Resident Evil 4

[Riggswolfe]

I don't know why but I bought this today. The reviews sounded good and I like that it sounds like they are changing various aspects. OTOH, I've always despised the RE control system and I hear that hasn't changed.

Has anyone else bought it? Did you like it? Are the controls like they have been in the others in the series? IE, sadistic...

[geldonyetich]

Haven't played it myself, but apparently it's the highest reviewed Resident Evil yet.

[schild]

It's the best console game of this generation. Period.

Fabricated will have a review up "soonish."

[stray]

It's the best console game of this generation. Period.

Fabricated will have a review up "soonish."

I heard that the AI was pretty damn good, and in turn, makes a much more nerve racking game. Comments?

[Riggswolfe]

It's the best console game of this generation. Period.

Fabricated will have a review up "soonish."

But does it have that horrible control scheme still?

[schild]

New control scheme. Fantastic AI.

[Margalis]

The control is different. The perspective is different as well, closer and over the shoulder always.

[Riggswolfe]

I could kiss both of you but that'd be...ewwwww

Edit: For some reason that Kramer avatar really seems to fit Schild. Not saying you're a weirdo mind you, but the sort of oddness of it works.

[schild]

I could kiss both of you but that'd be...ewwwww

Edit: For some reason that Kramer avatar really seems to fit Schild. Not saying you're a weirdo mind you, but the sort of oddness of it works.

These pretzels are making me thirsty.

[Trippy]

Has anyone else bought it? Did you like it? Are the controls like they have been in the others in the series? IE, sadistic...

I have it and what little I've played of it I really like. The controls are less sadistic than the others since the game controls and plays like a 3D 3rd person shooter instead of having different camera angles for each room but "absolute" movement controls. However I suck at console shooters (aiming with a joystick bites and turning is just way too slow in the game) so I'm currently replaying the first "level" over and over to practice aiming and moving.

[Fabricated]

I have no problem with the controls outside of the fact you can't strafe.

Also, Capcom has a boner for instant death.

[kidder]

Edit: For some reason that Kramer avatar really seems to fit Schild. Not saying you're a weirdo mind you, but the sort of oddness of it works.

He is much more likable with that avatar.  Don't know why, maybe because Kramer cracks me up.

The resident evil series is pretty darn kickass.  I remember sitting in a dark room getting the crap scared out of me when opening doors in the first RE.  Unfortunately I do not own a gamecube.  Might have to go visit my buddy who does and check this title out.

[WonderBrick]

Lack of strafe is an instant killer for RE4, in my book.  I loved RE1, but lack of strafe killed my enjoyment for the evolution of the series.  I downloaded a bunch of RE4 clips to watch.  I want to play this game, but controls I feel comfortable with are mandatory.

[HaemishM]

My wife bought a Cube just for this game. I haven't played, but I've watched my wife play. It looks fucking incredible, one of the hands-down best looking console (or PC for that matter) games I've ever seen. It also looks like a lot of fun.

[Sky]

I'm one of the only people in the world who thinks the RE series has great controls.

Forward moves you forward. Right turns you right.

Right now I'm playing Gladiator ($4.99! decent button masher) on the pc, and it's the controls people claim to prefer over RE's...these controls have you push in the direction you want to go /onscreen/.

So if I'm running down a long corridor, toward the screen, I'm pushing down. Then when the camera does it's switch, pushing down is no longer moving me down the hall, but into a wall, or back the way I came. I hate that. Since the games I'm talking about all have static cameras, every time the view changes, you have to change which way you are moving.

I think forward=forward makes a hell of a lot more sense.

[Soukyan]

I'm one of the only people in the world who thinks the RE series has great controls.

Forward moves you forward. Right turns you right.

Right now I'm playing Gladiator ($4.99! decent button masher) on the pc, and it's the controls people claim to prefer over RE's...these controls have you push in the direction you want to go /onscreen/.

So if I'm running down a long corridor, toward the screen, I'm pushing down. Then when the camera does it's switch, pushing down is no longer moving me down the hall, but into a wall, or back the way I came. I hate that. Since the games I'm talking about all have static cameras, every time the view changes, you have to change which way you are moving.

I think forward=forward makes a hell of a lot more sense.

Umm, IIRC, the RE series (up until 4) had the controls that made you push where you wanted to go on-screen. Perhaps I'm confusing it with Silent Hill, but I'm almost positive that all the RE games up until RE4 had that god awful control scheme. I think everyone would agree that forward = character walks forward is the easiest and most intuitive to use.

[Yegolev]

RE4 is awesome.  looks awesome.  sounds awesome.  it is hard.  it is Ninja Gaiden hard before the second disk.  lots of ammo but smart enemies.  highly recommended.  at least rent it.

[AcidCat]

I think everyone would agree that forward = character walks forward is the easiest and most intuitive to use.

This is the way RE has always been. You push up to go forward.

Anyway, I've been a fan since the original Resident Evil came out and blew my mind years ago on PSX. After Code Veronica however, I got a bit burnt out on the series and that was the last RE game I played until I picked up a Gamecube last weekend to play 4. I'm only on chapter 2-2 but I don't regret buying the Cube just for this game at all.

I like that the focus is on greater action and carnage. One thing I never quite cared for in other RE games was that running past enemies was often the best option. Here you have enough ammo to deal harshly with them all. More, faster enemies really increases the tension, especially since true to the RE tradition you must remain stationary to shoot. The 180 turn/run button will become your best friend.

The new perspective also works very well and does make the control scheme feel more natural. Graphics are outstanding and really surprise me, frankly I didn't realize GC was capable of this level of quality.

The "store" is also a cool addition that really works well. The item storage boxes are a great subtraction and I sure as hell won't miss them.

And from what I've seen so far the game continues the tradition of exciting and varied boss encounters.

Anyway, it still feels very much like RE but the new perspective, aiming mechanic, graphic presentation, and focus on action really take it to the next level. If you don't fall in love with this game the first time you blow a villager's head off with the shotgun, there's just something wrong with you. And don't worry, the green herbs you know and love are still here.

[Sky]

Perhaps I'm confusing it with Silent Hill,

Yep, that's the example I was forgetting for the 'other' control scheme lots of people seem to favor.

I love the atmosphere of the resident evil games, I've played the remake and zero on the cube.

Now that I have a progressive scan tv, though, I'm kinda holding out to buy the component cables before buying any new cube games. Anyone know if the new one is progressive scan?

NM- just checked, it's 480p (not hd,, but better than lots of 480i gc games) but not widescreen. Stretched images and black bars make baby Sky weep. C'mon Nintendo. At least Sony has an excuse, their hardware can't do HD. And people wonder why I think the xbox is a better console.

[Yegolev]

Graphics are outstanding and really surprise me, frankly I didn't realize GC was capable of this level of quality.

Since no one codes for the Cube with the appalling frequency found on the PS2, it will naturally take longer for better-written games to arrive.  Same thing happened with the PS2, you know, as the programmers got better over time.  My hope is that someone, somewhere will realize the Cube can do something awesome like RE4 and I get to use the Wavebird more.

[Margalis]

The best is shooting a guy in the leg, then running up and kicking him.

[Trippy]

I'm one of the only people in the world who thinks the RE series has great controls.

Forward moves you forward. Right turns you right.

Right now I'm playing Gladiator ($4.99! decent button masher) on the pc, and it's the controls people claim to prefer over RE's...these controls have you push in the direction you want to go /onscreen/.

The problem I have with the original-style RE controls is that moving is always a two step process cause of the constantly switching camera angles. One figure out which direction to move and then two figure out which direction you are facing. On the other hand, a game like Devil May Cry which has the same switching camera angle style as RE but uses the other style of controls was far more intuitive to me and that was a much faster paced game than RE or Onimusha 1&2 (which used the same RE-style controls).

So if I'm running down a long corridor, toward the screen, I'm pushing down. Then when the camera does it's switch, pushing down is no longer moving me down the hall, but into a wall, or back the way I came. I hate that. Since the games I'm talking about all have static cameras, every time the view changes, you have to change which way you are moving.

I agree that can be a problem but in games like Devil May Cry 1&2 and the Final Fantasy series for the PS/2 (and many other FF-style RPGs) they fix this problem by moving you "forward" as long as you keep holding the joystick in the same position even after the camera angle switches.

Edit: The other problem I have with RE1-style controls is that turning is not instantaneous (and this is actually a problem for me in RE4 as well). That really messes me up after having played PC FPSs for so long. With the Devil May Cry/FF-style controls that's never a problem -- you turn instantly in whichever direction you push the joystick.

[Sky]

Slow turning is intentional. I guess that could be valid, I just take it as part of the game. And judicious use of the "about-face" button alleviates a lot of problems.

One figure out which direction to move and then two figure out which direction you are facing.

Bah. Aren't you watching the screen, that person in the center is you. If something is on that person's right, you turn right. I guess I just don't get what you're saying, it's always been very intuitive since the first time I played a RE game.

Cool about Onimusha, I just got that Genma one for the xbox for like $9. Also got Gladiator: Some More Words I Forgot Here for pc for $5 and Enclave for pc for $10. Go go budget gaming!

Anyway, I think it boils down to the same thing as the whole inverted mouse thing: personal preference. If only more games allowed a choice of controls, so you could use RE or DMC style, depending on your preference. Otherwise it's like being stuck with an inverted mouselook when you use normal, you're always fumbling with the controls.

[WonderBrick]

I play alot and feel most comfortable in FPSs.  I also expect responsive controls.  In RE, I feel like a vertical log that I have to rotate before I can move in the direction I want.  This is especially frustrating when a zombie is up in your face and you are forced to take damage with you rotate your character.

[Trippy]

Bah. Aren't you watching the screen, that person in the center is you. If something is on that person's right, you turn right. I guess I just don't get what you're saying, it's always been very intuitive since the first time I played a RE game.

But how do you know turning right is the fastest way to face that thing to your "right"? It could be that turning left will turn you there faster. In other words you always have to be cognizant of which way you are facing before you can decide which way to turn to eventually go in the direction you want.

[Riggswolfe]

Well I played it the other night. The controls are much, much improved. My character still feels stiff, but not as badly as before.

I like not having to worry about ribbons for the typewriter anymore.

I like the..pacing. I felt so threatened at various points of this game. For example, early on I had barricaded myself in a house. I grabbed the stuff off the first floor and went to the second floor. I see a ladder leaning on a window sil,, run over and push it down. I figure I have things under control until the other window breaks and villagers start coming in. It's at this point that I realize that to face the enemies from one window I have to turn my back on the other window.

So, what did I do? Kicked the ladder back down, blasted a couple of villagers from the other window, and then leaped out the window I was fighting by!

That hooked me. In previous games I'd have had to run back or just have a stand off...

[SurfD]

I think most peoples preference in controll schemes is ingraned based on the first few 3d environment games they play.

For me, I detested the classic RE game controlls (the controlls are actually the reason i have NEVER played an RE game, other then once or twice at a friends place).   If I push the controller UP, I expect my character to move UP on the screen, not towards the bottom left hand corner because he happens to be faceing that way.  If I want to go to the bottom left hand corner, I will fucking push DOWN and LEFT on the controller.