Resident Evil 4

  Resident Evil 4. Where do I even begin. Probably one of the best games ever made. This game is however not without its share of controversies. Originally Resident Evil 4 was conceived for the PlayStation 2 way back in 2001. But that year Resident Evil series creator Shinji Mikami struck an exclusive deal with Nintendo to make at least 4 exclusive Resident Evil titles for their Nintendo GameCube. The PS2 fans were heartbroken. Thankfully the death of RE4 on the PS2 gave birth to an equally awesome series. Devil May Cry. DMC used the scrapped prototype RE4 was planned with and emerged as a great series in its own right. But that's the past.

Capcom soon realized the error of their ways as the exclusive titles on the Gamecube console had poor sales even though they were technically superior. Even before Resident evil 4 came out for the Gamecube in January of 2005. Capcom made a statement on their official website that they had already begun work on the PS2 version of the game and that it would be released near the end of 2005. This was the subject of much debate among the RE fans.

After Resident Evil got released on the Gamecube people started to mock the powers of the PS2 and made statements that the PS2 would not be able to handle what is probably the best looking game of this generation. Unfortunately they would have to eat their words soon after.

When RE4 came out for the PS2 it left all critics jaws wide open, the game had graphics nearly  identical  to the gamecube counterpart with minor modifications. But what really set the PS2 version higher was the inclusion of Separate ways. An entire new scenario along with the original game featuring the game’s most liked character. The female spy Ada Wong. Not only that but Separate ways tied in with the official Resident evil storyline making it an integral part of the experience.


Here’s how i rate the game.

Graphics 10/10
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Although they’re not as good as the Gamecube version, Capcom in my opinion could not have made the game look any better even if RE4 had been made as a PS2 game to begin with. The game squeezes every ounce of the PS2 muscle and shows what the old horse can do when pushed to the limits. Extremely detailed environments, tons of enemies on screen at a time, 5000 polygon Leon character model all at once on the screen without any slowdown. The only time the game slows down is when your right in front of a big explosion or when there’s a little too many enemies in front of you.

The real-time cut scenes of the original Gamecube version have been converted into FMV sequences ala Splinter Cell to ensure the maximum quality possible for the key moments. The only downside being FMV sequences is that you will not see any of the alternate costumes in the cut scenes. But we can live with that. The game’s beauty more than makes up for it.

Sound 9/10
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This is exactly the same as the Gamecube version bar a few muffled occasions where the audio quality is reduced. Not much to talk about here. All the bells and whistles are as they should be. Realistic gunfire sounds, exploding heads, the Spanish cries of the villagers. Its all good.

Game Play 10/10
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This is what sets it apart from all the previous Resident Evil titles. The game has been completely overhauled. The game play now resembles a shooter game to say the least, while retaining the series’s trademark ’tank control’ scheme. This game focuses more on action than evasion as the past RE titles did. This is what makes the game appealing to a broader market. The game play is simple yet effective. That's the way people like it and that' what RE4 delivers.

Value 10/10
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If i could give a score higher than 10 out of 10 then i would definitely give the value of the game that score since not only does it manage to pack in the entire HUGE normal game scenario and the two mini games found in the Gamecube original (Assignment Ada, The Mercenaries). Capcom also added a B scenario of the game similar to Resident Evil 2. Where you get to see the entire game from a different person’s perspective. Separate ways is almost like an entire game in itself. It follows through most of the same area’s but for key locations Capcom have made entirely new area’s exclusive for the PS2 version of the game. You will get to see Leon's game through Ada’s eyes.This does not simply mean a texture change, oh no. Ada has her own story to deal with. Playing through this scenario makes you realize that Leon is not the hero as you imagined he was. Ada helps him multiple times through out the game without Leon even knowing about it. This is the kind of extra’s all gamers hope to find in a game. RE4 for the PS2 is a RE fan’s wet dream come true.

Closing Comments
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This game is damn near perfect, with near-next gen visuals and great game play to boot. Resident Evil 4 is a must play for all the RE fans and for fans of shooter games in general.

This was Chandoo.

Peace out.