Games

Resident Evil 4

Platform: PS2
Price: £39.99
Publisher: Capcom
Buy it now from Amazon.co.uk

Call it cruel irony, but as the new millenium gathered speed the classic "survival horror" series, Resident Evil, was starting to resemble one of the shambling, rotting corpses that menace the game's protagonists.

Once vital and ground-breaking, the franchise sunk into repetitive formula, sticking with a clumsy control method, restrictive fixed cameras and awkward combat even when the rest of the games world had moved forwards. It looked like it was about to follow that other venerable Capcom series, Street Fighter, down the cul-de-sac of endless remakes and rehashes for a dwindling number of die-hard fans.

People grew wary of bold claims for each new entry, and interest in the series seemed to drop off - in much the same way that gamers gradually grew tired of Lara Croft and her formulaic adventures.

And then along came Resident Evil 4, originally a GameCube exclusive, now also on the PlayStation 2.

Wouldn't you know it? After years of hollow promises, Resident Evil has finally been given the overhaul it so desperately needed, and the result will make you fall in love with the gory classic all over again.

Most notable of the changes is a shift in location and focus. No more Raccoon City and, most amazing of all, no more zombies. In this instalment we follow Leon Kennedy, hero of Resident Evil 2, in his new life as a goverment agent, sent to a small European country to locate and retrieve the kidnapped daughter of the US President.

This mission plunges him into the dark world of cults and possession, and pits him against a powerful sorcerer who has the populace under his control.

The tank-track control is also gone - no more revolving on the spot and shuffling forwards and backwards. And the camera has also been given blessed freedom, following Leon as he trots through lush rendered 3D environments - thankfully free of those interminable "opening a door" loading screens.

And you need this new freedom of movement, as the game has ramped up the challenge accordingly. The brainwashed villagers you now face will come at you, five or six at a time, wielding scythes, pitchforks and chainsaws. They'll run after you if you flee, and while you can now climb through windows, move furniture to block entrances and kick down ladders to keep them at bay, they'll smash through doors and clamber through holes to reach you.

It's made Resident Evil scary again, and the pace and tension helps to gloss over some of the vestigial elements still hanging on from the old days - the often silly object puzzles, the numerous doors that require two halves of a bizarre medallion to open.

Indeed, now that the game has cast off the claustrophobic trappings of the past, these quirky elements are actually sort of fun - a nostalgic throwback, a knowing wink that reminds you of the franchise's roots.

There are other innovations here - including a merchant character who lets you trade weapons and ammo in return for treasure, and several split-second action moments where you must hit the right buttons at the right time to dodge boulders or boss monster attacks.

The PS2 version suffers a slight dip in visual quality from the GameCube, but the additional material more than compensates. It's in true widescreen, which will please the video snobs, and there are exclusive new weapons and gameplay areas to flesh out the experience. You even get a secondary mini-game, starring Ada Wong, Leon's partner from RE2.

Fast, scary and thoroughly exciting, Resident Evil 4 has revived the once moribund franchise and in this PS2 edition offers even more for your money than before. We never thought we'd say this, but roll on Resident Evil 5!

Dan Whitehead