Resi Evil gets a make-over

Author's Rating:

Pros: Possibly the greatest game of 2005 !

Cons: Erm . . . . You have to pay for it . . . ?

The Bottom Line: 
An amazing game! Buy it Now!!!

Author's Review
A few years ago, while I was reading my favourite Playstation magazine, I came across an article on Resident Evil 4. Yes!! I am a massive fan ever since I played the original. There were a few pictures and brief insight as it was very early news. I was all worked up and excited! You play as Leon Kennedy! He was great, almost an equal to Chris Redfield! The next month I was devastated. My trusty magazine had just informed me that it was to be Nintendo Game Cube exclusive! Nooooooooooooo....!!!!

But then, on the 4th day in November, I collected my copy for the PS2 from the Royal Mail Office (It should have been posted through my letter box but I won't go into that now, read my "10 things that annoy me" review to find out). It seems Capcom didn't forget about its fans after all....



Resident Evil 4 gives a very warm return to Leon S Kennedy, the rookie cop from Resident Evil 2. It is six years since the Raccoon city incident and the notorious Umbrella Corporation has been destroyed. Now he is a government agent assigned to rescue the President's daughter, Ashley Graham. Information leads him to a small village somewhere in Europe. Leon arrives escorted by three local policemen.
Walking down a narrow path through the trees, Leon advances towards a small cottage. Inside there is a man with his back turned poking at a fire. Upon approaching him, the man picks up an axe and starts walking towards Leon. The latter has no choice but to open fire on the assailant. Leaping out of the window Leon finds that there are more armed attackers waiting.
Welcome to Resident Evil....


Changes
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There have been a lot of changes to the latest instalment of the Resident Evil series. All of them are a massive improvement!
How annoying was it in the previous games when you knew there was a zombie around the corner, but you didn't know if you were shooting it due to the fixed camera? Admittedly, the fixed camera did help to make the scary atmosphere as you couldn't see what was around the next corner, and it did mean that hi-resolution backdrops could be used. Well, forget pre-rendered backgrounds, this beauty is in Full 3D! That's right; the camera is now close-up behind Leon, so you see what he sees. There is still the tense feel of the old camera as it is easy for enemies to sneak up from behind or the side as the camera is so close.
It now means that aiming can be used fully. With each weapon (except the rifles) a red tracer laser shines out of the gun, a tiny circle at the end indicating when a target is locked on. It also makes it possible to have sniper rifles (Yes!).

Who can forget those infamous door clips from the resident Evil series? (Every door you went through or most steps had a short intro, in the 1st person, of the character going through) Thought not... Well those of you who thought they were tediously annoying will be pleased to know that it has been scrapped completely! Most doors are opened by Leon in real time, while some have a short loading screen.
Leon opens the doors slowly when you click on them, but double click and he will burst through with a good kick! Nice little touch!

Another big change is the Inventory. The previous games allowed you to hold between 8 and 10 items (6 for Chris in Resi 1). It was always quite annoying because a key took up the same space as a shotgun!? Boxes were located around the game so that excess items could be stored until needed. Now you get a case with lots of little slots. Each weapon or item requires a different amount of space depending on the size. This means you can carry multiple weapons and herbs etc. Larger cases can be bought later on in the game.

It is now essential to find money (ptas), either hidden in crates or from killing enemies. The amount you find varies and will not necessarily be in the same place each time you play. For example you might find 900 ptas in a vase, then die and load back up, and the same vase might hold 800 ptas or ammo. The money is used to purchase weapons or upgrades, which brings me on to the next big change...

The item boxes have been scrapped as Leon can now hold much more. In its place is "The Merchant". This guy pops up all over Resident Evil 4, noticeable by the blue torches. There are three options to choose from, Sell, Buy or Tune Up.
Sell gives you the opportunity to make money from any treasure you have found. Also if you want another weapon and have no space left, you can sell any item including weapons. The latter can be bought back at a higher price if needed.
Buy lets you purchase weapons or rare items, such as treasure maps or larger cases. There is also the option to buy a First-Aid spray; there is only limited amounts so don't go thinking you can replenish whenever he's around.
Tune Up allows you to improve almost all your weapons, at a high price of course! There are four parts to improve, Shot Power, Firing Speed, Reload Speed and Capacity. These can be upgraded to a maximum of level 6, although some weapons cannot. There is also the possibility for an "Exclusive" upgrade to some weapons. This comes about much later on and costs heavily. The Exclusive upgrade has a special enhancement on the selected weapon; for example, the Handgun has a x5 chance increase of Critical Headshots, and the Shotgun has the same Shot Power from all distances!

The structure of the new Resi Evil is very different from it's predecessors. The old games were one big long level, divided into different places, but with no obvious level start and finish.
Now it has taken on a "Devil May Cry" type structure; although it is still one long level in a sense, it is divided by sub sections that are divided themselves, e.g. you could be on level 4 - 3. At the end of each section you are shown your accuracy, number of enemies defeated and number of continues taken. You are also giving the option to save the game.

Ink Ribbons have been removed totally. The typewriter is still there, but you can now save to your heart's content! This is a welcome loss, as it was so annoying when you wanted to save but didn't have an Ink Ribbon. And to make things even better there are excessive amounts of typewriters everywhere (OK, maybe not excessive, but still loads)

Enemies
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The main enemies of Resident Evil 4 (Surprisingly!!) are humans! Well, I say humans, but they seem half human and half zombie?!?
They talk (In Spanish I believe...) and they are intelligent to the extent that they dodge where your gun is pointing and sneak up on you. They also run! Which is quite terrifying when you need to reload! Also they climb through windows and open doors. But there is something not quite right with them. Remember the groaning zombie noise of the former games? Well it's back, but this time it's got more depth in the sound! (Don't ask me how but it just has!) And with it comes a quiet chant to themselves, so you can hear them before you see them.
If one spots you they will point and shout to their companions of your presence. Keep your senses alert as they can come from anywhere; off roofs, through windows and form the doors behind you.
They come with a range of weapons, from knives and spades to crossbows and even chainsaws! Some are protected by a wooden shield (a quick blast from the Shotgun should sort that out!) and there are others with a bullet proof helmet!
To deal with the monsters most effectively you have to get a Critical head shot to make their head explode. Blood spurts out from the neck which is quite cool close up! But be careful later on as something can sprout from the neck.........
Shooting the men/women in the legs causes them to fall to the floor, very good for when faced with multiple foes.
There are sections with new and different foes, but I won't give too much away...!

Interactive
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The Resi Evil world is now more interactive thanks to it being 3D. Crates and vases can be smashed and hold valuable ptas or ammo. Also there are treasures hidden throughout the game that you shoot to make them drop. Some doors and windows can be shot through, breaking them with each shot.
There are a lot of puzzles or objects that need to be shot in a certain place in order to progress, e.g. a drawbridge stuck half open, shoot the brackets on the wall to make it fall.

Graphics
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The graphics in resident Evil 4 are exceptional! Everything is so smooth and highly detailed with a great use of colour and lighting. The latter seeps through windows and cracks and looks misty from the dust. Even the caves in the game are packed with detail, the walls really look real! The animation and detail on the Bosses is the best I have seen in any game (Watching the endless body parts shoot out of a man's body will leave you in awe!).
The water is again amazing, with great colour and depth to it. The scene on the lake is jaw-dropping; it has fog and bits floating in the water, and it moves with excellent realism! Not to mention the creature that lurks beneath.....!!

Sub Missions
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There are a couple of sub-missions in the main game, most notably the Bottle-Caps. The Merchant runs some shooting ranges in the Castle; select your choice of weapons, either automatic or sniping. The idea is to earn as many points as you can to gain Bottle-Caps. There are 24 to collect and they can be viewed in the treasure menu. Click on them for a close up, and they even have a sound effect! A small, but fun little extra to distract you from the chaos outside...!

Weapons
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There are many new weapons in Resi Evil 4. I won't ruin any surprises by mentioning them all; instead I will give a brief description of a few earlier in the game:

Knife
It wouldn't be Resi Evil without the trusty knife. This time it has a greater use and is easier to use. Hold L1 and the knife is quickly taken out. Use it to smash crates etc to save on ammo.
+Advantages - Doesn't require ammo
-Disadvantages - Hardly any damage, can only be used at close range

Handgun
Small but effective, the 9mm handgun will be the weapon most used as there is a lot of ammo and is fairly easy to get that precious head shot. It only takes up 6 slots too.
+Advantages - Lots of ammo available, accurate
-Disadvantages - Lacks power

Shotgun
A must carry at all times weapon. Ideal for multiple enemies or when confronted by a stronger foe as it will send them flying backwards. Ammo is sparse so keep an eye on your supply.
+Advantages - Very powerful close range, excellent for dealing with multiple enemies
-Disadvantages - Not very good at distances, takes up a lot of space

Rifle
An old bolt-action rifle with a scope fitted allowing Leon to zoom in on far away targets. A more powerful scope is avaliable from the Merchant.
+Advantages - Extremely accurate, Powerful
-Disadvantages - Slow reload

Grenades
There are three types of grenade; Hand Grenade Large explosion), Flash Grenade (Blinds enemy) and Incendiary Grenade (Bursts into flame). Equip like a normal weapon and throw in the same way.
+Advantages - Large damage radius, helpful for blinding Bosses
-Disadvantages - Too many can take up a lot of space, can cause damage to yourself

Broken Butterfly
A powerful Magnum that comes at a high price. Get this in for those tougher monsters!
+Advantages - Extremely powerful, Size of a Handgun
-Disadvantages - Limited ammo, Expensive to upgrade, Long reload

Rocket Launcher
The ultimate weapon! Use this against the Bosses or any tough situations!
+Advantages - Kills virtually everything, large damage radius
-Disadvantages - Very expensive, only one rocket a time, Takes up a lot of space



Flaws
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The only real flaw to this superb game is that you cannot side step or move while aiming. It means that in order to shoot round a corner you have to run forward and turn, exposing yourself to the enemy. But then it may have been intended to keep the tension high as it is very difficult to see what is round the next corner, and you have to stay rooted to the spot while enemies lunge at you which is quite terrifying! So maybe it's not a flaw after all......
Another flaw is that at certain points in the game you find yourself running or dodging various attacks. This is fine in itself, but when running you are told to vigorously bash 'X' then have to press either the buttons or 'X' and square when prompted. It doesn't allow you much time to perform this action so your reactions have to be fast! The trouble is that I found myself constantly dying and it became a trial and error process. And sometimes the buttons change! It's not too bad a flaw, just gets a bit tedious after the 3rd attempt...

Summary
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Resident Evil 4 has a more tense atmosphere than it's predecessors. This is mainly down to the music and sound effects. When an enemy is present, the music kicks in and doesn't stop until they have all been eliminated.
The scariest moment for me was the small maze. You can hear the dogs breathing heavily but you have no idea which corner they lurk around! I jumped on more than one occasion when a dog has snuck up on me! Being able to hear the monsters before you can see them gets your heart thumping and every little noise gets your adrenaline going.
The enemy eyes are another big 'chill' factor; they are a dead red and close up their stare can be very intimidating! All the more reason to blow their head's off!
The infamous puzzles of the previous games have been reduced dramatically which thankfully doesn't slow down the games pace. There are some puzzles, but they are so easy you hardly notice them.
Amazingly there is hardly any returning to previous places. Other Resi Evil titles depended on this to extend the playing time, which could result in frustration. RE4 hardly suffers from this problem at all, thanks to the vast size of the levels. The maps are like a narrow tunnel, with barely any branching off, but it goes unnoticed thanks to the superb aiming system that fools you into thinking that you can play it how you like.
Capcom have done an excellent job redesigning the whole structure, and have pushed the PS2 to its highest peak!

Controls
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R3 = Look
L3 = Move
Square = Run
Cross = Select/Perform Action/Shoot
Circle = Cancel
Triangle = Map
R1 = Aim
R2 = Wait/Follow Me (Ashley)
L1 = Aim Knife
Start = Inventory
Select = Menu
Down + Square = 180 Turn
R1 + L1 or Square + Circle = Dodge attack (When prompted)

Resident Evil 4 Tips!
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TOP TIP
Ammo Gain - Here is a little trick to gain extra ammo. Empty your weapon to zero bullets (1 or 2 is fine also, the lower the better) and go visit the Merchant. Upgrade the capacity of that weapon and not only will the max amount increase, but it will come fully loaded too! Bargain!

Ammo Saver - If you find yourself low on ammo, equip the Handgun and fire 1 shot into the zombie-man's head. If it isn't a critical shot, then they will stagger. Run up top them and press 'X' to give 'em a kick. Repeat this method and you will only use about 4 shots per person

Crates - Smash all crates and vases that you find as you gain valuable ptas or ammo. Use your knife to save ammo

Treasures - Look around ceilings and lamps etc for anything glittering. If you shoot it a treasure will fall to the floor

Door block - In the early levels there are several houses that have movable cupboards. Push these in front of the doors when an attack is underway, and shoot through the top half of the door

Cut-Scenes - Pay close attention even in cut-scenes because you never know when an attack is about to occur! You will have about 1 and a half seconds to press the relevant buttons. But be warned, the buttons change randomly!

Save often - You have unlimited saves, so use them! You never know when an attack is imminent, so save when ever you can



Overall: 97%
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This game is a virtually flawless, action-packed, enjoyable masterpiece that is quite possibly the greatest game of 2005!
This will keep you entertained for a good few weeks, and when played alone in the dark will get your heart pounding and your forehead sweating!
The main game takes a good 15-17 hours to complete (Not including dying) and there are also some extras to unlock.
Most notably it has five extra Ada Missions that were not in the Game Cube version (Haha), expanding on her background and why she's there. It coincides with Leon's missions and shows just how she helped him out. And it takes about 5 hours to go through so it is a very welcomed addition!
There is also another Ada mission, and the good old Mercenaries, which has unlockable characters!
And if that wasn't enough, on completion of the game you also get a "Professional mode" for those of you who love a good challenge!
A must buy for all fans of the genre (and everybody else actually...) If you enjoyed any of the previous games, you will love this!

At the time of writing Resident Evil 4 can be purchased for £29.99 from most places


I know this was a long read, but it is such a good game that I had to put it all in! The game is worth it! I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did writing it :D