Is Mansized really that excited over a reworking of a Gamecube title originally released two years ago? You bet your zombie slaughtering butt we are.
Initially launched on Nintendo’s ill fated console, Resident Evil 4 was truly special. From the gorgeous village you explored to the incredibly addictive shoot ‘em up gaming, the game oozed class.
This version combines the stunning looks of the original, the extra content of the PS2 version and, obviously, the Wii’s funky control method.
Add all that to a slightly lower than normal retail price (£30 is the RRP) and it’s pretty obvious why we were so bloody eager to get our hands on a copy.
They say:
Gamespot: “The exquisite controls make this the defining Wii action title and a must play for anyone who enjoys the act of shooting things.”
1UP: “It's amazing how a game that once looked so good can look so dated after a couple years of seeing games in high def.”
Eurogamer: “A game that now looks dated and plays exactly the same but with worse controls.”
We say:
For the Resident Evil veteran, this fourth in the series goes a little against the grain. This time around it’s an over the shoulder viewpoint like GRAW 2, rather than the fixed point cameras that populated the previous games.
Also if you remember the previous Resident Evil titles for their hardcore puzzling, then you might feel a tad disappointed here. This one’s all about hardcore shooting action.
Starring Leon S Kennedy, one of the cops from the second Resident Evil, you’re tasked with the rescue of the President’s daughter. That’s as deep as the back story goes unfortunately. Tolstoy this aint.
Straight away you’re dumped in a creepy Spanish village and the locals don’t seem too intent on giving you a helping hand. There’s something fishy going on here – and we’re not just talking about that mid game boss that’ll cause you to brown your pants.
Taking Leon on this journey is an absolute joy. Wandering around is the same as always by fiddling with the analogue stick on the Nunchuk. But come up against a local who doesn’t take too kind to your lantern jawed good looks and it’s time to whip the Remote out. The ‘B’ button on the back brings up a target and you’ve free reign to point and blast away at anyone and everything on screen.
The shooting’s context sensitive too. Shoot an enemy in the leg and they’ll crumble to the ground. Blast away at their handheld weapon and it’ll fly out of their grasp. Shoot at their ugly faces from a few feet away and, well, the inevitable happens. In all it’s grizzly glory.
If any of you were worried about this new control method ruining an already superb game, then think again. Having the chance to aim your gun all by yourself is something very exciting indeed, especially during those siege battles where you’ll be blasting away as if gunplay was going out of fashion.
Looks wise the Wii version is very much like the original game. It can’t compare with the PS3 title in terms of detail, but the atmosphere Capcom has created is second to none. Combine that with the cracking new control method and you’re drawn right in to this scary Spanish world.
The main story will take you around twelve hours to complete and then there’s the extras. Our favourite is the blast ‘em up Mercenaries mode that’ll keep you hooked for weeks.
We’d say Resident Evil 4 is one of the best Wii games currently available, but that’s selling it short. RE4 is among the best games of the last decade.
If you’re a Wii owner and this one isn’t in your gaming pile, then you deserve a zombie infestation of your own.
Like this? Try these:
Legend of Zelda, Twilight Princess – Wii, GC
Lost Planet – Xbox 360
Resistance, Fall of Man – PS3
FORMAT REVIEWED
Wii
OTHER FORMATS
PS2, PC and Gamecube
POSTED...
Mon 16 Jul 2007 at 5:03pm
