146 out of 150(97%)reviewers recommend this product.
Product Reviews
Overall rating
5/ 5
Gameplay
5/ 5
Graphics
5/ 5
Sound
5/ 5
Lasting Appeal
5/ 5
DOHgamer
One of the best survival horror games out there
PostedApril 5, 2012
Resident Evil 4 was one of the games that helped revolutionzed third person shooters in the videogame genre of survival horror. A good example would be Dead Space. Resident Evil 4 is a pretty old game, but you have never played it, It is still not too late to give it a shot.
I know that many people have completely moved on from the PS2. This game is available via download on the 360 and most likely also on the PS3. However you play it, this is a must play. I found it far superior to RE5 and even better then RE1 & 2 (never played 3). I loved the first 2 RE games and kinda forgot about them for a while. I didn't even pick up RE4 until well after it came out. I grabbed it on a whim, not knowing it would leap up my "all time games" list and land in the top15, maybe top 10. The graphics hold up OK, it IS a PS2 game so don't expect miracles; but I prefer the dark and slightly grainy atmosphere to the brighter, happier RE5. The music is wonderfully creepy (the song that stays with me is a song in a research lab on a place called "The Island".... this is much later in the game. You'll know it when you hear it. RE4 does give you more resources than in previous games but it also gives you MANY more enemies, so the "ammo scarcity" thing along with the "Holy *bleep* I need to conserve my bullets" deal that the older RE games had is still retained. (RE5 lost this feeling of powerlessness that I so enjoyed in these older RE games.) Gameplay is typical Resident Evil; creepy camera angles akin to a horror movie and controls that are somewhat clunky... but I always kinda liked that. You can't just dodge out of the way or do a back-flip out of danger... when you are surrounded and out of shotgun shells you'll have to get a little creative or you'll be a zombie's lunch (or dinner, perhaps). The really neat part about RE4 (aside from its INCREDIBLE length) is the gun upgrade/shop system. You may think this would kill the powerless feeling invoked by previous RE games but fear not: They give you LOTS of tough enemies to kill and with the traveling storekeeper you have a choice of what implements of destruction you wish to use. The weaker handgun that is better at headshots.... or the handgun that fires through 2 people? The Old-School shotgun or the fancy expensive one? Slow, powerful hunting rifle or rapid-fire semi-automatic carbine? All the weapons have pros and cons and all are upgradable in damage, ammo capacity, reload time, and firing speed. Each also has a "final upgrade" that really does some neat stuff. Weapons are continually introduced throughout the whole game and some only open up if you choose to do a "New Game +", which is basically restarting the game with your old character's equipment, money, health, etc. Beating this lengthy game also adds several new game modes, one as a character who is going through the same events but who doesn't run into Leon very often; and "The Mercenaries," a minigame where you can play as bunch of RE Favorites in a timed, scored "Horde" mode of sorts. This game is SOOOO good. I've played a LOT of games in my life (perhaps too many at this point) and RE4 still ends up in my PS2 every so often, even after beating it probably 10 times by now. It is a very fun "Survival Horror" game with some RPG elements in terms of money, weapon upgrades, and even health upgrades. There is no "experience" meter but you do gradually become stronger by finding new items and money to buy cool new toys. There is even some crazy laser-ray-gun-thingee you can unlock by beating the game on a certain difficulty or in a certain time or something like that (sorry... been a while.) Even if you don't like Resident Evil games or horror games in general Resident Evil 4 is a modern classic and anyone would be doing themselves a favor by playing it. It was much better then RE5.... so don't let your potential disapointment of that particular game turn you off from this one. It's less than $10 for the PS2.... it was a steal when I picked it up for $30.
Resident Evil always had the survival horror aspects we love today, like low ammo, camera angles and twisting plots, and emotion but this game nearly launches beyond expectations, returning RE2 character returns as a government agent to locate and rescue the presidents missing daughter, as well as other returning characters and many, many, extras. This is highly recommended from the biggest RE fan ever.
