Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition

"I have one very important question: You got a smoke?"
"Got gum."

Behind this witty selection of in-game dialogue rests a meaningful analogy to Resident Evil 4: Wii Edition. Like smoking, many Wii games so far seem good in the beginning, but ultimately leave the user hurting in the end. Resident Evil 4, however, is like a great pack of gum: the taste is deliciously addictive, and the instant one piece is done, there's another waiting. Even the wrapper is pretty to look at. Wii owners will just need to take a few minutes to chew and soften the snack - after all, the pack has sat on the shelf for two and a half years.

Leon doesn't seem too happy about reliving this adventure.

For those unaware, Resident Evil 4 is the fourth main entry in Capcom's survival-horror franchise. Originally released on GameCube in January 2005, the title reinvented the franchise and raised the standard for survival-horror games. Only the blond-headed hero Leon S. Kennedy and a few series mainstay items (like herbs and the typewriter that saves your progress) connect RE4 to previous Resident Evil titles, so no real experience with the franchise is necessary to enjoy this game.

RE4 starts off quietly and mysteriously. Leon, promoted from a rookie cop to an elite government agent in the last six years, is traveling with two Spanish policeman to a small rural village in some undisclosed part of Europe. The mission: to rescue Ashley Graham, the president's kidnapped, college-age daughter. The police officers choose to wait in the car, while Leon enters the village with handgun cocked. The air is musty; the trees, gripped by autumn's decay; squawking crows flutter about. Leon enters a house and finds a lone villager, who apparently doesn't like being questioned as he quickly turns hostile and must be neutralized. These enemies aren't the slow zombies of past games - they're more human, and much more dangerous. For instance, they can drive trucks and swiftly run your ride, and its passengers, over an embankment.

In this first fifteen minutes of game time, players will become acutely familiar with the controls. The Nunchuk's analog stick moves Leon, but players will need to hold down the Z button to make him run. Holding the B trigger will pull the camera over Leon's shoulder and initiate shooting mode. The transition between camera views lasts less than a second and is always reliable. The Wii Remote controls Leon's arms and aims the cursor around the screen, while the Nunchuk's analog stick pans the camera around Leon. This is different from first-person shooters in which the camera moves when players point outside the screen's 'bounding box'.

Example of RE4's over-the-shoulder shooting perspective.

This works because Leon can't move while shooting. He also can't strafe, only perform 180 degree turns by a backward flick of the analog stick in tandem with a press of Z. Some players will find this cumbersome for the level of action, while others will find the controls add to the scare factor. Being well-acquainted with the GameCube version of Resident Evil 4, I can at least attest that the button layout and separate-hands set-up of the Wii controller make the controls feel more fluid.

Swinging Leon's knife is also easier in Wii Edition. Players can either hold the C button and press A (or alternatively, slash with the Wii Remote) or just slash with the Wii Remote. When using just a gesture, Leon homes in on objects that can be broken with the knife, which can be very helpful when time is a luxury you don't have.

Some people may experience some unresponsiveness when swinging at first, but the trick is knowing how the game reads the motion. A targeting reticule remains on-screen when a gun is equipped - gray when not shooting, green when in shooting mode and red when something bad is in target. While this is slightly bothersome, seeing how the circle is larger than the laser pointer in past versions, knife swings are determined by that reticle moving from one edge of the screen to the other in a quick increment of time.

This is to prevent players from accidentally swinging the knife when fidgeting with the Wii Remote. The larger reticle also makes pulling off good shots quite a bit easier. Hardcore players might not appreciate this so much, but casual gamers will find the game more approachable. Reloading Leon's gun is also handled with a quick flick of the Wii Remote when aiming, which should also better suit casual players.

Many cut-scenes are interactive, so don't run off to get a snack!

Although the added motion controls are undeniably tacked-on, they do help streamline most of the in-game movements. Considering Resident Evil 4 played very well before, and wasn't built with Wii in mind, it's difficult to ask more from the controls than functionality, which is present. Capcom would have impressed more, however, had it gone the extra step to include more knife motions (like forward thrusts).

Motion controls may make shooting a bit easier, but they don't distract from Resident Evil 4's inherent difficulty and scare factor. Once Leon stumbles into the main village shortly after dispatching the outlying villagers, hell is literally upon him. Over a dozen crazed villagers that know how to run, use axes and pitchforks as weapons, throw small explosives and attack in groups swarm Leon. Ammo is precious and every shot counts. Do you try a headshot or blow out a leg? Enemies respond differently based on where they're shot.

The environment also plays a factor, as Leon can jump through windows, climb or knock over ladders or bound over small fences - all with the press of the A button. Have I mentioned the chainsaw guy yet? This scary fellow wearing a potato sack on his head takes nearly twice as many shots to kill as normal villagers and if he gets too close, Leon will need a potato sack to cover the spot where his head used to be. Fortunately, the game is kind enough to provide progress-recording typewriters at well-timed spots (about every 15-20 minutes).

If you survive this fight, congratulations. It's only the beginning.

After all the frantic scurrying about in an attempt to survive the first twenty minutes, take a moment to admire the game's scenery. The colors in the initial areas are rather mute, but are very fitting of the game's creepy art style and brooding atmosphere. The visuals overall will look a bit dated next to games on Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3, but in comparison to most Wii games, Resident Evil 4 still shines brightly.

The sound design - from the specific reloading sounds of each gun, to the way villagers talk to one another in Spanish as they plan how to kill you - is eerily well-implemented. The music changes based on the intensity of the situation, and although it's not anything that would make sense in a separate soundtrack, it compliments the atmosphere very well. Real widescreen, missing from the GameCube version, is also included and appreciated.

Resident Evil 4 starts with a strong pace that will put players on edge. If you've played the game before, this will be well known, but it's probably not worth paying money for again if you already own the game on another system. For players not yet exposed to this survival-horror adventure, the game deserves at least a rental. Keep in mind that cheap scares are rare here - the thrill is almost completely tied to the action, and the occasional disturbing scenery.

You'll appreciate this ugly mug after some of what you see.

Will the Wii controls ultimately grow tiresome? Will the extra content excluded from the GameCube version (but provided to the PlayStation 2 version) and $29.99 budget price make the game a must-own? Come back for Stage 2 to find out!

Next