Can anyone redefine survival/horror?  There was once a time when a survival/horror game was so scary that we had to stop playing it.  That time was lost with the end of the 32-bit era.

Don't get me wrong – the Resident Evil remake was a superb game.  Resident Evil Zero was an awesome prequel.  Silent Hill 4's concept was brilliant.

As praise-worthy as all of that is, none of those games redefined survival/horror.  They didn't terrify us; they barely made us jump out of our seats.  You can only scare someone with the same monster and the same story so many times.

With Resident Evil 4, Capcom hoped to create the game that would break the cycle.  They got rid of old villains (bye zombies!); expanded the inventory system; eliminated the pre-rendered backgrounds; and gave the starring role to someone other than a Redfield. 

This is exactly what the game looks like. 

The biggest news of all came when Capcom released the first screenshots, revealing the evolutionary change that the series' creator had promised: new gameplay.  GameCube-powered backgrounds replace the pre-rendered sets of the old games.  Since the camera is no longer restricted, the developers decides to move it behind the character (in this case Leon Kennedy), creating an eerie, through-the-eyes-of-the-character experience.  This isn't a first-person shooter (which I'm extremely thankful for), but you can aim and shoot wherever you please.  Precise headshots?  You got 'em!

The abandonment of zombies meant it was time to create a new villain to eat your bullets.  What's scarier than the living dead?  Living humans!  The angry-looking men and women you see are not defined as zombies.  Once they start climbing stairs and ladders to get to you you'll see why.  These guys (and gals) can think.  They'll put up ladders after you knock them down.  They'll break down doors that have been barricaded.  When one of 'em starts chasing you with a chainsaw, RUN!  Don't just stand there like you would have in the previous games.  One strike and you're dead.  Although it would make for a great comedic effect, Leon can't function without his head.

The new enemies and revamped gameplay style turn Resident Evil 4 into an action game.  The element of survival has never been more severe – you'll run more than you could have ever imagined.  You'll get killed a lot more, too.  (There's a new Retry function that compensates for this.  I wish all games had it.)

They're not zombies...but what are they? 

Set in a desolate town with an old castle, Resident Evil 4 reeks of creepiness.  The horrific scenery, relentless enemies, and the lack of places to hide give the game a very unsettling feeling.  In time you'll become good enough to destroy the entranced humans, even the ones carrying chainsaws.  Until that time it's a game of constant fear, constant running, and constant worry.  Will I have enough ammo to get through the night?  Are there enough herbs to heal my wounds?

Taking a cue from Capcom's other action games, Resident Evil 4 rewards you for fighting, not fleeing.  Roughly 50% of all the enemies carry ammo, money, and other valuable items.  Kill them and the valuables are yours, so long as you can grab them before they disappear.  The money you collect is extremely important.  It enables you to buy new weapons and health sprays (a first for the series).  You can enlarge your inventory (also a first), and upgrade the weapons you find and the ones you purchase (another first).  As you might have guessed, this does take away from the realism.  At the same time it adds to the fun, and fun always comes before realism.

This game will affect different people in different ways.  Some gamers will be terrified to death.  They'll only be able to play it for short intervals.  If it weren't for the human mind's determination to see a bad situation through to the end, they probably wouldn't go back.  Others will be like me – excited and eager for more, but weary of the next battle.  However you react to it, Resident Evil 4 is an unforgettable classic.  It's going to take a lot for someone to come up with a better game before the year's end.  Most likely they won't.  Most likely Resident Evil 4 will be the game I'm praising when we select the best games of 2005. 

Take out traps before they take out you. 

Although the story is more intriguing than CODE Veronica, it isn't the series' best.  Resident Evil 3 left us with an ending that said that Leon Kennedy (the male cop from Resident Evil 2) would do whatever's necessary to save a little girl.  As a result he ended up in the hands of the government.  His mission: to investigate the abduction of the President's daughter.  If you're bored, raise your hand.  What's this got to do with Resident Evil?  Very little.  Unlike the previous games, which had cool revelations, Resident Evil 4's surprise has been done before.  There's an awesome (and relevant) twist that is somewhat redeeming, but the main plot is disappointing.

Since Resident Evil 4 is 5% story and 95% gameplay, I think we can live with that.

Gameplay: 9.7
The most intense, realistic experience you'll have until the next generation comes.  Resident Evil 4 annihilates the competition, including its own spin-offs (Dino Crisis, Onimusha, and Devil May Cry) by putting the player in an exciting, all-too-real atmosphere.  The first 30 minutes are the most shocking because you feel so helpless.  I shouted "No, no!" at the screen more than once.  Not because I was angry at the game, but because I knew the chainsaw massacre was going to get me.  Survival/horror games no longer have the fear factor they once had.  Resident Evil 4, however, creates a new sense of fear with intelligent enemies and dozens of claustrophobic environments.

Graphics: 9.8
"And the nominees for Best Graphics in a Video Game are: Resident Evil 4, developed by Capcom.  Resident Evil 4, developed by Capcom.  And Resident Evil 4, also developed by Capcom."

This game could easily steal every nomination slot for best graphics.  All it takes is one look.  Resident Evil 4 obliterates everything you've seen on its console competitors, even the gorgeous, jaw-dropping Silent Hill 4.  They're getting way too close to achieving live action-quality visuals.  The bugs look a little fake, but the rest is perfect, down to the tiniest texture, up to the largest explosion.

It's almost scary to think how realistic Resident Evil 5 will look on PlayStation 3.

Sound: 9
Another stellar (though not scary) score for the series.  Fans will recognize the trademark style instantly.  You can't approach a typewriter without hearing something peaceful.  Resident Evil wouldn't be Resident Evil without it.

While better than before, the story is overflowing with cheesy dialogue and moments that don't fit in with the rest of the series.  Now that the game has finally evolved, do you think you could evolve the acting as well?

Difficulty: Medium/Hard
Resident Evil 4 detects your weakness and adapts the gameplay if you use the Continue feature too much.  The challenge is very high, higher than any of the previous games (except for the boss battles – why they're so easy I'll never know).  Every gamer has a chance at beating this, but the opening battles make one thing clear: this was designed for hardcore gamers.  Nothing could have made me happier.

Concept: 9.5
Ingenious reinvention, exceptional execution.  Resident Evil 4 will pop your eyeballs out of your head, twist 'em around, and shove 'em back into your socket faster than you can say, "Get me out of here!"  The controls are flawless; the gameplay is scare-tacular.  There is one moment in the game that I will never, ever forget.  If you thought Night of the Living Dead spawned the Resident Evil series, just wait till you play this game.

Overall: 9.7
Unbelievable.  I am completely blown away.  It's not just the new gameplay perspective, the new enemies or the graphics.  They representation deserves all the credit.  So many revolutionary games fall victim to repetition.  "This gameplay is great -- let's give gamers more!"  We want that, for sure.  But not to the point where it goes on and on.  Not to the point where it becomes repetitive.  Resident Evil 4 isn't like that.

Around every corner, after every simplistic puzzle, and before and after every boss battle is a new experience waiting to be had.  The levels are linear but brilliant in design.  There are so many different types of objectives that you will nearly forget you're playing a Resident Evil game.  The clever puzzles have been scrapped, and I can only imagine that they would have bogged the game down.  No one wants to waste 20 minutes solving a riddle after being chased by a Wolverine-wannabe.  We want to keep moving and see what's around the next corner.

You may not realize it the first time you play it, and you may not be affected by the first gruesome battle, but by the end of this game Resident Evil 4 will have left a mark that can never be erased.