User Review : Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 HD breathes new life into a terrifying experience!

I opened up a sliding door into a poorly lit lab room which I saw had a key to the area I need to head to next. I grabbed the key and hear glass shattering in the room I had just left behind me and hear a shivering and uneasy breathing coming from the very same room. I ready my pistol and my own breathing grows steady and slow; whatever came through that door I'd be ready for it. The door slid open quickly and a hulk of flesh came shambling toward me twitching and curdling breaths as it walked. I opened fire and watched the monster go down and try to walk by it, assuming my enemy defeated. As I was about to leave the monster's corpse behind I hear its breathing again. I do a quick turn to see the monster grow its limbs and head back as I feel my heart race and the adrenaline kick in. I opened fire with my pistol until my clip runs empty. I reloaded but my feeble attempt at finishing the monster off was in vain. Its arms lashed violently out toward me and pulled me in, I tried to fight it off but it was much too strong, the beast had overcome me, my health meter had been depleted and the game over screen had come to pull me from the terror. Even after I had read "Game Over" my breathing was still unsteady, my heart racing, hands fluttering, this is what I felt during one of the many horrific encounters the first time I had played Resident Evil 4.

In 2005 the Resident Evil franchise was about to release what would be for years considered one of the greatest games in history. Resident Evil 4 still holds that place very well and has withstood the test of time. It has seen an edition on every platform to date, and the most recent of which being the Xbox 360 and the Playstation 3 as a downloadable game called Resident Evil 4 HD. Considered still today as the best game of the Resident Evil series, Resident Evil 4 (RE4) has gotten many awards including Game of the Year in 2005 and was ranked number one in IGN's Top 99 games of all time in 2008. RE4 had redefined the survival horror genre in a great and bold way utilizing its innovative over the shoulder camera angle, and quick-time events to keep players on the edge of their seats at all times. RE4 had opened a path for many games to come and those developers only hoped to gain a fraction of the success that Capcom had achieved.

For those that haven't played RE4 you play as Leon S. Kennedy, one of the few survivors of the Raccoon City incident. It is his mission to rescue the President's daughter who has been mysteriously kidnapped and had been spotted in a small rural village somewhere in Spain. When Leon gets there he finds that the locals are not only hostile, but seem to be killing anyone that happens to stumble upon their village. Tenants of the village seem to be a part of a cultist group known only as "Los Illuminados" and Leon needs to discover their intentions with the President's daughter. As you might guess, the mystery only gets deeper from there.

RE4 had achieved what was thought to be the best graphics that any system could ever dish out at the time. It delivered highly cinematic visuals that really helped push the envelope as far as creating an atmosphere to instill terror among players. It pushed out textures and quality that can still stand strong with the games of today, and nothing can make this point stand out more so than that of the HD remake. At first glance the game looks nearly identical to the original; however, with a side by side comparison you can see the subtle differences that make the game stick out as a true touch up. Animations look much crisper in this vision of RE4, giving the characters and in-game models a clear and clean look about them.

Environments that were once dark and riddled with gamma issues are now vivid and can be easily navigated. I found myself stopping and noticing things differently than I did when I first played RE4 on Gamecube. Despite Capcom's previous efforts in doing HD remakes (Street Fighter 3 Third Strike) this isn't a mere pre-production filter added to the original game, this is a legitimate clean up of an already fantastic looking game. Even by today's standards, the original RE4 still holds a high note when it comes to graphical quality.

Fans of RE4 will be on familiar grounds here as the controls are easily ported to the new consoles. For new players of the franchise the game is still open with welcoming arms as it can easily be picked up and quickly learned. While the aim function seems a little shakier than the previous editions of the game, it does add to the panic and suspense factor when players find themselves trapped in a corner by a horde of cultists. Seasoned shooter players, however, will find themselves expertly placing shots against the various enemies with the pinpoint hit system in no time. A fantastic system developed in RE4 makes a return, giving different enemy responses depending upon how they are hit. For instance, if an enemy is carrying an axe and the player shoots the arm the holding it, the axe will drop from the opponents hand. Players can even kick stunned enemies for an up close and personal takedown, saving the ever so scarce and precious ammo that you have left. Situational awareness is also a big plus in RE4 as there are many opportunities to use the environment around you to quickly take care of an onslaught of enemies.

For competitive players, the HD version also supports the fan favorite Mercenaries mode; a mode in which the player must kill as many enemies as possible without dying, scoring points by killing said enemies within a set time limit. This time limit can be extended by the hourglass pickups strategically placed throughout the levels. The player can choose from various stages to play through, each of which has a character that can be unlocked to use in Mercenaries. With the HD edition the scores are uploaded to an online leader board, so bragging rights are available to the top score per level. Just when you thought that all that content was enough, the RE4HD includes all the latest extra content that was included in the PS2 version. Giving you the opportunity to unlock all the extra costumes and additional game mode bundled within this survival horror masterpiece.

Resident Evil 4 HD continues to stand as one of the strongest survival horror games in gaming history, even six years after its initial release. For those that haven't played Resident Evil 4, old or new, I highly recommend taking up this great opportunity to pick up a gaming staple! This game has well withstood the test of time and can still stand strong with the best of them. As far as HD touch ups go, this was a fantastic re-mastering and makes you fall in love with the terror all over again.