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76

Generally favorable reviews - based on 14 Critic Reviews What's this?

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8.3

Generally favorable reviews- based on 172 Ratings

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  • Summary: Resident Evil 4 marks a new chapter in the Resident Evil series. You'll rejoin Leon S. Kennedy six years after his first mission as a rookie cop from Resident Evil 2. Now a US agent, Leon is on a top secret mission to investigate the disappearance of the president's daughter. As Leon, youResident Evil 4 marks a new chapter in the Resident Evil series. You'll rejoin Leon S. Kennedy six years after his first mission as a rookie cop from Resident Evil 2. Now a US agent, Leon is on a top secret mission to investigate the disappearance of the president's daughter. As Leon, you must make your way to a mysterious location in Europe, where new enemies await. Take them down by using enhanced aim-and-shoot features and a new action button. Expand
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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 7 out of 14
  2. Negative: 0 out of 14
  1. Sep 14, 2016
    95
    I looked hard for something wrong with this re-release of RE4, but I found… nothing. I suppose some could fault the developers for not adding a quick weapon switch to the D-pad (going into a briefcase to switch weapons has never been ideal) and it’s disappointing to see that the FMV sequences weren’t given the same visual overhaul as the rest of the title. Beyond those small quibbles, however, the game remains as good as it’s ever been. The campaign is the best in the series, the bonus chapter offers a huge amount of new content, and the costumes change the way the game is played. This really is one of the best games ever made, and over a decade later, it hasn’t lost any of its cachet.
  2. Official Xbox Magazine UK
    Oct 3, 2016
    90
    There are rough edges, and a hint of retro, but don't let that put you off a true masterpiece. [Nov 2016, p.77]
  3. Sep 9, 2016
    80
    In terms of suspense, pacing or action this still is a masterpiece. But after almost a dozen years visually you can feel the age. So if you played it on any other system, you can pass this one by.
  4. Aug 31, 2016
    70
    Resident Evil 4 is a great classic that does not arrive in good condition on Xbox One because of a poor HD implementation. Capcom should be much better than this. Anyway, the game is suitable for those that have missed the original and don't have anymore the original consoles.
  5. Sep 5, 2016
    70
    This version of Resident Evil 4 is a lazy conversion. 1080p resolution and 60fps are not enough because the game needed more care on the textures.
  6. Sep 1, 2016
    70
    I’m a die-hard fan of the game and have loved jumping back in to Resident Evil 4. I have a feeling others who feel the same about the franchise will as well, as will Achievement and Trophy addicts, enticed over reasonable simple lists. For everyone else, it’s a harder sell at $24.95 AUD — while greatly improved over last-gen’s release, it’s still the same game on yet another platform.
  7. Sep 5, 2016
    55
    Resident Evil 4 is far from being a good remastered version for the current generation consoles. Capcom could have done much better.

See all 14 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 25 out of 34
  2. Negative: 7 out of 34
  1. Aug 8, 2019
    10
    A game that ranks in my top 15-20 games ever, Resident Evil 4 is as fun and addictive to play now as it was over 14 years ago. The HD remasterA game that ranks in my top 15-20 games ever, Resident Evil 4 is as fun and addictive to play now as it was over 14 years ago. The HD remaster for current gen consoles is beautifully done, bringing the visuals forward a long way. The rest of the game is untouched and there is good reason for that; it is one of the best games ever made.

    RE4 changed the RE series and the shooter genre in a number of ways. It was a stark departure from the games previous entries. The shooting system was an entirely new, over the shoulder stop and shoot affair that required a steady nerve and strategic thinking. The tone of the game couldn't be more different. Whilst before they had tried for gritty horror, RE4 is almost a campy B-Movie that is half action and half thriller.

    But the survival action factor is still there, ammo isn't plentiful and enemies are. Healing items are sparse and on the first play through there is genuine tension in moments where you're outnumbered and running low on ammo. They actually start the game with one such situation, the now iconic outnumbered in the village scenario where wave after waves of "ganados" attack you incessantly.

    There are some genuinely tense moments even when you've played it a million times as I have. That speaks to the quality of the design, the quality of the gameplay and how well thought out everything is. The world is glorious and the detail for its time is astounding nearing Metal Gear levels of small detail. It all helps suck you into a world that is simultaneously ludicrous and enrapturing.

    Ludicrous because the story is just so. They just seemed to say "screw it" with this one and threw whatever at the wall and called it a story. There are hulking one eyed Spanish bad dudes, a midget dressed as a fancy version of Napoleon who lives in a castle that defies any form of engineering logic. This castle contains, but is not limited to, rooms filled with lava, rooms filled with water, a gigantic velvet lined transport trolley and a 60 foot statue that can inexplicably chase after Leon. The game is nuts but its part of its charm. It doesn't take itself fully seriously, I won't say that it is tongue in cheek because it isn't but it certainly seems to get that the story they are trying to tell is unbelievable. The fact they didn't care is part of what makes it great and refreshing. The premise behind RE as a whole is nuts so why not crank it up to 11? Why not push the boundaries of what makes sense in the name of entertainment?

    And the entertainment is huge. Despite all the characters being very one dimensional and not well written they entertain you as much the 20th time as they do the 1st. Leon and Ashley, the games protagonists have basically zero back story provided. They give you a little "RE Refresher Course" cutscene at the beginning and then it's just off to the races. Ashley for example has basically zero character exposition. She's the presidents daughter that you have to save but they never really tell you anything else she just runs around after you screaming for help occasionally. She adds tension in that its game over if she dies (with a small health pool this is a genuine threat) or if she is carried away. She is basically a game play mechanic with a voice actor included.

    But this leads me to my next point and my favorite thing about RE4 is that they do the "end game" better than nearly any game I've ever played. They give you this wonderful path to follow after you finish the game for the first time. Finishing unlocks "Separate Ways" a fun, short set of 5 side missions showing how another main character "Ada" was experiencing the games events alongside Leon. It's clever and well thought out and takes maybe 3 hours to finish. Finishing that unlocks "Special Outfit 2" which is genius. Leon gets a dapper 20's gangster suit but Ashley gets a suit of armor which makes her invincible and when enemies try to carry her away they collapse from the weight. So basically the major source of tension is turned into a hilariously gratifying game play function. It makes the "new game+" run after your first time so much fun. You're maxed out and have great weapons that tear through 3/4 of the games enemies like a knife through butter so you just roam around massacring everything that gave you a hard time that first play through where you were scared, tense and had no ammo/health. Then you unlock the coup de grace and one of the finest video game weapons ever; "Chicago Typewriter". A Tommy Gun with unlimited ammo that does the same damage as a maxed shotgun but fires faster than anything else in game. This quickly makes anything in the game no challenge at all but its so satisfying to cut everything down that gave you a tough time originally.

    There isn't enough room to say all that makes this game brilliant. It's the perfect mesh of great game play and stellar game play design. It is addictive now as it was then.

    It is a timeless action game with a HD rebrush
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  2. Sep 13, 2016
    10
    I'd be lying if I said this game held up well. It has not. It was made before dual analog sticks so being unable to move while aiming makesI'd be lying if I said this game held up well. It has not. It was made before dual analog sticks so being unable to move while aiming makes this game feel extremely dated. The screen ratio which cannot be fixed makes this game feel horribly cropped and some cut scenes are just kinda blurry. It's as if you took a screenshot, passed it on, screenshot that, passed it on and screenshot yet again and then zoomed in a bit. Sometimes it can be fuzzy. But however, it is not always that way. The graphics can be very nice in the environmental textures and with your characters. Though it's really not much different than the HD remaster on 360. In fact, it's probably the same thing (but I didn't get that remaster. The last time I played was the Wii Edition, so that's why I purchased this remaster).

    But in the grand scheme of things, yeah it's not the most perfect port and it's not the most beautiful game now, but at the time this game was. And it will always be a classic, hence why I will not rate it below a 10. The experience we got when it first came to GameCube was something else. It's something you wish you could get amnesia about just so you can replay it again without knowing you'd already been through it. Older resident evils were more like a scavenge puzzle type game, and surely this one has its share of puzzles but it still feels almost like a Zelda-type game that met Resident Evil. It's definitely the strongest of the series, though it's so cliche to make that statement.

    Bottom line: if you haven't purchased this since the Wii edition or before and want another run through, or maybe you've never experienced this masterpiece before, it's impossible to not recommend. And it's cheap!
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  3. Aug 24, 2020
    10
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Simplesmente perfeito!, graficos bonitos ate hoje, so a jogabilidade ta ficando ultrapassada com relação aos de hoje. Expand
  4. Jul 5, 2018
    8
    It's resident evil 4 with everything you love but with with 60fps and 1080p quality. Is it must buy? As a game absolutely yes. Old players mayIt's resident evil 4 with everything you love but with with 60fps and 1080p quality. Is it must buy? As a game absolutely yes. Old players may want to skip since there's nothing new for them. Expand
  5. Mar 2, 2023
    8
    The Xbox One HD port of Resident Evil 4 runs at 1080p and 60 FPS. Originally released in 2005 for the Nintendo GameCube, RE 4 is a trueThe Xbox One HD port of Resident Evil 4 runs at 1080p and 60 FPS. Originally released in 2005 for the Nintendo GameCube, RE 4 is a true masterpiece, but feels a bit dated in 2016. This version is based off the PlayStation 2 model which included the Ada Wong missions as well as additional weapons and costumes. Unfortunately, it isn't a definitive edition by any means. Despite the power of current-gen consoles, nothing has been substantially improved. RE 4 for the XB1 is just a very bare bones package that features slightly upscaled graphics. Even the achievements are nothing new. They are the same ones found in the Xbox 360 port.

    The lack of new options or improvements in this re-release is proof that Capcom didn't want to celebrate this masterpiece. It was more of a promotional thing; a primer for "Resident Evil 7". This release is really for those who've never played RE4 before. So if you're a die-hard fan of the game, you may think twice before buying it despite the $20 price tag. I personally think "Resident Evil 4" deserved a true remastering. Nevertheless, the game is a classic and it's still great regardless of age. Overall, I'd rate the Xbox One edition with an 8.3 out of 10.
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  6. Oct 24, 2020
    7
    Resident Evil 4 is an extremely fun game to play. But that's about all it has going for it. It succeeds as entertainment, but it is hollow.Resident Evil 4 is an extremely fun game to play. But that's about all it has going for it. It succeeds as entertainment, but it is hollow. The story is awfully written, and the acting is so bad it's fun to laugh at. It feels like bad anime, rather than serious survival horror. It was the first of a trilogy of such games that were silly and absurdly action-packed and unrealistic. It was, however, very influential in its time (that is, in terms of gameplay). And, as stated, the gameplay is very fun, and it's easy to see why it is loved for this reason.

    Also, the soundtrack is dull, the only memorable piece being the 'Merchant's Theme'. This is a shame, seeing as Resident Evil was always great at creating beautiful yet haunting melodies prior to this. There is also next to no atmosphere, and never have I felt oppressively 'on edge' in this game. There is only one part of the game that always scares me, and that is in the maze in Salazar's castle; the dogs always make me jump, even when I'm expecting it. Apart from that, it's just a goofy ride full of cringe-worthy cutscenes that try to be immersive but fail miserably. This is indeed a part of its charm though. Some films, for example, are so bad that they're a joy to watch - that's how I feel about this game.

    This all becomes more of a shame though when one considers the memorable foes and villains, and how creepy they could have been in a game that was written with a touch of the literary and with realistic dialogue. The villains are cartoonish, but they're one step away from being the stuff of nightmares. I always saw something in Salazar that gave me the creeps, but that was only from looking too much into how such a person could exist in the real world.

    To sum up, Resident Evil 4 is a joyride, and holds up perfectly well today. I grew up with this game, and it is a joy to be able to experience it on Xbox One. However, after seeing what Capcom are capable of with the masterpiece that is Resident Evil 7 and the subsequent remakes, it becomes hard to see merits in Resident Evil 4 besides the entertaining gameplay. The classic Resident Evil 4 will always have a special place in gaming history, but I am looking forward to a remake, where the core story is kept, but everything around it re-imagined, and the villains made more believable, coupled with a genuinely oppressive and memorable atmosphere. Let us let Capcom get creative with this classic, and make it a serious survival-horror experience that we will never forget. There are a lot of ideas in the source material (setting, enemies etc.) that could sow the seeds for a genuine masterpiece.
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  7. Aug 24, 2019
    0
    Une version en 1080p de la vieille daube de Captron qui n'en finit plus de recycler ses étrons encore et encore... Si ça ressemble à un TPS,Une version en 1080p de la vieille daube de Captron qui n'en finit plus de recycler ses étrons encore et encore... Si ça ressemble à un TPS, il n'en est rien, car ça ne se manie certainement pas comme un TPS mais comme un semi-remorque bourré dans le ravin : cette merde est injouable !

    5 balles, 5 pour tuer le premier clampin du début... et c'était même pas un zombi...?! mais comment viser la tête lorsqu'on ne peut pas viser parce que le personnage est sur un bateau ivre en permanence : on dirait une mauvaise blague, un putain de... vidéogag !

    Les commandes sont de toute façon mal fichues et dans tous les domaines, une sorte de foutage de gueule non-stop de Capcon avec des QTE de merde (pléonasme) en prime. Et bien sûr, on ne peut sauvegarder que si on trouve... une machine à écrire (sic !). Quelle saloperie de jeu de merde et quelle sale franchise de merde ! la honte du jeu vidéo.
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See all 34 User Reviews

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