Box Art
Game: Resident Evil 4
First Released: January 11, 2005, Gamecube
Developers: Capcom
Platforms: Gamecube, Playstation 2, Windows, Wii, Mobile Phones, IOS, Zeebo, Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Rated: M, for Blood, Gore, and Intense Violence
First Released: January 11, 2005, Gamecube
Developers: Capcom
Platforms: Gamecube, Playstation 2, Windows, Wii, Mobile Phones, IOS, Zeebo, Xbox 360, Playstation 3
Rated: M, for Blood, Gore, and Intense Violence
How I Came To Play This Game
Inventory Screen
One of my birthdays a few years back I was going through a phase. I was hooked on Resident Evil. I had already played the remake of the first one and Resident Evil 2, and I wanted more. With my birthday money, I ended up buying Resident Evil 3, Resident Evil CODE: Veronica X, and Resident Evil 4. Once I made it to Resident Evil 4, I had the old style of gameplay down. Little did I know, it was a whole new thing in Resident Evil 4.
Story
El Gigante
Leon travels to an undisclosed village in Spain where he encounters a horde of unruly villagers who pledge their lives to Los Iluminados, the cult that perpetuated Ashley’s kidnapping. He meets Luis Sera, a former Los Iluminados researcher, who aids Leon on his mission. By examining Sera’s notes, Leon discovers that Los Iluminados gained control of their subjects by implanting a mind controlling parasite known as "Las Plagas" into their bodies. Unfortunately, Leon and Luis are captured, during which time Leon is injected with the parasite. After escaping and meeting a mysterious man known as the Merchant, who supplies Leon with ordnance and weaponry, Leon returns to his objective. He travels across a lake where he faces a large and dangerous creature, "Del Lago". Leon defeats the creature, but is severely fatigued, and collapses in a cabin. After regaining consciousness, he obtains a key to open the church where Ashley is being held. On the way back Leon fights with the gigantic "El Gigante". While escaping with Ashley, he meets the mastermind of Los Iluminados: Osmund Saddler. He tells them about the Plagas growing in their bodies. The two escape from Saddler, and make their way to the extraction point. Meeting up with Luis once more in a cabin, they are ambushed by a seemingly never-ending crowd of Ganado. When the attack ends, Leon and Luis separate. However, Leon finds out that the helicopter has been shot down. After traveling through a canyon, where the two face another El Gigante. Traveling down a gondola, and facing village chief Bitores Mendez, Leon takes his false eye, and uses it on a retinal scan to open a door, which leads to the castle. Leon and Ashley believe they can take refuge in it until another chopper arrives. They were wrong. After meeting yet another of Saddler's acolytes, the castle's castellan, Ramon Salazar, who jacks Leon's communication with Washington, Leon and Ashley travel to the center of the castle. But Ashley starts coughing blood, which distresses her, and she runs off, and is captured. While searching for Ashley, Leon meets Ada Wong, who survived the destruction of the Umbrella underground lab and her injuries from the tyrant at the lab's self-destruct mechanism is there for the sample of the "Dominant Species Plaga" for her enigmatic employers, the 3rd Organization, but she doesn't tell Leon about it. Then Leon fights his way through the underground sewer system, despite assaults by Saddler's mutated "Novistadors". When Leon finds Ashley and is about to rescue her, Luis runs in with drugs to suppress the growth of the parasite, and a sample of Dominant Species Plaga for the U.S. government, when he is killed by Saddler. Saddler retrieves the sample and leaves. Leon rescues Ashley, but vows to avenge Luis' death. While Leon can't get to Ashley, she must find a way to him. She is, however, caught again and sent to the military research island, forcing Leon to travel to there too with Ada after defeating Ramon Salazar. After numerous altercations with Saddler's fiends (including his former ally Jack Krauser and U3), Leon is able to successfully rescue Ashley, and run from Saddler with Ada's assistance. After an intense fight with Saddler, Leon kills him with a special Rocket Launcher. He finds the Sample but Ada forces him to give it to her. She then escapes from the complex on a helicopter, leaving Leon and Ashley to escape via jet-ski. Although Leon and Ashley manage to escape from the island, the sample's whereabouts and fate remain uncertain.
Pros And Cons
Story
Del Lago
The story is absolutely great. The virus idea was getting old anyway. Now we have a parasite known as Plagas. The series needed something new as a succeed the t-virus since Raccoon City was destroyed. I like the story of how the Los Iluminados took to power as well.
Characters
Main Characters
Leon is so awesome in this game. Ada is pretty cool too. Bitores, Salazar, and Saddler make perfect bad guys. The one character that stands out from all the rest is Ashley. She has to be the absolute most annoying video game character in video game history. Have you heard her voice? They chose to have the voice actor for Sandy Cheeks from SpongeBob for her. Can't get anymore annoying than that. She is always calling for help, and if Leon's decapitated head happens to roll beneath her, she will call him a pervert! Crazy!
Gameplay
Group of Ganados
I can't believe how good the gameplay is. This is a series that managed to completely change the gameplay but keep the controls the same. Forward and Back still move the character forward and backward. Left and Right still turn the character. R button still aims the gun and A button still shoots while aiming. Holding the B button caused the character to run, and Back and B makes him to a 180 degree turn. Z button still brings up the map. The only major changes in control are the X button, which now is used to give Ashley commands, and the L button which now takes out the knife. These don't affect gameplay at all though. X button wasn't even used in the old style (except for Resident Evil Zero where it was used to change characters), and L button was used to change targets, which is no longer needed since you have complete control over aiming. The enemies are much more challenging too. I still can't get through a play through without dying at least once. The Ganados enemies are smarter than zombies. They can talk, plan, use primitive weapons like axes and bows, and even operate primitive machinery. This game is one long killing spree and you enjoy every single moment of it.
Graphics
Leon and Luis tied up
The graphics are some of the best I've seen on the Gamecube. They rank right around there with the remake of Resident Evil, which has the best graphics ever on the Gamecube. It can seem a bit blurry however, and the zoom function of scopes doesn't zoom visually, but digitally. This means if you aim it at a rock and zoom in, the picture will become more pixelated instead of detailed.
Releases
PS2 Box Art
Resident Evil 4 was originally released for the Gamecube in 2005. Later that year, it was ported to the Playstation 2 with extra content, such as a new scenario called "Seperate Ways" where you play as Ada and see her side of the story. A PC port was released in 2007 with all of the added content from the PS2 version. A Wii Edition of the game was released for the Wii that year too. It also included the extra content. A unique version was made for mobile phones, IOS, and Zeebo that year as well. In 2011, the game was remastered in HD and released for the Playstation 3 and Xbox 360. I would also like to note that special controllers made for the Gamecube and Playstation 2 were made for this game. The controllers looked like chainsaws.
My Version's Extras
I own the Gamecube version, the first one to be released. There isn't a lot that's different about it since it doesn't have the extra content included in the Playstation 2 version and onwards. I live in a house that has both the Gamecube and Playstation 2 versions, so I've noticed some things. The graphics on the Gamecube version are better. The Playstation 2 version graphics are still great, but they seem more choppy and you can see more of a polygon shape to things. Also, the Gamecube version gives out more ammunition. However, the Playstation 2 version gives out more money. Also, some of the upgrades to weapons differ between the versions. In the Gamecube version, the Semi-Automatic Rifle can be upgraded to an amazing rate of fire comparable to some handguns. In the Playstation 2 version, the Red9 handgun's final upgrade makes its attack power 6, compared to the Gamecube's Red9 that only upgrades to a power of 5. I've noticed that there is one simple thing between these two versions; Quantity versus Quality. The Gamecube version is better Quality and the Playstation 2 is better Quantity. Both versions are great nonetheless.
My Rating
I give this game a 10/10. This has to be one of the best games ever made. It ranks around there with Star Fox Assault, Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, Megaman X, Final Fantasy VII, Pokemon Gold/Silver, and Kingdom Hearts II.