- PS2 ››
- Action ››
- Resident Evil 4
Resident Evil 4
- April 04, 2006 07:22 AM PST
- Email this!
Those of you who dismissed Resident Evil 4 as more-of-the-same zombie blasting and crate pushing were sorely mistaken.
OK, so when Resident Evil 4 came out exclusively for the GameCube earlier this year, Nintendo-ites rightfully earned gloating rights for remaining loyal to the beleaguered console system. Then came the announcement that the game would arrive on the PlayStation 2, and the tide turned. But persistent rumors that there would be exclusive extras in the Sony version persisted, and the playable demo revealed a few of them.Oh, No...Not Again
Those of you who dismissed Resident Evil 4 as more-of-the-same zombie blasting and crate pushing were sorely mistaken. The franchise went as far as possible with the usual pre-rendered visual scheme and limited combat engine, but RE 4 re-wrote all the rules. As Leon Kennedy, sent on a mission to rescue the president's daughter from a religious cult, the game featured full 3D action, no item boxes, a robust array of self-defense moves, and, what had been up to then a trademark of the series (gasp!), no zombies. Nevertheless, the frightening game was a big hit. The PlayStation 2 version retains all the creepy atmosphere of its GameCube brother, albeit with slightly cleaner, hi-res visuals, courtesy of 16:9 widescreen support. The only hitch is the controls, as neither pre-set is intuitive; this is a game that truly needs a custom configuration option.
And Not the Journey Song
The real prized addition is Separate Ways, a mini-game of sorts, where you step into the high heels and slinky dress of Ada Wong. As the sexy agent, you'll play out events in the game unseen by Leon in five chapters. For instance, when the bell rings in the opening chapter of the game, you'll take Ada to the tower so she can free the gears and sound the bell. Ada's play mechanics are similar to Leon, except for a few specialized weapons and a Grapple Gun built into her inventory that lets her vault to high places. She also ventures into brand-new areas inaccessible to Leon during his adventure. Separate Ways aside, other notable PS2 exclusive features are extra outfits for Leon and the kidnapped Ashley, and a brand-new weapon for Leon (see "Resident Evil 4 Watch" last issue).
