Fans of the infamous Resident Evil series have long been trapped between thirsting for more of the same and wanting a fresh new outlook. Fortunately, Resident Evil 4 is poised to deliver both.
Last updated: 03/17/2004 by Chris Martino
What originally began as a straightforward continuation of the storyline and gameplay that has made the franchise a success, has, under the re-assumed direction of Shinji Mikami, become something both strikingly different and eerily familiar. Capcom has kept a tight leash on the information surrounding this latest release and full details will likely not be known until this upcoming E3. Still, from the breathtaking visuals to the implementation of several new gameplay features, Resident Evil 4 is moving swiftly into the future.
The story follows Leon S. Kennedy and occurs six years after his initiation into the frightening world of Resident Evil. Operating as a U.S. Agent, Leon is hired by the president to guard his daughter. Unfortunately for Leon, she is kidnapped before he arrives and is smuggled to a European village. Hot in pursuit, Leon is confronted by the villagers who hunt him down relentlessly, caught in an unnatural trance. The evil Umbrella Corporation has been destroyed and will not be a focal point in the script, although it may have some relevance to the strange events. Throughout the adventure, Leon will also encounter other characters from the series, but there has been no clue as to who they will be.
Capcom has kept some of the staples of the franchise while simultaneously making some drastic changes. The game will only play in 16:9 widescreen. While this may be slightly bothersome to a few gamers, the decision was made in order to increase playability. Leon will take up the left side of the screen with the camera hovering over his shoulder. This will give players full aiming control and put them closer to the action than ever before. There will also be an option for a slightly different third-person camera along with a first-person view. The controls remain largely the same as previous Resident Evil games, but should operate much more smoothly considering the perspective change. Items and inventory will be handled as they have always been. For instance, you will still be required to access the inventory to switch weapons and you will still rely on those trusty herbs and first-aid sprays to heal your wounds. Thankfully, the health and ammo information will be displayed on-screen this time around.
If this still sounds suspiciously like the same old Resident Evil, then you should know that there won’t be any zombies. No zombies? Well, at least not from what we’ve seen so far. The adversarial villagers are still human, or at least mostly human, and are under a strange influence. Without warning or reason, they attack Leon unremittingly. They’re fast and smart. Armed with sickles, axes, pitchforks and whatever else they can get their hands on, they’ll attack in groups, avoid gunfire, and even deliberately lead you into ambushes. Should you be out of range, they will throw their weapons at you, attempting to kill you at all costs. They’ll open doors, break windows, and absolutely will not stop until you are dead.
Fortunately, Leon isn’t without a few new moves himself. Thanks to the manual aiming, you can target individual body parts, and enemies will react accordingly. If you’re low on ammo you might consider shooting a villager in the foot to hobble him. You can also shoot projectiles out of the air in order to avoid getting tomahawked. The game features a multi-purpose action button which can be instrumental in escaping the crazed hordes. After a quick shot, Leon can close the gap between his enemy and plant a firm kick to the chest. The action button will also be used for other tricks such as barricading doors and even toppling a ladder full of bad guys. Leon also sports a new pair of binoculars to zoom in on the action from afar, gaining valuable insight on upcoming areas and occasionally triggering a cut-scene.
Resident Evil 4 will include a few, traditional indoor areas, but the majority of the game takes place outdoors. The canopy shrouds the environment in darkness, occasionally with only the wan light of the moon to guide you. The classic door-opening scenes are gone, and the game should feature only a few brief loads. Gone are the pre-rendered, static backgrounds, and everything from the intro to the supposedly shocking ending is done using the in-game engine. The lush graphics aren’t the only real-time aspect. Apparently, the difficulty will adjust according to your performance, altering the amount of ammo and health as necessary.
Mikami has stated that horror will still be a central aspect of the game, but the overall experience will be quite different. The game tempo is much faster, and instead of facing a smattering of mindless zombies, players will be constantly confronted with throngs of intelligent foes. The feeling of claustrophobia should be intense as they hunt you in an unfamiliar environment with no escape. The word is out that even the developers get scared when playing the game. Taking the series to a new level, Resident Evil 4 will last at least ten hours and is due for release in late 2004.
Chris Martino, Staff Writer
Topic: Resident Evil 4 Preview (Read 2592 times)
