Who- Capcom
What- The best horror game on the market.
When- Since early 2005
Where- Nintendo Gamecube “exclusive“ ported to the, PS2, PC and Wii.
Huh? - RE4: Bringing chainsaws back, baby!

Didn’t think I’d get off of my Xbox, did you? Seriously, I will review a non-Xbox game every 4th review, as to throw a bone to some of the other system owners. I might be kind enough to review only the good ones too., as those are fewer and farther between. Right then, time to make it up to you non-xboxers by filling you in on one of the best games of the last generation: Resident Evil 4.

Several years have passed since the destruction of Raccoon City…
Leon Kennedy is now facing his ultimate challenge…
A mysterious village…
Creatures that defy God’s creation…
Are They Human?
A curse that plagues the human body…

Granted, it’s not as snazzy without the trailer to give it more context, but as far as the story and what lies in wait for the intrepid adventurous gamers who wish to fully enjoy this slice of excellence, I will force myself to give up the bare minimum to lure you in. Leon S. Kennedy is the man you might remember from the older horror classic Resident Evil 2. For his efforts in the chaos that was Raccoon City, he was given a high-profile job with the U.S. Government. Ashley Graham, the president’s daughter, was kidnapped by some unknown group on the way home from college and was last seen in some dumpy village in Europe(Spain). It’s up to Leon and some local law enforcement to snoop about to find any leads to where Ashley might be. Sooner, rather than later, all Hell breaks loose and Leon has to survive a wild variety of vile unnatural monsters, unfriendly locals, and dastardly traps as a clever and totally engaging story unfolds before you, the player. I honestly can’t go any f urther, as it would be as vile as telling a kid who is interested in Star Wars but hasn’t had a chance to see Empire Strikes Back that Darth Vader is… You understand, right?
RE4 is by far and above the best looking game on the GameCube, and it translates very well onto the PS2, PC and Wii versions. Wind blows fabric and hair, and lighting gets into every nook and cranny of the realistically rendered buildings and objects you’ll creep though. The controls are simple and precise, and if you get slaughtered by some mutated freak it’s your own fault, and once you realize that, you might just lean back in your chair, and laugh at how badly you screwed up after you get over the scare-factor of becoming decapitated. By the end of the game, you will have mastered personal combat, but that’s not to say that the game will have gone soft on you. Just when you are getting the hang of the game, RE4 tosses something new into the mix to get you off of your game. Heh, now that I think about it, the tutorial can be summed up as such: “Don’t die.” There are quite a few little things that will keep Leon’s eyes open, like action-cut scenes where you might have to quick ly jam a button or two or else Leon will DIE. This game’s pacing is perfect and you almost always know when you can catch your breath and take in the scenery. There is one bit of “help” in the game from the local Merchant who is more than ready to take any money you find in exchange for weapons, equipment and weapon upgrades. This guy will be your, if not Leon’s, best friend. There is also a very entertaining minigame called “Mercenaries” to be played once the main story is done, where you must kill as many enemies under a certain time limit. It’s very addictive and still creepy all at once. The entirety of the animation in the game reek of character and charm, from the swaggering creatures full of blind rare and animalistic instinct to the lifelike human models who move, communicate and emote like human beings. The ones who aren’t trying to kill you, that is.
There are minor differences between the versions, as the ‘Cube was the original, and all of it’s contents are present in all other versions. The PS2 has a short campaign focused on a secret character and new weapons for Leon in the main game. The PC version supports mouse/keyboard controls and the Wii has a point and shoot scheme. It really doesn’t matter what version you get, as they are all of the same excellence- So grab what suits you best. It’s still the same great game, be it Wii-mote, classic controller, or mouse.
*Sigh* Look, here comes the hard part of the review: that’s it. I can honestly say that this moody, beautiful, truly scary, charming and (most importantly) fun game is not only the best horror game in existence, but one of the best games of the last generation. Even if you’re not a Resident Evil fan, like yours truly prior to RE4, do yourself a huge favor and pick up a copy as the story actually does not need any previous RE experience. You might not sleep as well, or have a life until you finish the main story, but it is not as much an incredible game, as an incredible experience. I can’t wait for RE5... Stranger…

Resident Evil 4 earns my highest honor with a 5.

+Atmospheric, simple controls, beautiful graphics, engaging story/action, perfect pacing, scary, you won‘t want this scramble for survival to end.
-It ends.

But Don’t Say I Didn’t Warn Ya…

-BLUD & GORE. Naturally, did you expect any less? It’s mostly when Leon or another friendly gets “harmed” some baddies bleed more than others, and most bubble into a puddle when killed. Still pretty graphic overall.
-Intense Violence. Leon gets beaten, slashed, punched, choked, slammed, bitten, thrown, shot, crushed, and potentially chain-sawed- And that’s just off the top of my head!
-ScArY! Please, don’t play RE4 with kids in the room, do not let them play, this game is very inappropriate for the kiddies. Nightmare inducing after the first 5 minutes…
-Naughty *&%$ING Language. Leon naturally says a few things when the context would call for it: Monsters chase him into a corner, he utters “shit!” Not condemning at all for a mature player.