Difficulty:

Just Right

Time Spent:

20 to 40 Hours

The Bottom Line:

"Revolutionary"

Resident Evil 4 was a revolutionary game in this genre when it first came out; not in terms of story or graphics, but in terms of gameplay. It introduced the over the shoulder camera angle that we see in third person shooters nowadays, and it also had a very unique control scheme (way different than previous games in the series).

Was RE4 perfect? No. It had a couple of issue. The first issue that I have with the game is the actual storyline. While it's really suspenseful and exciting most of the times, I can't help but to think that it's really unoriginal.

You play as Leon S. Kennedy in this game, and your task is to save the president's daughter from the secret organization led by a man called Osmond Saddler. The game begins where Leon enters a village in the Eastern Europe for the first time, and is attacked by one of the villagers. After that, he realizes that all the people want to kill him, and that Ashely is in great danger.

As you can see, there is nothing new or thought-provoking about the storyline, but it is well written for the most parts. Some of the dialogues are a little bit cheesy, and there is a part where the game slows down, but besides these minor issues, the storyline is great, and the characters are very well-designed as well.

The gameplay is where this game really shines. RE 4 is a third person shooter with an over the shoulder camera angle. When I first started playing this game, I wasn't used to the camera angle and the control scheme, so it was a bit awkward for me. However; after a couple of hours into the game, the gameplay actually became really smooth and I got used to the controls. It works pretty well for the most parts. The only problem is that you can't move while you are aiming, which makes absolutely no sense whatsoever! But that's really not a big deal and it doesn't ruin the experience for you.

There is also a merchant in the game. He basically sells you weapons and items. He can also upgrade your guns for you. Each gun can be upgraded in four categories: reload speed, firing speed, capacity, and fire power. The good thing is that upgrades crucially effect your guns and the outcome of the game.
You can also find hidden treasures that are scattered throughout the game, and sell these treasures to the merchant in order to get money.

The level design is excellent for the most parts. The first half the game is pure action, but after you pass chapter 4-1, the game starts getting more and more atmospheric and creepy. The laboratories in the Island are definitely the scariest levels in the game, featuring some of the most terrifying enemies ever created in a videogame. Enemies themselves are very well-designed and I was very impressed by the AI. There could have been a little bit more of variety in the enemy types, but the game is already top notch as what it is.

Last but not least, the boss battles. They are epic! When you encounter each of these bosses for the first time, you actually have to think and figure out a way in order to kill them. In other words, they provide an excellent challenge for the player while not being over powered or too frustrating.

The graphics are brilliant. The game has a very dark and grimy look, which suits the atmosphere of the Resident Evil games perfectly and it makes the game a lot creepier. At the time, the game looked absolutely stunning with very high quality textures, very realistic animations, great lighting effects, and etc. Even today, the game looks really nice. Keep in mind that the PS2 version was inferior to the Game Cube version in terms of visuals.

As far as the sound design goes, it's very well done. The only bummer is that there aren't enough soundtracks in the game. You'll only hear music during the battles or when you are fighting bosses. Don't get me wrong, these soundtracks are awesome, but it would have been nice if we could hear more of this fantastic music during the game.

Overall, Resident Evil 4 is a revolutionary third person shooter, and it contributed a lot to the genre. If you look at games like Dead Space, you can see the similarities between these games. It's not just Dead Space; even Metal Gear Solid 4 used the over the shoulder camera angle that Resident Evil 4 presented and/or perfected. So, we can come to the conclusion that RE4 is the grand father of today's third person shooter games. It's an excellent game from beginning to end, and I highly recommend it to everyone. It could have been scarier, but that's really not a big issue and it will not hold you back from enjoying this epic masterpiece.
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Storyline: B+
Gameplay: A-
Sound design and music: A-
Visuals: A+
Replay Value: A-
Length: A+ (the game is around 10 to 12 hours depending on your skill level and the difficulty of the game).
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OVERALL SCORE:
9.5/10
A+
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