Resident Evil 4 (GameCube) Review

There is a long history surrounding the events of this game, with trouble caused by companies such as the Umbrella Corporation and virus outbreaks that caused zombies to go rampant around Raccoon City, killing anyone that crossed their path. However, things are slightly different this time round, with the President of the USA's daughter being kidnapped. Therefore, it is up to Leon S. Kennedy to head off to a strange Spanish village to rescue her and bring her captor to justice. But, as with most things in games like this, the proceedings prove to be less simple than they first seem...

Many bemoan that the GameCube has a tendency of looking generally weaker than the admittedly far under-powered PlayStation 2, mainly thanks to the fact that games are created with Sony's system in mind and then sloppily ported over to Nintendo's system as an almost after-thought. That is by no means the case with Capcom's latest scare-fest, though, as it has been in development for the GameCube now for many years. Built from the bottom up, Resident Evil 4 takes advantage of all the horsepower the GC can offer up to present the world with the most gorgeous home console title so far in existence. This is nothing like the Resident Evil remake that graced the platform, knocking it for six with its fully-3D environments and amazing cut-scenes that will leave your jaw trailing across the floor. The sense of fear that can be instilled simply by looking at the of the intricate detail is astounding, with red-eyed villagers all the way up to gigantic beasts that come lolloping toward you with the intent of biting you, carrying you off or using a chain-saw to remove your lovely little head. If you ever find another GC game as drool-worthy as this, it will likely be Zelda later in the year.

But none of that would make any difference if there was no audio atmosphere to back it up. But thank goodness RE4 has atmosphere in spades. This is one damn scary game, and anyone who has played Eternal Darkness will attest to how spooky sound effects and background music can be. Capcom has certainly come up trumps here, with gruesome tunes playing as you wander round the creepy villages and cavern-esque locales. Then there is the voice-work, which is pretty amazing – much better than the very impressive Tales of Symphonia. The one and only character that is really out of place has to be the peddler, selling his wares to you in the most annoying ‘mockney’ accent you have heard in a long time. But other than that the vocals are stellar, from the Spanish police, Leon himself to the evil creatures that are causing so much grief. Sound effects are done perfectly to a tee as well, with gunfire, explosions, creaking noises in buildings and general mutterings in the distance from disgruntled villagers. This all adds to a macabre ambience that will leave you trembling when something jumps out at you. In addition, the sound is clever, with breezy wind blowing around you in certain areas, until you move round a corner, sheltering the gales – then the noise fades somewhat and completely disappears when you head indoors. Yet another plus point to be directed toward the genius of Resident Evil 4’s presentation!

In a word, the game is all about 'reactions'. Be it the hordes of rampant villagers, giant bosses, one of the puzzle or just an awkward moment, you will ultimately be relying on the sharpness of your concentration throughout. There will be certain events where you must be so focused, as a boss goes to slam against you and the L+R buttons appear on-screen, indicating you should press them quickly to dodge out of the way, or doing the same when villagers roll a boulder toward your unwitting self. Other situations include watching over Ashley, the President's daughter, shooting the driver of a vehicle careering down a hill straight at you, riding in a power-boat as a beast tries to knock you into the water whilst you attempt to harpoon it, and jumping safely across treacherous gaps. If you are of a nervous disposition, then it is advised to avoid this game; others, jump on board! In addition to these main aspects, there is the wealth of items, weapons and upgrades that can be bought, the ease with which you can navigate menu screens and how when bodies collapse, they do not always disappear, instead leaving vital ammunition, money or health supplies. Playing this gives a feeling of just completing Eternal Darkness and moving to its pseudo-sequel. It has managed to make a convert out of this stubborn mule, perhaps it will change your mind as well...

The first point to consider when opening the DVD-like GameCube case and searching for your lovely little proprietary discs, and that is the fact that there is not just one disc lingering in the case, but two blighters. This should instantly indicate that you are in for quite a long ride, although it could be the case that the game is weighed down by lengthy movie scenes.