Review | Resident Evil 4

Our reviews are split into four sections:

Gameplay

Graphics

Sound

Replay Value

An overall score is the given, which is not a cumulative score based on each of the elements seperately, but rather how it all adds up to make the game.

Gameplay

Those expecting another fixed camera exploration / puzzle solving game can leave now.

Resident Evil 4 shocked many fans of the series due to it's intuitive and simplistic new method of control. Gone were the fixed cameras and door opening sequences, instead replaced with a third person 'over the shoulder' viewpoint, which was employed to help with the large amount of shooting involved in this new addition to the franchise.

With the new camera angle came a game that was focused more heavily on action as oppose to exploration. Throughout the game, numerous weapons can be unlocked and upgraded, all of which are in someway invaluable to your quest - a few of the notable weapons are the Semi-Auto Rifle, the Striker Shotgun (also known as the DAO-12) and the Killer 7. The Killer 7 is a powerful Magnum named after another Capcom game.

The mass of weapons to collect and upgrade allows for a much longer adventure than previously experienced in the series - as you progress through chapters (of which the game is comprised) you will face increasingly difficult enemies.

There are still some puzzle solving sections in there- but nothing too taxing, and predominantly these have been replaced with in game sequences where the player must hit the correct set of buttons to continue. (This is used heavily in a fight with Krauser).

Adding another spin onto the gameplay is the addition of a second character to protect - Ashley Graham, the President's Daughter. After you have extricated Ashley, she will follow you closely and subsequently you will find yourself in tough situations where you are not only trying to keep yourself alive, but Ashley also. This is a very interesting gameplay mechanic which I personally enjoy very much - completing a stage and keeping Ashley safe from harm is a satisfying experience.

There is also a short section in which the player actually controls Ashley. This is nothing new though - even Resident Evil 2 had a short section where you could control Ada.

Graphics

When a movie of the 'hook man' version of Resident Evil 4 was made available to the public, it instantly garnered attention thanks to its immersive and detailed graphics - light was dynamic, textures were high resolution and very detailed, and characters were accurately modelled. Whilst that game may have been scrapped, the graphics engine was saved and used in the final version of the game.

The graphics are fantastic - and in the PC version they are even better than the GameCube version in certain aspects. The GameCube version used a rendering technique known as bump-mapping, which added more detail to textures and affected the way light hit it, whilst the PC version didn't use this - instead the PC model had much higher resolution textures and the ability to play in widescreen.

Sound

The sound in Resident Evil 4 is perfect for the game. When enemies spot you, the music instantly takes a much faster and more sinister tempo- the rest of the time, the background music is dark and suppressive - as it should be.

Sound effects are accurately recreated - gunshots are loud, clear and deep - and the sound of exploding heads in the game is, worringly, excellent.

When curtains billow or water splashes, it is all heard perfectly - the sound really helps place the player in the game.

Replay Value

In many ways, this is the trump card for Resi 4.

Not only is there the main game to complete, but after that you have some great quality mini games.

Mercenaries allows you to play as some of the supporting characters in the game, including Krauser, Ada, Wesker and HUNK. The objective is to kill as many Ganados as you can before your evac chopper arrives. You can extend your time by collecting pickups in each level - but beware; as time goes on, enemies get harder to kill and there are much more of them too.

There are four stages to choose from, each from different stages in the main game with different enemies to kill.

The reward for beating Mercenaries with a 5 star rating on every level with each character is the ridiculously powerful Handcannon, which can be used in the main game.

Other extras include Assignment Ada, which pits Ada against enemies on The Island level as she tries to collect Plagas samples. Interestingly, this and the other Ada mini game intersect with the main quest, which gives the player extra information and helps complete the story.

Seperate Ways is another Ada based mini game which is essentially her side of the main quest. This is quite a long mini game and the reward for completing it is the Chicago Typewriter.

I could go on about how after you complete the main game you unlock the difficult 'Professional' mode, and how after you beat that you get another gun etc. But by now I am sure you have realised that the replay value of Resident Evil 4 is astonishing.

Overall

Resident Evil 4 is a true return to form for the ageing series. The new camera angle, higher action level, immersive graphics and large amount of extras make this possibly the best Resident Evil game so far.