The gruesome survival horror action adventure series returns once again, this time with Leon S. Kennedy in a mission to save the president’s daughter. Key changes in the familiar Resident Evil game play have brought the experience to an remarkable level of enjoyment, so much that even those who were not big Resident Evil fans before will want to give the game a shot.
The first thing you’ll notice about Resident Evil 4 is the absence of pre-rendered backgrounds. The camera resides behind Leon and moves when he moves. This frees movement up to some extent, and makes moving from area to area less of a chore.
The non-static environment makes the game scary in different ways. Instead of enemies popping out of windows when you least expect, you’ll find yourself fighting off enemies from all directions, which can be nerve-wracking especially since you can not see what is behind you. And believe me, when a bloodthirsty maniac with a chainsaw gets too close, there will be no chance to turn around.
You may have heard that there are absolutely no zombies in this game, which is true, but their spirit lives on. You’ll find yourself fighting off hordes of angry villagers, most of which will simply walk towards you slowly in a zombie-like fashion, but others will run at you or throw stabbing weapons in an effort to end your life.
Resident Evil 4 is much more of a combat game than previous titles. The puzzle elements have been downplayed considerably. Instead of backtracking for items, you’ll follow a relatively straightforward course through amazingly detailed environments. In fact, you’ll probably never visit the same area more than twice, which removes the tediousness of previous titles. The combat in Resident Evil 4 can stand up against any other title.
Avoiding enemies is difficult because there are often so many of them, and some can even attack you from long range. You’ll most likely use countless bullets and grenades to stop their advance. Leon can even kick stunned enemies when he is within range. It would be silly to be too conservative with ammo, as many enemies will drop supplies or even money after their demise.
Now, you can’t spend this cash on comic books or bubble gum, but there is a wandering merchant that will gladly give you new weapons or upgrades to your existing arsenal in exchange for currency.
Some games can be played on mute, but this is not one of them. The soundtrack, effects, and voices must be heard in order to get the full creepy effect.
I can’t point out any of the flaws Resident Evil 4 may have, because I honestly wouldn’t change anything about the game. I wanted the story to continue even after my 22-hour quest was over. Thankfully there are still some side quests to play, and hard mode to beat. Resident Evil 4 is a major step in the right direction for the series. I can’t recommend it enough.
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