‘Survival Horror’ has come along way since the introduction of the Resident Evil series. New games, ideas, and innovations have either failed or succeed. But the Resident Evil series has endured and remains the paramount of the genre and that which others in the genre are measured. However, if you called Resident Evil 4 a survival horror game you would be wrong. The focus has been taken off of horror and suspense and has been placed on the action. Resident Evil 4 is an action game that will make you jump on rare occasions. It takes courage to take a very successful series, alter the just about everything, and keep that game a wonderful playing experience.

The first change you will notice is the gameplay. Gone are the fixed camera angles. They have been replaced with an over the shoulder camera. This makes it easy to keep the action at a fast pace throughout the game. This also makes it more difficult to see what is behind you and to your sides. You have to know where you are in relation to how enemies can get to you and how much room you have to maneuver.

The inventory system has been tweaked as well. It is a lot like Diablo. You have a grid to fit your weapons, healing items and ammo into. At times, you will have to re-order your grid to take more herbs or some extra ammo. There is also a traveling salesman who pedals his wares to Leon throughout his journey. You can purchase new weapons, weapon upgrades and health sprays from the merchant.

Capcom has also added something I am going to call “cinematic actions”. During certain cinematics you will have to press a certain button or button combination to avoid injury or death. “Cinematic actions” enhance the level of action and keep you on your toes. Basically, Capcom has done nearly everything in their power to make the player experience and be prepared for action out the wazoo.

The graphics in RE4 are some of the best out there. The characters look great. There movements are fluid and realistic and the facial expressions are well animated. If you shoot someone in the leg they will either grab their leg or crumble to the ground. If they are running at you, their momentum will carry them to the ground. It looks awesome and is fun to do. Heads explode with a bloodier and more satisfying result than in previous RE games. The environments are also well detailed and unique. Each area looks different and feels different. You play in an old European village, a castle, and a research laboratory like area. Graphics don’t get any better than RE4 when it comes to consoles. It is a beautiful game.

The sound in RE4 is good but the music could have been better. All of the sound effects are great and the voice acting is decent. Ashley, the Presidents daughter, is pretty annoying throughout the entire game but she doesn’t talk that much. Leon and the other main characters are pretty solid. My big gripe about the music is that it doesn’t fit the atmosphere of the game. For a game that takes place in an old European town I would have liked to hear a more orchestral sound.

The story in RE4 is okay, but it doesn’t hold a candle to RE1, 2, or Veronica. After the events in RE2, Leon got a job working for the President of the United States. The President’s daughter is kidnapped and Leon is sent to rescue her. He arrives in a small village where chaos ensues. Soon Leon discovers that a bizarre cult is behind Ashley’s disappearance. He also discovers this cult is responsible for the villager’s strange and dangerous behavior.

With its small blemishes, RE4 was still a blast to play. From start to finish this is a fun game. So much killing was packed into the sixteen hours it took me to complete the game. Then you can start a new game with all your weapons and equipment from your last game. This only adds to the fun. That is the best word to describe RE4, fun. And the best part is it leaves room for a sequel. Hurray for more Resident Evil in the future! But until that arrives play RE4 and enjoy.

I was initially reluctant to play this game simply because it was 3D, and a first person shooter. To me, that wasn’t Metroid, so I ignored the praise it received and never played the title outside of a couple demo run-throughs and playing small parts at a friends house. I thought the scanning looked tedious, and the different visors/beams was confusing.

Imagine my surprise when I finally broke down and played through the game. I suppose I shouldn’t have doubted Nintendo and Retro, because they knew they were taking a big risk and had to make it worth it to all the hardcore fans.

The game unfolds with a great and somewhat stealthily told story. I call it a stealthy story simply because the game lacks explanatory cut scenes and voice over narratives. Instead, the story is told through scans, logs, and events that you trigger as Samus. Samus is as quiet as you would expect, relying only on her facial expressions you occasionally get a glimpse of along with her body language to get a better feel for the character. Through the story, you actually learn quite a bit about the origins of Samus as well as the loss of the Chozo on Tallon IV.

As I said, most of the story is told through scans, which are a new feature that you will either love or hate. Basically, scanning gives you more information about your environment, enemies, and the story. It requires you to switch visors from the combat visor to do so which at first seems like a waste of time. However, it soon becomes second nature and you will learn that it’s not that bad and scanning gives you a much better feel of the game all together. Think about it: every enemies has a log you can read about, every environment has tons of information to discover, and every item has facts about as well. This gives more information than any Metroid game before it.

Another part of the beauty of this game is the environments. At first, they seem kind of stereotypical; ice level, lava level, underwater level, industrial level, etc. However, each environment is so varied, large and full of secrets that it really makes you feel like you are in those places. Phendrana feels like a barren wasteland, and the animals there have adapted to the environment. Chozo Ruins likewise feels like a crumbling structure of what used to be a beautiful area of shrines. The great part about these environments is that while they look great from afar, they also have superior detail upon closer observation. The level of detail in this game is something the PS2 could never handle and really shows the Gamecube’s true power. In addition to the very detailed environments, each one looks different through each visor, all of which looks very nice. All the visors have a well thought out purpose too, which consequently allows you to return to the same environment many times and see completely different things.

And while the game looks beautiful, I am very rarely happy with a first person shooter on a console. I am happy to say that Metroid Prime may be the first case on a console where it is honestly better than what it could have been on a PC. The controls are so naturally mapped to the Gamecube controller that it feels like second nature. Using the triggers to free look and lock on is a great system. Furthermore, this is a game that uses every button on the Cube controller, so it is a bit complex at times, but still very intuitive.

Next up is the sound and music. The sound in this game is absolutely excellent and a big factor in immersion. I recommend surround sound if you have it because it makes you feel like you are on Tallon IV. Each area has its own ambience, and each hidden item makes a definite sound that you can identify and hunt down. Likewise, larger enemies have their own music or signal to tell you they are in a room. The music mostly matches the ambience aside from some updated tunes like Magmoor and event driven music like Space Pirate attack. It’s very subtle and suiting, and occasionally comes to the foreground to make you realize just how good it is.

I really could ramble on and on about the game and how great it is. It has excellent puzzles that, while sometimes strangely placed, are a welcome reprieve from a Metroid or Space Pirate attack. The bosses are absolutely huge and epic and require different strategies. The enemies all have their own personalities and unique attack formations (for example, a shee-goth acts very differently from a metroid. A metroid will float about aimlessly in an almost terrifying carefree manner until you provoke it or it sees you. A shee-goth will get up from its slumber when yo come near and charge you until you ‘blast ‘em in the ass’, as Chuck would say). Certain enemies disrupt Samus’ visor and cause it to fuzz out, an amazingly real technique. the ball form is so fun that it feels like it should be its own game. It moves like a large marble (and sounds like one) and leads to some great 2D side scrolling puzzles. The game also excellently spaces out your ability to access areas through the power-up distribution. At first some areas seem impossible to access, but by the end, you will see how easy it is to get to these areas. The way it mimics the 2-dimensional games like SotN and Super Metroid is a remarkable feat.

I have to say that this may be one of the best games I have ever played.

Zero Mission is a remake of the original Metroid released in 1986. The graphics are updated to Super Metroid/Metroid Fusion standards and an entirely new scenario is added to the end of the game. In addition, the game has new areas added to the original design, a map (finally), and some new enemies and upgrades.

However, not all is different. The areas are eerily familiar but now with nicer backdrops (instead of bland colored grounds and pure black backgrounds) and many of the upgrades are in similar places. It is a loving tribute to the first game, while also telling a good story in the process.

So why is this game disappointing compared to Fusion, Prime, and previous entries? Simply because it is so short and relatively easy. You can finish what was the original game’s material in about 2.5-3 hours even if you aren’t in any hurry. The only real challenge comes in the form of Mother Brain, and that is because there is so much stuff firing at you and there is almost nowhere to stand. The fights with Ridley and Kraid are much more dramatic and huge, but they are both pushovers, which is kind of a letdown.

After the main game is over, you are attacked by space pirates and start what is essentially a new game for another hour and a half. I finished the entire game in 4 hours and 10 minutes, and that seems way too short for a Metroid game. The end sequence on the space pirate ship requiring stealth with reduced capabilities (trying not to spoil anything here) is pretty unique and definitely welcome. Samus really shows she is a bad ass in this part that helps link this story to Prime a bit closer. But as cool as the new sequence is, it does appear to be a bit tacked on, as though they were thinking that remaking the game wasn’t quite enough (which, really, it isn’t because Metroid is quite short if you know where you are going).

But I know it looks like in Fusion’s review that I am praising the type of gameplay (easier, more restricted with more story) that I am condemning here. The truth is, Fusion is a different beast. Fusion had a tighter story and had an awesome atmosphere that played about as cinematic as a side-scrolling game could. Not only that, but Fusion had a pretty good challenge in some of it’s bosses (the spider and SA-X come to mind). Fusion also clocked in around 8-9 hours, which was short, but acceptable nonetheless. Zero Mission is based off a short game to start with, which doesn’t help, but it offers a challenge only in a few places. I was never really compelled to find all the e-tanks and missiles because they were a pain and not necessary to defeat the end boss. Take this in comparison to Metroid II where if you didn’t have all the missile upgrades at the end, you were in serious trouble.

On the plus side, the game features the return of the Jump ball, one of my favorite upgrades, as well as the bomb juggle, Varia suit, Gravity suit, and ice and wave beams, among others. The only problem is that you get some of these upgrades very late in the game and they only serve the purpose to open maybe one or two areas.

The music is excellent, featuring remixed versions of the original’s classic tunes. Kraid’s Hideout in particular is pretty sweet. The new original tunes fit in well too and work to the game’s advantage in establishing atmosphere and credibility in showing that this is THE original Metroid game for today’s audience.

As previously mentioned, the graphics are tight, though a bit subdued compared to Fusion’s. My first reaction was kinda confusion as to why it’s not super-detailed, but soon you realize that they were trying to stay true to the original in many parts and that while it’s reminiscent of Metroid, the environments are vastly improved and detailed now. The controls are as tight as ever and if you played Fusion or Super Metroid, you know what to expect here.

I certainly do not hate this game. I had a blast playing through it, so much so that I beat it in two sittings. The main problem is that the gameplay is so tight and it is really fun, but it ends way before you want it to. It’s a good game that has been built on an excellent engine. Hopefully this won’t be the last 2D Metroid adventure we see.

Before I get started, I just want to say that I think, nay, BELIEVE that Metal Gear Solid 2 was genius. Now for the 2 of you that didn’t click the back button on your browser, let me get to the actual review. The Metal Gear franchise has become so huge that most folks that are into the series have probably never even played the game that really started it all. That’s what Metal gear Solid 3: Snake Eater is all about – Finding its roots. In the end, it becomes the greatest game in the series, and easily one of the best games of 2004.

Director and Stealth Messiah Hideo Kojima decided that the best way finish the MGS trilogy was to show us the true origins of the series by taking us back in time to the 60’s Cold War era. He also throws our main man Snake straight into the jungle with nothing but a communicator and a hunting knife. The cinemas are very well done, which has become trademark for the MGS games, and the voice acting is still topnotch as a few old voices return. The presentation on a whole is on a whole new level when compared to other games. The music is scored just as well as every other Metal Gear game. I’m a sucker for the theme song, a James Bond like funk piece complete with female vocals. The graphics may have taken a small step down, but the ways your surroundings are displayed easily make up for any visual discrepancies.

For Metal Gear, game play has always shined. Truly mastering the stealth action genre, Snake Eater brings back what you loved doing from the previous incarnations and adds a little spice to it all. Most notably is the Camouflage System. You browse through various face paints and suits that blend in with the environment the most, and the higher your percentage is, the more likely an enemy sentry will not spot you. This is a great new concept, but to tell the truth, I did stick with about 3 or 4 of them the whole game, and you can still be spotted in most situations if you’re not too careful. Which brings me to the next feature – no more radar. Sure you get a Motion Detector and Sonar, but there’s no real way you can monitor enemies anymore unless you can see them with your own eyes. I actually welcome this more realistic setup, as it makes it all the more challenging and in the end rewarding if you do sneak by or get stealth kill completely unnoticed.

Snake Eater gets its name from a new Survival Food system in the game. You now have a stamina meter below your regular life meter that indicates how steady you can aim while in first person, how fast you can run without ever getting tired, and how fast your wounds will heal if you ever crouch down to regain health. It will slowly decrease through various ways, and whenever you get low, you have to fill it back up by eating the wildlife that inhabits the jungle. Finding numerous snakes in the bushes, fungus around trees, rabbits hopping around, you’ll never find yourself running out of food. And it is very fun and satisfying to just walk up to one, hunt it with your knife, then eat it in the menu to hear Snake’s verdict on whether it filled him up or made him want to vomit. This is a welcome addition and really gives the survival theme a whole new dimension.

The game’s difficulty comes in various ways. One is trying to avoid being spotted. The A.I. has increased since MGS 2. The guards have much better eyes and ears this time, and that makes it all the more challenging. Some certain sections of the game may get on your nerves, as it seems no matter how hard you try, you’ll always be spotted. Just think of it as a more interactive puzzle. There’s always a safe route, and that’s where the great environmental design comes in. You can hide around nearly every object this time, a great improvement from the other games, as you can use your imagination instead of following certain guidance from wall to wall. The boss fights range from pretty easy to amazingly tough. Without spoiling much, one of them will surely have you reaching for the aspirin. This is all welcome however; as it helps it become a more engaging game for those that just can’t quit.

Now it’s story time. This is really what makes Metal Gear so great in the end. The engrossing story, complete with twists and devices that will make anyone’s head spin, most people seem so divided when it comes to discussing a MGS story. For those that can’t seem to come to terms with the Sons of Liberty plot, Snake Eater helps bring most of it to a new light and made me appreciate it even more than I did before. While doing so, it tells a great story of love, deception, and saving America from a great threat and a new Gear. I can’t say much about the story, as the slightest thing could waste the experience for anyone that hasn’t played yet, but I must say from the beginning to the end, you’ll always want to know what happens next. And when you see that final 20 minutes after the last boss fight, a variety of emotions will overcome you and you simply become at a loss for words. It truly has the makings of a great Hollywood action flick, and it’ll become something that you’ll remember at least until the next Metal Gear comes out.

In the end, Metal Gear Solid 3 has become the series pinnacle. Where it goes from here, no one really knows, not even Kojima himself could tell you. But enjoy what you can from his latest and most arguably finest work to date. This is truly one for the books.