Yup, this one's a banger. One of my favourite games of all time. Better than REmake, because it's got its own identity and everything's been thought of meticulously instead of aping other current games' mechanics and bloating the game. But let's dial it back before you stop reading this. Why is this "old" game so good?

Resident Evil 4 is a classic for a good reason. This game not only kickstarted third person shooting (and inspired basically everyone of them that came after), but it's also got the pacing of a well done shooter down. The Last of Us, as bemoan as I am to mention that, and other games of Naughty Dog's ilk past 2005, owe themselves to this game, not to mention Gears of War as well (although that made it so that every third person shooter had to be a cover shooter...). If you like any third person shooter, there's a good chance you owe that to the lessons learnt from this game.

Does it lose a bit of that horror in survival horror? A little bit, definitely once you get to the island, but that's a short romp near the end that basically dials everything you've learnt up until that point to 11, so it makes sense. I would highly argue that the game still feels very much like the older games to some extent, just with a bit more action. You can't make the argument that it's going in the wrong direction, when 3 and Code: Veronica tried (and didn't succeed nearly as well due to not being able to aim freely or were restricted due to the fixed camera system) to put more action elements in the old formula. You could also probably blame Capcom for limiting REmake and 0 to the GameCube, making sure it made far less profit even if one of them was good. The formula at that point had run its course, so thinking of how to evolve Resident Evil (even if the effects of it would be more disastrous past this game) was probably the right call.

The tank controls, and not being able to move while shooting, inventory managment (tetris style management never gets old) and saving on the typewriter are some things that I can think of that are reminscent of the older style. Shinji Mikami also directed this, so it's not some other person who might not understand what the franchise is yet. Third person aiming will never feel scary, so they put a lot of emphasis on the survival rather than the horror. Unlike REmake, every hit that you get feels earnt, whether it is because Leon is dealing it, or taking it. The game has fixed rules regarding shooting areas, where shooting the head or the legs WILL trigger a melee prompt, and the melee has proper I-frames so it doesn't feel cheap when you get hit immediately after doing one in REmake. The knife is the underdog of saving ammo (and MVP of the Krauser fight), and no amount of pseudo Souls parrying will ever replace it. I never felt like the game was being too unfair outside of certain cutscenes making me get hit from enemies sneaking up on me. Dynamic difficulty exists in this game, so it can make it easier or harder depending on how well you are doing, making sure the experience is never the same, and making sure you are having a good time once you get your head around learning how Leon moves.

While some modern gamers may find this movement "limiting", it is all by design. Leon is very smooth and reflexive once you understand how he moves. He can be made even smoother with re4_tweaks, and the RE4HD Project is a must use and the definitive way of playing this game, much better than Capcom's efforts of upscaling (There is an option to use fixed camera angles during Ashley's section like it is in the Japanese version, and yes, it does become scarier). The upgrade system is rewarding and gives a great sense of progression (the Merchant is also better because he's not giving silly side quests and doesn't sound British). The puzzles are nothing to bring up comparing to the old games, but the changes to bring Resident Evil into a new direction are very good where it counts. The game is cheesy in all the right ways too, and it's not really scared of it. It's not straight camp, but Leon using humour as deflection and acting a bit like an action movie hero is probably the reason why he's a fan favourite of the franchise. Umbrella may be officially gone, but the whole franchise basically lives in that company's shadow (especially relevant for Requiem), with Leon being affected by that, and in the future too. The villains also match Leon's energy, and it's just a blast to get through, unlike the dull seriousness that modern Resident Evil likes to do so much, as if it's ashamed of its past.

The only real criticisms I have are that the additional Ada campaign doesn't feel nearly as fleshed out or as meaty in the REmake, but this game is just so good in all the right ways, a masterclass in design that should be remembered. It's definitely my favourite of the bunch, even if that may feel like sacrilege to the old RE crowd (2 is my favourite out of those ones). This is also where Mercenaries starts being fun, unlike whatever it was in 3. Wesker can't counter melees, but he's still broken as hell in this. I'll never get tired of playing this one, and I can only hope that the modern crowd can put aside their need for conformity to understand why this is an enduring legend that will live on forever.

Resident Evil 4 takes the classic survival horror formula and makes it legendary with intense Leon action. The controls are a bit clunky by modern standards, but the gripping atmosphere and memorable moments more than make up for it. Still a must-play for any horror fan!

与重制版相比确实诟病很多，特别是在剧情上，里昂和ada互动太少了，男二没什么互动死的太草率了，还有反派说的台词太蠢了，最重要的一点是艾什丽有友伤和血条很头疼，打的好好的一看碍事丽被攻击了直接重开，不过作为2004年的作品限制于技术也可以算是上等佳作了