Resident evil 4 theres gore but you'll always want more.
Resi used to be a game of puzzles and exploration, now it’s similar to another capcom game, onimusha. Onimusha was continuous hacking and slashing. Which never became tiresome – it was special every time you connected with your weapon. The combination of the sound effects, the weighting of the blade and the way the enemies recoiled from being hit was just so satisfying. Well it’s the same in Resi 4; whatever the weapon, whatever the target, as soon as you hear the ring of the shot, see the recoil of the gun and the snap back in pain something happens in your brain, its as if theirs a small fireworks display in your cranium, followed by a magical trickle of nerve endings dancing with pleasure flowing down your shoulders.
If your shot happens to result in an exploding head, you’ll witness a different sensation. Your buttons will clench so tight you’ll be propelled off your seat, allowing you to punch the air in slo-mo, like the hero at the end of an ‘80s high school film. Basically, whenever you’ve got something to shoot its like a big birthday party.
The only time this assault on anything moving ceases is when the magic X button comes in to play. It’s only used in context sensitive situation but triggers a multitude of marvellous actions: jump down, climb up, catch, cut, sprint, jump, kick, inspect, pick up, use, winch, pull, open, zip line – it’s an endless list of surprises. Then there’s the shoulder buttons that can be pressed simultaneously to avoid giant boulders, trees wielded by ogres, swords, tentacles, falling pillars. It’s a simple system but enables cut scenes to be interactive, keeps players continually on the edge and allows Leon to move like no other Resi character has been able to.
And watching Leon move is a pure delight, because Resi 4’s presentation is peerless. The game drags you through forest, mines, sewers, castles and laboratories – each having its own distinct feel thanks to an incredible attention to detail. So heat haze effects, mist and acoustics are all appropriately used. It’s so lived-in, so natural, you’d have thought it was all grown and harvested rather than programmed. Then there’s the animation – just Leon reloading a gun is an event in itself. And the bosses! You have never seen bosses like Resi 4’s. They pulse mutate, squirm and contort with such warped grace it’s worth watching them take you apart just to see what they’re capable of.
Another major factor in Resi’s success is the pacing of the game – you are never stationary, never stuck for something to do. In between the jaw-dropping boss battles and the action set pieces, there’s wave upon wave of bad guys to dispense of, with each individual dropping ammo or health or treasure in return for being shot. Even the dogs can carry shotgun shells here (always a sign of a bad neighbourhood), and so the game becomes a relentless self-perpetuating wheel of death. While titles such as GTA are showing the potential of games, which allow you complete freedom in huge open worlds, capcom is proving that linearity doesn’t have to be a weakness. There’s still fun to be had from following just one path, especially when the path is more exciting than a day out with batman.
Even though all this action sounds more like a shoot-‘em up rather than a survival horror, Resi still has the power to scare, which is partly to do with its query control system. You don’t get to shoot and strafe as the right analogue stick, even the aiming. What this does is give you very little peripheral vision, so the enemies – just by sheer force of numbers – can out flank Leon and get right in his face, Literally.
Another reason it genuinely scares is because when Leon gets messed-up. During the game he is alleviated of his head, his hips, hi legs and his intestines in the most brutal way possible. And you get to see it all happen, as Resident Evil is one of the most aggressively bloody games you’ll play. If you’re the type of gamer that winces when your pokemon faints or feel the violence in the incredibles is a bit to graphic, you should approach Resi with caution. Basically if gore was people, this would be China.
So not everyone is going to get to play Resi 4 but that’s the only downside to the game. Apart from that, Resident evil 4 is a complete triumph. While most games make you work for moments of pleasure, Resi 4 just can’t stop giving. Ammunition is plentiful, there’s save points where you need them and there’s hardly backtracking either – just days of guilt free, snowballing assault on your senses.
If you required any confirmation or even some faith restored in just how thrilling, moving and breathtaking videogames can be, then Resident Evil 4 is all you need.