Resident Evil 4 Review (PS4)

Resident Evil 4 has been often hailed as the game of the generation. It was originally released in 2005 exclusively for the GameCube and then later ported to the PlayStation 2. The game has received critical acclaim worldwide and it is also winner of numerous game of the year awards.

Resident Evil 4 was the last game headed by the series creator, Shinji Mikami. It essentially carries his legacy and it significantly changed the direction of series for years to come. As a classic that was released more than a decade ago, the game has managed to hold well despite all this time, thanks to an excellent design and engaging gameplay.

I won’t lie when I say that Resident Evil 4 is one of my all time favorite in the series. I still remember my experience of booting the game for the first time and going through the village while encountering the chainsaw man. It was genuinely terrifying back then, and it still manages to retain its tension today.

What makes Resident Evil 4 great is its excellent pacing and gameplay design. The game has an insane amount of reply value because of the amount of choices it offers the player. You can go through the whole game with using just a handgun, if you want to do it as a challenge. Infact I have attempted to complete this challenge back on PS2, and I had a blast with it.

Resident Evil 4 was the first game in the series to offer upgrades for the weapons. These upgrades are essential in shaping the experience of the game. There are a wide variety of weapons available throughout the 15 hours long campaign. There are even some secret weapons that can be fun to use, but make the game easier. They have to be unlocked, of course, like the Chicago typewriter with its unlimited ammo.

For the re-release on PS4 and Xbox One, Capcom has used the excellent PC version as base. It has all the secrets and extras that were featured in the PS2 version of the game while retaining the graphical quality of the GameCube version. This is the definitive version of Resident Evil 4 on consoles, and a must buy for fans of the series.

The original release of Resident Evil 4 was designed for the GameCube and had a control scheme specifically tailored for the GameCube controller. The latest re-release of Resident Evil 4 adds a different control layout for the PS4 and Xbox One, allowing the player to either use the right analog stick for aiming, or stick with the left analog stick, which was the default controller layout on PS2.

Despite being released almost 10 years ago, Resident Evil 4 still retains its charm. The game has an exceptional pacing aside from the last few chapters, which are heavily focused on action. The opening for the game is perfectly executed, where we take control of Leon through a Spanish village while looking for the President’s daughter. There is a sense of mystery and tension in the opening that hasn’t been replicated in any other game yet.

Resident Evil 4 might not have a well written story, but it is perfectly executed. The writing is cheesy just like a traditional Resident Evil game. It often defies logic to create a situation that might sound stupid, but it is fun to play so who cares. The boss battles are some of the best in the series beginning with the giant El Gigante which seems to be inspired from the trolls in Lord of the Rings, to crazy mutated human bosses that are straight out of The Thing.

The game also has some quick-time events that are usually featured prominently in cutscenes and often break the flow of the game. Some of these are well executed but years later, we can notice that they are clearly flawed. The game could have been much better without them but it is understandable why the developers decided to use them back in 2005, since they were still a new gameplay mechanic at that time.

If you have played Resident Evil 4 on the PS2 or tried the recent re-release on the PS3 and Xbox 360, you might still enjoy you time with this latest release. The game’s textures have received a face lift, especially for the main characters. It runs at full HD 1080p resolution coupled with 60 fps. This is the first time Resident Evil 4 has been released on consoles with 60 fps, and it dramatically alters how the game plays on consoles.

Resident Evil 4 is a timeless classic that still stands the test of time after all these years. The game has continued to inspire other developers including Naughty Dog for The Last of Us. Despite dated visuals and a cheesy story, the game still manages to shine with its pacing, gameplay and replay value.

Resident Evil 4 was developed and published by Capcom. It is available for the PS4, Xbox One and PC. This review covers the PS4 version of the game.