October 06, 2004 - Capcom's ambitious survival horror sequel Resident Evil 4 is all set and ready to ship in the US on January 11 of next year. All said and done, it's just about three months away. And while that doesn't sound like a lot of time, it's more than enough for the developer to put the finishing touches on what is sure to be one of the greatest efforts of 2005.
There's no getting around it: Resident Evil 4 has already dazzled us. Were Capcom to simply package a full version of the recently released two-level Japanese demo, it would be a hit. Between the frantic pacing of the game, the intriguing storyline, the eerie atmosphere and the completely unparalleled graphics presentation, we're sold.
But that doesn't mean there isn't any room for improvement.
Sure enough, it's with this point firmly in mind that we present today's feature, a brief list of suggestions that if implemented we feel would make the game play that much better. We aren't reaching for the stars here, either. We're confident that if Capcom wanted to it could deliver these improvements before the game's final release. And so without further ado…
1. The 90s are Over. Give Us Analog Control
Resident Evil premiered on the original PlayStation during a videogame era where digital control was still in many ways the accepted standard. But that standard has since been replaced by more precise analog control thanks in large to pioneering games like Super Mario 64. The D-Pad has more or less been phased out over the years. Action and adventure games rarely have use for the antiquity. So why does Resident Evil 4, a game technically so far ahead of the curve that it's shocking, cling to the outdated control relic? We don't know.
The problem is that although players can use the analog stick to control main character Leon Kennedy in RE4, he continues to move in a digital fashion. He can only walk at one speed. Gamers need to hold down the B button in order to make him run. He pivots left or right at the same digital speed. No variations. No precision.
The irony is that Leon does feature some degree of analog control. When players press the R-trigger, the hero can aim with analog precision. It's this addition that makes gunplay so much more entertaining and satisfying than it has been in any other Resident Evil game to date.
Analog control and strafe function would make moving about the environments much more intuitive
With full analog control, Leon could walk softly or sprint, all depending on how much pressure is applied to the analog stick by players. Not only would this create a more realistic sense of manipulation, it would also free up the B button for another, more important function.
2. Leon's Powerful Punch
Hello, B button. Now that you're no longer used to make Leon run, how would you feel about enabling the character to punch? All too often, Leon finds himself charged by villagers and freshly out of bullets. A simple punch function could stun the enemies long enough for players to run, reload, and then mount an offensive. It could be argued that Leon's knife could do the same thing, but gamers still need to equip it, which is a hassle. A quicker, more intuitive alternative to the projectile weapons, the punch could be a powerful ally to the hero.
3. Quick Weapon Switching
In Resident Evil, the only way to switch weapons is to call up an inventory screen, select the desired item, equip it, and then toggle back to the game world. It's a wee bit on the clunky side, especially for such a fast-moving, action-packed game. Meanwhile, the developer has included an unnecessary control redundancy: both the analog stick and the D-Pad control Leon. There's simply no reason to use the D-Pad control. For one, most gamers do not like using the GameCube's D-Pad as it's relatively small. And more importantly, RE4 should feature analog control, period.
Our suggestion? Use the D-Pad to quickly access weapons or other items. Enable gamers to map four separate weapons or items -- a shotgun, knife, a bazooka and health spray, for instance, to each side. Then switching back and forth between knife and shotgun is a simple directional press away and it's not going to interrupt the flow of the game.
4. Free Look
The camera stick in Resident Evil 4 enables players to look up and down as Leon explores the environments. It is not possible to look to the left or right, though, which is disappointing. A fully maneuverable camera with the possibility to look in any direction as the character moves would be extremely beneficial to gameplay, as it would effectively open up Leon's field of vision.
A common occurrence in RE4: Leon runs out of bullets as villagers charge; a d-pad weapon switch could help in situations like these
5. Playing it Strafe
Capcom, we understand that you don't want Resident Evil 4 to be confused with games like Splinter Cell, but there is simply no getting around it: RE4 would play more intuitively with a strafe function. And guess what? The L button is wide open and waiting for it. Map a strafe function to the trigger and Leon would be able to easily navigate around corners, dodge projectile attacks, and more. As a result, moving the character through the eerie environments would be that much more entertaining.
And That's All…
Resident Evil 4 will undoubtedly be a fantastic game whether or not Capcom decides to implement any of our suggestions. But we really do feel that these additions would make it even better.
), I'm wondering if I can finally get some higher rated games. My mom usually didn't let me play anything among the M-rated sets (she gets a little leery about that kind of stuff). It was only a few months ago that she let me rent MGS for the GC, so I think she trusts I can stick to reality.