This game is amazing, played it through and was enthralled by the design, level layout, and gameplay. I always liked Leon as a character ever since I was a kid watching my brother play and beat the game (I could never do it cause it was too scary for me then) and I have a level of nostalgia for the game, particularly with the setting, or more accurately the environment, without really playing it. This remake gave me the ability to actually play the game, and it was great, and I definitely understood why people raved about this particular title in the RE franchise. How exactly was it great? Well from my perspective it was like moving through a gallery of horror themed portraits. To me this is something to appreciate, the mood and atmosphere of this game was designed with gruesome and crude weaponry in mind, just think about anything sharp that you'd find in a shed, only it being used against you. It also explores a level of behavioral uncanny valley as all of your enemies behave in erratic ways, even once killed they begin to furiously seize, which I suggest you finish them off as quickly as you can. Victims of the enemies where scattered across the game which was honestly fascinating, which may sound concerning but when you have no idea what's going on and you're staring at weird cult rituals and eerie yet grizzly scenes, you can't help but respect the work the designers put into peaking your curiosity and making you feel uneasy. Granted the horror aspect of this game is kinda nullified by just how much of a unit Leon is, but reeled back in because ultimately it's your actions as the player. Gameplay is a lot like other RE games, finite ammo which you don't really run out of if you explore the map, giving you incentive to appreciate the beauty of the game and the effort put into each room or area, it's also worth noting that the content in this game is pretty extensive, you have side missions, challenges, multiple guns to use and upgrade and animals you can hunt for items you can use or sell. All and all I can't give this game anything less than a 10 just because of how high the highs are for this game. That being said I have some things to say about this game. The first thing I will say is comparing it to another amazing game: RE2. RE2 is more of a horror game than RE4. I say this because RE2 is cramped, and has a safe place for the player to stay but if you want to continue the game you have to explore the areas that are suspenseful, and dangerous, also as stated before Leon is a rookie in the 2nd game, which means no flips, no Thai kicks or suplexs. (Which is actually something I really like about RE4 as someone who trains MMA). I only make this comparison because to me if you are looking for a scary game RE2 was more scary to me than RE4 (the remakes ofc, I can't attest to the original games). Additionally there are slow parts of RE4 that are worth mentioning, the end wasn't my favorite in this game, and certain enemies were really annoying. Also like I said before I watched this game when I was a kid and miss the old voice lines of the villagers, which they replaced in a way that is completely different. Lastly if you've never played a RE game there are certain bosses or things that are a little fantastical that could expend your belief of the game which may be a big deal because how serious the game presents itself. But all and all this was a great game filled with plenty of content and is undoubtedly my favorite RE game to date.
Review of Resident Evil 4
