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[Sohter.Nura]

This is a 5 minute gameplay demo of an early version of RE4.. I think this is based on the second stage of development according to the OP. I was, and still am, blown away by the video. It had so much potential. Aside from all the dolls and ghosts bs, it looks super atmospheric and actually scary. It's exactly what I wanted RE4 to be. Not that I didn't like RE4.

While I find it fascinating to watch, I can see why the project was canned. While watching it and enjoying it, I questioned myself rather I would really like to play that or not. It seems like the combat in all aspects is very wonky and unpolished.

 

[BocoDragon]

Watching the videos for RE3.5, I'm suddenly reminded of how great stylized camera angles can be. The current trend is to put any kind of action/adventure into a fully rendered FPS/Gears of War sandbox world, with a player controller camera... and while that is a welcome, and even necessary trend... someday I believe we will return to also having more stylized games set on smaller, narrower sets, with director controlled cameras... just as we returned to 2D platforming after abandoning it for awhile.

 

[beelzebozo]

i've been playing RE4 yesterday and today, and sadly, it's still probably

[1] the most perfectly paced game i've ever put my hands on,
[2] has the most enjoyable weapons and satisfying sound effects for those weapons, and
[3] the best story in video gaming

it's incredible how not much (certainly no third person shooter) has even come close since then.

 

[StarEye]

Watching the videos for RE3.5, I'm suddenly reminded of how great stylized camera angles can be. The current trend is to put any kind of action/adventure into a fully rendered FPS/Gears of War sandbox world, with a player controller camera... and while that is a welcome, and even necessary trend... someday I believe we will return to also having more stylized games set on smaller, narrower sets, with director controlled cameras... just as we returned to 2D platforming after abandoning it for awhile.

I don't see why we can't have both in one game? For example, sometimes, the director takes control of the camera while you'll still be able to play. Perhaps it's been done already, but in that case it should be done more.

 

[Desiato]

i've been playing RE4 yesterday and today, and sadly, it's still probably

[1] the most perfectly paced game i've ever put my hands on,
[2] has the most enjoyable weapons and satisfying sound effects for those weapons, and
[3] the best story in video gaming

it's incredible how not much (certainly no third person shooter) has even come close since then.

Really now?

 

[tea_and_crumpets]

Resident Evil 4 is probably one of the best made games of all time. The shooting is just sooo satisfying, the pacing spot on and the light RPG mechanics make it very addictive.

 

[travisbickle]

Well, Alan Wake has already been mentioned in this thread but it was originally a full-blown sandbox game.

I know this is off on a tangent but the released version of Alan Wake isn't a sandbox game??

 

[beelzebozo]

Really now?

okay, so, maybe second or third.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

okay, so, maybe second or third.

Video games rarely have good stories, but c'mon, it can't all be so bad that a RE game would be considered having a good story. RE4 was great, but the story was just as stupid as any other RE game.

 

[Davey Cakes]

The shooting is just sooo satisfying

I know, right? People complain about tank controls, not being able to strafe and/or not being able to shoot while moving, but I absolutely love the combat the way it is.

Throughout a 20+ hour game (on the first run-through, anyway), it didn't get old. That says a lot.

Video games rarely have good stories, but c'mon, it can't all be so bad that a RE game would be considered having a good story. RE4 was great, but the story was just as stupid as any other RE game.

The story was stupid and Capcom actually had fun with it. This is something I enjoyed about RE4. Leon was so sarcastic and cocky; he fit the game's story like a glove. Same goes for the villains. RE5's return to seriousness just didn't work work nearly as well.

 

[beelzebozo]

Video games rarely have good stories, but c'mon, it can't all be so bad that a RE game would be considered having a good story. RE4 was great, but the story was just as stupid as any other RE game.

the themes are subtle, but multitudinous: sociopolitical implications of p.o.w. rescue, the role of religion in the lives of a populace, the dangers of harmful bacteria and biological warfare. . . dig deep, soldier.

I know, right? People complain about tank controls, not being able to strafe and/or not being able to shoot while moving, but I absolutely love the combat the way it is.

Throughout a 20+ hour game (on the first run-through, anyway), it didn't get old. That says a lot.

20+ hours, plus the extra 20 for the two times i played it through again right after beating it.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

Video games rarely have good stories, but c'mon, it can't all be so bad that a RE game would be considered having a good story. RE4 was great, but the story was just as stupid as any other RE game.

But it was awesomely stupid.

For me RE4 was like a big parody of James Bond movies and spies movies in general.

So many classic lines:

"- Okay, I have only one, very important question: You got a smoke?
- Got gum. "

"Well, I see that the President has equipped his daughter with ballistics too!"

"Saddler, you're small time."

"- I've sent my right hand to dispose of you.
- Your right hand comes off?."

RE plots take themshelves too seriously for their own sake, RE5 went back that route, RE4 was a nice change of pace, it knew it was so over the top and it was proud.

I wouldn't say RE4 has a great plot, but surely is the RE with the most enjoyable one.

 

[Davey Cakes]

20+ hours, plus the extra 20 for the two times i played it through again right after beating it.

I've beaten the game four times in four different ways (normal, normal new game+, normal chicago typewriter, pro) and I'm pretty sure I put at least 70 hours into it overall. Even when you start a new game+ and have upgraded weapons from the start, it's still a long game. Even when you have the chicago typewriter the game is still at least 5 hours, if not 8-10 if you're trying to keep a high accuracy percentage.

RE4 is so friggin' long, but it's also ridiculously well-paced and has one of the most oddly addictive and satisfying combat systems in any horror/action game to date. There are so many aspects of it that make it a true masterpiece.

 

[PetriP-TNT]

While I think that Resident Evil 4 is a 10/10 game, I can't say I wasn't disappointed at all at the rest of the locations compared to the village. BEST FIRST LOCATON IN VIDEO GAMES EVER together with MGS.

 

[Nirolak]

holy shit. how have I not heard of this guy by name?

Because you were too busy focusing your attention on a single person like Mikami or Kamiya when a game is made by 80-100+ people, often with a large share of them influencing the design and gameplay.

 

[Gomu Gomu]

Because you were too busy focusing your attention on a single person like Mikami or Kamiya when a game is made by 80-100+ people, often with a large share of them influencing the design and gameplay.

Can you blame him though? I mean one guy like Mikami has the biggest input on the game. His design decisions will make or break the game. Most of these 100+ people working are following his lead.

 

[tea_and_crumpets]

One thing I'd like to add; no one has mentioned the best aspect of Resi 4 - Mercenaries. Must of put more time into this than the actual campagin (although imo, Resi 5 Mercs is actually the best one yet)

 

[beelzebozo]

While I think that Resident Evil 4 is a 10/10 game, I can't say I wasn't disappointed at all at the rest of the locations compared to the village. BEST FIRST LOCATON IN VIDEO GAMES EVER together with MGS.

that's interesting. i actually think the castle is a welcome change to the first part of the game. i remember prior to release i knew nothing about anything beyond the village, and it blew my freakin' mind when the aesthetics of the game just changed completely. it's like three games in one.

 

[Davey Cakes]

While I think that Resident Evil 4 is a 10/10 game, I can't say I wasn't disappointed at all at the rest of the locations compared to the village. BEST FIRST LOCATON IN VIDEO GAMES EVER together with MGS.

See, I'm one of the ones who thinks that the Village is the weakest of the three big locations in the game. But, really, that's not saying much. It's still fantastic.

I just happen to love the Castle, because I like mansion-esque areas and whatnot, but the Island was stiff competition because of its "dark corridor" moments.

My pro-mode run definitely revealed the greatness of the Village, however.

 

[Nirolak]

Can you blame him though? I mean one guy like Mikami has the biggest input on the game. His design decisions will make or break the game. Most of these 100+ people working are following his lead.

It depends on how the studio works.

Mikami's studios may very well work that way, but this isn't a reality for every studio by any means.

 

[PetriP-TNT]

that's interesting. i actually think the castle is a welcome change to the first part of the game. i remember prior to release i knew nothing about anything beyond the village, and it blew my freakin' mind when the aesthetics of the game just changed completely. it's like three games in one.

I understand. But for me the villagers were much more scary than monks/soldiers. I did hype myself little too high by watching the demo footage from everywhere I could daily!

 

[Captain_Spanky]

There was an excellent article in Edge a couple of months ago about RE4. Made me buy the magazine. RE4 is one of my top 10 of all time. Easily. The evolution is really interesting too, all that fumbling for a new direction. It paid off though.

One thing I'd like to add; no one has mentioned the best aspect of Resi 4 - Mercenaries. Must of put more time into this than the actual campagin (although imo, Resi 5 Mercs is actually the best one yet)

Mercs is awesome, but I don't know if I'd call it the best part. I waver though, as it is excellent. Certainly RE5 mercs is better than the campaign. The fact that the team retooled the tension of RE4 in to a high score arcade game is impressive enough really. It's a brilliant piece of work certainly.

 

[beelzebozo]

when i play this i always feel compelled to (a) watch greg kasavin's gamespot video review, and (b) listen to the hasaad market prank phone call when i reach the part in the castle with the catapults, just as you're entering. it's sort of a tradition with me and my buds.

 

[InfiniteNine]

This is a 5 minute gameplay demo of an early version of RE4.. I think this is based on the second stage of development according to the OP. I was, and still am, blown away by the video. It had so much potential. Aside from all the dolls and ghosts bs, it looks super atmospheric and actually scary. It's exactly what I wanted RE4 to be. Not that I didn't like RE4.

I wish we got this RE4 instead...

 

[beelzebozo]

i don't want to live in a world where RE4 doesn't exist. it's an evil place with practically no redeeming qualities.

 

[Nirolak]

Have I gone crazy by the way or are the graphics in that 5 minute video significantly better than how RE4 looked in the end?

Edit:

Looking again, that's probably just the youtube blurriness effect.

 

[beelzebozo]

there are a number of factors coming into this, but i actually prefer the look and style of RE4 quite a bit to RE5. i'm sure technically RE5 completely crushes it, but in the moment--when i'm sitting there playing it--i feel more visually arrested by the things happening in RE4.

plus, that lava room in the castle, sweet jesus.

 

[Relaxed Muscle]

Have I gone crazy by the way or are the graphics in that 5 minute video significantly better than how RE4 looked in the end?

Edit:

Looking again, that's probably just the youtube blurriness effect.

I'm sure Leon model and textures looks better, probably because of the closed enviroments and less elements on the screen.

there are a number of factors coming into this, but i actually prefer the look and style of RE4 quite a bit to RE5. i'm sure technically RE5 completely crushes it, but in the moment--when i'm sitting there playing it--i feel more visually arrested by the things happening in RE4.

plus, that lava room in the castle, sweet jesus.

There's no way to deny that RE5 is so deriative in his visual style and presentation.I really like the game, but RE4 it's just superior.

 

[Cow Mengde]

Have I gone crazy by the way or are the graphics in that 5 minute video significantly better than how RE4 looked in the end?

Edit:

Looking again, that's probably just the youtube blurriness effect.

It is a bit better. Leon's jacket for example has reflective lighting to make it look like a leather jacket. That is completely missing in final version of RE4. The environments are smaller though, so they can use more effects.

 

[USD]

Whoa, that area at :16 looks exactly like this one in Lost in Nightmares.

 

[Neifirst]

I've said it before, but I'll say it again:

I would purchase Playstation Move in an instant if Capcom developed a remastered RE4 in the vein of God of War or Sly Cooper Collection. I know RE5 is coming, but, well, you know...

 

[zoukka]

I've said it before, but I'll say it again:

I would purchase Playstation Move in an instant if Capcom developed a remastered RE4 in the vein of God of War or Sly Cooper Collection. I know RE5 is coming, but, well, you know...

Try Wii.

 

[ToyMachine228]

I love RE4 to death. It's an amazing game. But I still wish we could have seen these other concepts for the game come to fruition in an alternate reality. I thought both early trailers looked really cool. Was especially interested to see where they took the Leon being infected concept.

Also, I'm in the camp that RE5 was an atrocity. Great graphics. But otherwise...Blah.

 

[Jason's Ultimatum]

I wish Capcom had the balls to release the old RE4 concept. The graphics looked godly on GCN and I'm sure it would look even more godly on current gen consoles.

 

[lucablight]

Resident evil 4 was a great game but it does sadden me that they killed off the horror aspect of the game to make it an action title. The early versions do look very atmospheric.

 

[Davey Cakes]

Mercs is awesome, but I don't know if I'd call it the best part. I waver though, as it is excellent. Certainly RE5 mercs is better than the campaign. The fact that the team retooled the tension of RE4 in to a high score arcade game is impressive enough really. It's a brilliant piece of work certainly.

Mercs is so far from "the best part" that it's not funny. I mean, yeah, it's a cool extra mode that adds a bit of longevity to the game, but you just don't buy RE4 for Mercs.

Sadly, with RE5, it seemed that Capcom wanted people to buy the game for Mercs, considering how much focus they put on it. That's one of the greatest disappointments of RE5; that it took what was originally just an extra mode and put far more of the package's value into it than necessary. RE4, without Mercs, is still a masterpiece through and through. RE5 without Mercs is a 6/10 game at best, honestly.

 

[Sapiens]

To all the people who are wondering of what "could have been":

You need to be punched in the mouth.

RE4 is perfect. I guarantee you all the other versions would have been shit.

 

[JasoNsider]

God damn it all - seeing this just reminded me of the incredible times with Mikami dream team on GameCube. REmake and RE:4 just have an incredible atmosphere and quality to them that is unrivaled. Even with all the pulp mixed in there, it had such a lingering air of dread.

RE4 truly was a masterpiece. Only thing I've played that gets close to that level of craft this generation is Mario Galaxy 2. Still, it's hard to match that feeling of first playing RE4 after not really knowing what lies in wait for you outside the village limits...

 

[ace harding: private eye]

If you pay attention, you'll notice a lot of the graphic elements from those early trailers actually made it into the real game, like the blowing curtains, the sewers, the dining room, and the gears in the clock tower; the room sizes and layouts, of course, are different.
The airship looks like it would have been an awesome level, though.

there are a number of factors coming into this, but i actually prefer the look and style of RE4 quite a bit to RE5. i'm sure technically RE5 completely crushes it, but in the moment--when i'm sitting there playing it--i feel more visually arrested by the things happening in RE4.

plus, that lava room in the castle, sweet jesus.

RE4 is pure classic horror, i.e. the creepy village, the graveyard, the haunted castle, etc. The creators were clearly fans of the horror genre, and thus successfully integrated creative homages and original ideas into making a masterpiece of a game.
To me, RE5 feels like it was spearheaded by some corporate twerp that wanted to concentrate on making a successful action game based on clumsily combining elements of RE4 with what's currently popular in games.

 

[beelzebozo]

RE4 is pure classic horror, i.e. the creepy village, the graveyard, the haunted castle, etc. The creators were clearly fans of the horror genre, and thus successfully integrated creative homages and original ideas into making a masterpiece of a game.
To me, RE5 feels like it was spearheaded by some corporate twerp that wanted to concentrate on making a successful action game based on clumsily combining elements of RE4 with what's currently popular in games.

words of truth, buddy. well said.

 

[iosef]

[1] the most perfectly paced game i've ever put my hands on,
[2] has the most enjoyable weapons and satisfying sound effects for those weapons, and
[3] the best story in video gaming

1) Yes
2) Yes!
3) Huh?

 

[Stumpokapow]

RE4 is a really really great game that's well executed in pretty much every area.

But the Midget Napoleon Ramon Salazar is a terrible character. Awful design, awful characterization. Just a total joke. He ruins every single scene he's in. Just terrible.

 

[Yasae]

This is a 5 minute gameplay demo of an early version of RE4.. I think this is based on the second stage of development according to the OP. I was, and still am, blown away by the video. It had so much potential. Aside from all the dolls and ghosts bs, it looks super atmospheric and actually scary. It's exactly what I wanted RE4 to be. Not that I didn't like RE4.

So much better than the final product, it's not even funny.

RE4 is pure classic horror, i.e. the creepy village, the graveyard, the haunted castle, etc. The creators were clearly fans of the horror genre, and thus successfully integrated creative homages and original ideas into making a masterpiece of a game.
To me, RE5 feels like it was spearheaded by some corporate twerp that wanted to concentrate on making a successful action game based on clumsily combining elements of RE4 with what's currently popular in games.

But there's nothing creepy about it. It's a dull action game that we'd seen many times before. Granted the execution was superb, but.. It's just another game. There's nothing unique.

 

[Night_Trekker]

I thought this thread would be about all the different versions of RE4 that Capcom has released. They really are as shameless as they were back in the Street Fighter 2 days, aren't they?

But there's nothing creepy about it. It's a dull action game that we'd seen many times before. Granted the execution was superb, but.. It's just another game. There's nothing unique.

This is bullshit. RE4 mixes creepy with action pretty well.

 

[Prime Blue]

here's a really good article about resident evil 3.5.

http://www.relyonhorror.com/in-depth/resident-evil-3-5-in-depth-analysis/

really good read. pretty much answers any questions anybody could ever have about this topic.

Just came in here to say that this "analysis" is filth and lies. The Cube Magazine article is speculation to the utmost limit, and the GamePro preview is based on this infamous fake interview.

If you want to know things how they actually were, read up on it on Wikipedia. And a bit more in-depth here (sections "Meanderings" and "Umbrella's End").

 

[InfiniteNine]

This is bullshit. RE4 mixes creepy with action pretty well.

Not really. The creepy atmosphere was pretty much non-existent when I played through it.

 

[Dresden]

Eh, not impressed. I'm happy we got the glorious Gamecube version, one of the best action games of all time.

And the existence of Dead Space invalidates every "tank controls are awesome!" people anyways.

 

[beelzebozo]

RE4 is a really really great game that's well executed in pretty much every area.

But the Midget Napoleon Ramon Salazar is a terrible character. Awful design, awful characterization. Just a total joke. He ruins every single scene he's in. Just terrible.

midget napoleon is such a bizarre idea for a nemesis that i love it. are you seriously telling me that the "meeeester scott kennedy" lines bothered you more than saddler's sassy flaunting of his evil plan earlier in the game? i'm not saying either is good, but i actually found how completely ludicrous salazar was to be more appropriate and a wonderful, funny villain than anyone else in the game. they really let him ham it up.

 

[Night_Trekker]

Not really. The creepy atmosphere was pretty much non-existent when I played through it.

Are you one of those people who hates RE4 for not being like the games that came before it? That might be the problem.

 

[InfiniteNine]

Are you one of those people who hates RE4 for not being like the games that came before it? That might be the problem.

I don't dislike RE4, although I do dislike RE5. I thought RE4 was a good game, but it really wasn't what I expected from an RE game so I was a bit disappointed. My Dad did write it off after playing it for a bit though. (We've played ever RE game up to 3 together.)