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Resident
Evil 4
What is it about Resident
Evil 4 that makes it so awesome? A valid question
posed by someone the other day and one that I literally
stuttered to answer toward her scrutinizing-non-gamer's
ear. It's not so much the question that threw me as
the person. How do you tell someone that's not interested
in gaming that the new "zombie killing, head exploding,
graphically superior, monster slaying, gun shooting,
survival horror thrill ride" you are playing is the
best thing since Parasite Eve II? Well, you don't,
because it's a virtually worthless gesture trying
to explain yourself to others that aren't interested.
So, for those of you that could care less about video
games, much less violent ones, just take a pass at
this review and accept that this game makes me feel
akin to what you might feel if you actually managed
to complete your collection of Beanie Babies. What
I'm really trying to say is that even though Resident
Evil 4 does everything right in every way to provide
a superior even epic gaming experience there are just
some people out there that will never understand.
For the remainder of you
out there that actually read my tripe and even have
an inkling to play RE4, my suggestion is to stiff
waiting for a sale and just go buy it. You won't be
disappointed. If you are still thinking about giving
RE4 a miss then here is what you'll be missing out
on:
Gameplay, gameplay, gameplay.
I can't emphasize enough that RE4's foundation of
gameplay is what makes the biggest impact. Thinly
describing it as a "third person shooter" gives only
the perspective of the player. While the majority
of the game IS running around looking at and shooting
things it feels much deeper. The enemy encounters
will change dynamics every time you play. Even something
as simple as using two bullets instead of three to
destroy a foe will change up the situation enough
to make the encounter totally new. Other actions you
can take to make things different are to go "balls
out" and run through everything. Take refuge inside
a house and see how the enemies surround the area
and bust through the doors and windows. Hold your
position and watch them crowd to your position and
even try to flank you. Don't even get me started on
the boss encounters because all of them involve far
more tactics than just standing your ground and hoping
you have more health than them. (As previous RE games
were notorious for). Most encounters have you using
"dodge" actions, all of which are random, to seriously
mix up the point and shoot aspect of any battle. Not
to mention making use of your environment during a
battle, which may not turn out to be as effective
against these smart enemies as you might think.
Other gameplay elements
that I enjoyed were the well organized method of item
management that never became tedious. The almost RPG
feel of upgrading your weapons using "money" found
on fallen enemies or hidden in various locations.
It's a good feeling to know that all your efforts
are rewarded on a regular basis. For those of you
that like mini-games and side quests there are a good
number of extras to challenge you upon completing
the regular quest. Finally I'll mention that the incentive
to play the game multiple times to upgrade all the
weapons and even access some secret ones made me play
through again right away. (which is quite rare for
me)
For the environmental buff
I believe the graphics and environments are unparalleled
for this type of game. Wonderful textures, water,
rain, lighting & lightning, and even the characters
are nothing short of beautiful. The voice action is
top notch as well. I even enjoyed some of the horrible
one-liners because I wasn't the only one groaning,
the characters even responded appropriately to the
taunts.
So, what we have here is
a game that offers incredible visuals, gameplay, action,
and enough replay value to make it an instant contender
for your $50. Like I said at the beginning: If you
even have an inkling to play this you won't be disappointed.
But don't force yourself to experience the magnitude
of this revolutionary game if you're the least bit
squeamish or hesitant. Just keep walking by and don't
even look at the package. You probably aren't worthy
to bask in it's glory.
-wileee
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