epochal series. It was revealed some time before its release that RE4 would feature a massive step forward for the franchise in that the pre-rendered backgrounds of old would be replaced by infinitely better fully textured 3D surroundings. Not only this, but it would also feature a wholly different gameplay mechanic - a ‘revolutionary’ over-the-shoulder viewpoint. Baffling and dubious as it seemed, Capcom aren’t the sort of developer that would ruin its most precious and treasured series, and so fans and non-fans alike remained optimistic.
And so, when Resident Evil 4 finally received its UK release on the Gamecube on March 18th 2005, the entire gaming community were forced to stand still and pay silent homage, for they had witnessed one of the most flawless and utterly mind-blowing games ever created by man. Words are simply too diluted to express the sheer brilliance of RE4. In fact, the game is so magnificent, it’s rather humbling, and shames 95% of all other titles in existence. Deep breath, and so the revolution begins.
The games success lies in its new gameplay mechanic. What at first seemed like a questionable premise has flourished into arguably the most ingenious gameplay system ever devised. Essentially, the camera is placed over the shoulder of the character which in turn allows you to aim in the most precise fashion we’ve ever seen. The laser on the end of your gun determines where you shoot and hit. For example, aim and shoot at a guy’s leg and he’ll keel over in agony. Do the same in the head and you’ll potentially blow it clean off in an equally satisfying manner. With a sniper rifle, you can be extremely meticulous and intricate on where you place your bullet. In all, the new aiming and viewpoint mechanic provides RE4 with a plethora of new gameplay possibilities as well as boosting the series to never-before-seen heights.
The heart and soul of any self-respecting action-adventure game lies in its story, and while Resident Evil 4 doesn’t have the complexities or twists and turns as Metal Gear Solid 3, it supplies an adequate enough reason to shotgun your way through body after body with no care in the world. Flat and clichéd as it sounds, Leon Kennedy (who ardent fans will undoubtedly recognise as the rookie R.P.D cop from Resident Evil 2) is sent to a rural part of Spain to rescue the President’s daughter from her kidnappers. There is catch, however, that isn’t discovered until Leon actually gets to his drop-off point. The inhabitants of the village where the President’s daughter was last sighted is overrun by demented villagers. Yes, the whole idea of zombies and G-viruses has been scrunched up and flushed down the toilet. Twice. A brand new enemy has been introduced to the game which has the ability to think, uniquely and according to the situation. While this is a major addition these new foes transform the way you’ll play the game as you’re no longer using clip after clip on an enemy that has about as much intelligence and sociability as Chris Evans. No, each and every bullet must be treated as gold dust since ammo is largely a rarity, made all the more worse by the fact that the your enemy will attack in vast numbers. The villagers will work coherently in order to make minced meat out of your face and balloon animals out of your lower intestines, and Christ are they unremitting. The village itself is littered with huts and small houses in which you can attempt to conceal yourself but, in the end, you will be ratted out. They’ll team up and attack you from different directions such as 3 villagers coming at you from the front while 2 of them try and jump you from behind. You may find yourself cornered by sickle-wielding maniacs on many occasions, with your only chance of escape coming from the end of a gun barrel. As a result, it’s hard not to be thoroughly impressed with the AI of your adversaries. The other characters you’ll meet are all perfectly integrated into the game’s storyline. Each have their own degree of ‘unlikeableness’ and, may we add, witty one-liners. You’ll also come across some old faces, but you will have to discover these for yourself. When it comes to boss fights, Capcom purposefully ups the ante. Some move fast, some move slow, but whatever the case, they’re all consistently terrifying. You simply must play this game with the lights out and the volume at full blast; the action is intense and the unrelenting pace will keep you firmly gripped from the moment your console turns on to the moment it’s turned off.
The comprehensive arsenal of weapons on offer in RE4 is astounding. They range from the common pistol to semi-auto sniper rifles, complete with infrared scopes. Each weapon can be completely customised. Firepower and clip capacity can be upgraded and you even have the choice to attach accessories such as scopes and handling aids. Our favourite by far is the sniper rifle. The way it’s shot and the way it reloads is pure poetry in motion and it also treats you to the most devastating head-shot in a game ever. Pull one off and you’ll be presented with a delicious interspersion of blood and brains. Couple this with the fact that your opponents will continue to walk several paces before finally dropping dead and satisfaction is 100% guaranteed.
Equally impressive still is the variety of enemies. Apart from the villagers themselves you will also get to face off against spider-like parasites, 7ft tall stretchy things with spikes that shoot from their bodies, chainsaw-toting psychopaths and the usual tyrannical behemoths that Resident Evil is famous for, only this time with included saliva. They all have their weak spots and exploiting them is something you’ll have to find out for yourself. And of course, you’ll be supplied with ‘adequate’ firepower to take them all down.
What we also particularly loved is the diversity of environments on offer. While you start off in the village, you aren’t there for more than an hour of the game. It’s not long before you’re running around castles, battling through power plants, shotgunning your way through sewers and ass-kicking amongst a war zone - it’s unrepentant, and one of the reasons it’s so entertaining.
Such a demanding game is Resident Evil 4, you can even die in the cut-scenes. In typical bemani fashion, you are required to press buttons as they appear on the screen (e.g. pounding X to run from boulders and pressing L1 + R1 to dodge explosions). One of the most intriguing uses of this feature is in a knife fight with one of the game’s more nasty individuals, Krauser. If you miss a button press you will, quite simply, fail the mission, but in a cool and brutal fashion. For example, when we missed a button, Krauser managed to sneakily swipe his razor-sharp combat knife at poor Leon’s throat, horrifically slicing it open, blood spurting everywhere. Furthermore, in another scene, we were splattered by a boulder due to a momentary lapse in concentration, resulting in us not hitting the correct buttons on time. It’s slightly annoying, but nevertheless pitilessly enjoyable.
One of the biggest concerns about RE4 was the President’s daughter herself. The fact that she has follow Leon for a hefty chunk of the game was thought to be too much hassle than it would really be worth. Mollycoddling in video games has never been a successful factor - take Metal Gear Solid 2, for example. But, surprisingly, Ashley (the Pressie’s daughter) never becomes a significant nuisance: she cowers when you aim your gun, runs directly behind you and never gets lost and, most importantly, she never gets stuck behind walls. Thank God! There are co-operative moves that you’ll need to perform along the way (such as piggybacks to get over walls) but they never become intrusive to the point that they infringe the gameplay, which is a huge relief. The graphics in RE4 are a technological triumph. In fact, they are utterly exquisite. Attention to detail and overall artistic flair virtually drip and ooze from every area of the game world. Trees sway gently in the breeze, leaves whip up in the wind, smoke puffs elegantly from flames. It’s enchanting. Similarly, the bosses are all lavishly detailed - you can almost taste the gunk weeping from their pores. Everything looks entirely believable and blends seamlessly with the on-screen action. Whilst they are slightly inferior to the Gamecube version, they don’t suffer to any great extent. All in all, the conversion has been a clean success. The graphics are quite literally beautiful and result in something which wouldn’t look out of place on a next-generation console. Nuff said.
Resident Evil 4 also has a stupendous sense of atmosphere and sombreness. The fog and eerie landscapes are creepy to say the least. No other game, except from maybe the Silent Hill series, is able to sustain such a convincing and foreboding ambiance from beginning to end. You’ll be sweating fear just wondering what’s around the next corner, especially since each and every enemy is more chilling than the last. In fact, it’s the only Resident Evil game that feels truly disturbing, categorised by its many niche enemies which have become a staple of the series. Capcom frequently serve up the frights, irrespective of the fact that you may have already **** your pants. Gah!
Thankfully, in its conversion over to the PS2, Resident Evil 4 has been blessed with several new exclusive extras, as well as a snazzy limited edition version of the game that you can buy for an extra fiver, complete with a mini-guide covering the first chapter of the game and a metal tin case. The PS2 version includes new costumes and weapons for Leon and, the biggest addition, is the inclusion of a new ‘Separate Ways’ mission, starring co-star of the main game ‘Ada’. This runs parallel to Leon’s sequence of events and involves you helping him at certain points in the game. Impressively, this almost warrants a separate game in itself since this extra is roughly 6-8 hours long, compared to the main game’s 12. In most respects, this is a good feature, tying up some plot-holes and gaps to encompass the story to a greater degree.
We’d prefer not to criticise Resident Evil 4 since it’s the closest a game has ever come to being flawless. It’s all sublimely executed and is the very definition of quality. However, there are some notable hiccups. Firstly, is the inventory system. Changing weapons is a cumbersome process. You have to pause the game, select your new gun and press pause again to return to the game. It would have been much more sensible to just allow the shoulder buttons to switch between weapons on the fly, rather than slow the game down by constantly accessing the inventory. Secondly, er, that’s it. There’s absolutely no other way to criticise RE4. It’s such an expertly put together game and reflects the years of hard work that has been put in to make it happen. Few other developers exude such a radiant passion for their fan base since RE4 is clearly a fiercely uncompromising gamer’s game - hell, it’s the very reason we play video games. Resident Evil 4 belongs in every-body's game collection and deserves to stay there for years to come as one of the world‘s premier pieces of entertainment. All that’s left to ponder about now is, can this quality be upheld for the next instalment?