Resident Evil 4

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Resident Evil 4
North American GameCube cover art
Developer(s)	Capcom Production Studio 4
Publisher(s)	Capcom (GCN/PS2/Wii) Ubisoft (PC)
Designer(s)	Shinji Mikami (director)Hiroyuki Kobayashi (producer)
Release date(s)	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 April 3, 2007 Wii May 31, 2007 June 25, 2007
Genre(s)	Action-adventure Third-person shooter Survival Horror
Mode(s)	Single player
Rating(s)	ESRB: M (Mature) CERO: D (17 and up, censored version) BBFC: 15 USK: 18 (censored version) PEGI: 18+ OFLC: MA15+
Platform(s)	GCN, Wii, PS2, PC Windows
Media	2 × GameCube Optical Disc, 1 × DVD-ROM
System requirements	Supported OS: Windows® 2000/XP (only) Processor: 1 GHz Pentium® III or AMD Athlon™ (or better) RAM: 256 MB (512 MB recommended) Video Card: 128 MB DirectX® 9.0c-compliant AGP or PCI Express graphics card (256 or higher for High Graphics Detail support) Sound Card: DirectX 9.0c compliant (or better) DirectX Version: DirectX 9.0c or higher (included on disc) CD-ROM: 12x or faster CD-ROM Hard Drive Space: 1.2 GB minimum Peripherals Supported: Gamepad Supported Video Cards at Time of Release NVIDIA® GeForce™ FX/6/7 families ATI® Radeon® 9200-9800/X families.[1]

Resident Evil 4 (バイオハザード４, Baiohazādo Fō, biohazard 4^?), is a video game published and developed by Capcom. Resident Evil 4 is the sixth installment in the Resident Evil series. It debuted in North America on January 11, 2005 for the Nintendo GameCube, and was later released in Japan and Europe. The game was ported onto the PlayStation 2 in October of 2005, and onto the PC in 2007. A version for the Wii console at a budget price is confirmed for a summer 2007 release.^[2]

Contents 1 Story 2 Gameplay 2.1 Full model change 2.2 Characters 2.3 Creatures 2.4 Graphics 3 Reaction 3.1 GameCube exclusivity controversy 4 Special editions and bonuses 5 Alternative versions 5.1 Regional differences 5.2 PlayStation 2 port 5.2.1 Exclusive features 5.3 PC port 5.4 Wii port 6 Development history 7 Awards and recognition 8 Cast 9 Music 10 References 11 External links

[edit] Story

In 2004, six years after the events of Resident Evil 2 and 3, the Umbrella Corporation’s fiasco in Raccoon City has become a public affair. Following an investigation conducted by the United States Government, several Umbrella officials are implicated and prosecuted. The government formally and indefinitely suspends Umbrella’s business practices, causing the company to become bankrupt.

The game's main protagonist is Leon Scott Kennedy, one of the few remaining survivors of the Raccoon City incident, who was recruited and trained by the US Government to become a special agent after they learned of his actions in Raccoon City. Now an agent for a security agency, 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 spy Leon met in Resident Evil 2, and Jack Krauser, one of Leon’s former colleagues, 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. A surprise attack by Saddler’s airborne 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.

Leon recovers a vial containing a Plagas sample from Saddler’s corpse, but Ada forces him to give it to her. She then escapes from the complex in a helicopter, leaving Leon and Ashley to escape via jet-ski. Although Leon and Ashley manage to escape from the island, the sample's whereabouts and fate remain uncertain.

[edit] Gameplay

Resident Evil 4's game mechanics have been completely revamped 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 - in RE4, the player can fire more ammunition and kill more enemies in one playthrough than in all of the other Resident Evil games combined (not including the Gun Survivor sub-franchise, in which the player is deliberately given infinite pistol ammunition). A typical play-through can result in the player killing upwards of 900 enemies.

[edit] Full model change

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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". Much 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. Once simple farmers, these Ganados are the product of an infestation of Las Plagas, 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 ballistic weapons (save for those with telescopic sights) are given a laser-pointer for precision aiming.

With the inclusion of a laser-pointer, 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. 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, is the yellow herb, which 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 specific aspects of their environment, such as by kicking down a ladder, jumping out of a window, or dodging an enemy attack. The player can perform a mêlée 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. This technique is sometimes employed in boss fights against one-hit kill attacks. The game also features a dedicated knife button, which the player can use in addition to firearms.

The game also 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 feature anything from a few buildings to a huge military base. Doors are manipulated by pressing 'action' next to them, after which the character opens the door slowly and quietly, or the character will give it a push or a kick (which can stun enemies) if 'action' is pressed twice. Cutscenes load almost instantaneously, keeping the pace consistent. However the PlayStation 2 version loads slower, and has lower fidelity sound effects outside of cutscenes due to audio RAM constraints.

[edit] Characters

Main article: Characters in Resident Evil 4

[edit] Creatures

Main article: List of Resident Evil 4 creatures

[edit] Graphics

Resident Evil 4 uses fully three-dimensional in-game graphics; in-game scenes and movies (for the GameCube version) are rendered in real-time. This allows for a mobile camera - a change from most of the previous games in the series which used pre-rendered, occasionally animated backdrops with superimposed 3D characters. The game's visual quality and attention to detail were lauded by critics and many described the game as the best-looking GameCube title.^[3]

Some graphical differences exist between the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions. The game is presented in widescreen on both formats: the GameCube version features only a letter-boxed format, while the PlayStation 2 version can also be displayed in anamorphic widescreen. Otherwise, the graphics are fairly comparible with the Playstation 2 experiencing a few less lighting effects and washed-out textures. ^[4]

[edit] Reaction

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

The GameCube version was released in the US on January 11, 2005 with US 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.^[5]

The decision to port Resident Evil 4 for the PS2 was a successful one from Capcom's perspective as the PS2 version of the game managed to outsell the GameCube version in a few months. According to the last Capcom software sales charts, the PS2 version had sold 1.8 million units as of May 2006.^[6]

The drastic changes paid off, and the game was considered by industry insiders and the casual gaming public 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.^[7] Both versions of Resident Evil 4 scored over 95% on Game Rankings^[8] and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes,^[9] two review aggregator sites.

Nintendo Power also gave it a perfect 10, and also ranked 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.^[10]

Subsequently, Resident Evil 4 was named 'Game of the Year' at the 2005 Spike TV Video Game Awards.^[11]

In addition, it is one of the few games to receive two 5/5 ratings from X-Play (one for the GameCube version and one for the PlayStation 2 version). X-Play also declared it the best game for the Nintendo GameCube in a Top Ten countdown after the release of the Wii console.

[edit] GameCube exclusivity controversy

In September 2001, Capcom announced that the core Resident Evil series would become exclusive to the Nintendo GameCube with three new games: a remake of the original Resident Evil (better known by its informal abbreviated name, REmake), a prequel titled Resident Evil 0, and Resident Evil 4. This caused a stir among longtime Resident Evil fans who owned the series on PlayStation and PlayStation 2. In fact, Capcom had previously proposed a version of Resident Evil 4 for PlayStation 2, but the idea was revamped into Devil May Cry.

Many believed that Capcom would follow their actions with Resident Evil: Code Veronica, which was originally marketed as a Sega Dreamcast exclusive, but eventually made its way to the PlayStation 2 and GameCube in the form of an updated version. The fans' beliefs were helped by the financial losses Capcom took in 2002 and 2003 due to lower sales of Resident Evil (remake)^{[citation needed]} and Resident Evil Zero^{[citation needed]} on the GameCube, as well as high sales of Resident Evil Outbreak on PS2 (see next paragraph). Despite this, Capcom, especially Shinji Mikami, touted the three new games as GameCube exclusives. In an interview with a Japanese magazine, Mikami even 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's justification for these titles appearing on the PlayStation 2 was that they were side stories and such, were not subject to the GameCube policy, also required the use of additional peripherals (a light gun and online support) that were not available for the GameCube.

However, 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 will remain GameCube exclusives. Similar to the fans' outrage in 2001, some were angered that Capcom had remitted three years worth of exclusivity promises.

On February 1, 2006, Ubisoft announced that they would be publishing the game on the PC.^[12].

On April 4, 2007, a Wii version was revealed as in production, which will launch later in the year. The game will feature all the extras of the PS2 version, along with other additions, including a trailer for Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles.

[edit] Special editions and bonuses

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.^[13] 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.^[14]

Game developer NubyTech also made a special chainsaw controller. This controller is a reference to Dr. Salvador, the chainsaw-wielding Ganado. The GameCube one is colored yellow, while the PlayStation 2 one has an orange color.^[15] 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.

[edit] Alternative versions

[edit] 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 (titled Biohazard 4). These two versions are reportedly identical in most aspects (excluding localization), with the only difference being that animation involving decapitation were censored and removed from the Japanese version. This was presumably due to the fact that Biohazard 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, his face is rather unrealistically mutilated. 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. This includes more balanced gameplay, 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. This is with exception to the German version of the game, which has the Assignment Ada and Mercenaries mini-games left out. 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 two mini-games that were removed from the German version while shipping with a German booklet.

[edit] PlayStation 2 port

A PlayStation 2 port of Resident Evil 4 was released in America on October 25, 2005. Despite earlier rumors of a downgraded port due to the PlayStation 2's hardware capabilities, impressions of the port based on a preview build have been generally favorable . Many critics stated that the PlayStation 2 version's graphics were very close to the GameCube’s, despite a lower polygon count, which resulted in a loss of character and environment detail.

The port is missing many lighting effects, however, and water effects needed to be re-designed (ripple with transparency, but a flat surface with no reflections) as the PlayStation 2 hardware does not have the same capabilities as the GameCube.^[16]

Additionally, almost all the GameCube’s real-time cut scenes were converted into movie files in order to maintain a better quality. In other words, the player’s character will appear 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 disc space being quickly used and audio RAM constraints.

[edit] Exclusive features

To compensate for the late release, Capcom has added new content made specifically for the PlayStation 2 release.

• Separate Ways, a five chapter mini-game which revolves around Ada Wong’s involvement in the Resident Evil 4, and her connection to Albert Wesker, a former member of the Racoon City S.T.A.R.S. squadron, 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.
• Ada's Report, a five-part documentary, which analyzes Ada’s relationship with Albert Wesker and his role in the plot. One unlocks portions of the documentary as they progress through the Separate Ways mini-game.
• New costume set, 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.
• P.R.L. 412 (Plaga Removal Laser), a laser gun which can be used to instantly destroy enemies. 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
• The PlayStation 2 version also offers support for widescreen televisions.

[edit] PC port

A PC port of Resident Evil 4 was developed by SourceNext and published by Electronics Arts in TW and Typhoon Games (HK) Ltd.in HK (excluding Japan) in February 2007.^[17] The port will be published in North America by Ubisoft^[18] and will ship in April 2007.^[19] 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 unlockable costumes for Leon and Ashley. It has no mouse support^[20] and is missing all lighting and shader effects. The PC port's manual also mistakenly switches buttons 1 and 3.^[21]

[edit] Wii port

A Wii port has been confirmed in the April 20 issue of Weekly Famitsu. Subtitled Wii Edition, this version will include Wii Remote compatibility for numerous gameplay features such as aiming and shooting, reloading and a "search knife" function that aims the knife at the nearest enemy. The Wii Edition will also include the "Separate Ways" sub-scenario previously exclusive to the PlayStation 2 version. According to an interview with producer Masachika Kawata (who worked on the PS2 port) and director Minoru Nakai (the director of Deadly Silence), the Wii Edition will have the Amateur and Easy difficulty settings available by default. It is currently scheduled for a May 31 release in Japan for the price of 5,040 yen, which is about $42 in US dollars.^[22] Famitsu also stated that the release will include a trailer for Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles.^[23]

[edit] 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, hinting that those parts were 'leftovers' from the development of that version of Resident Evil 4, including:

• The sound effects created by spent cartridges hitting against a wall or floor after a gun is fired in Devil May Cry are identical to those used in the early Resident Evil titles.^{[citation needed]}

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.

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 camera moves to over Leon's shoulder when his 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 attacks 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. A player can use a grenade in the beta, but it is a knife in the final release.
• The 'struggle' feature where you have 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 due 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 "Survival Horror"- This is Survival Action redefined

[edit] Awards and recognition

[edit] 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

[edit] 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 .

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Official Japanese site
• Official PS2 version Japanese site
• Official American site
• Official European site

v • d • e Resident Evil video games

Resident Evil • Resident Evil 2 • Resident Evil 3 • Resident Evil Code: Veronica • Resident Evil Zero • Resident Evil 4 • Umbrella Chronicles • Resident Evil 5 Outbreak • Outbreak File #2 • Survivor • Survivor 2 • Dead Aim • Gaiden • Confidential Report List of Characters • List of Creatures • List of Resident Evil 4 creatures