Other Versions | Resident Evil 4

Welcome to the dedicated area for other versions of Resident Evil 4. By 'other' versions I actually mean two things. Firstly, I am referring to other-format versions, such as the Wii edition. This is important because the Wii version, as oppose to the PC and PS2 versions, implements a unique control method and therefore has to be looked at in its own right.

Secondly, I refer to the versions of Resi 4 that never were- the infamous 'Fog', 'Hook man' and 'Zombie' versions of the game, each of which were scrapped at various stages of development. There may be some surprises here for fans of the game in its final form- it is particularly interesting to see what the game could have been like.

Resident Evil 4 : Wii Edition

The aptly named Wii edition of the now classic Resident Evil 4 brought some welcome additions to the game, whilst still keeping the same high standards as the original version on the GameCube.

For starters, the biggest overhaul comes in the controls department- in the Wii version, the default control method has you aiming by use of the Wii remote, meaning that you can pop Ganados with pin-point accuracy. For me, This is a fantastic control system- the level of depth you feel actually aiming at the villains offers an impressive level of immersion. Also, thanks to the easy aiming and shooting style, you can line up shots in a flash- Leon seems to be a lot more responsive and faster now thanks to this.

The next improvement comes in display mode: the Wii editon of Resi 4 sports true 16:9 widescreen format, something that was gifted to the PS2 version but strangely omitted from the slightly older 'cube version. The difference, whilst perhaps not too major, does help add to the level of immersion again by giving you a more panoramic view of your surroundings... plus it looks better on Widescreen TVs.

Now we get down to the extras. When fans of Resident Evil found out that the game would be coming to the PlayStation 2, they were somewhat disappointed with the scaled down graphics that had to be incorporated. As far as PS2 games went, it still looked great, but it just wasn't on par with the original version of the game. Leon's hair didn't have the same depth and sheen, textures were scaled down, and the real-time in game cutscenes were replaced with pre-rendered cutscenes, which was a bit of a shame. No matter what outfit the characters in the PS2 version were wearing, the cutscenes would always show them in their default costumes.

To compenstae for the loss of visual quality, Capcom added some extras to the PS2 version- most notably was 'Seoerate Ways'- a retelling of the main game shown from Ada's point of view. This was great because it made the story fit in neater and finished it off well.

The Wii version, thankfully, is also treated to these extras- plus a trailer for the upcoming Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles on Wii.

Biohazard 4... the original conception

The Resident Evil 4 you know and love wasn't always that way. The first version to be announced was very different in plot, theme and look to the version which made it to release.

For starters, Leon looked slightly different... which is simply down to development in the long run. His attire was also slightly different, but definitely in keeping with the same style as we saw in the final release.

This version of Resi 4, now developed into Devil May Cry, was called 'The Fog Version'. This was because the first ever teaser for it showed Leon being pursued by a dark, mist-like entity. An evolution of the T-Virus perhaps? Or more accurately, the Progenitor Virus, as this was the viral specimen that was cited in the teaser.

Mention is also given to the fact that Leon actually gets possessed by this virus.

The setting of 'fog version; is very interesting too. Though loosely similar to what is now the castle area of Resi 4, the teaser showed Leon running through a section of a very old, gothic style castle. This castle seems a lot darker and scarier than the final version, which is a bit of a shame i think- this just seems more 'classic Resi'.

The original teaser trailer for this forgotten game can be found in our Multimedia section... or if you are too lazy to navigate there then just click here.

The fog version was finally canned because it simply didn't keep in line with where the creators wanted to take the series- but another version of Resident Evil 4 was hot on its heels.

The 'Hook man' Version

After seeing the very short teaser in 2002, fans at E3 the next year were eager to see how the game had developed. It turned out that Capcom had chosen to move again into a radically new direction. In the new version, dubbed 'hook man' thanks to the main enemy (an entity with a hook for a hand), the gameplay aspect seemed to be a hybrid between what we now know as Resident Evil 4 and the previous versions. In some cases, an over the shoulder view would be used, similar to what is now used in Resi 4, whilst at other times the camera would be fixed, and the free aiming style replaced strangely with the fixed aiming of the original games.

Why this hybrid was used is unclear, but it was very interesting at the time to see such a major overhaul of the game.

What really stood out in this new trailer was the graphics- Leon looked simply stunning. His clothes flapped as curtains billowed in the wind, lights were truly dynamic and helped create a horrific atmosphere- and best of all was the fact that Leon carried a manipulative torch (think Luigi's Mansion style), meaning that the ray of light could be projected anywhere to light up the dim, supressive setting. Needless to say, the visuals were praised.

What wasn't praised though was the rest of the game. After seeing the trailer with the old control style and a lead enemy who was like a ghost, fans felt this game was not as believable as the ones before; ghosts were just too supernatural for the series.

In fact, this game would have been ideal as a version of Silent Hill, as many themes are common for both series.

After witnessing the reaction of the public and general planning had taken place, this version of Resident Evil 4 was also cancelled.

Zombies in RE4? You're kidding right?

After the demise of both the fog and hook man versions of Resi 4, Capcom went back to their roots. Whilst little is known about this title, it was revealed by Capcom that the game would in fact feature the classic zombies, leading this version to be known simply as 'Zombie'. Aside from this fact, little else was ever shown to the public.

This game stopped being created as soon as Shinji Mikami, the creator of the series, took over again. He totally reworked the story, gameplay and setting and crafted Resi 4 into what it is today.

A shame or not? I do think there are some elements that I would like to have seen caried over, such as the manipulative torch and a deep connection with Umbrella and the Progenitor Virus, but overall the game turned out better.

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