Resident Evil 4 HD (Video Game Review)

Resident Evil 4 HD is now available on Steam for PC. The new release obviously packs improved graphics over the original release from developer and publisher Capcom, and players can expect the new game to run at a full 60 frames per second to ensure it's the best looking version of the game ever. Resident Evil 4 is highly regarded as one of the best video games of all-time. The game made many improvements for the series that are still a large part of gameplay even in current releases of this generation of gaming. Most players interested in the game will likely have already played the game several times before and may even still own a copy or two of the game for various systems, but any gamers that have managed to pass up playing this gem of a game until now shouldn't hesitate to download the newest version on Steam.

Resident Evil 4 follows protagonist Leon S. Kennedy on a new mission to rescue the President's daughter located in an obscure village located in Spain. The plot is set several years after the events of Resident Evil 2 and features a much different Leon after having survived the zombie outbreak in Raccoon City. Fans will remember the game was the first in the series to move away from the classic zombie monsters the series had always been known for, with many of the new enemies in the game exhibiting much more human traits such as the ability to wield weapons. The game is still plenty frightening though, and it was one of the last in the series to feature solo play for the majority of the campaign, though the player was often tasked with watching over the President's daughter, Ashley Graham.

Resident Evil 4 was a noteworthy release for the series in numerous ways beyond the introduction of new enemies for Leon to fight. Players were allowed to play the game from the third-person perspective with a camera that followed closely behind and provided a view from over the shoulder of the game's protagonist rather than using the fixed camera placements of older releases. Though ammunition and more powerful guns were still difficult to come by, gunplay in the game changed greatly as well. Players now found that each gun had a red laser sight that allowed for specific areas of enemies to be targeted in free aim instead of choosing from one of three different angles. The changes drastically changed the direction of the Resident Evil series, but given the huge following Resident Evil 4 has enjoyed over the years, it would seem few gamers would argue the changes didn't improve the series for the better.

Resident Evil 4 HD boasts some big changes itself for one of survival horror's greatest games. The biggest change is that the game now runs at a full 60 frames per second with no latency or issues throughout the entire game. The game has also been modified to run smoother on computer with widened graphics that look good on modern televisions and computer monitors. The development team added improved text and colors to make the game look smooth with the new wide format. Additionally, characters models, backgrounds and environments have also been smoothed over and improved to look really nice while running in the new resolution. Resident Evil 4 HD is far and away the best looking version of the game, and players that haven't played the game since the earlier releases will be blown away by how much the game has improved from a graphics standpoint.

Resident Evil 4 HD also brings back all of the content included in later releases for the new Steam version as well. Players will find the full campaign to play as well as the Separate Ways bonus chapter that pieces together the storylines of this game with that of Resident Evil Code: Veronica and other games in the series. The chapter focuses on Ada Wong and how the mysterious character eventually ends up in Spain with Leon. Players will also find cool content such as alternate outfits for the main characters in the game and more that make Resident Evil 4 HD one of the definitive versions of the game ever released.

Resident Evil 4 HD is only available on Steam, and it comes with plenty of other features available only on this platform. Players will find the game comes with full controller support, and for gamers that enjoy their games with keyboard and mouse, there are additional customization options, key binding and mouse sensitivity settings to ensure the game plays just as players want. Additionally, the game comes with Achievement support to give players in-game goals to strive towards, Steam Trading Cards to give a little bit of something extra back to supporters of the new release and a host of other useful features like Cloud Saves.

Assuming players have a decent gaming computer, Resident Evil 4 HD is the best version of the classic game that money can buy. The title brought all new features to the popular Capcom series when it was first released back in 2005 for Nintendo Gamecube, and the Steam version of the game packs all of the content ever released for the game with all new features mad available exclusively for the new PC release. $20 may be a bit of a stretch for players that already own multiple copies of the game across other platforms, but it is the best version of Resident Evil 4 that money can buy. Check out Resident Evil 4 HD only on Steam right now!

Resident Evil 4 HD is now available exclusively for PC via Steam and can be purchased for $19.99. Resident Evil 4 HD is rated M by the ESRB for Blood and Gore, Intense Violence & Language. For more information or to purchase a copy of Resident Evil 4 HD, check out it out on Steam.

Game Features:

• Single Player
• HD Graphics
• Full Controller Support
• Steam Trading Card Support
• Achievement Support

Game Information:
Developer & Publisher: Capcom
Available exclusively for PC (reviewed)
Release Date: February 27, 2014

Score: 9 out of 10