| Resident Evil 4 | |
|---|---|
| Developer(s) | Capcom Production Studio 4 |
| Publisher(s) |
|
| Director(s) | Shinji Mikami |
| Producer(s) | Hiroyuki Kobayashi |
| Designer(s) | |
| Programmer(s) | Kiyohiko Sakata |
| Writer(s) | Shinji Mikami |
| Composer(s) | Misao Senbongi |
| Series | Resident Evil |
| Platform(s) | |
| Release |
|
| Genre(s) | Survival horror, third-person shooter |
| Mode(s) | Single-player |
Resident Evil 4[a] is a survival horror game developed and published by Capcom. The sixth major installment in the Resident Evil series, it was originally released for the GameCube in 2005. Players control U.S. government special agent Leon S. Kennedy, who is sent on a mission to rescue the U.S. president's daughter Ashley Graham, who has been kidnapped by a cult. In a rural part of Europe, Leon fights hordes of villagers infected by a mind-controlling parasite, and reunites with the spy Ada Wong.
Development began for PlayStation 2 as early as 1999. Resident Evil 4 underwent a long development during which four proposed versions were discarded; the first attempt was directed by Hideki Kamiya after producer Shinji Mikami. The game was announced as a GameCube exclusive as part of the Capcom Five, but a PlayStation 2 version was announced before it was released. Resident Evil 4 was ported to Windows, Wii, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch and in downsized versions for iOS, Zeebo, and Android.
Resident Evil 4 garnered critical acclaim, with praise for its narrative, gameplay, voice acting, and characters. 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. It pioneered the 'over the shoulder' third-person view perspective in video games. It is widely considered to be one of the best video games of all time. A sequel, Resident Evil 5, was released in 2009.
Departing significantly from the series' previous games, the player controls the protagonist, Leon S. Kennedy, from a third-person perspective. The gameplay focuses on action and shootouts with fewer survival 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.[1] 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, and shots to the arms can make them drop their weapons. Players can shoot down projectiles like thrown axes or scythes.[2]
Resident Evil 4 adds 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, in which the player must avoid instant-kill attacks.[3]
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.
The inventory system 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. 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.[4][5]
Capcom added content for the PlayStation 2 version, 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.[6] 'Ada's Report', a five-part documentary, analyzes Ada's relationship with Wesker and his role in the plot.[7] 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.[8]
Six years after the events of Resident Evil 2, former Raccoon City police officer turned US government agent 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.[9] He travels to a nameless rural village in an unspecified part of Europe, 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. The villagers were once simple farmers until becoming infected by a mind-controlling parasite known as Las Plagas ('The Plague' in Spanish).[10]
While in the village, Leon is captured by its chief, Bitores Mendez, and injected with Las Plagas.[11] He finds himself held captive with Luis Sera (Rino Romano), a former Los Illuminados researcher.[12] The two work together to escape, but soon go their separate ways. Leon finds out Ashley is being held in a church and rescues her.[13] They both escape from the church after Osmund Saddler (Michael Gough), leader of the Los 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.[14] 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,[11] 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.[15] 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.[16]
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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.[17] 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.[18] Suspicious of the mercenary's intentions, Saddler orders Krauser to kill Leon, believing that no matter which one dies, he will benefit.[19] After Krauser's fatal 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,[20] leaving Leon and Ashley to escape via her jet-ski as the island explodes.[21]
In 1999, producer Shinji Mikami said a Resident Evil sequel was in development for PlayStation 2.[22]Resident Evil 4 underwent a lengthy development, during which at least four versions of the game were discarded.[23] The first version was directed by Hideki Kamiya.[24] Around the turn of the millennium,[25]Resident Evil 2 writer Noboru Sugimura created a scenario for the game,[26] based on Kamiya's idea to make a 'cool' and 'stylish' action game.[27] The story was based on unraveling the mystery surrounding the body of protagonist Tony,[28] an invincible man with skills and an intellect exceeding that of normal people, with his superhuman abilities explained with biotechnology.[25] 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.[24] 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.[29][30] Though the developers tried to make the 'coolness' theme fit into the world of Resident Evil,[31] 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.[25] The cast of characters remained largely identical to that in Sugimura's scenario,[32] although the hero's mother[33] and his father,[34] the latter an early version of the Umbrella Corporation founder Lord Ozwell E. Spencer,[35][36] 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,[37] resulting in its own franchise.
Development on Resident Evil 4 started over at the end of 2001.[38] The first announcement was made in November 2002, as one of five games exclusively developed for the GameCube by Capcom Production Studio 4.[39][40] This revision, commonly dubbed the 'fog version', was directed by Hiroshi Shibata[41] and was 40 percent finished at that time.[42] The game saw Leon S. Kennedy struggling to survive[41] after having infiltrated the castle-like Umbrella's main headquarters located in Europe and featured traditional Resident Evil monsters such as zombies.[23][43][44] During the course of the new story which was again written by Sugimura's scenario creation company Flagship,[45] Leon became infected with the Progenitor Virus and possessed a hidden power in his left hand.[23][46][47] 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.[23] The game was to feature some first-person elements.[48]
At E3 2003, another revision was revealed that is widely known as the 'hook man version' now,[49] though titled Maboroshi no Biohazard 4 (幻の「バイオハザード4」, lit. 'The Phantom Biohazard 4') on the Biohazard 4 Secret DVD. During Mikami's introduction of the trailer, he assured that development was proceeding smoothly and claimed the game was scarier than ever before.[49] 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.[43][49] 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.[23] 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.[49] Other features, such as dialogue choices, were removed later.[23] 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.[50]
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.[51] After this attempt, the last cancelled revision featured classic zombies again. However, it was discontinued after a few months, and before it was ever shown to the public, as the developers felt it was too formulaic.[23]
The story of the Progenitor Virus was eventually covered in Resident Evil 5 and the Spencer Estate became the setting for Resident Evil 5downloadable content (DLC) pack 'Lost in Nightmares' (featuring Chris Redfield and Jill Valentine[52]).
Following that, it was decided to reinvent the series.[43] Mikami took over directorial duties from Shibata and began working on the version that was released.[53] 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.[54]Speaking for the team, game producer Hiroyuki Kobayashi[53] mentioned how the staff was 'tired of the same thing' [55] and how some got bored and moved on to other projects.[56] 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'.[57]
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 shifted from horror to action.[38] 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.[58] Eventually, he intervened, explained his proposed changes, and wrote a new story that, unlike previous installments, was not centered on the company Umbrella.[58][59][60] 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.[61] 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.[60] 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 characters, Kamiya stated he intended to make Leon Kennedy 'look tougher, but also cool'.[62]
The English voice actors recorded their parts in four sessions, over three to four months.[63] Capcom assigned Shinsaku Ohara as script translator and voice over coordinator.[64]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'.[63] She also described Kennedy's character as 'more brawn, perhaps, than brain'.[63] 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.[62]
Along with Resident Evil: Dead Aim and Resident Evil Outbreak, two side story games 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 Windows.[65] 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.[66][67]
The original version for the GameCube featured two different collector's editions. The first was available as a pre-order that included the game, the 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.[68] Australia received an exclusive collector's edition that came with the game and a bonus disc with interviews and creator's footage.[69]
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 is 'Separate Ways', a new scenario for Ada written by Haruo Murata.[64] 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.[70] The port was later included with Resident Evil Code: Veronica X and Resident Evil Outbreak as part of the compilation Resident Evil: The Essentials.[71] 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 also included 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.[72]
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.[73] The shadow and lighting problems were fixed in the only patch, Version 1.10.[74]
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.[67] 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.[66] The Wii Edition became available for download from the Wii U's Nintendo eShop in Europe on October 29, 2015.[75][76]
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.[77] 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.[78][79] The game uses the MascotCapsule eruption engine[80] and was adapted to the Zeebo and iOS platforms.[81][82] 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,[83][84] though some players were able to purchase and download it. The game has since been released in Japan and North America.[82] 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.[85]
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.[86] The ports 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[87] for the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Games on Demand.[88] 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.[89] For North America and Europe, both games, including Resident Evil 4 HD, were only released as downloads on Xbox Live Games on Demand and PlayStation Network.[90] 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.[91]
Capcom announced in October 2018 that Resident Evil 4 would be published for the Nintendo Switch sometime in 2019, along with releases of Resident Evil and Resident Evil Zero.[92] All three games were released on May 21, 2019 worldwide and on May 23, 2019 in Japan.
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.[93] Other merchandise included figures by McFarlane Toys,[94][95]NECA[96] and Hot Toys.[97]Agatsuma Entertainment has also created various miniature collectibles based on several main characters and enemies from Resident Evil 4.[98] Two special controllers designed to resemble chainsaws were designed by NubyTech for use with the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions.[99]
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The GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions of Resident Evil 4 have a score of 96/100 on Metacritic, indicating 'universal acclaim'.[121][123] 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 voice acting, but claimed that it was betrayed by 'some uncharacteristically goofy dialogue'.[107]Yahoo! Games' Adam Pavlacka and GameSpot's Kevin VanOrd acclaimed Capcom for adding great amounts of detail to the characters.[110][127]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.[115] Casamassina also complimented the 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'.[115] 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[128] and Game Over Online.[129]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.[130] The makers of Resident Evil 4 worked on various innovations associated with the use and inventory of weapons.[131] Game Over stated that players can use the vast array of weapons to 'go for headshots now'.[129]Game Informer stated that ammunition is more plentiful in Resident Evil 4 than in other games in the series, making it more action-oriented.[132]
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 FMVcut scenes, choppy graphics rendering (lacks shadows and proper lighting) and requiring a gamepad controller for more precise aiming and gameplay. Despite the problems, the game received generally positive reviews from IGN and GameSpot that praised the gameplay.[108][116] Japanese game magazine Famitsu reviewed the Wii version, with two editors giving it a perfect 10 score, and the remaining pair giving it a 9, resulting in a score of 38 out of 40. The reviewers felt that the new controls offer something fresh. Multiple reviewers agreed that even those who own the original will find something fun and enjoyable in this version.[106] British magazine NGamer gave the Wii Edition a score of 96%,[125] 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.[133] IGN praised the Wii version, stating it is the superior edition, but does not push the Wii like it did with GameCube and PS2.[119] GameSpot praised the new controls of the Wii Edition but commented on the lack of exclusive Wii features.[110]Hyper's Jonti Davies commended Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition for its 'visual improvements' but criticized it for having 'no new content'.[134] The PS3 version of Resident Evil 4 HD received a score of 9.0 from Destructoid, which called it 'a hallmark of excellence'.[135] In their October 2013 issue, Edge retroactively awarded it ten out of ten, one of twenty-three games to achieve a perfect score in the magazine's twenty-year history.[105]
Resident Evil 4 was named Game of the Year at the 2005 Spike Video Game Awards[136] and by Nintendo Power[120] and Game Informer.[137] It tied with Kingdom Hearts II as Famitsu's Game of the Year 2005.[138]Nintendo Power acknowledged the voice acting in its 2005 Nintendo Power Awards,[139] while IGN gave the game the 'Best Artistic Design' award in its 'Best of 2005' segment.[140] The International Game Developers Association nominated Resident Evil 4 for their best 'Visual Arts' award,[141] but lost the award to Sony's Shadow of the Colossus.[142]
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[120] and also ranked it second on their list of the best games of the 2000s in 2010.[143] 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.[144] In 2009, Game Informer ranked Resident Evil 4 number one on their list of top GameCube games[145] and number three on their list of top PlayStation 2 games.[146]ScrewAttack named Resident Evil 4 the best GameCube game of all time,[147] while GamePro ranked it as the second best game for the PS2.[148] In 2010, the readers of PlayStation Official Magazine voted it the 10th greatest PlayStation game.[149] 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.[150] That same year, G4 named it the 21st top video game of all time, calling it 'a modern horror masterpiece.'[151] In 2015, it placed 7th on USgamer's The 15 Best Games Since 2000 list.[152] 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.
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.[153] 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.[154] As of September 30, 2011, the PS2 version has sold 2.2 million copies and the Wii Edition has sold 1.9 million copies.[155] According to Capcom's Platinum Titles list, Resident Evil 4 has sold 5.9 million copies across all formats, making it the fourth-bestselling Resident Evil game; it holds the record for 'Best-Selling Survival Horror Game' in the 2012Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.[156] The PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One sold an additional 1.4 million copies,[157] then all versions of the game sold 7.3 million copies.
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[158] by introducing a 'reliance on offset camera angles that fail to obscure the action'.[159] The new gameplay alterations and immersive style appealed to many not previously familiar with the series.[160] The over-the-shoulder viewpoint introduced in Resident Evil 4 has later become standard in third-person shooters, including games ranging from Gears of War to Batman: Arkham Asylum.[158] 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.[161]
Resident Evil 4 redefined the survival horror genre by emphasizing reflexes and precision aiming,[162] thus broadening the gameplay of the series with elements from the wider action game genre.[163] However, this also led some reviewers to suggest that the Resident Evil series had abandoned the survival horror genre,[164][165] by demolishing the genre conventions that it had established.[166] Other major survival horror series followed suit, by developing their combat systems to feature more action, such as Silent Hill Homecoming[164] and the 2008 version of Alone in the Dark.[167] These changes represent an overall trend among console games shifting towards visceral action gameplay.[168] While working on The Last of Us, Naughty Dog took cues from Resident Evil 4, particularly the tension and action.[169]
The camera problems have been finally solved thanks to a very useful over-the-shoulder and behind the player camera that makes the whole aiming process really easy.
Leon: It was right before I was to take on my duties of protecting the President's daughter when she was abducted. That's the ultimate reason I'm in this lonely and rural part of Europe. According to our intelligence, there's reliable information of a sighting of a girl that looks very similar to the President's daughter. Apparently, she's being withheld by some unidentified group of people. Who would have thought my first job would be a rescue mission?
Leon: We decided to lay low in a castle, but it looks like it was a bad move. / Hunnigan: Meaning? / Leon: Well it appears that this castle's also connected with the Los Illuminados. They must not get many visitors cuz they're giving me one hell of a welcome. / .. / Saddler: Oh, I believe I forgot to tell you that we gave you the same gift. / Leon: (When I was unconscious.)
Sera: That is the incident with the viral outbreak right? I think I might have seen a sample of the virus in the lab at my department.
Leon: Calm down. Everything's going to be just fine. My name's Leon, I'm under the President's order to rescue you. / Ashley: What? My father? / Leon: That's right, and have to get you out of here. Come with me.
Saddler: If you must know, my name is Osmund Saddler, the master of this fine..religious community. / Leon: What do you want? / Saddler: To demonstrate to the whole world, our astounding power, of course. No longer will the United States think they can police the world forever. So we kidnapped the President's daughter, in order to give her our power, and then send her back.
'Saddler: Now that I have the sample, you serve me no purpose. / Leon: Saddler! / Saddler: My boy Salazar will make sure you follow the same fate. / Leon: Stay with me, Luis. / Sera: I am a researcher..hired by Saddler. He found out what I was up to. / Leon: Don't talk. / Sera: Here. It should suppress the growth of the parasite. The sample..Saddler took it. You have to get it back.
Leon: You, working with Wesker. / Ada: I see you've been doing your homework.
Krauser: I died in the crash two years ago. Is that what they told you? / Leon: You're the one who kidnapped Ashley! / Krauser: You catch on quick. That's expected. After all, both you and I know where we come from. / Leon: What do you want? / Krauser: Hmph. The sample Saddler developed, that's all.
Krauser: Saddler's got it. It seems he's sniffed out our little game. / Ada: Perfect. / Krauser: Just so we understand each other clearly, I don't trust you. Nor does Wesker. If you try to do anything clever, I will kill you. / Ada: Is that so? You know, I met Wesker long before you.
Leon: Wha? What are you talking about? I thought he was with you. / Saddler: What are you talking about? Did you really think I'd trust an American? To tell you the truth, I was contemplating how to get rid of him. But thanks to you, that's no longer necessary. / Leon:You were just using him right from the start.
Ada: Sorry, Leon. Hand it over. / Leon: Ada, you do know what this is.
Leon: We have to get off this island now! It's gonna blow any minute.
Die ersten Arbeiten an Resident Evil 4 haben bereits Ende 2001 begonnen. Die Teamgröße fluktuiert je nach Entwicklungsstand, derzeit arbeiten etwa 60 Mann an dem Titel. [..] Hiroyuki Kobayashi: Es war nicht einfach, das Team bei Laune zu halten, nachdem wir die Richtung des Spiels so radikal verändert hatten. Als die Entscheidung getroffen wurde, das Spiel actionlastiger zu gestalten, war die Stimmung im Team schon sehr gedrückt. / The first work on Resident Evil 4 already begun at the end of 2001. The size of team varies depending on the stage of development, about 60 people are working on the title at the moment. [..] Hiroyuki Kobayashi: It was not easy to keep the team going after we changed the direction of the game so radically. When it was decided to make the game more action-oriented, the team felt really depressed.
The game the whole world has been waiting for will finally be unveiled. The story takes place deep inside the very heart of Umbrella, the evil company responsible for the Progenitor Virus. The main character of Resident Evil 2, Leon S. Kennedy, is back in the game. What will Umbrella have in store for him this time? That 'surprise' will push Leon to the very limits of his being for one purpose..the STRUGGLE to survive. Director / Hiroshi Shibata
Chris's Diary: We talked it over, and have decided to fly to the main Umbrella HQ in Europe.
Mikami: Ja, Flagship hat die Story dazu geschrieben. Mehr über Teil 4 werde ich aber nicht verraten (lacht). / Yes, Flagship wrote the story for it. But I won't reveal anything more about part 4 (laughs).
I remember playing Resident Evil Zero and said to myself that this is just more of the same.. This is why I wanted to change the system. With the new system, I once again feel nervous and scared when I play it.
The staff, which includes myself and of course Shinji Mikami, decided that we wanted to go in a new direction and re-create the series. We were tired of making the same stuff as well. We wanted to make something new and original. And that's how it started.
I've worked on a number of Resident Evil titles in the past and honestly, I think the series has been recycling the same patterns, the same gameplay each time. The creators were starting to get bored with it and many moved to other projects.
In the past installments, we were stuck in the cookie-cutter RE mold. We had to break those shackles holding us down before we came up with something new.
The Umbrella Corporation is no more. 'It's the only thing that makes sense if you think about it,' explains Resident Evil 4 producer Hiroyuki Kobayshi. 'Why would the U.S. government allow a company that developed the T-virus, and in the end forced them to destroy an entire city, to continue to exist? They wouldn't. Hence the rationale for Umbrella going away after RE3.' [..] 'Right from the start, we wanted to do something new and innovative for the series, so Mikami issued an order to the team: 'I want to totally re-create how the polygons, the camera, everything looks.' But, every time the staff tried to do it without his direction, they only came out with little minor changes. Nothing major. Perhaps they were too afraid to take this series that he created and totally change it. But anyway, he stepped in and showed what he wanted.'
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The beginning always has no enemies so don’t worry about that. Run around the island until you reach a fork in the path. To the left are items and the other side leads to a wooden bridge. Put out the light before jumping the gap and approaching the buildings. Be ready to fight your enemies from this point onwards. One of which sports a chaingun. Be careful and don’t lure him out in the open. Keep a healthy distance before you snipe them down and getting on ahead.
Now head upstairs and to the left of the locked door, there’s a laser light to activate. Now as its turned out, head to the NW building and get up the ladder. Rotate a mirror to reflect the laser beam to make it hit the reflector SE and direct that beam into the light’s receptor so its to the right of the locked door. Now since its connected, the door will rise. Head to the tunnel and be ready to dodge the boulder being pushed at you and be careful of the crossbow enemy. Once done, climb up the ladder to the next area. Once there, get to the right and enter a small cave tunnel. There will be enemies you can lure. So once there, pick at their remains and then hop back out of the building
From here enemies will converge NE. Target them with your sniper scope one at a time, then get along the hillside path. Now, take the left path leading to a narrow tunnel. Take out the enemy and and head back down the path. Now go on south and you’ll get to the door. Be careful of enemies and shoot down this flaming enemy that will burst out of an oven. Beyond this, is a doorway to the next part of the building. Now make your way down the hall and then take out the enemies before collecting items. Now go back upstairs and get to the door to the east ( you can hear Ashley by now). Get going to the merchant room with an automatic door. This will open and close with attacks launched at you. Use the grenade to blow the enemies away. In the next area, there’s a save point to the west and unlock the door. From there, continue up the steps to the second floor.
Now head SE and enter a lab with a body on the operating table. Use the control panel to open he door to the eat (rotate the arrows so they point the connection from the top to bottom) Grab items and the Freezer Card Key. Now before you leave, the Regenerator will come through the door. Blast the leg with a shotgun and past him to exit the door and re-enter the first hall.
You can’t kill these people so just cripple them, now head north and unlock it using the card key and enter the freezer. There’s a card key re-writer there so you can unlock the garbage disposal unit. Then turn the valve to shut the freezing mechanism off. There’s another valve you can turn and opening up a small door with the Infrared Scope.
Now one of the frozen creepos is moving your way,use the IR scope and spot the parasites on the body of the enemy. Snipe them all off, and these creatures will explore. Leave the freezer to the south hall and get to a dead end in the corner. From here, take out more enemies and then run down the hall to unlock the garbage disposal door. Head down the hall to the first room and enter the room with the controls of the garbage mechanism below. Take out the enemies that you can and then get ready with weapons to attack the enemies. Now the next hall has items and then when you enter the area, you can hear Ashley crying out again. There are two enemies guarding the door as you turn the corner, take them out and then walk to the north hallway and open he door at the end. Take out the enemies and then enter the room to finish the job. Grab whatever you can and then head east of the savepoint.
There's another lab area here and be wary of another creature. Snipe whatever you can and then take the four creatures out. Now there's no more enemies and you just have to collect the items (don't forget the Storage Room Key Card). Get out and then go to a merchant, as well as an elevator leading to a communication tower and get back to Ashley's cell. You'll meet the creepos wiating for you at the top of the stairs so start banging away. Then get to her holding cell and use the Storage Room Card Key to open the door.
Now get back to the garbage disposal unit from before. Leave Ashley behind and take out the enemies, and then call Ashley to you when you enter the next room. Take out crossbow wielding enemies and get Ashley safe to the east door and then unlock it. Run over to Ashley and protect her as the creatures mob you. Head west when it's all over to the garbage disposal area. Now start walking south and be prepared for another regerating enemy. Pass under the gate and pull the leverto close it behind you. Snipe down the enemy and open the second gate where a metal bin needs to be pushed out of the way. Call Ashley and she'll help out. When it's done, continue moving SW where you enounter another energy. Run back across the bridge where Ashley is staying and take the enemy down. When it's done, call Ashley to you again and push another metal bil out of the south hall before moving onwards.
Once here, three more enemies will come at you and back up as much as you can before taking them down. clear the room and head on to a room where there’s a wrecking ball in the in the center. Go NW and notice the control area for the wrecking pall. Drop down and run to the control room avoiding the enemies. Once there, make Ashley operate the wrecking ball and she’ll wreck this wall to piece and you hold off attacks from two entrances. When the wall is cleared run to the opened gate and leave the enemies behind you.
The next area is clean so explore it and when you hear mousic get to the back of the room and wait for your enemies. Once done, get to the main hall and enter through the formerly locked right door and head south. More music means more enemies. Activate a power to a shutter in the enarby room and make Ashley crawl under to open it for you. There’s a save point here. Leave Ashley to one side of the doorway and approach the opposite site to operate the locks.Wait for the red lights to hit the center then unlock the door. Leave there and get into the back of a large tractor driver by Ashley, hold off attacks while she drives. There’s a large truck coming at you, use the shotgun to blast it to pieces and keep one holding off enemies until the truck stops at a large lift.
Get out and up the ladder. Be careful of enemies – then flip the lever and run back to the truck to save Ashley. Once it reaches the top of the lift, more enemies will appear a truck will come at you head on. Once you’re off the tractor ride, collect items and use the merchant there.
Go up to the next door way and pick at your enemies again. Now go on south to take the lift to an upper platform causing a cutscene. Keep an eye out for events and stay alert. When its done, climb down the ladder and into the next hall. This white hall has laser so watch for the gaps and run between them. Activate the switch and unlock it – carefully dodging the beams and getting through to the door. In this next room, a lift will bring you down the next area where it’s another empty place with a merchant and items as well as a save point. Keep going to where the red beacon is. Don’t bother fighting it off yes but merely getting off the dangerous set of cargo containers.
3 locked cargo containers that need to have two different switches on them pressed. Do that and run to the door and get on the next container. Destroy the green locks to get to where the switches are. The first container’s lock are right next to the shutters in front of the switch, hit it and run to the second where the lights are mounted high on the the beams. Shoot them down and run to the third where the first switch is visible and the second requires you to run through the passage in the center and turn left at the tunnel’s end. Shoot the green lock that you see, backtrack to the west end of the cargo and hit the switch to open the gate.
Put some distance between you and the monster and start running. Use the explosive barrels and then switch to heavy weaponry. Time your shots well and shoot at the monster just as it starts moving to you. Keep firing at it until it burrows underground wherein next you have to dodge servral attack. Keep fighting until it eventually. When you’re done, move on east.
There are no enemies so far, but at corner are a bunch of enemies. Take care of them by shooting the red barrel between them when you’re done – go down to the collect items. Inside the tend is a ladder to an underground path, collect items, meet a merchant and save before climbing the ladder and on to the next area. You’ll be running into Krauser again and he will pop up from behind the rubble. From there, the monster will probably start throwing grenades at you or attack. He’ll get down from where he’s staying and attack you. Get to the west area where there are items and keep running away. With a bang and a flash, he’ll disappear leaving you to rain the items in the room.
Head north with caution, one of the walls has your enemy waiting for you. Do the same process you did to get away earlier and then get to the east. The enemy will on top of another building and firing at you. Wait for the procession of bullets to stop before running up the building forcing Krauser to jump down and face you. Chasing him away clears the path (as usual).
Grab items that you need before heading east to where there are some rubble and a set of stairs at the top of the ruins. Get the first piece of the Holy Beast here and trigger another attack from Krauser. Equip your powerful weapons and blast away, keep doing this until he disappears. From where you are, push the statue onto the floor switch revealing two levers. One lets you backtrack to the last walkway leading you to a set of paths to the base of a tower. Climb the tower and search for some items where you get the second piece of the Holy Beast. Krauser will appear again and now you have a three-minute deadline to beat him. Get ready to dodge a lot attack, aim for the legs and when he’s done pop some to his head. Do this repeatedly until he eventually dies, the third piece of the Holy Beast is on him. So take it and head to a path near the evacuation area and use the three pieces to open the door.
Make your way north and see the rescue helicopter arriving. Once that happens, more enemies will appear and the helicopter will shoot at the creepos for you. Now head towards the locked door to the NE and climb the first adder up the paltform. Open the locked door, and take out a chaingun wielding enemy before exiting the building via a rear door and get up the second ladder. If you haven’t taken the chaingun dude down, from here you can easily snipe. Now when that’s done, head to the north of the cam and get to a set of stairs leading to a zip line. Ride it down to the chaingunner’s corpse and drop one level to unlock the door below. Get down agaIn and head through the door to enter another portion of the camp.
The door will lock behind you and another turret will start shooting. Get to the left and climb the laDder there and wait for the helicopter to take out another batch of mosters. Now to unlock the door in front of you,need two levers to pull open and they’re all located at either side of doors of the balconies. The first one merely requires you to climb the ladder while the second needs you to backtrack to the small tunnel entrance you just came out of.