Resident Evil 4

When Shinji Mikami of Capcom set out to re-invent the survival horror genre, he did so by giving the player more bullets, then multiplying the number of enemies. The result is an experience that retained the vulnerability of being overwhelmed by mobs of unnerving creatures, but added the element of action-style gameplay.

RE4 is really an astounding graphical achievement on the PS2. These are some of the best graphics ever represented on the console. The use of color and lighting really conveys the dark, eery mood throughout the whole game.

Sound is done quite well in RE4. The weapons all sound great, and when you get hit, you really feel it, partially because the sound effects are done so well. The different background rhythms are effective at pumping up pace of the game when needed.

The animation of the enemies is also very impressive. Different creatures behave uniquely and react realistically, such as reacting in pain to gunshots where they get hit. This also allows creativity in how you choose to kill your enemies. The variety of enemies is also impressive, and the strategies needed to defeat them also vary.

The meat of this game is the action-style gameplay. The third-person over the shoulder view is very effective at framing the view, but also makes it possible for enemies to sneak up on you, particularly from the left side. Gameplay is fast, as you can get quickly overwhelmed by enemies if you rush into areas, so strategy is a necessary component of the experience. While RE4 is not particularly scary, it does get quite tense at times, especially when you're in a tight spot.

The pacing of RE4 is done really well. You'll go through an area shooting enemies in a slow-paced fashion, then you'll be thrown into a high-intensity boss fight. The tuning between slow-paced and fast-paced gameplay has been balanced very well, so the formula stays fresh as you go forward.

There are a variety of boss encounters and special scenarios, and these situations are the highlight of the game. You'll really have to be creative in how you pass these scenarios, and the game challenges your strategic skills as much as your aiming reflexes.

RE4 is also a lengthy game, and the high production values combined with length give this game strong value.

Despite its strengths, RE4 has a few minor detractors.

The aim speed is a bit slow, and the control tweaks aimed at correcting this issue are quite awkward in execution. Switching weapons and using items can be a tedious process during battle, and you cannot reload while running (which is a problem because your character moves very slow, and you need every opportunity you have to shoot during a boss battle). The story is not particularly compelling, and scenarios fighting the standard non-zombie characters are somewhat overused.

All in all, RE4 is a satisfying action-adventure whose strengths far outweight its weaknesses, and warrants a purchase for anyone interested in experiencing a re-invention of the survival horror genre.