Along with the main levels there are plenty of other distractions. Though it is very much based there are a sprinkle of puzzles, though most don't ask that much of the player. There are also a few ongoing minigames throughout the main quest such as shooting a number of scattered pendants in an effort to unlock weapons. Speaking of which, there is a good range of weapons ranging from your standard pistol to shotguns, sniper rifles and machine guns. All weapons are upgradeable as well; doing so not only improves their power and speed but also their resale value - invaluable when purchasing more meaty sidearms as you progress through the game. Smashed crates and fallen enemies will also reveal cash, all of which can be traded with regular merchants lining your path through the game offering supplies like grenades, first aid spray and ammunition, along with all the guns.

As if the stages themselves aren't gripping enough, the boss battles are largely very memorable. El Giganto is a cross between the Rankor from Jabba's Palace and the Balrog from the Mines of Moria whilst the beast of the swamp is like the Loch Ness Monster on steroids. All are huge, all require skill to take down but all are manageable once you understand their attack patterns and develop your skills enough. Added too are further touches, all of which really help you engage with the gaming world. Early on you encounter a dog caught in a bear trap. Ignore him if you like, but if you decide to help you may find yourself assisted later on. Completing the game takes anything up to 20 hours on your first go but there's plenty of reason to revisit. Not only do additional game modes become available upon completion but beat these and you're rewarded with various additions to the main game such as new costumes, or more enjoyably, additional foolishly powerful weapons.

Visually things are truly tremendous. Whether you're trudging through the muddy streets of a barren village, stalking enemies through a rain drenched sunless graveyard or sneaking cautiously through a heavily fortified castle, the graphics are superb - arguably the best on the system to date. I will be very interested to see if the can reproduce anywhere near the graphical standards of this Gamecube version. The odd bit of slowdown in heavily populated levels is easily offset by the joy of seeing fragments of your shotgun pellets splash in the water metres behind your assailant, or the atmospheric subtle lighting gently encompassing Leon as he advances through a dimly lit tunnel. Maybe it's no surprise that not only are very few titles anywhere near as gorgeous as 4 but very few come close to creating the level of atmosphere. No part of the game feels replicated (other than the endless abundance of enemies) and every room or area you enter feels as individual as the last. Add to this a remarkably solid third person camera that rarely annoys or draws attention to itself. Its movement to the side is limited (in a deliberate fashion, much like the control restrictions) but follows you loyally and rarely wanders unnecessarily. Not bad really for a series famed for its static camera.

Of course, nothing is perfect and there are some niggles, though they are genuinely minor. Although it lacks a proper widescreen mode, the game itself is presented in letterbox format, though on a standard 4:3 signal. This means that if you have a widescreen TV you can happily zoom into the image to give a full screen display, albeit with a minor loss of quality. If however you have a standard TV then you'll unfortunately have to cope with massive bordering akin to the days of II on the SNES (though at least without a distorted image). In game the often dark environments can make the numerous bear traps the villagers have scattered around a tad hard to spot. Yes, it makes you more nervous but when you fail to spot one for the tenth time you'll be feeling more violent than tense! For much of the game you'll also be escorting the President's daughter. Your control of her only stretches as far as commanding her to follow or stay put. Although she is needed to overcome a handful of obstacles, often she tends to serve as little more than an annoyance. She's incapable of doing anything for herself other than occasionally die and end of game for you or get captured and scream a bit. Of course, her conclusion is designed to add further tension to the game and act as a distraction but I mostly I found myself simply leaving her at the entrance to an area, clearing it out and then calling her back to my side - not something that generally enhances the gameplay.

Yet all of this is knit picking in the extreme. Resident Evil 4 is one of those games that really demands the attention of all gamers, not just fans of the genre. The fact it is an excellent action horror game is secondary to the fact that it's simply a brilliant game. It's so well crafted, so brilliantly realised and so sublimely toned that anyone who enjoys good quality gaming will be both impressed and entertained. It's reason alone to own a Gamecube and reason alone to give the series another go. In my opinion it's the best in the series since the first and Capcom's finest release since Viewtiful Joe. You simply have to play it.

94%

By Ben Parfitt