Ahh, Resident Evil 4.
You wet bag of fun … We meet again.
Developer Capcom recently re-re-released (yes, for the third time) 2005 classic horror game Resident Evil 4 for the Playstation 4/Xbox One. The “new” remake shows more graphic detail, fleshed-out audio and runs at a smoother frame rate than the original Gamecube/PS2 release.
The price? An easy $20 for those who want to shoot up creepy Eastern European cults with tank controls.
But even after hashing out $20 (again), I just can’t get myself to continue to play.
Listen, it’s not that Resident Evil 4 isn’t a genre-defining video game. It holds merit when conversing about the greatest video games of all time.
Resident Evil 4 helped revitalize the horror genre in video games during a time period mostly dominated by first-person shooters. Without Resident Evil 4, there is no The Evil Within, Dead Space or even Outlast.
The atmosphere and tone set in the first two hours will still give you the heebie-jeebies.
Plus, the infamous over-the-shoulder shooting mechanic used by protagonist Leon Kennedy can still be found in today’s AAA titles like The Last of Us, Mass Effect and Metal Gear Solid.
Provided via Giphy
But in retrospect, Resident Evil 4 came at an awkward crossroad in gaming. It uses the classic “save point” system religiously and the menu hopping between tense moments is an extreme mood-killer. Especially when held up against its successor, Resident Evil 5, or Dead Space.
Its scavenging system — which forces players to (literally) knife boxes and pots to find ammo and quickly rehashed treasures — is a hat-tip to older titles like Zelda. It’s a nitpick, some gamers even express a liking for it, but it just becomes tiresome quickly.
Finally, it just takes way too long to get through boss fights and sections. I spent literally 25 minutes trying to guard the president’s daughter, Ashley, who (of course) can’t do anything to help the ever-so-macho Kennedy, as I worked my way through a puzzle room that forced me to use Ashley as a freaking wheel turner while I warded off a horde of 15-20 idiots.
Other areas in the game just scream, “Hey, we didn’t know what to put here, so here’s 15 zombies to kill for giggles.”
Really, it’s not that Resident Evil 4 isn’t a cult classic. It is.
It's just that, after 11 years, it’s begun to show it’s age. And for me, I don’t know how any developer could justify making players shell out $20 more dollars on a game that really should just be played on its original console.
Its been my whole argument from the beginning of the “HD remake” era of gaming: If I want to play a game, I’ll take the time to play the original version.
My reasoning? Why the heck would I pay $300 for a new console — powered by today’s high-powered processors and graphics cards — only to play a game that came out for a previous console?
No bueno, mates. Play Resident Evil 4 on the Gamecube/PS2.
