The Nintendo 64's version of Resident Evil 2 was the first Resident Evil game I played that introduced me to the series. My friend's brought over some of their new N64 games and among them was Resident Evil 2.
Since then I have been a big fan of the franchise and have played almost every single entry into the series. From Resident Evil 0 to Resident Evil 6, from Resident Evil Outbreak to Dead Aim. I have enjoyed playing many of them, however, none of them measure up to the experience I had with Resident Evil 4.
In the RE fan base many consider the game to be the best of the series. It was the entry into the series that I personally believe kept true to the spirit of what made Resident Evil the survival horror series that many gamers such as myself enjoyed but still changing so many things to how we played the game.
So what was it that made the game so enjoyable?
Story
Six years after Raccoon City Leon finds himself employed by the U.S. Government as part of the President's special security. Leon is given the task of protecting the President and his family. During this time a religious cult kidnaps the President's daughter, Ashely Graham.
A tip is received that the daughter has been seen in a remote village in a rural part of Europe. Leon is sent in to investigate to discover where Ashely is being kept when he stumbles upon the village's inhabitants.
The people of the village are being controlled by a parasite known as Las Plagas. An ancient parasite that was discovered in the caverns below a castle outside of the village.
Leon has no choice but to fight through waves and waves of infected villagers and cult members in order to save Ashely and escape with her alive.
Presentation
Resident Evil 4 brings back that sense of dread and fear with the atmosphere of the locations you explore.
You find yourself walking through bleak abandoned areas, woods with dead trees and houses that look like no one has lived in them for years. It honestly makes you think you're walking through an old warzone.
The detail in these environments are alright but nothing jaw dropping. Even by the Gamecube's generation standards it was nothing impressive, but not bad either.
In fact, Resident Evil REmake has the better graphical design.
Gameplay
When coming from the past 5 Resident Evil titles on the Nintendo Gamecube( RE 0, RE REmake, RE 2, RE 3, Code Veronica X) Resident Evil 4 changes many things to the combat, the inventory system, weapon system and adds even more mechanics to the game.
With all these changes to the game though, the game still keeps true to the spirit of Resident Evil.
The combat system is now 3rd person. When Leon is fending off from the infected villagers, the camera goes over his right shoulder. Aiming is now assisted with a red dot laser sight on the many weapons Leon can find throughout the game. It's no longer like past RE games, where you aimed in the general direction and fired.
The inventory system is now changed into an attache case that can be expanded and the items in the case can moved around in order to make room for other items.
There are now a small variety of handguns, shotguns and special weapons that can now be upgraded for more power, faster reload speeds and a bigger magazine capacity. Some of these weapons even have special attachments that can be equipped or removed from the weapon.
There is now a money/treasure system in the game that allows you to buy said weapons and bigger attache cases from a mysterious character known as The Merchant. Money is found after killing enemies and sometimes found in the drawers and cupboards of the homes the villagers once occupied. Jewels and other trinkets can be found hidden within these areas that can be sold to The Merchant.
You would think after describing all these changes to the series that Resident Evil 4 was some kind of 3rd person shooter Indiana Jones game with Resident Evil slapped on the cover.
But no, Resident Evil 4 at it's core is still a Resident Evil game.
Like in past titles, ammo is scarce and at times very limited. Green Herbs are very precious and not something you will often come across. The typewriter is still used to save your progress and you are fighting against things you would only find in a nightmare.
The Verdict
Resident Evil 4 still to this day is claimed by many to be the best in the series.
Before Resident Evil saw it's transformation into a 3rd person action game that got rid of what made Resident Evil the survival horror franchise fans enjoyed about the game. Resident Evil 4 was the entry into the series that brought serious changes but still kept to the spirit of what made Resident Evil the survivor horror game many gamers such as myself enjoyed in past entries.
Although the game changed the series in many ways you are still doing the things we used to do since the original Resident Evil.
Resident Evil 4 gets an excellent 9 out of 10.
Thank you for reading.
Since then I have been a big fan of the franchise and have played almost every single entry into the series. From Resident Evil 0 to Resident Evil 6, from Resident Evil Outbreak to Dead Aim. I have enjoyed playing many of them, however, none of them measure up to the experience I had with Resident Evil 4.
In the RE fan base many consider the game to be the best of the series. It was the entry into the series that I personally believe kept true to the spirit of what made Resident Evil the survival horror series that many gamers such as myself enjoyed but still changing so many things to how we played the game.
So what was it that made the game so enjoyable?
Story
Six years after Raccoon City Leon finds himself employed by the U.S. Government as part of the President's special security. Leon is given the task of protecting the President and his family. During this time a religious cult kidnaps the President's daughter, Ashely Graham.
A tip is received that the daughter has been seen in a remote village in a rural part of Europe. Leon is sent in to investigate to discover where Ashely is being kept when he stumbles upon the village's inhabitants.
The people of the village are being controlled by a parasite known as Las Plagas. An ancient parasite that was discovered in the caverns below a castle outside of the village.
Leon has no choice but to fight through waves and waves of infected villagers and cult members in order to save Ashely and escape with her alive.
Presentation
Resident Evil 4 brings back that sense of dread and fear with the atmosphere of the locations you explore.
You find yourself walking through bleak abandoned areas, woods with dead trees and houses that look like no one has lived in them for years. It honestly makes you think you're walking through an old warzone.
The detail in these environments are alright but nothing jaw dropping. Even by the Gamecube's generation standards it was nothing impressive, but not bad either.
In fact, Resident Evil REmake has the better graphical design.
Gameplay
When coming from the past 5 Resident Evil titles on the Nintendo Gamecube( RE 0, RE REmake, RE 2, RE 3, Code Veronica X) Resident Evil 4 changes many things to the combat, the inventory system, weapon system and adds even more mechanics to the game.
With all these changes to the game though, the game still keeps true to the spirit of Resident Evil.
The combat system is now 3rd person. When Leon is fending off from the infected villagers, the camera goes over his right shoulder. Aiming is now assisted with a red dot laser sight on the many weapons Leon can find throughout the game. It's no longer like past RE games, where you aimed in the general direction and fired.
The inventory system is now changed into an attache case that can be expanded and the items in the case can moved around in order to make room for other items.
There are now a small variety of handguns, shotguns and special weapons that can now be upgraded for more power, faster reload speeds and a bigger magazine capacity. Some of these weapons even have special attachments that can be equipped or removed from the weapon.
There is now a money/treasure system in the game that allows you to buy said weapons and bigger attache cases from a mysterious character known as The Merchant. Money is found after killing enemies and sometimes found in the drawers and cupboards of the homes the villagers once occupied. Jewels and other trinkets can be found hidden within these areas that can be sold to The Merchant.
You would think after describing all these changes to the series that Resident Evil 4 was some kind of 3rd person shooter Indiana Jones game with Resident Evil slapped on the cover.
But no, Resident Evil 4 at it's core is still a Resident Evil game.
Like in past titles, ammo is scarce and at times very limited. Green Herbs are very precious and not something you will often come across. The typewriter is still used to save your progress and you are fighting against things you would only find in a nightmare.
The Verdict
Resident Evil 4 still to this day is claimed by many to be the best in the series.
Before Resident Evil saw it's transformation into a 3rd person action game that got rid of what made Resident Evil the survival horror franchise fans enjoyed about the game. Resident Evil 4 was the entry into the series that brought serious changes but still kept to the spirit of what made Resident Evil the survivor horror game many gamers such as myself enjoyed in past entries.
Although the game changed the series in many ways you are still doing the things we used to do since the original Resident Evil.
Resident Evil 4 gets an excellent 9 out of 10.
Thank you for reading.
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