*Spoilers*

Resident Evil 4 has been widely regarded as one of the best games in the Resident Evil series, as well as one of the greatest games of the 20th century. It was originally released on January 11th, 2005 on the Nintendo GameCube, then on October 31st for the Playstation 2 later that year. It sold over 5.9 million copies worldwide, and has had HD remasters for the Playstation 3, Xbox 360, and PC. Now, the game has had its 10th anniversary, yet it still manages to draw gamers in.

Resident Evil 4 was a revolution in gaming, and is one of the major influences in modern gaming. It redefined the third person shooter genre, switching from fixed camera angle to an over-the-shoulder camera. The game also pioneered “precision aiming” in gaming, meaning that enemies react to where they are shot (an example is shooting an enemy in the knee causes it to stumble.) Games that have been influenced by RE4 include The Last of Us, Grand Theft Auto, and Fallout.
Taking place six years after the zombie outbreak in Raccoon City (the main setting for previous titles the Resident Evil franchise), protagonist Leon S. Kennedy is no stranger to fending for his life. He was caught in the middle of the outbreak as a Raccoon City police officer, but manages to escape. He is soon hired by the government, and is dispatched to rescue the President of the United States daughter, Ashley Graham who was kidnapped by a group of mind controlled cultists called “Los Illuminados” (the Enlightened Ones, aka The Illuminati.) Unknowingly, he would soon be stuck in the same situation as Raccoon City six years prior; trying to escape with his life.

However, how well does it play for being 10 years old? Does a 10 year old game still compete with modern games, or does it simply not make the cut? A play through of the game reveals what makes it have its lasting impression.

The most noticeable aspects of a game are its aesthetic appeal. Despite being 10 years old, Resident Evil 4 has amazing graphics (for a Playstation 2 game of course!)  The character models look much more realistic than other PS2 games, and the numerous settings are well detailed for that period in gaming. The forest has leaves and shrubbery on the ground, the castle area has glowing stained glass and detailed statues, and inside buildings, dust floats in the air and candles flicker. Although that sounds primitive by today’s standards, it was groundbreaking back then.

The game manages to use the environment to alter the player’s feelings. For example, the beginning of the game has Leon approaches a lone cabin in the middle of the woods. Crows can be heard in the background, and the lack of music causes the player to know that something isn’t right. As Leon defends himself against a massive wave of infected villagers, a bell chimes and the villagers flee. A cut scene follows and the camera pans out to an empty village. This left a lasting impression that the player is all alone, and it’s up to them to get out of it.  Later, the player is stuck in heavy rain, which only allows the player to see a few feet ahead of them. As the player wanders endlessly, the only way to identify enemies from afar is their glowing yellow eyes, an awfully creepy sight.

What Resident Evil 4 was noted for was the combat system. The “precision aiming” and shooting complements the game well. Very few games give the satisfaction of the shooting mechanic that RE4 delivers. An enemy can be shot in the knee, and as they stumble around the player can run up and kick the enemy, dealing massive damage. A mere pistol feels powerful as enemies stumble at every shot.

The only problem with the shooting is the inability to move while aiming.  While aiming, Leon is unable to walk, and stands stationary when firing. Obviously, this leaves the player exposed, as they cannot shoot and move away from oncoming enemies.

What Resident Evil 4 does extremely well is develop the main antagonists, the “Los Illuminados”. This cult, led by the shadowy Osmund Saddler, seeks to spread the mind controlling parasite (Las Plagas) worldwide. Other major figures in the cult include Chief Bitores Mendez, the priest and chief of the village, and the castilian, Ramon Salazar, a man with the stature of a 10 year old, gray hair and wrinkles of an elderly man, but is only 20 years old. Salazar was the most memorable of the 3, as his sadistic nature put humor into otherwise scary situations.

Another unique aspect of this game was an underlying subplot. While most games rely on a one side versus one side conflict, RE4 throws in another faction: Umbrella Corporation. Working for Umbrella are Leon’s old friends, Jack Krauser, one of Leon’s former government friends, Ada Wong, an operative who helped him escape Raccoon City, and Albert Wesker, the former police chief of Raccoon City. As Leon is merely trying to escape with his life as well as Ashley’s, Umbrella’s operatives are trying to capture a sample of the Las Plagas, and use it for their own sinister purposes. Ada, Krauser, and Leon’s paths cross throughout the game, and additional story is added. Ada’s fight to get the sample is depicted in “Seperate Ways”, a 5 mission minigame that adds additional gameplay, with the player controlling and playing from Ada’s perspective.

Enemies in Resident Evil 4 aren’t the typical “zombies” of previous games. The infected are some of the most horrifying, yet interesting enemies in gaming. Formerly normal humans, “Las Plagas”, the mind controlling parasite, have taken control of them. From axe throwing villagers, crossbow firing cultists, to armored mercenaries, the infected seem eerily human, yet not human at the same time. The unique variation of enemies makes the game seem less repetitive, as each stage (the village, the castle, and the military island), brings in a new wave of enemies, traps, and bosses. While most games have you fighting the same types of enemies level after level, Resident Evil 4 throws in villagers armed with chainsaws in one part, an invisible human-insect hybrid called “Novistadores”,  and regenerating mutants called “Regeneradors”, keeping the player at the edge of their seat as they turn a corner.

For being 10 years old, Resident Evil 4 still holds that survival horror aspect that it had when it first came out. The game was a great mixture of horror and action ideas, and never had a single boring part. The constant supply of enemies and small puzzles kept the game flowing at a reasonable pace. The varying locations added to the immersion into the game’s plot, as opening a door revealed an entirely new scenario. In all, Resident Evil 4 is, in fact, a masterpiece of gaming history. It should have no problem lasting another 10 years.