Resident Evil 4

You thought you knew about horror… You thought you knew about survival… Think again.

NA release: 11th January 2005
JP release: 27th January 2005
EU release: 18th March 2005
Developer: Capcom
Publisher: Capcom
NGC Magazine Score: 97%
Mods Used: Widescreen Zoom

The most anticipated part of the Capcom Five, and director Shinji Mikami was so sure that Resident Evil 4 would remain a GameCube exclusive that he said he would “cut his own head off” if the game made it to other platforms. So, naturally, the PlayStation 2 version was announced shortly before the GameCube release, and is the most ported Resident Evil game, even having a mobile version as early as 2009. In Mikamo’s next game, Godhand, there’s a racing dog called “Mikamo’s Head” as a nod to what he said.

Resident Evil 4 was a large departure from the earlier games, moving away from survival horror and closer to action, however the shift from a fixed camera to over the shoulder does put you much closer to the monstrous creatures you encounter. The inventory system still remains, but much improved, as you now fit objects into a case and puzzle objects and treasures don’t take up any of the space, so it’s just the survival management with guns, ammo and health.

Even the enemies are different. The zombies are gone, instead we have Spanish villagers infected by parasites. They still go about their daily lives, still talk but they’re also dead set on killing Leon, using the tools you have at your disposal. Combat feels very interactive, as you can disarm enemies by shooting the weapons – you can even deflect them mid air. And some of the villagers have more advanced parasites that come out after you kill the enemies. You’ll face more monsters throughout the game, including some great bosses.

The game is also more linear than previous games. While you do revisit previous areas, there’s always just one way forward which you’re told about, so you’re straight to the next bit of action (or simple puzzle) right away, no aimless wandering around. It keeps things tight and keeps the focus on the good stuff.

Leon’s quest is to rescue the president’s daughter, Ashely, who has been kidnapped. You rescue her fairly early on and she’ll accompany you, so you’ll need to protect you. You can get her to stand still or, I’m a few areas, hide. Enemies tend to try and kidnap her and carry her off, giving you time to save her. She’ll also get captured repeatedly in the story so you can have sections without her, so she doesn’t get too annoying.

It’s a great game with some varied environments and moments. The combat still feels great and it’s a good mix of merging the old gameplay style with new action based gameplay. It’s the first Resident Evil I’ve enjoyed, and it’s still a great game. Capcom tried quite a few times to make RE4 (one turned down project became Devil May Cry) but I think they made the right choice in the end.

Great

Suffice to say then, the game has moved on a great deal from the traditional survival horror template. Overall, Resi 4 is a much slicker, more refined game than its predecessor, and feels nowhere near as ponderous.
Geraint Evans, NGC Magazine #104

Remake or remaster?

There’s both remasters and a remake for this game.

Official Ways to get the game

Resident Evil 4 (this and the remake) is available on most modern platforms.