Resident Evil 4 (Nintendo Switch) Review

You should have no doubts about it - there haven't been any sly additions made to the Nintendo Switch version. It could be argued that in fact it is a somewhat downgraded version of the original in a number of ways, while compensating with a few minor upgrades featured in previous HD versions. Cubed3 raved about Resident Evil 4 when it first released. A huge change in gameplay style, gone were the tank controls and fixed camera angles, and in was a third-person, over-the-shoulder action-adventure game that turned a stealthy horror genre into an action horror adventure.

Quick Time Event (QTE) cut-scenes were littered across the sprawling adventure and boss battles, and huge set piece story arcs were well integrated into the Resident Evil universe. All of this was particularly en vogue back in the mid-late 00's, particularly with a growing abundance of third-person shooters, and at the time Resident Evil 4 set the blueprint on how to make a great action title. For the record it still does, but perhaps this Midas touch has somewhat waned over the past few generations.

Despite moving to a third-person perspective, there were still a number of limitations that would frustrate the modern-day gamer. For example, not being able to move and shoot would most likely annoy any newbie starting their first adventure into Resident Evil 4, although, this mechanism definitely helps build fear, tension and panic when being attacked by a large zombie horde. Another irritation can be found in the lack of use of the right analogue stick, which does control the camera, but not in a way that is expected. It is probably best to avoid the second analogue stick altogether, which can be easily done if playing with a GameCube controller and muscle memory kicks in. Luckily, the Nintendo Switch version is compatible with the GameCube controller adapter that is sold with Super Smash Bros Ultimate, so feel free to plug it in and experience it with the original controller.

Disappointingly, Capcom missed a step by not also including any motion or pointer controls that were present in previous iterations, such as in Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition, or the gyro and IR controls found in the Resident Evil Revelations Switch ports. These annoyances aside, the same base game is still present, protagonist Leon S. Kennedy is still traipsing through an unnamed European country looking for Ashley, the President's kidnapped daughter, and yes, there are still hundreds of infected villagers trying to lynch him. The plot, as cartoonish as it can appear, is at least memorable, and does take some interesting turns here and there, by throwing up a surprise or two.