4/5 ★ – Oodlemeister's review of Resident Evil 4.

Resident Evil 4 is a highly polished game. A mostly well-paced story, gorgeous graphics, tight controls and subtly smart AI make this one of the very best remakes to come out in recent years. The story picks up six years after the Raccoon City outbreak and sees Leon Kennedy - now a government agent - searching for the President’s kidnapped daughter in rural Spain. Gone are the shambling zombies of previous entries in the series, instead replaced by deranged cult members harbouring monstrous parasites within their bodies. Combat feels fantastic and tight. The numerous weapons available pack just the right amount of punch, whether you’re using a pistol, bolt thrower or rifle. But enemies won’t just stand still or take the hits lightly. They’ll feint, they’ll duck and dodge, making you work for the kill. The action can get quite intense when your back is against wall with a giant parasitic worm lurching at you. Inventory management returns and you’ll be using every inch of space to manage your items and the game’s huge arsenal of weapons, all of which can be upgraded with currency you earn throughout your journey. The gather-upgrade-gather loop is one of RE4’s biggest hooks. The game isn’t without some minor flaws, though. As someone who despises escort missions in games, there is a large chunk of RE4 dedicated to having you do just that. But it isn’t a deal breaker because the game excels in all other areas. This will definitely be a Game of the Year contender for many, including myself. Memorable bosses and a disturbing setting are the icing on the cake and I highly recommend giving it your time.