Once again, sinister hoards of "Los Illuminados" plague consoles all over the globe in Capcom's second release of the ever-popular "Resident Evil 4." This time around, "RE4" finds a home on Playstation 2 consoles, and has a great deal of difficulty getting accustomed to new surroundings. Faulty porting due to PS2's graphical limitations, as well as sluggish controls, make this "Game of the Year" contender look more like "Game of the Month."
"RE4" tags alongside Leon Kennedy as he traverses the decrepit compound of the "Los Illuminados," lead by a dastardly deity known as Lord Sadler. Unfortunately for Leon, he is met by villagers less concerned with helping him along his way as they are with dismembering him using everything from butcher knives to chainsaws. Armed with an arsenal consisting of a pistol and a surplus of green herbs, Leon must slay his way to victory, knee-deep in carnage.
Graphically, "RE4" shames its Gamecube predecessor by presenting visibly toned-down textures, making environments look chunky and unpolished, and characters blurred. Cut scenes falter too, as they appear to be of no higher quality than the gameplay, instead of extremely refined like the Cube's rendition. The ability to toggle the widescreen view on and off has been added, but without the letterbox effect, the game looks far too stretched and makes players' eyes scream. Besides, much like a feature film, part of the playing field is cut off. However, in defense of the graphics, an exploding head is still just as vivid and entertaining.
Perhaps the most frustrating problem is that since PS2 doesn't boast as powerful of a processor as Gamecube, there are load times between each area. Player's can expect an agonizing 10-second wait before being able to enter another room. With the graphics being toned down as much as they have, such a wait is unacceptable.
"RE4's" new control scheme is about as desirable as a Plaga munching on one's brain. Aiming is slow and imprecise, even with the laser sight provided. Moving Leon around seems slightly delayed, and unresponsive to player commands. It is now nearly impossible to fend off flying projectiles with a weapon, and even more difficult to dodge. In effect, less control equates to more character damage and death, which causes immense frustration.
On the bright side, "RE4" accomplishes a feat that nearly no other title has; it makes an "escort mission" work. Once Ashley has been safely recovered, there are still quite a few hours left to tote her around to safely escape. Leon has the ability to tell her to wait or follow him whenever there is immediate danger. Also, players don't have to worry about friendly fire — when Leon draws a weapon, she hastily ducks out of the way. Fortunately for PS2 owners, none of her intelligence has been lost in the port. Capcom cleverly uses Ashley as a sort of puzzle-solving character, as she is required to access certain areas to obtain key items, or simply to move on in the story. This added dimension of gameplay is refreshing, incorporating puzzle-based strategy into survival horror.
Drawing gamers in for hours of grotesque butchery is "RE4's" outstanding artificial intelligence. Unlike zombies from previous chapters of "Resident Evil," Ganados and Plagas posses enough intelligence to think, and actually find highly effective ways to dispose of Leon. Instead of mindlessly meandering about, they can actually wield pitchforks, throw scythes or even lop off Leon's head with a rusty chainsaw. Revamped intelligence vastly raises difficulty, a challenge that is most welcome.
New features have been added to this version of "RE4," including additional weaponry and side missions. While they really don't alter the overall effect of the title in any way, this was a wise move on Capcom's part in attempt to keep the game from becoming worn out. Of course, all good things come to those who wait, since many unlockables are only available after completing the main story.
"Resident Evil 4's" Playstation 2 manifestation tragically falls short when juxtaposed with its Gamecube counterpart. This title proves that a virtually obsolete system can indeed only produce dated results. Fortunately, "RE4" is so engaging and absolutely horrifying that players will keep coming back for more. As the body count rises, so will players’ appreciation for the marvel that is gratuitous gore.
