Resident Evil 4 iPhone Review
Leon Kennedy stars in an RE4 highlight reel.
by Levi Buchanan
July 27, 2009 - Bringing a celebrated hardcore game like Resident Evil 4 to the iPhone is an act of bravery. The built-in audience is bound to be hyper-critical of any shortcuts, less-than-ideal controls, or watered-down mechanics. The fact that the iPhone Resident Evil 4 manages to replicate the atmosphere and locations of the GameCube (as well as Wii and PS2) neo-classic is pretty astounding and a testament to Capcom's prowess with the hardware. Sure, it's based on a Japanese mobile game, but it is impossible not to be impressed with the wide open areas, smooth animations, and great texture work. It really does look like Resident Evil 4.
You're waiting for the other shoe to drop, aren't you?
The controls are a constant source of frustration and the camera does little to help matters. By now, you're familiar with the nuances of Resident Evil controls. Leon Kennedy may be one of the greatest agents in all of creation, but the poor guy cannot walk and shoot. The start-and-stop gameplay itself is not disappointing because it is expected. But the pacing is slowed even further by the juggling of walking, tapping buttons to enter and exit shooting mode, and a very irritating gun reloading problem.
The virtual d-pad is actually good for moving. The farther you slide your thumb from the center of it, the faster Kennedy moves. Running through environments to put a little distance between you and the victims of Las Plagas is smooth thanks to the responsive d-pad. But when you must use that same d-pad to aim at crazies and monsters, the game stumbles. Pinpoint aiming is tough because your thumb on the d-pad is not a precision tool. Too often you will glide right past critical hit spots on enemies, chiefly the head. When you finally do see the laser sighting dot on a face, tap the fire button to unload your weapon. But you better not run out of ammo while you have a great shot lined up. When Kennedy finishes reloading, the aiming snaps right back to the center of the screen instead of where you were just aiming. That is very, very frustrating.
When Kennedy is walking near walls, the camera has a tendency to get in very close - sometimes right inside Kennedy's head. This severely limits your vision and you may not realize that a cult member is upon you until you see a weapon flash into view at Kennedy's back or until he's grabbed.
Of course, I stuck with Resident Evil 4 to see if things improved with the controls, but sadly they do not, which is disappointing because I really admire some of the design decisions made here. I never expected to get a 1-to-1 port of the GameCube game, so the fact that the iPhone edition serves more as a 12-missions highlight reel full of shooting scenes, boss battles, and escort challenges does not bother me. You will see some of the great sights of the original, such as a monstrous boss battle with El Gigante. I am loath to get too deep into the story and bosses here because I do not want to ruin any surprises. (My initial play of RE4 on the GameCube was somewhat spoiled by reading too much about the game.) The shop system is back, too, and the trench coat-wearing merchant is just as silly as ever. The inclusion of the "What're you buyin'?" voice sample is awesome.
The story scenes that bridge the missions could use a little work, though. The writing is very pedestrian and glosses over way too much. As mentioned, I like the highlight reel design of the game, but the narrative bridges are way too creaky. I'd love to see an update that loads the game up with more cutscenes from the console game.
Resident Evil 4 includes mercenaries mode (a feature also found in Resident Evil: Degeneration) which offers a series of 24 timed stages and special goals, like blasting as many enemies with the shotgun as possible within three minutes. Ducking out of the story mode and into mercenaries mode is essential because you pocket a ton of cash there that can be used to buy needed items from the shopkeeper. If you are struggling in the story, drop into mercenaries and plug away until you have a decent bank account.
Resident Evil 4 was reviewed with version 1.0.
Closing Comments
The obvious audience for Resident Evil 4 on iPhone is the hardcore gamer -- especially the hardcore gamer that is already a monster Resident Evil fan. Resident Evil 4 is an improvement over Degeneration. It looks much, much better thanks to better textures, improved animations, and the stages are not just a series of corridors and rooms. The controls, though, are a problem. The pacing is wonky because of all the virtual button tapping and lack of easy precision aiming. This is certain to disappoint a lot of gamers. I suspect the highlight reel design will also disappoint, but that's more of a problem with expectations than Capcom's design choices. At $7.99, I must resist recommending the game because it can be so frustrating to play. Should Capcom release a lite version, I suggest you try that out and see if you can manage the controls. There really is a good game in here. It's just struggling to get out.
IGN Ratings for Resident Evil 4: Mobile Edition (iPhone)
Rating Description
out of 10 click here for ratings guide
7.0 Presentation
Story scenes need work but the game accurately recreates the atmospherics of RE4.
8.0 Graphics
Good character models covered with quality textures. Good animations. Environments are nicely detailed.
7.5 Sound
Good sound effects and occasional voice work. Music is fine, but not stand-out.
7.0 Gameplay
Controls are iffy and will put off a lot of players. The highlight reel design, though, is a good choice for squeezing an RE4 experience on the iPhone.
7.0 Lasting Appeal
This is a decent iPhone action game for hardcore players. The controls and story elements need work before it can be seriously recommended.
7.0
Decent OVERALL
(out of 10 / not an average)
