Wow. This was the first game that I wanted to go right back to the beginning immediatley after I beat it. Wow. Read on.
2005 sure had some great games, but only one game stands head and shoulders above all the others. And that’s this crazy son of a gun.
If you’ve ever had anything to do with Resident Evil in the past, you might be hesitant about trying Resident Evil 4. The previous games in the series have been notorious for their poor controls and even worse camera angle, and I won’t even bother trying to defend the movies. The whole series was on a decline into video game death, getting worse and stale with every new attempt to bring back life into it. That’s why the developers, Capcom, decided to totally raze the series to the ground and rebuild it from ground up. The result: Resident Evil 4, one of the few games that I can just rant on and on about.
In RE4, you take the role of Leon S. Kennedy; an ex-cop whose new job is to protect the president’s daughter. There is this slight inconvenient problem. She’s kind of missing. And that’s where the game starts. You’re sent to a remote village in Europe and try to rescue the President’s daughter while uncovering secrets behind the strange incidents that surround the town.
The new camera is pulled close behind Leon and it rests behind your shoulder when you arm a weapon. The sickening ingenious behind the new camera angle is that it makes it hard to see anything behind you, giving the game a claustrophobic touch. The new camera perspective makes it easier to control Leon—although you might have difficulties getting use to it at first. Leon can’t move while he has his weapon armed, making difficult places become the most intense situations of on the edge of your seat, nail biting, white knuckle action!
Although the major change for Resident Evil is…no zombies! All the zombies seem to be attending a brain eating contest somewhere in Florida. In there place RE4 has Spanish villagers. Now these villagers are no shuffling, brain eating idiots. They will flank you, run at you, throw stuff at you and all crazy nonsense. They will shout such phrases like vayan por detras! Go from behind! Or Te voy a matar! , I’m going to kill you!
Also, the game has its share of really awesome baddies. You got your chainsaw wielding, head in a potato bag, guy and your big blind dude with really long wolverine like nails. But the moments where you’re heart rate will be the highest is during the excellent boss fights. RE4 has definitely some of the most memorable boss fights you will ever encounter. My personal favorite is Del Lago, a giant fish monster that Leon has to kill from his tiny boat using only harpoons. The great thing about it is that your boat’s anchor is kind of stuck onto the fish, and the fish is trying to eat you. The orchestrated music there is thrilling, and the water particles that gather on the screen when the creature roars at you really adds to the tension.
Music is extremely important. It can either make or break a game. Most people hardly take notice of music which is a pity because RE4 has some of the creepiest and atmospheric music I’ve ever heard. There are just some parts in the game where the music gets so intense, and that’s when you know something frightening is coming. It’s moments like these when you feel like turning off the T.V. and seeking shelter under your bed.
The games graphics are just unparalleled. Games shouldn’t look this good! Both versions really push their respective consoles to the max and the result is some of the most detailed and lifelike settings and characters to date. Characters facial and body expressions are both beautiful and convincing. What’s truly amazing is the attention to detail. Just looking around is a graphical treat.
RE4 also features context-sensitive buttons. This means Leon can, by pressing the button that appears on the screen, jump off roofs, kick down ladders, jump through (or out of) windows, open (or kick open) doors, and more. Even better, is that you’ll be watching one of the beautiful cutscenes, taking a break from the action, when a series of buttons will appear on the screen. You must quickly press the buttons the screen shows or else the cutscene will end with a dramatic and glorious death of Leon.
One thing you got to love about any video game is the shooting. Some games do it wonderfully, and others make it as fun as doing grocery shopping for grandma. RE4 is like no other. The amount of ways you can kill a foe is frightening, and yet satisfying. You can choose to place bullets in strategic places, then watch as your enemy falls down, land on his knees, or stagger backwards while clutching his face. When an enemy falls to his knees or staggers backwards, Leon can give him a nasty kick or even supplex him by pressing a button prompt. Or, if it’s more to your style, you can unload a powerful shot to the head which might explode into a delicious collection of blood and fragments. But beware of headless enemies; they will continue attacking you for a short while, even without a head.
The weapons in the game are bloody terrific. Over the course of your adventure, you will be able try out 4 pistols, 3 shotguns, 2 rifles, 2 magnums, a TMP, a mine thrower, a rocket launcher and 3 unlockables. Each gun has its pros and cons and it’s hard not to find a personal favorite. Each gun can be upgraded, sold or bought via a mysterious cloaked merchant who can be found every now and then. Through him, you can sell almost anything, including treasures that you may have found throughout the game. You can also buy treasure maps, health, attachments such as scopes, and you can also upgrade your briefcase.
At the beginning of the game, you start off with a small briefcase. The briefcase is where you hold all your possessions, like guns, health and grenades. A small briefcase will not be able to hold more than a few weapons. Players will have to be smart, managing there briefcase and weapons. Players will have to choose between upgrading the guns they already have or trading it in for a better one.
This game is long. The average player can beat it in around 20 hours. Then, once the game is complete, two bonus games are unlocked in the main menu, which adds tons of extra playing time into the mix. You won’t drop this game for a while.
Conclusion: This is the game of the year. So logically, if you’ve played and liked any game that came out this year and its not RE4, you would like RE4 better. There is no excuse not to check out this game. Resident Evil 4 does it what predecessors failed to accomplish, regain its rightful place as the king of Survival Horror.