Publisher: Capcom
Developer: Capcom
Genre: Survival horror
ESRB rating: M
Release date: Available now

There is an episode of The Simpsons in which Marge finds a pink Chanel suit on sale at the outlet mall in Ogdenville. Marge loves the suit so much that she decides to wear it while running errands. On one of those errands, Marge runs into a friend from high school who, impressed by Marge’s fashion sense, invites her to come to the Springfield Country Club. Realizing she can’t keep wearing the same thing every time she goes to the country club, Marge alters and improves the suit a little bit each week, hoping to continue impressing her friends.

Last week saw the re-re-re-re-release of Capcom’s survival horror masterpiece, Resident Evil 4. The game, which was originally available for the GameCube and made its way to the PlayStation 2, the PC, and eventually the Wii, is now available as a download through the PlayStation Network and Xbox Live. The most recent version includes everything from the original versions, and the only noticeable difference is that now everything is in HD. There are no extended scenes or special endings, and this isn’t a Director’s Cut. This is the same game we’ve played several times before, with minor visual alterations to keep it looking fresh and new. Resident Evil 4 is Capcom’s pink Chanel suit.

The first thing you notice when the game starts is that it really does look HD. The visuals are much improved throughout most of the game. Some of the game’s cut scenes still feature older graphics, though, and they look grainy and awful. The sound effects and voice acting will take you back to 2005, but they do a good job of setting the mood and, for the most part, fit really well. Resident Evil 4 HD features Ada’s mission from the PlayStation 2 version of the game, as well as Mercenary mode (with leader boards), and trophies/achievements. The control scheme is still terrible, but that is classic Resident Evil and after an hour or so you feel right at home.

Resident Evil 4 is an incredible game, and one of the best RE games in existence. The story is great, the game is long, and the action is thoroughly creepy. The HD remake is available now for $19.99, which is a high price to pay for a game you’ve probably already played two or three times before. For more information on the story and gameplay, Adrenaline Vault’s full Resident Evil 4 review can be found here. If there are any first-timers out there, Resident Evil 4 HD is an absolute must. For people who have already battled Las Plagas with Leon, wait for the inevitable price drop.

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