Resident Evil 4: Wii edition

This is just a mid-game comment on Resident Evil 4: Wii edition. I purchased this game in the first glow of my Nintendo Wii, along with a bunch of other games with good ratings (Twilight Princess, Lego Star Wars, Metroid Prime 3). Well, as Resident Evil 4's turn came up, the glow had long since worn off and I began to grow wary.

Generally I don't do well with suspense and horror, and Resident Evil 4 has that in spades. Another worry was whether the game was a 1st person shooter; I get dizzy and headaches playing those. Fortunately, RE4 is played mostly in the 3rd person, like Twilight Princess, so I only get a low-grade but bearable headache when playing. I decided to give RE4 a try before deciding whether or not to keep it.

The first time I tried it (and presently I'm still in the middle of Chapter 1) I was mobbed by not-zombies and quickly ran out of ammunition. This happened multiple times. When Leon's (the character you play) head was chopped off by a chainsaw-wielding not-zombie seemingly immune to bullets, I freaked out. Hey, I already said I can't handle horror! Anywhoo, I decided that this game was not for me and resolved not to play it again.

Time mutes fear, however. There were aspects of the game I really enjoyed. I looked online for hints as to how to avoid Leon's impersonation of a headless chicken. I tried playing RE4 again, and now I'm going to play until I complete it.

Why? I've become a little used to the not-zombies (familiarity breeds contempt?). I realized that it's okay to run away. I'm not fleeing in panic (really!), I'm defeating not-zombies in detail. The game play is smooth (I guess I'm still expecting pauses and lock-ups as with PC games), and it's unexpectedly satisfying to use modern-day weapons and not primitive weapons like in Twilight Princess, or futuristic ones like in Lego Star Wars. The vast majority of games I've played are RPGs like AD&D, swords and sorcery. In RE4 you use pistols and shotguns and grenades. Guns just feel more weighty. More oomph. More real. Visceral.

Hearing the crack of guns firing, spinning around to check your back, jumping through windows, over fences, and kicking down doors, the spooky atmosphere, involving story and more all combine to create a wonderful game play experience. And don't forget the running. Lots and lots of running (see 2nd paragraph, 1st sentence). Lots.

Thank the stars not-zombies are slow.