Resident Evil 4 HD

A new trend we have seen in the game industry is the re-release of last generation console games released in high definition.  You want to know the reason?  Because the last generation of games being really really good.  Not saying this generation is bad, but last generation had some really good games that in my opinion spawned the cult classics we have today.

Resident Evil 4 HD stars returning characters Leon S. Kennedy, and Ada Wong.  New to the series are Characters Ashley Grahme the President’s daughter, whom I’ve found extremely annoying, Luis Serra, and a cult religious group hell bent on taking over the world with their Las Plagas virus.  The days of the zombies are gone, now replacing the zombies are actually crazed villagers with the Las Plagas virus.  The story of Resident Evil takes place 6 years after the zombie outbreak in Racoon city.

Leon now no longer a police officer, and no longer with Claire Redfield, is now a United States Government agent hired to protect the presidents family.  The game takes place in Europe where you have to search for the President’s missing daughter.  The Umbrella corp, has also fallen and no longer exists.  This game took many risks moving the Resident Evil Series from the zombies, to just flat out pure insanity, and I tell you it paid off drastically!

Resident Evil 4 today still looks just as good today graphics wise, just as it did few years back.  With Resident Evil 4 going in HD, the game is automatically in widescreen, there has been fine detail added to the graphics such as the details in Leon’s clothes, the health meter, and even the item storage case.  The controls have remained the same also.  Your right shoulder buttons will aim your gun, left will arm your knife, X/Square button fires your gun and is also your primary pick up button.  The right stick controls the camera and the left stick moves your character.  So does the D-pad, but I was so used to the controls of Resident Evil 5, I actually found myself going to that D-pad, to change out my weapons and get first aid sprays.  I kept forgetting to go into my pause system/attaché case, and change out weapons and use first aid sprays.

The learning curve was a little bit to work with but you will get used to it.  Before Gears of War, Metal Gear Solid 4, and the Uncharted series came about using the over the shoulder camera system with aiming and shooting, Resident Evil 4 was actually one of the first games to use this system.  A drastic change from past Resident Evil titles, you are able to move the camera completely around you, allowing you to see where enemies are coming from, and allowing you to quick aim in the direction you want to fire.

From the opening cinematic, to its very end, Resident Evil 4 is a thrill ride.  They enemy A.I. of the Gonados is incredibly smart.  When you aim your gun, sometimes the enemies will strafe from side to side or actually duck from your gun shots!  Gonados also work in numbers as they would work together for one goal, to kill you!  You have axes thrown at you, pitchforks stabbed at you, knives cut you, and even chainsaw wielding maniacs are sent in to kill you.  If you are a new player to the Resident Evil franchise, this game can be really hard at times. You might die more than once.  With the incredible intelligence of the enemy AI, it can also be very difficult for new players.  Not to mention that the boss fights are a little difficult too.  Most boss fights are very memorable though, as they can be really fun, unfortunately also a pain in the neck time to time.  Once you rescue the President’s daughter, the game gets real tough, if she is captured by any of the Gonados, it is instant game over.

Unlike the enemy AI, her AI is really not all that smart.  Sometimes she gets in the way when you are fighting hordes of maniacs. I accidently did shoot her myself few times.  But the good news is you can order her to hide when they're too many enemies around.  You also have to catch her when dropping down from high places.  I almost feel like I am escorting around my girlfriend instead of protecting the President’s daughter.  But no need to worry!  The days of the ink ribbons are gone.  Now you can save your game at typewriters whenever you want.

With tough enemies, comes a tougher weapon. Weapons’ ranging from handguns to tmp’s, shotguns, rifles, and rocket launchers, this game is packed with weapons. Lots and lots of weapons!  Your weapons are even upgradeable.  There is a weapons merchant that is located throughout parts of the game.  Where, you can buy guns, sell guns, sell treasures you find throughout the game, ammo, health items, the works.  The guns you buy are also upgradeable. 

You can upgrade your gun from fire power, reload speed, how much ammo your gun holds, and even exclusives like infinite ammo!  But the merchant can be a little annoying sometimes.  I mean you're in the middle of Europe and this guy sounds like he's from Australia.  Plus his voice keeps repeating with stranger this and stranger that.  It can get annoying real quick.  Plus there is a shooting range mini game with the weapons merchant where you can collect bottle caps. Very similar to Resident Evil 5's Action figure collection.   You're probably figuring you need a place to store your weapons, you get a big giant case that you can upgrade also as the game goes along, the storage chests are gone and you can carry all of your weapons now.

After you have beaten Resident Evil 4, you're going to want to play it again and again. There are a lot of things to unlock.  There are unlockable costumes, weapons, movie cutscenes, and mini games. One of the mini games famous to the Resident Evil Series is Mercenaries mode. Mercs mode has unlockable characters and levels. There is also the mini game assignment ada, and separate ways, which are almost entire games on their own. Separate ways is Ada Wongs story mode and tells the story of her helping Leon fight off the Gonados.

Not only does this game have unlockables, it also has achievements and trophies for all you achievement and trophy hunters. The gamer score adds to 1000 points and it is assumable that there is a platinum trophy involved too. But the downfall is that there are only 12 achievements and trophies.  I got a full game and little achievements and trophies to collect. Why would you give the game such a high gamer score if only 12 achievements?

When this game first came out, it won many game of the year awards. Today this game still retains that status. Resident Evil 4 is stills an incredible game that has aged really well. To be bluntly honest, Resident Evil 4 is a much better game than Resident Evil 5. You really don't need multiplayer to have a really good game. Plus it's only 1600 Microsoft points, and 19.99 on the PSN.  At that price, how can you refuse to buy such an incredible game!

Chris Osborne, Noobfeed