Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition

Let me just get something out of the way. I don’t play that many Wii games, I’m not a huge fan of the console, but Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition does happen to be one of my favourite games. The story, gameplay and presentation all add up, making this a game that I have played through many times, and will be playing through many more.

The narrative is practically identical to the console version. You assume the role of Leon S. Kennedy, and have been tasked with rescuing the president’s daughter Ashley from some freaky, zombie like characters. Don’t get me wrong, the enemies you will face are not zombies, they are much more varied. You will face creepy villagers, mace-wielding monks, chainsaw-toting brutes, and much more, and it’s your job to ensure Ashley’s survival, as you fight to escape the various environments you find yourself in.

To do this, you will be given an assortment of weapons. If you choose the easy difficulty setting, you will start off with a pistol and a shotgun. If you choose either medium or hard, you will start off with just the pistol, and will find the shotgun a little later on. The game ditches the tense camera angles used in previous Wii games, such as the Chronicles series, and instead opts for the more action-oriented, over-the-shoulder view. This allows you to shoot your enemies using the Wii remote, a control that works surprisingly well. The action starts straight away, and the control scheme is effective and easy to pick up. No doubt you’ll be pulling off headshots in no time.

When you kill enemies, they will often drop items, from the trademark healing leaf, to gold. As you progress through the game, you will frequently meet the black market dealer. A mysterious man who buys and sells items. You can also upgrade any weapons you have, or increase the capacity of your inventory. You can also buy treasure maps, which allow you to see the treasures in an area. The treasures are valuable artefacts that can be sold to the trader for a high price.

Also, considering that this is a relatively old game, the graphics are pretty impressive. Some of the cutscenes look surprisingly detailed, and the facial animations are of quite a high standard. Some of the surface textures are pretty terrible, but it’s easy to overlook this when you see the rest of the game. The environments are varied, from a creepy village full of creepier inhabitants, to a huge castle, populated by monks who wield medieval weapons. The game is split into 5 acts, each act being a separate area, and each act ending in a climactic boss fight. Unfortunately, while varied throughout the game, the enemies you face throughout an act are rather repetitive. This is particularly obvious in the large battles with lots of enemies. There are a few different enemies per act, but these are reused over and over.

The voice acting is the same. Leon S. Kennedy sounds...like Leon S. Kennedy. Quiet and brooding as always. Ashley has one of those annoying voices, that makes you want to leave her where she is, or perhaps just “accidentally” shoot her in her annoying face. The enemies have the same voice. Just one voice, that you will constantly hear growling, or shouting your location to his comrades...or at least, that’s what I assume, the whole thing is in another language.

Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition is a brilliant game. Not only is it my favourite game on the Wii so far, it also trumps many that I have on console. It isn’t exactly new, and a few minor things are a little rough around the edges, but it is fun to play, and has that creepy atmosphere that R.E fans will love. I have completed this game six times already, and I plan to keep going. I already have all the weapons and upgrades, and I’m practically invincible, meaning there’s nothing left for me to collect or work towards in the game, but something keeps pulling me back, and it’s that same something that’s encouraging me to encourage you to buy this game if you have a Wii. It’s undoubtedly the best version.

9/10 - Fantastic