Ep 27. Resident Evil 4

Zero Punctuation, the fast-paced video game review series by Ben "Yahtzee" Croshaw, is back with its 27th episode of season 12, and this time, the game in question is Resident Evil 4.

As always, Yahtzee wastes no time in diving right into his critique of the game, stating that although it's widely regarded as a classic, he has never really been a fan of the Resident Evil series. He goes on to describe how Resident Evil 4 deviates from the series' traditional formula, opting for a more action-oriented approach instead of survival horror.

Yahtzee commends the game's graphics for the time, calling it "NEAR photorealistic," and praises the way the game's camera is positioned. He explains how the over-the-shoulder camera adds a greater level of immersion and tension to the game's combat compared to the previous games' fixed camera angles.

However, Yahtzee comments that the game's plot and dialogue are nothing to write home about, with the stereotypical action genre characters and cliché dialogue that made him roll his eyes at times. He also points out that some of the puzzles in the game are needlessly convoluted, and that the game's checkpoint system could be more forgiving.

The reviewer then moves on to the game's combat mechanics, which he considers the game's strongest point. He applauds Resident Evil 4 for making gunplay more dynamic and strategic, stating that it's one of the only games he's seen that makes shooting unarmed enemies valid. He goes on to praise the game's enemy design, with the variety of different foes he encounters throughout the game.

Despite these positives, Yahtzee has some reservations about the game's difficulty, stating that it's too easy on the standard difficulty mode and too hard on the professional mode. He also criticizes the game's lack of enemy variety in the latter half of the game, which makes the game feel like a chore towards the end.

In terms of the game's length, Yahtzee thinks that it's just right, clocking in at around 12 hours. He points out that the game's pacing is excellent, with a good balance of combat, exploration, and puzzle-solving. He notes that there's a good amount of replay value, with different weapons and alternate costumes to collect.

Overall, Yahtzee considers Resident Evil 4 to be a competent game that he enjoyed playing, despite his apathy towards the series as a whole. He praises the game's graphics and combat mechanics, but criticizes the plot and dialogue, as well as some of the game's more frustrating moments. However, he still recommends the game to fans of action games and horror games alike.