Capcom has given its RESIDENT EVIL series a makeover with RESIDENT EVIL 4 for the Game Cube. Gone are the old, sluggish zombies of RESIDENT EVIL games past. The only thing that lingers from previous games is the main character, Leon Kennedy, who was a police officer in RESIDENT EVIL 2. This time Kennedy is a secret service agent exploring an abandoned village in Spain in search of the president’s kidnapped daughter. The villagers he encounters are quick moving, weapon-toting individuals who are definitely not afraid to shed his blood to protect their secret. As Kennedy moves through the game, he will find himself ensconced in this bloody world of hell raisers and demons. The boss levels are tougher than any other encountered in the RESIDENT EVIL series so far, each one so much more difficult than the last. Fortunately, Leon can find different weapons along the way to aid him in dispatching these gruesome beasts. The game is presented in letterbox format, making it seem more like an interactive movie than a video game and making the creepy, bloodthirsty villagers that much more unsettling. The story line, graphics, and intense game play make this addition to the RESIDENT EVIL family the most gripping and fast paced of them all. There are a few games that come along with such a forceful bang to make you sit up and take immediate attention, but this is definitely one of them.
