Resident Evil 4, known in Japan as Biohazard 4 is a survival horror video game developed and published by Capcom. The sixth major installment in the Resident Evil> series, the game was originally released for the GameCube in North America and Japan in January 2005, and in Europe and Australia in March 2005. The story of Resident Evil 4 follows the U.S. government special agent Leon S. Kennedy, who is sent on a mission to rescue Ashley Graham, the U.S. President's daughter whom a sinister cult has kidnapped. Traveling to a rural area of Spain, Leon fights hordes of violent villagers and reunites with the mysterious spy Ada Wong.
First hinted at in December 1999, Resident Evil 4 underwent a long development time during which four proposed versions of the game were discarded. Initially developed for the PlayStation 2, the first attempt was directed by Hideki Kamiya after producer Shinji Mikami requested him to create a new entry in the Resident Evil series. Nevertheless, it was decided to start development over again. The game was intended to be a GameCube exclusive as part of the Capcom Five, but a PlayStation 2 version was announced before the game was released for the GameCube. Resident Evil 4 was subsequently released for Microsoft Windows, Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and in downsized versions for iOS, Zeebo, and Android (exclusive to Samsung devices outside of Japan).
Resident Evil 4 garnered critical acclaim. It received multiple Game of the Year awards for 2005 and was seen as a successful cross-platform hit that influenced the evolution of the survival horror and third-person shooter genres. The game pioneered and popularized the "over the shoulder" third-person view perspective in video games. It has since been widely considered to be one of the best video games of all time.
Gameplay
The player controls the protagonist Leon S. Kennedy from a third-person perspective. The gameplay focuses on action and shootouts involving crowds of enemies in large open areas but still features some Horror elements. The camera is placed behind Leon and zooms in for an over-the-shoulder view when aiming a weapon, or a first-person view when aiming with a sniper rifle. There is no crosshair for firearms, instead, every firearm has a laser sight. Unlike previous games where players can only shoot straight, up or down, players have more options. For example, shots to the feet can cause enemies to stumble, shots to the arms can make them drop their weapons, and headshots instantly kill most human enemies. Players can shoot down projectiles like thrown axes or scythes.
Another aspect of Resident Evil 4, new to the series, is the inclusion of context-sensitive controls. Based on the situation, players can interact with the environment: kicking down a ladder, jumping out of a window, dodging an attack or executing a "finishing move" on weakened enemies. There are also quick time events, in which the player must press buttons indicated on-screen to execute actions such as dodging a falling boulder or wrestling an enemy to stay alive. These are often incorporated into the game's many boss fights, where the player must avoid instant kill attacks.
The main enemies are violent villagers referred to as Los Ganados ("The Cattle" in Spanish). Los Ganados can dodge, wield melee and projectile weapons, and are capable of working collectively and communicating with each other. They were once simple farmers until becoming the product of an infestation of Las Plagas ("The Plague" in Spanish).
The inventory system of the game features a grid system, represented by an attaché case, that has each item take up a certain number of spaces. The case can be upgraded several times, allowing for more space. Weapons, ammunition, and healing items are kept in the case, while key items and treasures are kept in a separate menu. Items may be bought from and sold to a merchant that appears in various locations throughout the game. He sells first aid sprays, weapons, allows for weapons to be upgraded and buys various treasures that Leon finds. The various weapons each have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Capcom added new content made specifically for the PlayStation 2 version of the game, which was later incorporated into the PC and Wii releases. The largest addition is "Separate Ways", a minigame which focuses on Ada Wong's involvement in Resident Evil 4 and her connection to the series' villain Albert Wesker. "Ada's Report", a five-part documentary, analyzes Ada's relationship with Wesker and his role in the plot. Other unlockable content in all versions includes the minigames "The Mercenaries" and "Assignment Ada" (using Ada to retrieve Las Plagas samples), new costumes for Leon and Ashley, new weapons, and a cutscene browser.
Plot
Six years after the events of Resident Evil 2, former Raccoon City police officer Leon S. Kennedy (Paul Mercier) is sent on a mission to rescue Ashley Graham (Carolyn Lawrence), the U.S. President's daughter, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious cult. He travels to a nameless rural village in an unspecified part of Spain, where he encounters a group of hostile villagers who pledge their lives to Los Illuminados ("The Enlightened Ones" in Spanish), the cult that kidnapped Ashley.
While in the village, Leon is captured by its chief, Bitores Mendez, and injected with a mind-controlling parasite known as Las Plagas. He finds himself held captive with Luis Sera (Rino Romano), a former Los Illuminados researcher. The two work together to escape, but soon go their separate ways. Leon discovers that Ashley is being held in a church, and rescues her. They both escape from the church after Osmund Saddler (Michael Gough), leader of the Illuminados, reveals his plan to use the plaga they injected into Ashley to manipulate her into injecting the president of the United States with the "sample" (a Master Plaga) once she returns home, allowing Saddler to begin his conquest of the world. After killing Mendez, Leon and Ashley try to take refuge in a castle but are attacked by more Illuminados under the command of Ramon Salazar (Rene Mujica), another of Saddler's henchmen who owns the castle, and the two become separated by Salazar's traps. Meanwhile, Luis searches for pills that will slow Leon and Ashley's infection, as well as a sample of Las Plagas. He brings the two items to Leon but is killed by Saddler, who takes the sample, while the pills to suppress the infection remain in Leon's hands. While in the castle, Leon briefly encounters Ada Wong (Sally Cahill), a woman from his past who supports him during his mission. He then battles his way through the castle before finally killing Salazar.
Afterward, Leon travels to a nearby island research facility, where he continues the search for Ashley. He soon discovers that one of his former training comrades, Jack Krauser (Jim Ward), who was believed to have been killed in a helicopter crash two years prior, is responsible for her kidnapping. It is eventually revealed that both Ada and Krauser are working with Albert Wesker (Richard Waugh), for whom both intend to secure a Plagas sample. Suspicious of the mercenary's intentions, Saddler orders Krauser to kill Leon, believing that no matter which one dies, he will benefit. After Krauser's defeat, Leon rescues Ashley, and they remove the Plagas from their bodies using a specialized radiotherapeutic device. Leon finally confronts Saddler, and with Ada's help, manages to kill him. However, Ada takes the sample from Leon at gunpoint before escaping in a helicopter, leaving Leon and Ashley to escape via her jet-ski as the island self-destructs.
Development
Scrapped versions
First hinted at in early December 1999, Resident Evil 4 underwent a lengthy development period during which at least four proposed versions of the game were discarded. Initially developed for the PlayStation 2, the first attempt was directed by Hideki Kamiya after producer Shinji Mikami requested him to create a new entry in the Resident Evil series. Around the turn of the millennium, Resident Evil 2 writer Noboru Sugimura created a scenario for the title, based on Kamiya's idea to make a "cool" and "stylish" action game. The story was based on unraveling the mystery surrounding the body of protagonist Tony, an invincible man with skills and an intellect exceeding that of normal people, with his superhuman abilities explained with biotechnology. As Kamiya felt the playable character did not look brave and heroic enough in battles from a fixed angle, he decided to drop the prerendered backgrounds from previous installments and instead opted for a dynamic camera system. This new direction required the team to make a trip to Europe, where they spent 11 days in the United Kingdom and Spain, photographing things like Gothic statues, bricks, and stone pavements for use in textures. Though the developers tried to make the "coolness" theme fit into the world of Resident Evil, Mikami felt it strayed too far from the series' survival horror roots and gradually convinced all of the staff members to make the game independent from it. Kamiya eventually rewrote the story to be set in a world full of demons and changed the hero's name to Dante. The cast of characters remained largely identical to that in Sugimura's scenario, although the hero's mother and his father, the latter an early version of the Umbrella Corporation founder Lord Ozwell E. Spencer, were written out of the story. The game's new title was revealed as Devil May Cry, released for the PlayStation 2 in August 2001, resulting in its own franchise.
Development on Resident Evil 4 started over at the end of 2001. The first official announcement of the game was made in November 2002, as one of five games exclusively developed for the GameCube by Capcom Production Studio 4. This revision, commonly dubbed the "fog version", was directed by Hiroshi Shibata and was 40 percent finished at that time. The game saw Leon S. Kennedy struggling to survive after having infiltrated the castle-like Umbrella's main headquarters located in Europe and featured traditional Resident Evil monsters such as zombies. During the course of the new story which was again written by Sugimura's scenario creation company Flagship, Leon became infected with the Progenitor Virus and possessed a hidden power in his left hand. The producer of the final version also pointed out that Ashley did not appear back then, though there was a different girl who was never revealed to the public. The game was to feature some first-person perspective gameplay elements.
At E3 2003, another revision was revealed that is widely known as the "hook man version" now, though officially titled Maboroshi no Biohazard 4 (å¹»ã®ã€Œãƒã‚¤ã‚ªãƒã‚¶ãƒ¼ãƒ‰4ã€, lit. "The Phantom Biohazard 4") on the Biohazard 4 Secret DVD. During Mikami's introduction of the trailer, he assured that development was proceeding very smoothly and claimed the game to be scarier than ever before, warning gamers with the quote "Don't pee your pants!" The story was set in a haunted building where Leon contracted a bizarre disease and fought paranormal enemies, such as animated suits of armor, living dolls, and a ghostlike man armed with a large hook. The game had an otherworldly feel to it, containing elements like flashbacks and hallucinations that were marked by a bluish tint and a shaking camera. It also displayed various gameplay mechanics that carried over to the final release, like the over-the-shoulder camera and a laser sight for aiming in battles and quick time events. Other features, such as dialogue choices, were removed later. Though ultimately scrapped, five minutes of gameplay footage for this version was released on the Biohazard 4 Secret DVD, a Japanese pre-order bonus given out in January 2005.
The Hallucination version had only a basic story concept, having dropped the previous scenario penned by Noboru Sugimura of Flagship. In 2012, Resident Evil 3: Nemesis scenario writer Yasuhisa Kawamura said he was responsible for this version, as he wanted to make Biohazard 4 scarier "and suggested using a particular scene from the film Lost Souls, where the main character [...] suddenly finds herself in a derelict building with a killer on the loose. An arranged version of this idea eventually turned into Hook Man. The idea went through several iterations as Mr. Sugimura and I carefully refined this world (which, I have to say, was very romantic). Leon infiltrates the castle of Spencer seeking the truth, while inside a laboratory located deep within, a young girl wakes up. Accompanied by a B.O.W. [an abbreviation for "Bio Organic Weapon" in the series' lore] dog, the two start to make their way up the castle. Unfortunately, there were many obstacles that needed to be overcome and the cost of development was deemed too expensive." Kawamura added he was very sorry and "even ashamed" that Mikami had to step in and scrap this version. After this attempt, the last canceled revision featured classic zombies again. However, it was discontinued after few months, and before it was ever shown to the public, as the developers felt it was too formulaic.
The story of the Progenitor Virus was eventually covered in Resident Evil 5 and the Spencer Estate became the setting for Resident Evil 5 downloadable content (DLC) pack "Lost in Nightmares" (featuring Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine).
Final version
Following that, it was decided to reinvent the series. Mikami took over directorial duties from Shibata and began working on the version that was released. In an interview with Game Informer, Mikami explained his decision to shift to a new gameplay system is due to the feeling that the older system is "more of the same" after playing Resident Evil 0. He says that he only felt nervous once more when playing with the newer system. Speaking for the team, game producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi mentioned how the staff was "tired of the same thing" and how some got bored and moved on to other projects. In addition to that, the producer also felt that the older format was "stuck in a cookie cutter mold" and described it as "shackles holding us down".
However, despite what Kobayashi said, not every single staff member was on the same page about changing the gameplay system. Kobayashi mentioned how some of the development team felt depressed and were hard to motivate after the focus of the game shifted from horror to action. Although Mikami demanded the camera system to be completely revised, the staff members had reservations about making big changes to the series he had created. Eventually, he intervened, explained his proposed changes, and wrote a new story for the title that, unlike previous installments, was not centered on the company Umbrella. Inspired by Onimusha 3: Demon Siege, a game Mikami had enjoyed playing but felt could have been better with a different view, he decided to place the camera behind the playable character. To go along with the new gameplay and story, a new type of enemy called "Ganado" was created, as opposed to using the undead creatures from previous Resident Evil games. Furthermore, producers expended additional detail to modify and update characters that had previously appeared in the series. In a documentary explaining the conception of the game's characters, Kamiya stated he intended to make Leon Kennedy "look tougher, but also cool".
The game's English voice actors recorded their parts in four sessions, over three to four months. Capcom assigned Shinsaku Ohara as the game's script translator and voice over coordinator. Carolyn Lawrence, who provided the voice for Ashley Graham, described her character as "vulnerable, because Leon has to come to her rescue all the time". She also described Kennedy's character as "more brawn, perhaps, than brain". In addition to the voice acting, the game's designer detailed each cinematic sequence so that each character's facial expressions matched the tone of their voice actor.
Along with Resident Evil: Dead Aim and Resident Evil Outbreak, two side story titles that did not fall under the exclusive policy, it was announced on October 31, 2004 that Resident Evil 4 would come to the PlayStation 2 in 2005, citing increased profit, changing market conditions, and increased consumer satisfaction as the key reasons. The PlayStation 2 version included new features, primarily a new sub game featuring Ada Wong. On February 1, 2006, Ubisoft announced that they would be publishing the game on the PC for Microsoft Windows. On April 4, 2007, a Wii version was announced and was launched later in the year. The game features all of the extras in the PS2 version, along with other additions, including a trailer for Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles.
Release
The original version for the GameCube featured two different collector's editions of the game. The first was available as a pre-order that included the game, Prologue art book, and a T-shirt. GameStop offered another limited edition that was packaged in a tin box with the art book, a cel of Leon, and a soundtrack CD. Australia received an exclusive collector's edition that came with the game and a bonus disc with interviews and creator's footage.
Ports
Resident Evil 4 was ported to the PlayStation 2 after Capcom stated that it did not fall under the exclusivity deal with Nintendo. It was released in North America on October 25, 2005. The largest addition to the game is "Separate Ways", a new scenario for Ada written by Haruo Murata. According to producer Masachika Kawata, the Separate Ways campaign was something thought up by the PS2 porting team and was added after getting approval from Shinji Mikami. The port was later included with Resident Evil Code: Veronica X and Resident Evil Outbreak as part of the compilation Resident Evil: The Essentials. The PlayStation 2 version featured two standard and collector's bundles from pre-orders. The standard package included the game and a T-shirt, while the collector's bundle included the game, a T-shirt, a figurine of Leon, and the soundtrack Biohazard Sound Chronicle Best Track Box. This quickly sold out, and a second pressing was released that included an Ada figurine. Another, called the Resident Evil 4: Premium Edition, was packaged in a SteelBook media case, along with the art book, a documentary DVD, and a cel art of Ada.
A PC port of Resident Evil 4 developed by Sourcenext was first released in Hong Kong on February 1, 2007, published by Typhoon Games. It was later released in Europe, North America, and Australia in March 2007 and was published by Ubisoft. The port contains the bonus features from the PS2 version, such as "Separate Ways", the P.R.L. 412 laser cannon and a second set of unlockable costumes for Leon and Ashley, as well as an Easy difficulty level. It also supports multiple widescreen resolutions. The shadow and lighting issues were fixed in the first and the only patch for the game, Version 1.10.
Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition was released for the Wii on May 31, 2007 in Japan and on June 19, 2007 in the United States. It features updated controls that utilize the pointing and motion-sensing abilities of the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, though both the GameCube controller and the Classic Controller are also supported. The Wii Remote is able to aim and shoot anywhere on the screen with a reticle that replaces the laser sight found in the other versions, and motion-based gestures are used to perform some context-sensitive actions, such as dodging or slashing Leon's knife. The Wii Edition also includes the extra content from the PS2 and PC versions, and a trailer for Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. The Wii Edition became available for download from the Wii U's Nintendo eShop in Europe on October 29, 2015.
Resident Evil 4: Mobile Edition was released in Japan for au's BREW 4.0 on February 1, 2008. It was first announced by Capcom at TGS 2007. Differences from the original include changing the flow of the story from being continuous to being divided into sections such as "Village", "Ravene", "Fortress" and "Subterranean Tunnel". There is also a more challenging Mercenary Mode. The game uses the MascotCapsule eruption engine and was adapted to the Zeebo and iOS platforms. On July 13, 2009, without any formal announcement, Resident Evil 4: Mobile Edition was released by Capcom for the iOS platform via the App Store in Japan, but was quickly removed, though some players were able to purchase and download the game. The game has since been officially released in Japan and North America. Later, Capcom made an update that had different difficulty levels and high scores. Recently, Capcom released a new separate version called Resident Evil 4 for Beginners, which offers the first two levels (three counting a training level) of both Story Mode and Mercenary Mode. However, the rest of the levels are available for purchase in-game as downloadable content. Due to the release of the iPad, Capcom recreated the iPhone version of Resident Evil 4: Mobile Edition and updated it to HD graphics as Resident Evil 4: iPad Edition.
On March 23, 2011, high-definition remastered versions of both Resident Evil Code: Veronica and Resident Evil 4 were announced to be in development for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, as part of the Resident Evil: Revival Selection series. The ports are to feature all the bonus content from the previous releases, including "Separate Ways". On July 23, 2011, Capcom announced at Comic-Con 2011 that Resident Evil 4 would be released on September 20, 2011 for the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Games on Demand. In Japan, Resident Evil 4 and Resident Evil Code: Veronica were released on a single disc with the title Biohazard Revival Selection on September 8, 2011. For North America and Europe, both titles, including Resident Evil 4 HD, were only released as downloads on Xbox Live Games on Demand and PlayStation Network. On February 27, 2014, Capcom released Resident Evil 4 Ultimate HD Edition for Microsoft Windows. The port features improved graphics and many other enhancements that were included in Resident Evil 4 HD. Resident Evil 4 was re-released on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on August 30, 2016.
In April 2013, Resident Evil 4 was released on Android, but outside of Japan, it is exclusive to Samsung through Samsung Galaxy Apps.
Merchandise
An album titled Biohazard 4 Original Soundtrack was released in Japan on December 22, 2005. It contains 62 compositions from the game and the 48-page Visual Booklet with liner notes from composers Shusaku Uchiyama and Misao Senbongi. Other merchandise for the game included figures by McFarlane Toys, NECA and Hot Toys. Agatsuma Entertainment has also created various miniature collectibles based on several main characters and enemies from Resident Evil 4. Two special controllers designed to resemble chainsaws were designed by NubyTech for use with the game's GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions.
Reception
Sales
The GameCube version sold over 320,000 copies in North America during the first twenty days. The European release sold its entire 200,000 copies during the first month. By January 2006, over 3,000,000 copies of the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions had been shipped worldwide. According to January 17, 2007 sales figures provided by Capcom, the GameCube version of Resident Evil 4 has sold a total of 1.6 million copies worldwide, while the PS2 version has sold over 2 million copies. As of September 30, 2011, the PS2 version has sold 2.2 million copies and the Wii Edition has sold 1.9 million copies. According to Capcom's Platinum Titles list, the game has sold 5.9 million copies across all formats, making it the fourth biggest-selling Resident Evil title and for which it holds the record for "Best-Selling Survival Horror Game" in the 2012 Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition. In addition, the 2014 Windows release of Ultimate HD Edition sold more than 800,000 copies on Steam as of September 2017.
Reviews
Resident Evil 4 was critically acclaimed and received an overall score of 96/100 on Metacritic for the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions. In addition to the gameplay, the characters and story generally received positive commentary, leading to the finished product being deemed by most as one of the best video games ever made. GameSpot's Greg Kasavin praised the game's voice acting, but claimed that it was betrayed by "some uncharacteristically goofy dialogue". Yahoo! Games' Adam Pavlacka and GameSpot's Kevin VanOrd acclaimed Capcom for adding great amounts of detail to the game's characters. IGN's Matt Casamassina went into further detail in his review for Resident Evil 4, praising not only the detailed character design but also the fight choreography and three-dimensional modeling within cinematic sequences. Casamassina also complimented the game's voice actors, especially Paul Mercier (Leon), commenting, "For once, the characters are believable because Capcom has hired competent actors to supply their voices. Leon in particular is very well produced". IGN and Nintendo Power specifically recognized Resident Evil 4's character design and voice acting. The increased variety of weapons has been praised by gaming publications such as GamePro and Game Over Online. G4 TV show X-Play gave it a 5 out of 5, for introducing a new style of gameplay for the series as well as incorporating moments where the player would have to interact with the cut scenes. Not long after, it was awarded as the best game ever reviewed on the show. The makers of Resident Evil 4 worked on various innovations associated with the use and inventory of weapons. Game Over stated that players can use the vast array of weapons to "go for headshots now". Game Informer stated that ammunition is more plentiful in Resident Evil 4 than in other games in the series, making the game more action-oriented.
The ratings of the PC port were not as high as for the other versions. It was heavily criticized for no mouse support and frustrating keyboard controls, low-quality FMV cut scenes, choppy graphics rendering (lacks shadows and proper lighting) and requiring a gamepad controller for more precise aiming and gameplay. Despite the issues, the game still received generally positive reviews from IGN and GameSpot that praised the gameplay. Japanese game magazine Famitsu reviewed the Wii version of the game, with two editors giving the game a perfect 10 score, and the remaining pair giving it a 9, resulting in a score of 38 out of 40. The reviewers noted that the game's improved controls offer something fresh and different. Multiple reviewers agreed that even those who own the original will find something fun and enjoyable in this version. British magazine NGamer gave the Wii Edition a score of 96%, slightly lower than the 97% given to the GameCube version. They praised the visuals, controls, and features and commented on the fact that such an "exceptional package" was on sale for a low price; however, when writing about the Wii controls, they said, "if you've played the GC version this won't be as special". Official Nintendo Magazine gave the Wii version 94%, 3% less than the original due to it simply not having the same impact it did back then. IGN praised the Wii version, stating it is the superior edition, but does not push the Wii like it did with GameCube and PS2. GameSpot praised the new controls of the Wii Edition but commented on the lack of exclusive Wii features. Hyper's Jonti Davies commended Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition for its "visual improvements" but criticized it for having "no new content". The PS3 version of Resident Evil 4 HD received a score of 9.0 from Destructoid, which called it "a hallmark of excellence".
In their October 2013 issue, Edge retroactively awarded the game ten out of ten, one of twenty-three games to achieve that perfect score in the magazine's twenty-year history.
Awards
The game has received several awards from various organizations from various video game websites. It was named Game of the Year at the 2005 Spike Video Game Awards. Nintendo Power also named it their 2005 Game of the Year. Game Informer named it their 2005 Game of the Year as well. It tied with Kingdom Hearts II as Famitsu's Game of the Year 2005. Nintendo Power acknowledged the title's voice acting in its 2005 Nintendo Power Awards, while IGN gave the game the "Best Artistic Design" award in its "Best of 2005" segment. The International Game Developers Association nominated Resident Evil 4 for their best "Visual Arts" award, but lost the award to Sony's Shadow of the Colossus.
Resident Evil 4 is often considered one of the best video games of all time. Nintendo Power ranked it as number one top best GameCube games of all time" in 2005 and also ranked it second on their list of the best games of the 2000s in 2010. In 2008, Resident Evil 4 was also ranked first place in the list of the best video games of all time according to the readers of IGN. In 2009, Game Informer ranked Resident Evil 4 number one on their list of top GameCube games and number three on their list of top PlayStation 2 games. ScrewAttack named Resident Evil 4 the best GameCube game of all time, while GamePro ranked it as the second best game for the PS2. In 2010, the readers of PlayStation Official Magazine voted it the 10th greatest PlayStation title ever released. In 2007, Edge ranked the game at second place in its list of top games of all time, behind only The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. That same year, G4 named it the 21st top video game of all time, calling it "a modern horror masterpiece." In 2015, the game placed 7th on USgamer's The 15 Best Games Since 2000 list. In early 2006, in their 200th issue, Nintendo Power ranked it in second place in their Top 200 Games of all-time list, also behind only The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
Legacy
Resident Evil 4 is regarded as one of the most influential games of the 2000s decade, due to its influence in redefining the third-person shooter genre by introducing a "reliance on offset camera angles that fail to obscure the action". The new gameplay alterations and immersive style appealed to many not previously familiar with the series. The over-the-shoulder viewpoint introduced in Resident Evil 4 has later become standard in third-person shooters, including titles ranging from Gears of War to Batman: Arkham Asylum. It has also become a standard "precision aim" feature for action games in general, with examples ranging from Dead Space and Grand Theft Auto to the Ratchet & Clank Future series and Fallout.
Resident Evil 4 redefined the survival horror genre by emphasizing reflexes and precision aiming, thus broadening the gameplay of the series with elements from the wider action game genre. However, this also led some reviewers to suggest that the Resident Evil series had abandoned the survival horror genre, by demolishing the genre conventions that it had established. Other major survival horror series followed suit, by developing their combat systems to feature more action, such as Silent Hill Homecoming and the 2008 version of Alone in the Dark. These changes represent an overall trend among console games shifting towards visceral action gameplay. While working on The Last of Us, Naughty Dog took cues from Resident Evil 4, particularly the tension and action.
Notes
References
External links
- Official website
