Already an almost guaranteed lock for game of the year, Resident Evil 4 has found its way onto the Playstation 2. Aside from a small graphical drop, this is the same game it was on the Gamecube, now with extra features. With that little boost, it's not hard to consider this a video game that truly earns the praise of "perfection."
By throwing out everything that made the series popular and starting from scratch, Resident Evil 4 becomes a masterpiece of action/adventure gaming. It's a title that causes reviews to look like marketing material, praising every aspect, and yet it's the truth. It's not hard to pinpoint what makes this a new classic, especially with the intense action that never becomes tiring.
Guns offer a power never before felt in this series, and blasting a murderous horde of villagers taken over by a mysterious parasite is an incredible rush. Part of that is the ingenious new camera view, set just over the shoulder. The closer to the action the player is, the higher the tension grows. Aside from a few missteps due to poorly placed bear traps, it's never a problem.
The fantasy setting lets the designers go overboard, crafting truly sickening beings and monsters, and that's all within the first few hours. By the finale about 15 hours later, you've encountered more innovative monstrosities than anything Hollywood has dreamed up. They all produce unforgettable struggles and usually with multiple ways to destroy them.
Those looking for the puzzle aspects of previous games will likely be the only ones disappointed, though engrossed once they experience how well crafted this game is. It's linear the entire way through, but it never feels like it. There's little backtracking, all credit to the time spent ensuring the game is all in one piece and flows naturally.
Even one of the most dreaded aspects of video games, escort missions, is enjoyable. The president's daughter, Ashley, plays a significant role here and is the reason for Leon's mission. Rarely does she make a mistake, and you almost wish there were more moments where the two could team together to perform a task.
Article comments
1 - Phillip Winn
The GameCube version of this was mind-blowing. I can hardly believe it works smoothly on the PS2.
The sound creeped me out. /me shudders!
2 - Ken Edwards
The only complaint I have about the PS2 version is the in game FMVs of the GameCube version are all pre-rendered on the PS2. So if you have different costumes on, or you are carrying a different weapon, it looks a little strange going into a FMV on the PS2.
I played the PS2 version at a demo kiosk and I will be picking it up. I loved the GameCube version and the entire extra chunk of the game with Ada is enough for me. What a wonderful game. What a wonderful suprise from the Resident Evil series after so many years of the same old rehashed control scheme.