Resident Evil 4 (Gamecube) Review

The wind whistles in the trees. Leaves crunch underfoot. The forest is eerily quiet as Leon makes his way towards the only building in sight, armed with only his wits and handgun. With the lights down and the sound up, there’s nary a game which is more immersive and impressive as Resident Evil 4. Games of this calibre are a rare sight indeed, especially one that have been in development for so long (since the launch of the GameCube). Many doubts arose as to whether or not this game would meet expectations, but I’m glad to say Capcom have not only delivered what was promised, they went above and beyond to provide the defining game of this console generation.

Gameplay

While one might think that Capcom put all their efforts into eye candy, the mechanics of RE4 are as solid as they come. Forget the fixed-camera, clunky aiming and drunken staggering of previous titles, controlling Leon is wonderfully coherent. An over-the-shoulder viewpoint persists throughout the game, varying between angles and positions when the mood calls for it. Depressing the R trigger swings the camera down and Leon’s weapon up, aiming is controlled easily with the analogue stick. While this method allows precise aiming, movement while in the aiming mode is a no-show. This makes the combat slightly more tactical, but can be occasionally frustrating when in tight corridors. For the most part, though, it’’s a beautiful system. Collision detection is top-notch, the AI cunning and the boss fights requiring thought. An element of the game causing some worry was escorting Ashley around. This possibly game-breaking feature, however, has been implemented in perhaps the most perfect way possible. Hardly ever in the way, she ducks nimbly out of the line of fire or crouches behind Leon if it’s up close and personal. Her characterization is enough to care about without becoming overbearing and annoying. Interaction with her is basically limited to ’Wait’ and ’Follow me’, with the occasional ’Hide!’. It all works remarkably well.

The A button is context-sensitive, working remarkably well to activate a quick dodge, pile-drive a stunned enemy, or leap through a window. Interaction with the environment is top-notch. The herb system makes it’s return, with the debut of Yellow herbs, which increase the maximum health of each character, as Leon and Ashley both have their separate health bars. Certain wildlife can be used for a quick health boost, too (grenade fishing!), making running low on health a rare occurrence. If on the off chance you do meet your demise, RE4 has plentiful checkpoints, ensuring you never lose more than a couple of minutes progress. Save points are also plentiful, with the ink ribbons disappearing, allowing unlimited use. While you may think that unlimited saves and continues would shorten the gameplay, and they do, RE4 still clocks in at an easy 16 hours for experienced gamers, whereas more casual types would easily find 20 or more on their first playthrough. Ammo is scarce enough to encourage both careful conservation and wanton death as the situation calls for it, while puzzle elements are weakened, but the ones that do show serve as pauses and almost welcome respite from the roller-coaster action.

Sound

Aurally, this game is a delight. Explosions of flesh, impacts of slugs and the dull thud of Leon’s head hitting the ground are all gruesomely clear, the weapon fire loud and satisfying. Not for a long time has taking the heads off shambling masses sounded so good. Everything you’d expect to make noise does, footfalls and rumbling machines sound perfect. To complement the outstanding sounds, the game’s soundtrack is almost unbelievable. Melding effortlessly from a haunting tune to a rousing crescendo as the action heats up accordingly, it gives subtle clues as to what lies ahead. While it does get a little repetitive towards the end, it’s never to the extent of annoyance. Perhaps the weakest part of RE4 is the dialogue. Cheesy lines spew forth from Leon’s mouth at about the same rate as bullets from his gun. I’m unsure whether it’s intentionally so, but the quips that he comes up with are nearly always unfunny and often groan-inducing. That said, the characters are voiced perfectly, the Ganados curse in spanish, the evil villains sound truly evil, Ashley sounds like a scared young woman. When the time calls for it and the lines are serious, it sounds extremely well-done.

Graphics

Without doubt, Resident Evil 4 is the most beautiful game of this generation. The polycounts of even the minor grunts far surpasses the main characters of nearly every other game. Granted, many models are recycled, but they’re so beautiful it’s not really a factor. The environments are stunning, shader effects impressive, minor details plentiful. An incredibly solid graphics engine is behind this, with practically no glitches, save some clipping, which has plagued mankind for (console) generations. Still, it’s hardly noticeable and does little to detract from the graphical masterpiece this is.

Value/Lastability

Perhaps the secret to RE4 is that Capcom lead the player on with no idea what’s going to come next. It’s so radically different from the previous titles in the series and far surpasses any similar titles in it’s genre. From beginning to end, it’s an epic undertaking and well worth the wait. What’s more, with unlockable weapons and a trio of fun minigames awaiting after the first completion, it’s definitely a keeper. * Pros Amazing graphics Outstanding sound Riveting and revolutionary gameplay Spades of replay value Grenade fishing! * Cons Occasional minor clipping Cheesy voice acting

Graphics 9.9

Gameplay 9.9

Sound 9.0

Tilt 9.0

Value 9.9