Resident Evil 4 [GC]

Resident Evil 4 doesn't waste any time getting started. Only a minute after Leon enters a dilapidated cabin, the hero finds himself attacked by a menacing figure with an axe and then trapped inside by villagers who seem focused only on one goal: his death. The air is thick with urgency and despair, both of which are noticeably amplified over previous Resident Evil games. After some consideration, and much more play time, we came to realize the reason for this: more than any other entry in this series, this is true survival horror. Preceding Evil games have moved slower, enabling you to oftentimes set your own pace. In Resident Evil 4, you're at the mercy of your attackers, and make no mistake: you are consistently under attack and on the run for your very life. Because of this truth, the game is heart-thumpingly frightening and this state of fear and panic is continued for great lengths of time. When you finally do escape, if you're so lucky, you will breath a sigh of relief and savor your accomplishment.

Traditionalists, however, will not be left in the dark. Or, actually, they will. Although the game moves at a quicker, frenzied pace as Leon runs through the region while blasting villagers, there are still some good old-fashioned scares to be found and just as satisfying as before, if not more so. Some enemies lurch forward from blackened hallways, moaning and chanting. Others kick open doors and come streaming in. And we don't want to give away any spoilers, but rest assured that the game features the franchise's widest selection of creatures, all of them amazing and twisted in their own unique ways. In one mid-game area, Leon finds himself trapped in a hedge maze and realizes that he's not alone: rabid, four-legged beasts are on the prowl, and these monstrosities are definitely not man's best friend. The old-school scare factor is magnified more due to new mission styles that put you in control of the weaponless Ashley, daughter of the President. Armed only with a flashlight, the nearly helpless girl must slink by robed enemies and rapidly raise and lower gateways before her attackers can catch her. Playing through levels like these, it's impossible not to notice just how far Capcom has come, and why it continues to lead the way when it comes to survival horror.

Bringing both gameplay types together is a control scheme that for the most part remains disappointingly unchanged from previous Resident Evil games. Kennedy is manipulated minus true analog control. Push the analog stick and he walks. Hold the B button down and he runs. Same as it ever was. Also, in our play experience with the game it became abundantly clear that many of the battles would have benefited from a dodge or strafe function, which Capcom has chosen not to include. And yet, despite all of this, the process of controlling Leon is far improved thanks to a combination of a flexible new camera that shoots the action from behind the character's back and a new action button that enables context-sensitive functionality.

Because the view remains behind Leon at all times, that momentary sense of disorientation that accompanied entering a new room in former survival horror games is thankfully absent. Adding another intuitive control layer, when you tap the R button Leon will aim his weapon and you can target enemies with full analog sensitivity. To call the addition superb would be an understatement. It changes the entire gameplay dynamic as you can individually target specific body parts of enemies, which in turn plays into the strategy. For instance, if you're running low on bullets and you just want to temporarily drop an enemy to the ground in order to clear a running path, you can target his knees and he'll fall. Early in the game, you can also go for a headshot, which if executed correctly will explode the foe's noggin and immediately put an end to the threat. (It should be noted that as the game progresses, there are sometimes serious drawbacks to choosing headshots over body shots, but you'll just have to discover why for yourself.) On the other hand, you can also choose to equip the shotgun and blast nearby enemies in their mid-section. If aimed correctly, you can knock down three or four attackers at a time, which is completely satisfying. Leon can also snipe from a distance, which is absolutely thrilling, use automatic weapons, equip a mine gun, utilize powerful pistol upgrades, and hurl a variety of grenades, and that's just for starters. Gunplay in Resident Evil 4, simply a lot of fun, is also an extremely rewarding experience.