Review Resident Evil 4 Developer: Capcom Publisher: Capcom Genre: Action/Adventure Release Date: January 2005 Platform: (version reviewed), Review by August 28, 2006		Buy this game at Trade for this game at:

Comparing the Playstation 2 version of Resident Evil 4 to the Gamecube one

The Playstation 2 (PS2) is presently the most popular game console worldwide, so it was a foregone conclusion that Capcom would not let their biggest title be available only to the relatively small number of Gamecube (GC) owners. So now, about one year after its initial GC release, Resident Evil 4 (RE4) has arrived to disrupt the social life of PS2 owners.

Before you start reading this, let me make clear that I will only be pointing out the differences between the two versions. If you want full details about the game then you need to read the GC review (link at bottom of page).

The first thing that I noticed the second I unwrapped the PS2 DVD case was that the manual is in black & white, as opposed to the full color GC one. This instantly rubbed me the wrong way and made me think “sloppy cash-in release”. What other reason would there be for Capcom not to print the PS2 manual in color, especially when they know the game is destined to sell big? Actually, maybe it’s cause they know the game will sell big anyway, so why bother? And yes, I admit that this is the most minor of details one should be harping on, but it is all about the principle of what a customer should expect for his money.

Booting the game presents the first difference in favor of the PS2: the trailer. Just like in the GC version, waiting on the menu screen will bring up a trailer of the game. The PS2 trailer is much more cinematic and far more impressive and puts the player in the right mood for what is about to follow – an adrenaline packed game!

The PS2 visuals left me with mixed feelings. The colors are overall less vivid, and the world doesn’t seem as lively as in GC. On the other hand, anti-aliasing seems to be a lot smoother, making the characters less blocky. The only thing that is exactly the same is the clipping, which once again gives Leon ghost-like qualities, making him run his head through trees, walk through open drawers and stick his guns in walls! If I was forced to choose which version I liked the most visually, I would slightly lean towards GC, but overall they both have their ups and downs.

The PS2 joypad controls are almost identical to the GC’s, but the PS2 joypad is somewhat more comfortable in its button configuration. During the “press L1+R1 or X+Square quickly” sequences, my fingers could be placed in a more “prepared” position. Commanding Ashley with the R2 button was also easier and could be done while running without any strain. In general though, which joypad is more comfortable is a matter of personal preference, since they both work out pretty good and the differences lie in details.

All the above differences could be considered minor and maybe, when it comes down to playing the game, unimportant. A change that can be considered major though and makes a big difference is the level of difficulty. When I started playing the PS2 version I immediately felt that things were going a bit easier and a bit less overwhelming. In the beginning I thought that it was my imagination, and I was only feeling that way because I had played the GC version 3 times already and knew what I was doing. It wasn’t until a certain point in the game (a point that has scarred me for life!) that I made absolutely sure that the PS2 version has been toned down a bit and has been made a little less inhuman! So, overall, the PS2 version is a lot more playable for someone who is just starting the game with minimum arsenal.

Speaking of arsenal, the PS2 version features some new weapons, which include a laser cannon and a gunpowder bow-gun (homage to previous games of the series I am sure!). Those weapons are not available during the first round of play, nor did they unlock for me after finishing it once, so I haven’t used them yet and cannot comment about them. The laser cannon can be seen in the trailer though, and it does look pretty impressive! Along with new weapons, there is a new mini-game available after finishing the game, called “Separate Ways”, where you play as Ada Wong.

There is one thing in RE4 that didn’t change one bit though: the level of addiction! Like I mentioned above, I had already played and finished the GC version 3 times, knew every single detail of the game and I still got hopelessly hooked the second I started playing. All of the symptoms described in the GC review suddenly returned. RE4 has to be the most addictive and replayable game since Kick Off 2 on Amiga!

So, finally PS2 owners can rejoice. Not only is RE4 now available, but the more reasonable difficulty level and the new weapons and mini-game make it more enjoyable than it has ever been. The slightly inferior visuals do not make any difference, and “PS2” is definitely the answer for someone who owns both consoles and wonders which version to choose. But regardless of the version you play, be prepared to lose any other life you have outside the game for a long time!

Full Gamecube Review

Final Grade: A
Final Grade: A-
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