- Advanced AI makes enemies smarter than ever and use their cunning in deadly attacks.
- Use the Action button for better player control.
- New ' and Shoot' targeting for zeroing in on enemies with your weapons.
- Behind the camera view for intuitive movement.
- Conversations and monologues can be heard in real time.
Review
------
The walking dead have incoherently moaned, clumsily shuffled
their feet, and affectionately given us crater-sized hickeys in
every Resident Evil game to date. The animated corpses that put
this series on the and redefined video game horror as a whole
are now buried six feet under the soil at Capcom's Production
Studio 4. It may be difficult to envision a Resident Evil game
without -eating zombies, but Capcom is showing us that there
are far more terrifying things that go bump in the night. Nothing
can truly prepare you for the unspeakable horrors that will hunt
you until your last breath is given. It's been a long time
coming, but Resident Evil is back, and it is better and bloodier
than ever before.
This game is such a departure from the series' heritage that the
only familiarity gamers will have with it is through protagonist
Leon S. Kennedy, who was first introduced as a greenhorn
officer that spent his first day on the job handling the outbreak
in Resident Evil 2. Attracted to madness like teenage girls are
to Camp Crystal Lake, Kennedy once again finds himself knee-deep
in unspeakable horror. Rather than having maggot-infested zombies
gnawing at his neck, crazed villagers are the order of the day.
Unlike the slow-witted, slow-moving dead, these adversaries are
very intelligent, extremely agile, and not afraid to use weapons.
They also like to attack in packs. Picture if you will a group of
six murderous souls with beady red eyes glowing under the
moonlight running at you with lit dynamite, ducking out of the
way of your s, and calling out for others nearby to lend a
hand in your death. This is a new kind of e that far
surpasses the suspense and jump-out-of-your-seat shock moments
that fueled the previous chapters in the series. As you'll soon
learn, there are few things ier than a middle-aged housewife
that sprints at you with a blood-soaked axe raised into the air,
belting out a bloodcurdling scream.
To counteract the intelligence and sheer brutality of these new
foes, Capcom has completely reworked the combat system. In the
past, we blindly fired into areas we couldn't see and ran past
enemies to preserve ammo. This time around, everything that so
much as raises a finger at you must die – preferably by a nicely
placed head. A remarkable new targeting system allows this
feat to be handled with the utmost precision. On this note, I've
never seen so many heads explode in my life. The new
over-the-shoulder perspective coupled with a beautifully crafted
laser makes for a lethal and satisfying combat experience.
Additionally, players can now interact with their surroundings in
a handful of clever ways, such as knocking down ladders and
pushing dressers in front of doors. The Resident Evil games were
always criticized for being too clumsy in gameplay. With Resident
Evil 4, however, I can't envision it playing any better.
I also like how the game pushes players to scour every inch of
the environments. Rare treasures that are unearthed can be traded
in to a vendor for cash. With enough funds you can buy new
weapons and items, as well as upgrade all of your armaments.
Inventory space is still limited, but it's finally done in a way
that makes sense. You now manage a physical space. If a new
doesn't fit in your case, try moving things around to make room
for it.
Recently, developers have been talking about the need to blend
story cinematics with gameplay. Capcom has accomplished just
this, and it's captured in way that will make you wish that every
game that you play utilized this innovative system. For instance,
if a character in a sequence comes at you with a , you have
to press the L and R buttons at the precise moment to dodge the
attack, otherwise the scene will end with blood gushing from your
neck. The interaction that you have at your hands is
unprecedented, and you'll be doing things you didn't even think
were possible in games.
There are no flaws in Resident Evil 4. It is the greatest horror
game to date. I never thought that a game, or movie for that
matter, could deliver pulse-pounding action in such an
awe-inspiring way.
Concept:
A brilliant new direction for survival horror that focuses on
play and truly cinematic moments
Graphics:
A ening level of detail accompanies every little object,
animation, and effect. It looks too good to be true
Sound:
Great voice acting, stress-inducing music, and disturbing sound
effects combine to create the perfect atmosphere
Playability:
The controls are fashioned beautifully, boss fights are
ingenious, and the popping of heads is immensely rewarding
Entertainment:
Hard to put down even after you've beaten it twice
Replay:
Moderately High
Rated: 10 out of 10
Editor: Andrew Reiner
Issue: March 2005
2nd Opinion:
Some games are simply destined to become milestones in gaming
history, and Resident Evil 4 is one of them. Even those who have
never picked up one of the previous titles and swear that they
hate the slow-paced crawl of survival horror games simply must
play it. Capcom has managed to create a game that is a complete
reinvention of the series – even the entire genre – without
losing anything that Resident Evil fans expect. Perfectly
balancing elements of horror, subtlety, and wit with explosive
action and over-the-top thrills, playing RE 4 feels like living
one of the most epic films you've ever seen. Gorgeous to look at,
a dream to control, and filled with some of the most exciting
moments you've experienced in a game, Resident Evil 4 is stellar
on every level. It goes without saying that it's the best in the
series, the best survival horror game yet, and simply one of the
best games ever made.
Rated: 10 out of 10
Editor: Jeremy Zoss
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