Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4
File:Re4boxart.jpg
Developer(s)	Capcom Production Studio 4
Publisher(s)	Capcom (GCN, PS2, Wii) Ubisoft (PC)
Designer(s)	Shinji Mikami (director) Hiroyuki Kobayashi (producer)
Platform(s)	GCN, Wii, PS2, PC Windows
Release	GameCube: January 11, 2005 January 27, 2005 March 18, 2005 PlayStation 2: October 25, 2005 November 4, 2005 November 11, 2005 December 1, 2005 PC: March 2, 2007 March 1,2007 May 15 2007 June 7, 2007 Wii May 31 2007 June 19 2007 June 29 2007 July 5 2007
Genre(s)	Action-adventure Third-person shooter Survival horror
Mode(s)	Single player

Resident Evil 4 (バイオハザード4, biohazard 4) is a third-person shooter published and developed by Capcom. It is the sixth installment in the Resident Evil series. It was released in North America on January 11, 2005 for the Nintendo GameCube, and was later released in Japan on January 27, 2005 and in Europe on March 18, 2005. The game was later ported onto the PlayStation 2 in October 2005, and for the PC and Wii in June 2007. The game also won numerous game of the year awards.

Story

In 2004, six years after the events of Resident Evil 2 and 3, the Umbrella Corporation's secretive activities within Raccoon City have become a public affair. Following an investigation conducted by the U.S. government, several Umbrella officials are implicated and prosecuted. The government indefinitely suspends Umbrella's business, causing the company to become bankrupt.

The game's main protagonist is Leon S. Kennedy, one of the few survivors of the Raccoon City incident, who was recruited by the U.S. government to become a secret agent after they learned of his actions in Raccoon City. Leon is sent on a mission to rescue Ashley Graham, the President's daughter, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious cult. Leon travels to a Spanish-speaking village in Europe, where he encounters a horde of unruly villagers who pledge their lives to Los Illuminados, the cult that perpetrated Ashley's kidnapping.

During the course of the mission, Leon is reunited with Ada Wong, a woman he met in Resident Evil 2, and Jack Krauser, one of Leon's former friends from his years of government training, thought to be dead. He also meets Luis Sera, a former Los Illuminados researcher, who aids Leon on his mission before he is killed. By examining Sera's notes, Leon discovers that Los Illuminados gained control of their subjects by implanting a mind-controlling parasite known as Las Plagas into their bodies.

After Osmund Saddler, the leader of the cult, discovers that Leon has rescued Ashley, he commands his subjects to use any means to recover her. Meanwhile, after defeating the village chief Bitorez Mendez, Leon and Ashley take refuge inside the castle of the local castellan, Ramon Salazar. A surprise attack by Salazar's minions leads to Ashley's recapture, forcing Leon to travel to a military and research complex located on a nearby island. After numerous altercations with Saddler's forces, Leon is able to successfully rescue Ashley, and defeat Saddler with Ada's assistance.

From Saddler's remains Leon retrieves the Plagas sample, only to be forced by Ada to hand it over. She then escapes from the complex in a helicopter, leaving Leon and Ashley to escape via jet-ski.

Gameplay

Resident Evil 4's game mechanics have been completely redesigned to incorporate fast-paced gunplay, quick controls and shootouts involving massive crowds of enemies in large open areas. This, combined with an abundance of healing items and ammunition, results in a different gameplay experience from other Resident Evil games. Previous titles in the series have focused on exploration and conservation of ammunition. A typical play-through can result in the player killing upwards of 900 enemies.

Changes

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Leon fighting Ganados in the beginning of the game

Because the game contains no zombies, this installment is a radical departure from the series formula. Instead, the main enemies are parasitically-controlled humans referred to as "Los Ganados" (Spanish for 'the cattle'). Significantly smarter and quicker than the zombies from previous games, Ganados are a very different sort of foe. These new enemies dodge, wield melee and projectile weapons, and are capable of working collectively and communicating with each other. Once simple farmers, these Ganados are the product of an infestation of Las Plagas, which are powerful mind-controlling parasites.

Resident Evil 4 also contains changes to the inventory, camera angles, and movement control system. Normally, the camera remains behind the player character, who is visible from the waist up, and stands just left of the center of the screen. The camera zooms in for an over-the-shoulder view when the aiming button is pressed, and all projectile weapons (save for those with telescopic sights) are given a laser sight for precision aiming. This feature was removed in the Wii version in favor of an aiming reticule controlled by the Wii Remote.

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Leon helping Ashley.

With the inclusion of a laser sight, the game gives players an unprecedented amount of control in their attacks. Previous Resident Evil games only allowed players to aim their weapon up, down, or level; Resident Evil 4 expands this considerably, and enemies respond differently to bullet impacts to various parts of the body. For example, a shot to the foot may cause an approaching enemy to stumble, while a shot to the arm might make an enemy drop their weapon. In many cases these types of shots leave enemies vulnerable to various melee attacks (such as a suplex or roundhouse kick), which often knock nearby enemies to the ground as well. This allows skilled players to use ammunition more efficiently - a feature not possible in previous Resident Evil games - by changing the focus away from item management toward combat. Additionally, ammunition is more plentiful than in previous installments, primarily because some enemies drop ammunition after they are defeated. Weapons may be purchased from and continuously upgraded by the merchant using the currency in the game, the peseta.

Item management has also undergone significant change. While previous installments restricted a character to carrying a set number of items, Resident Evil 4 bases the number of items a character may carry on a grid system in which each item takes up a set of squares on the grid. The player's carrying capacity may be expanded by purchasing larger attaché cases. In addition, key items are now kept separately from weapons and healing supplies, allowing the player to acquire them without dropping current items or backtracking to the nearest item chest to make room. Treasures may be sold to the merchant for pesetas. The healing herbs from the previous games are back. In addition to the traditional green and red herbs, the new yellow herb, when combined with a green herb (or a mixed herb) increases the player's maximum health.

Another new aspect of Resident Evil 4 is the inclusion of context-sensitive controls. Based on the situation, the player can interact with aspects of their environment: kicking down a ladder, jumping out of a window, or dodging an enemy attack. As mentioned previously, the player can perform a melee attack against enemies while the enemy is stunned or on his or her knees. There are also dynamic cut scenes, 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 battles, where the player must avoid deadly one-hit kill attacks.. The Wii version altered this concept slightly by having the player shake the motion-sensitive controller rather than press a button combination. The game also features a dedicated knife button, which the player can use in addition to firearms.

The game features a more cinematic presentation by using letterboxing. Loading times are kept to a minimum, unlike previous Resident Evil games, where moving between areas required a load screen. In Resident Evil 4, the game loads only between areas denoted by green action text. An area may consist of anything from a few buildings to a huge military base. Doors may be opened slowly and quietly by pressing the 'action' button next to them, or quickly and violently by double-tapping the same button, often stunning enemies on the other side.

Characters

Main article: Characters in Resident Evil 4

Creatures

Main article: List of Resident Evil 4 creatures

Reception

Resident Evil 4 has garnered critical acclaim. It has received dozens of awards from various organizations (see below) and stellar reviews from various video game websites.

The Nintendo GameCube version was released in the United States on January 11, 2005 with U.S. sales exceeding 320,000 copies in the first 20 days. The European release on March the 18th mirrored this success, selling its entire 200,000 unit allocation within the first month. As of January 2006, reported sales of Resident Evil 4 show that it has shipped over 3,000,000 copies world wide. Sales totals include the PlayStation 2 port that was released on October 25 2005.

The game was considered by critics and fans as a top contender for 2005's Game of the Year. The fourth iteration (although it is the sixth game in the main series, which includes Code: Veronica and Zero) has made fans out of players who would not otherwise have given the Resident Evil series a second glance.

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 units worldwide, and the PS2 has sold over 2 million units.

Both the GameCube and PS2 versions of Resident Evil 4 scored over 95% on Game Rankings and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, two review aggregator sites. Nintendo Power also gave it a perfect 10, and named it their 2005 Game of the Year. It also ranked #2 on their NP Top 200 list (featuring the best games ever on Nintendo consoles), behind only The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The Official PlayStation Magazine named it the Game Of The Year on the PlayStation 2 . Game Informer gave both editions of Resident Evil 4 a perfect score, and ranked it their 2005 Game of the Year. It tied with Kingdom Hearts II as Famitsu's Game of The Year 2005.

Subsequently, Resident Evil 4 was named 'Game of the Year' at the 2005 Spike TV Video Game Awards.. Also, the television show X-Play, on Channel G4, named it the greatest game since the beginning of the series in April 2003.

Nintendo GameCube exclusivity

In September 2001, Capcom announced that the core Resident Evil series would become exclusive to the Nintendo GameCube with three new games: an enhanced remake of the original Resident Evil, a prequel titled Resident Evil 0 and Resident Evil 4. Capcom had previously proposed a version of Resident Evil 4 for PlayStation 2, but the idea was revamped into Devil May Cry.

As a result of heavy losses incurred in 2002, the company later confirmed that not all the Resident Evil series games were actually exclusive to the console, with the exception of Resident Evil 4. Shinji Mikami, in an interview with a Japanese magazine, claimed that he would "cut [his own] head off" if Resident Evil 4 came to the PlayStation 2.

After the announcement of the exclusivity policy, Capcom still announced two Resident Evil titles for the PlayStation 2; Gun Survivor 4 (Resident Evil: Dead Aim) and Outbreak. Capcom stated that those games were side stories and not subject to the GameCube policy, adding that the games also required the use of additional peripherals (a light gun and online support) that were not available for the GameCube.

On October 31 2004, Capcom officially announced that Resident Evil 4 would come to the PlayStation 2 near the end of 2005, citing increased profit, changing market conditions, and increased consumer satisfaction as the key reasons (this, and that Capcom was equally pleased with the sole sales of Resident Evil Outbreak). Resident Evil (remake) and Resident Evil Zero would remain GameCube exclusives.

On February 1 2006, Ubisoft announced that they would be publishing the game on the PC.

On April 4 2007, a Wii version was revealed to be in production, 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. The extra material, improved graphics, and the use of the Wii Remote were praised by critics. One review labeled it as the ultimate version of the game.

Despite the fact that Resident Evil 4 later appeared on other platforms, the GameCube version sold over 500,000 units in the United States alone, earned several Game of the Year awards, achieved Player's Choice status, and became available at a reduced cost from $49.99 to $19.99.

Special editions and bonuses

• Before the release date of Resident Evil 4, Capcom offered a pre-orderable collector's pack that was found only through the website itself. This collectible pack, limited to only 100 in existence, included the Resident Evil 4 game, the Prologue Art Book and a white t-shirt with a black logo of the name on the front, and the Resident Evil website address on the back.

• Another pre-order was established for the PlayStation 2, in both a standard and collector's bundle. The standard package included the game and a dark blue t-shirt (with a small Capcom logo printed on the left, front side of the shirt, with the PlayStation 2 game cover on the back and the resident evil website on the lower bottom). The collector's bundle ($119.95) included the game and t- shirt, as well as a Leon Kennedy figurine, sculpted by NECA and a black Biohazard Sound Chronicle Best Track Box, that contains 6 discs in solid black cases and a CD booklet with information on lists of selected songs. This was quickly sold out, and a second press was released that did not include Leon Kennedy but Ada Wong instead. This version was unknown whether it was limited to 100 or not.

• During the GameCube launch, the retailer chain GameStop released Resident Evil 4 in a limited special edition, packaged in a tin box, along with an artwork book about the story of the series, a cel art of Leon, and a soundtrack CD.

• The PlayStation 2 also saw a special edition, (but official, released by Capcom itself), packaged in a "fake tin" plastic case, along with the artwork book, a documentary DVD, and a cel art of Ada.

• Game developer Nubytech also made a special chainsaw controller. This controller is a reference to Dr. Salvador, the chainsaw-wielding Ganado. The GameCube version is colored yellow, while the PlayStation 2 controller has an orange color. The controller is very detailed in appearance (which features blood-stains and a bloody image of Leon). However, due to its less-than-ideal layout and cost, it is seen more as a collector's item rather than an enhancement to the gameplay. The Chainsaw controller also contains motion sensitivity in the PS2 version only; raising and lowering the controller can be used as a mechanism to make Leon take aim with his weapon.

• NECA made a license agreement with Capcom to sculpt action figures of characters based on the game.

• Available in Japan for purchase for a short time was a "Leon S. Kennedy" outfit package. It contained Leon's fur jacket, a pair of Leon's boots and a "Las Plagas" sample vial filled with cologne.

Alternative versions

Regional differences

The GameCube version of Resident Evil 4 went through slight modifications in each regional release since the initial one. The North American version was the first and the original to be released, followed shortly by the Japanese version. These two versions are reportedly identical in most aspects (excluding localization), with the only difference being that animation involving decapitation was censored and removed from the Japanese version. This was presumably due to the fact that Resident Evil 4 was the first game in the series (not including re-releases and ports) to be rated by the Computer Entertainment Rating Organization, which objected to the game's depictions of decapitations. When Leon is killed by a chainsaw-wielding ganado, the chainsaw is pulled out before it severs his head. In Japan, the Assignment: Ada minigame is titled Ada the Spy.

The PAL versions of the game went through several changes from the North American version. These changes include a new Easy mode and increased firepower in some guns. In addition, the listed firing speed for rifles has been changed to reflect their actual firing speed in the game more accurately.

In terms of violent content, all the PAL region versions are identical to the North American version. The exception is the German version of the game, which lacks the Mercenaries and Assignment: Ada minigames. Since all PAL versions include multiple localizations, the game sold in the Netherlands is identical to the UK version. Only the language of the manual is different in each country. The Swiss and Austrian version, however has all the original violence of the normal game and also includes the minigames that were removed from the German version while shipping with a German booklet.

Exclusive features

Capcom added new content made specifically for the PlayStation 2, and later added into the PC and Wii releases.

• Separate Ways, a five chapter mini-game which revolves around Ada Wong’s involvement in Resident Evil 4, and her connection to Albert Wesker, a former member of the Raccoon City S.T.A.R.S. unit, who is now attempting to revive Umbrella. During the mini-game, the player can use a pump-action shotgun and a bowgun with explosive arrows, two exclusive weapons. The Japanese version of the mini-game title is the another order.
• Ada's Report, a five-part documentary, which analyzes Ada’s relationship with Albert Wesker and his role in the plot. Players unlock portions of the documentary as they progress through the Separate Ways mini-game.
• New costume set, one of which portrays Leon as a 1920s mobster, and puts Ashley in an indestructible suit of armor. Leon’s Chicago Typewriter also has a drum magazine as opposed to the regular box magazine. The other set contains Leon's costume from Resident Evil 2.
• P.R.L. 412 (Plaga Removal Laser), a laser gun which can be used to stun or kill an enemy. Unlocked by beating the "Professional" difficulty setting.
• Movie Browser, a feature that allows the player to view cut scenes from the both Separate Ways and the actual game. The feature is unlocked after a player beats the game.
• “Amateur” mode, an easier difficulty setting which is exclusive to the Japanese version
• Support for widescreen televisions.

PlayStation 2 port

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Resident Evil 4 chainsaw controller compatible with the PlayStation 2.

A PlayStation 2 port of Resident Evil 4 was released in America on October 25, 2005. Despite being a graphically downgraded port due to the PlayStation 2's hardware capabilities, impressions of the port based on a preview build have been good. A handful of critics stated that the PlayStation 2 version's graphics were inferior to those of the GameCube, however some felt that the exclusive features made up for these shortcomings.

Additionally, almost all the GameCube’s real-time cut scenes were converted into FMV movie files in order to maintain a better quality. In other words, the player’s character will appear (in higher-polygon GameCube model) wearing their default costume, regardless of which accessories or outfits were actually chosen. The gameplay balancing present in the PAL GameCube version applies to the PlayStation 2 version as well (though the North American release has no Easy option).

Voices and sound effects quality outside of the cutscenes had been reduced due to audio RAM constraints.

A special chainsaw controller was also made for the PlayStation 2 version.

PC port

A PC port of Resident Evil 4 was developed by SourceNext and published by Electronics Arts in Taiwan and Typhoon Games (HK) Ltd. in HK (excluding Japan) in February 2007. The port was published in North America by Ubisoft. and shipped in June 2007. Ubisoft shipped the European version on March 2, 2007. The port contains the bonus features from the PlayStation 2 version, such as "Separate Ways", the P.R.L. 412 laser cannon and a second set of unlockable costumes for Leon and Ashley. It also supports multiple widescreen resolutions.

The PC port is based on the PlayStation 2 version of the game, and thus features lower quality textures and reduced-polygon character models in comparison to the GameCube version. All cutscenes are pre-rendered FMV movies instead of rendered using the in-game engine. The original version of the port also did not feature any lighting or shader effects.

Notably, the port also does not allow mouse support; the game can only be controlled either with the keyboard only, or with a PC gamepad controller. Although several mouse mods were available for download, many had complained that sensitivity was too difficult to adjust.

The PC port's manual mistakenly switches buttons 1 and 3, and ingame button-bash icons are not updated to the corresponding key.

A patch was released to update the game to version 1.1.0 that restored the lighting and shader effects, and it also fixed a freezing issue. The patch was included with the North American version of the game, which was released on May 15, 2007.

The Japanese version was released on June 7, 2007 in Japan.

The ratings to the PC port were not as highly praised as the other versions. It was heavily criticized for no mouse support and frustrating keyboard controls, and requiring the gamepad controller for better aiming and general gameplay. Despite the frustrating control scheme, however, the game still got positive reviews regarding the graphic improvement after installing the patch. Gamespot has given the game a 7.8 out of ten, while IGN gave it a 7.7 instead.

Many websites featured mods to improve the game's graphics and gameplay. Because of this, it is unlikely that there will be a patch for the next version.

Wii edition

Resident Evil 4: Wii edition includes Wii Remote and Nunchuk compatibility for numerous gameplay features such as aiming and shooting, reloading and a "search knife" function that aims the knife at the nearest enemy. Players can switch between the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, the GameCube Controller and the Classic Controller at any time, depending on their preferred style of play. Nevertheless, in order to use the GameCube Controller, nothing can be connected to the Wii Remote.

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Resident Evil 4: Wii edition

When playing with the Wii Remote and Nunchuk, the laser sight on guns is replaced with a reticle that flashes red (enemy) and green (no target) when a gun is drawn. The reticle is always present on screen, remaining a faint grey color that keeps track of the player's aim. This allows the player to aim and draw the gun, retaining the original aim (except while using a scoped weapon, such as the rifle or rocket launcher).

The Japanese version has its gore toned down and decapitations removed in the final product just as it did on the GameCube. Footage of the Japanese version caused some to worry that the North American version would also be censored. The North American version, however, remains uncensored.

The Wii edition also includes the extra content from the PlayStation 2 and PC versions. It was released in North America on June 19,2007, and in Europe on June 29,2007. This version also includes a trailer for Resident Evil: The Umbrella Chronicles. In addition, the Wii edition supports 480p and 16:9 widescreen, as opposed to the 480p and 4:3 letterbox format of the GCN version. The game also maintains a consistent 30FPS, as opposed to past versions which had occurrences of slowdown in hectic moments. Otherwise, the visual quality remains very similar to the GCN iteration. Like the GCN version, the game features in-game cutscenes. However, the video clips found in Movie Browser and Separate Ways are FMVs. Also regarding the in-game cutscenes, if the player happens to choose mobster Leon and knight armor Ashley as their costumes for the game, in the cutscenes they will only appear in their normal default costumes.

The Japanese magazine Famitsu reviewed 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 38/40. The reviewers noted that the game's improved controls offer something fresh and different. One reviewer said that the game offers the feeling of being closer to the action as well as upping the tension. 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%, higher than the 95% 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 only £30, however when writing about the Wii controls they said "if you've played the GC version this won't be as special". IGN gave the game a 9.0, stating it was the superior edition, but doesn't push the Wii like it did with Gamecube and PS2. Gamespot gave Wii edition a score of 9.1, praised the new controls, but commented on the lack of exclusive Wii features

Graphics

Some graphical differences exist between the GameCube and PlayStation versions. The game is presented in widescreen on both formats: the GameCube version features a 4:3 letter-boxed format and 480p, while the PlayStation 2 version can be displayed in 16:9 widescreen and 480p. The GameCube version proves to be graphically superior, with the PS2 version containing less lighting effects, some washed-out textures, and slightly lower polygon counts. The PS2 version also contains pre-rendered cutscenes opposed to the real-time ones in the GameCube version. This means when the player selects the unlockable outfits, the characters will still be wearing the default outfits during cutscenes.

The Wii edition features the original graphics of the GameCube version, in-engine cutscenes (with the exception of the original PS2 version extras, costumes, and cutscenes) and supports both a 16:9 widescreen mode and 480p.

Development history

Officially announced in 2001, Resident Evil 4 underwent a long development period in which three proposed versions of the game were discarded by the developers before the finished product was released in 2005.

An earlier attempt in developing Resident Evil 4 was made from 1998 to 2000 for the PlayStation 2, with Resident Evil 2 director Hideki Kamiya leading the project. The first year was primarily spent on research of what the project would be, and included a trip to Spain for the development staff to study Spanish architecture. The direction that the project took was considered too much of a departure from the traditional Resident Evil style and the resulting game was revamped and released as Devil May Cry in 2001. In Devil May Cry, several similarities can be observed when compared to the Resident Evil games, due to the fact that Devil May Cry began its development known as "Resident Evil 4."

The development of Resident Evil 4 got its official start in 2001 for the GameCube as part of an exclusivity agreement between Capcom and Nintendo. The first proposed version, dubbed the Fog Version, was unveiled in the Tokyo Game Show in 2002 and had Hiroshi Shibata (background designer for Resident Evil 3: Nemesis) attached to the project. This version's premise featured Leon infiltrating Umbrella's HQ in Europe, getting infected by the Progenitor Virus (covered in the Resident Evil remake and Resident Evil 0) and fighting fog-like creatures. One of the most notable areas shown in this version was a flying airship. However, Capcom scrapped the second beta of Resident Evil 4 quietly and created a new version without any outside announcement.

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Hooked Man

After the Fog Version came the Hooked Man Version. First shown at the E3 in 2003, this version was set in a haunted mansion and featured Leon fighting what appeared to be paranormal enemies, such as medieval suits of armor and living dolls. It also seemed that there are two different worlds, one relatively normal and one where the bizarre enemies would appear, similar in many ways to the Silent Hill game series. The most notable enemy in this version was the aforementioned "Hooked Man," who was intended to be a recurring enemy in the game, along the lines of the role of the "Nemesis." The game displayed numerous elements that have been carried over to the final release:

• The over-the-shoulder perspective when Leon's weapon is drawn. However, in the video, there are a few times when Leon aims without the over-the-shoulder camera. The game reverts to a third-person view like a traditional Resident Evil game.
• A red laser sight for Leon to use during aiming.
• The flashlight that is added to Leon's character design.
• A suit of armour suddenly attacking Leon when he attempts to pass it, as well as the button combination to dodge the attack.
• The ability to throw a grenade.
• The concept of assigning the L button to draw another type of weapon. In the beta version, the weapon was a grenade; in the final release, the weapon was a combat knife.
• The 'struggle' feature where player has to break free from an enemy's grasp.
• Leon's health indicator. In the beta, it flashes when Leon is hurt, but in the final release the developers decided to add a HUD to display more information.

This version was reportedly so scary that Shinji Mikami himself warned the gamers with a famous quote "Don't pee your pants" prior showing the initial trailer at E3. Gameplay footage of this version was featured in the Biohazard 4 Secret DVD released in Japan only. This version was scrapped for being far too paranormal for the Resident Evil plot.

The final proposal before the finished product reportedly featured zombies as enemies once again. Not much was known about this version as it was never shown publicly. It was considered too formulaic by the developers and was discarded. After this, Shinji Mikami took over directorial duties from Shibata and began working on the version that was released.

At the last beta version, again, several things were changed during the development. Resident Evil 4 was to retain the inventory slot system, but was changed to the attache case.

In much interest, it seems that this is the first Resident Evil game in the series that reject the "Survival Horror" theme in favor for the "Survival Action" genre: In the packaging art in the back of the Nintendo Gamecube version it says Forget everything you know about Resident Evil, while the PlayStation 2 packaging art in the back reads Forget everything you ever knew about survival horror.

Awards and recognition

2004 IGN Best of E3 Awards

• GameCube Best Action Game
• Best Graphics
• Best Sound
• Technological Excellence
• Game of the Show

2005 CESA Game Awards

• Prize of Excellence

2005 Spike TV's Video Game Awards

• Best Graphics
• Game of the Year

IGN Best of 2005

• GameCube Best Action Game
• Best Graphics Technology
• Best Artistic Design
• Best Original Score
• Best Use of Sound
• Game of the Year Runner Up

IGN Best of 2005 Readers' Choice

• GameCube Best Action Game
• Best Graphics Technology Overall
• Game of the Year

2006 IGN

• Ranked #1 on "Reader's Top 99 Games"

2005 Golden Joystick Awards

• GameCube Game of the Year
• Editor's Game of the Year

2005 GameSpot Best of 2005

• Best Action Adventure Game
• Most Improved Sequel
• GameCube Game of the Year
• Game of the Year 2005 (GameCube Version)

2005 GameSpot Reader's Choice

• Best Action-Adventure Game
• GameCube Game of the Year
• Game of the Year 2005

GameSpy Best of 2005

• Best GameCube Action Title
• GameCube Game of the Year

2005 Edge magazine Awards

• Best Game Of 2005

Telewest Shiny Awards Games Digest

• Game Of The Year 2005

2005 Nintendo Power Awards

• Game of the Year (Staff and Readers)
• Best Graphics (Staff and Readers)
• Best Storyline (Staff and Readers)

2005 X-Play

• Best Action Adventure Game of 2005
• Game of the Year 2005
• Ranked #1 in the "Top 10 GameCube Games"
• Ranked #4 in the "Top Ten Scariest Games of All Time"
• Five-out-of-Five (GameCube version)
• Five-out-of-Five (PlayStation 2 version)

GameFAQs 2005's Best

• Best GameCube Game
• Game of the Year

GameFAQs Tenth Anniversary Contest

• Ranked #14 on "Best Games Ever"

2005 Game Informer

• Game of the Year

2005 Metacritic

• PlayStation 2 Game of the Year
• GameCube Game of the Year

2005 Play Magazine

• Editor's Choice Game of the Year
• Best Graphics

2005 EGM Magazine

• Game of the Year

2005 Games Master's Gaming Awards

• Game of the Year
• GameCube Game of the Year

2005 GamePro Magazine Editor's Choice

• Game of the Year
• Best Action-Adventure

2005 UGO.com

• Game of the Year

2005 Game Revolution

• Game of the Year

2005 Blender Magazine's Reader's Poll

• Game of the Year

2005 NGC Magazine

• Game of the Year

2005 1UP Awards

• Game of the Year
• Best Action Game

2005 GAME

• Game of the Year
• People's Choice

2005 Gamefly Q Awards Favorite

• Game of the Year
• GameCube Game of the Year

2005 Gamecentral's (UK)

• Game of the Year
• Viewers' Game of the Year (both PS2 and GameCube)

2005 "Nintendo Power Awards"

• Game of the Year - GCN
• Best Graphics - GCN
• Best Sound / Voice Acting
• Best Adventure Game
• Game of the Year (Overall)

2005 Nintendo Power "NP Top 200"

• Ranked #2

Gaming Target

• 52 Games From 2005 We'd Still Be Playing

2006 Famitsu

• 2005 Game of the Year (tied with Kingdom Hearts II)

2006 GameSpy

• Ranked #1 on "Top 25 GameCube Games of All Time"

2006 PSM10

• Runner up for "Game of the Year"
• Best Graphics

2006 IGN

• Ranked #3 on "Readers' Choice 2006 - The Top 100 Games Ever"

2007 EDGE

• Ranked #2 on "Readers' Choice 2007 - The Top 100 Games Ever"

2007 X-Play

• Ranked #1 on "Top 10 reviewed Games of all time."

Cast

• Paul Mercier — Leon Scott Kennedy
• Carolyn Lawrence — Ashley Graham
• Rino Romano — Luis Sera
• Salli Saffioti — Ingrid Hunnigan
• Sally Cahill — Ada Wong
• Rene Mujica — Ramon Salazar
• Jesse Corti — Bitores Mendez
• Jim Ward — Jack Krauser
• Michael Gough — Osmund Saddler
• Richard Waugh — Albert Wesker
• Carlos Carrasco — Villagers/Zealots
• Alex Mendoza — Villagers/Zealots
• Carol Bach y Rita — Villagers/Zealots
• Ward E. Sexton — Title Call

Music

Main article: biohazard 4 Original Soundtrack

The original 2-disc soundtrack CD for Resident Evil 4, composed by Misao Senbongi & Shusaku Uchiyama, was released in Japan on December 22, 2005 and its catalogue number is CPCA-10126~7 .

External links

• Official Japanese site
• Official PS2 version Japanese site
• Official American site
• Official European site
• Capcom Gamer's Day 2007 Video Interview
• Resident Evil 4 on Gamerankings.com