Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 (バイオハザード４) is a horror-themed third-person shooter/action-adventure game published and developed by Capcom. Resident Evil 4 is the sixth installment of the Resident Evil series. It first debuted in North America on January 11, 2005 for the Nintendo GameCube, and was later released in Japan and Europe. On October 25 2005, the game was released on the PlayStation 2 with additional gameplay features, but weaker visuals. A PC port is scheduled for release sometime in 2007. A Wii port has also been confirmed for May 31, 2007 in Japan, and June 25, 2007 in North America. Status in other countries is unkown.

Story
In 2004, six years after the events of Resident Evil 2 and 3, the Umbrella Corporation’s fiasco in Raccoon City has become a public affair. Following an investigation conducted by the United States Government, several Umbrella officials are implicated in the heinous wrongdoings, and prosecuted. Ultimately, the Government formally and indefinitely suspends Umbrella’s business practices, causing the company to become bankrupt and dysfunctional.

The game's main protagonist is Leon Scott Kennedy, one of the few remaining survivors of the Raccoon City incident, who was recruited and trained by the US Government to become a special agent after they learned of his actions in Raccoon City. Now an agent for a special security agency, Leon is sent on a mission to rescue Ashley Graham, the President’s daughter, who has been kidnapped by a mysterious cult organization. Leon travels to an undisclosed Spanish-speaking village in Europe where he encounters a horde of unruly villagers who pledge their lives to Los Illuminados, the cult that perpetrated Ashley’s kidnapping.

During the course of the mission, Leon is reunited with Ada Wong, a spy Leon met in Resident Evil 2, and Jack Krauser, one of Leon’s former colleagues. He also meets Luis Sera, a former Los Illuminados’ researcher, who aids Leon on his mission. By examining Sera’s notes, Leon discovers that Los Illuminados gained control of their subjects by implanting a mind controlling parasite known as "Las Plagas" into their bodies.

After Osmund Saddler, the leader of the cult, discovers that Leon rescued Ashley, he commands his subjects to use any means to recover Ashley. A surprise attack by Saddler’s airborne minions leads to Ashley’s recapture, forcing Leon to travel to a military and research complex located on a nearby island. After numerous altercations with Saddler's fiends, Leon is able to successfully rescue Ashley, and defeat Saddler with Ada's assistance.

Leon recovers a sample of the Plagas King (supposedly the most powerful Plagas form) from Saddler’s corpse, but Ada forces him to give it to her. She then escapes from the complex on a helicopter, leaving Leon and Ashley to escape via jet-ski. Although Leon and Ashley manage to escape from the island, the sample's whereabouts and fate remain uncertain.

Gameplay
Resident Evil 4's game mechanics have been completely revamped to incorporate fast-paced gunplay, quick controls and shootouts involving massive crowds of enemies in large open areas. This, combined with an abundance of healing items and ammunition is the polar opposite of previous Resident Evil games. Previous titles in the series have focused on exploration and attempted to instill a sense of fear via small amounts of ammunition and healing items and deadly enemies in small, tight spaces. The player can fire more ammunition and kill more and more enemies in one playthrough of this game than in all of the other games in the franchise combined (not including the Gun Survivor sub-franchise, in which the player is deliberately given infinite pistol ammo) - a typical playthrough can result in the player killing hundreds of enemies.

The cutscenes in Resident Evil 4 sometimes have situations that forces you to press certain buttons to keep your characters alive. For example, in the beginning of Chapter 1-2, a Ganado has entered the room with an axe. Leon and Luis are cuffed up together. When the Ganado is about to attack, two buttons appear on the screen, flashing in red, with the word "DODGE" below them. Pressing the buttons before the Ganado brings his axe down enables Leon to give Luis the signal to move, so the Ganado will cut the cuffs, and not Leon and Luis. Failing to press the buttons, however, will have Leon killed. The buttons you need to press sometimes alternate.

Universal control crafter:


 * Arrows or Control Pad or Control Stick: move, turn, aim, (Control Stick) "Shake Off" enemies
 * A Button: execute action, confirm
 * B Button: run, cancel
 * B+Down: 180 degree turn
 * X Button: organize items, communicate
 * Y Button: open status screen
 * Z Button: open map
 * L Button: hold knife ready, rotate items
 * L+A: swing knife
 * R Button: hold primary weapon ready, rotate items
 * R+A: fire primary weapon
 * R+B: reload primary weapon
 * C Stick: control camera
 * Enter or Start Button: open option screen
 * R+L, A and B Buttons, A Button (alone): execute actions during cutscenes

PS2 control crafter:


 * Directional Buttons or left Analog Stick: move, turn, aim, (left Analog Stick) "Shake Off" enemies
 * X Button: execute action, attack, comfirm
 * Circle/Square Buttons: run, 180 degree turn, cancel
 * Triangle Button: open map, organize items
 * L1/R1 Buttons: rotate items, (L1) ready knife, (R1) ready primary weapon
 * R2 Button: communicate
 * Right Analog Stick: control camera
 * Start Button: open status screen
 * Select Button: open option screen, skip cutscenes
 * R1+L1, Square and X Buttons, X Button (alone): execute actions during cutscenes

Full model change
Because the game contains no zombies, this installment is a radical departure from the series formula. Instead, the main enemies are parasitically-controlled humans referred to as "Los Ganados". Much smarter and quicker than the zombies from previous games, Ganados are a very different sort of foe. These new enemies run, dodge, wield melee and projectile weapons, and are capable of following complex instructions and working collectively. Once simple farmers, these Ganados are the product of an infestation of Las Plagas, parasites.

Resident Evil 4 also contains changes to the inventory, camera angles, and movement control system. Normally, the camera remains behind the player character, who is visible from the waist up, and stands just left of the center of the screen. The camera zooms in close behind Leon for an over-the-shoulder view when the aiming button is held, and all ballistic weapons (save for those with telescopic sights) are given a laser-pointer for precision aiming.

With the inclusion of a laser-pointer, the game gives players an unprecedented amount of control in their attacks. Previous Resident Evil games allowed players only to tilt their weapon up, down, or in front; Resident Evil 4 expands this considerably, and enemies respond differently to bullet impacts to various parts of the body. For example, a shot to the foot may cause an approaching enemy to stumble, while a shot to the arm might make an enemy drop their weapon. Ammo is more plentiful than in previous installments, primarily because enemies drop ammo after they are defeated. Weapons may be purchased from and continuously upgraded by the merchant using the currency in the game, the [peseta.

Item management has also undergone significant change. While previous installments restricted a character to carrying a set number of items, Resident Evil 4 bases the number of items a character may carry on a grid system in which each item takes up a set of squares on the grid. The player's carrying capacity may be expanded by purchasing larger attaché cases. In addition, key items are now kept separately from weapons and healing supplies, allowing the player to acquire them without dropping current items or backtracking to the nearest item chest to make room. Treasures may be collected and sold to the merchant for pesetas. The healing herbs from the previous games are back. In addition to the traditional green and red herbs, is the yellow herb, which when combined with a green herb (or a mixed herb), increases the player's maximum health.

Another new aspect of Resident Evil 4 is the inclusion of context-sensitive controls. Based on the situation, the player can interact with specific aspects of their environment, such as by kicking down a ladder, jumping out of a window, or dodging an enemy attack. The player can perform a mêlée attack against a Ganado (as well as other enemies) while the enemy is stunned or crouching. There are also dynamic cut scenes, in which the player must repeatedly press buttons indicated on-screen to execute actions such as dodging a falling boulder or wrestling an enemy. This technique is sometimes employed in boss fights to give the player a fighting chance against one-hit kill attacks. The game also features a permanently mapped knife button, which the player can use in addition to firearms.

The game also features a more cinematic presentation by using letterboxing. Loading times are kept to a minimum, unlike previous Resident Evil games, where moving between areas required a load screen. In Resident Evil 4, the game loads only between areas denoted by green action text. An area may feature anything from a few buildings to a huge military base. Doors are manipulated by hitting 'action' next to them, after which the character opens the door slowly and quietly. If the player presses 'action' twice, the character will kick the door open (which can send enemies to the ground). Cutscenes load almost instantaneously, keeping the pace consistent. However the PlayStation 2 version loads slower, and has lower fidelity sound effects outside of cutscenes due to audio RAM constraints.

Characters
Characters in Resident Evil 4

Creatures
Creatures in Resident Evil 4

Graphics
Resident Evil 4' uses fully three-dimensional in game graphics; ingame scenes and movies (for the GameCube version) are rendered in real-time. This allows for a mobile camera - a change from most of the previous games in the series which used pre-rendered, occasionally animated backdrops with superimposed 3D characters. The game's visual quality and attention to detail were lauded by critics and many described the title as the best-looking GameCube title.

Some graphical differences exist between the GameCube and PlayStation 2 versions. The PlayStation 2 version uses pre-rendered FMVs recorded from the GameCube version instead of real-time footage for cut scenes, though these FMVs have comparable graphical quality to the rest of the game. For the PlayStation 2 version, graphical effects are reduced in detail. Even more noticeably are the water, shadow, and fog effects, as well as a reduced draw distance. Polygon count has also been lowered on certain details. The game is presented in widescreen on both formats: the GameCube version features only a letter-boxed format, while the PlayStation 2 version can also be displayed in widescreen.

Reaction
Resident Evil 4 has garnered critical and popular acclaim. It has received dozens of awards from various organizations (see below), and stellar reviews from various video game websites.

The GameCube version was released in the US on January 11, 2005 with US sales exceeding 320,000 copies in the first 20 days. The European release on March the 18th mirrored this success, selling its entire 200,000 unit allocation within the first month. As of January 2006, reported sales of Resident Evil 4 show that it has shipped over 3,000,000 copies world wide. Sales totals include the PlayStation 2 port that was released on October 25 2005.

The decision to port Resident Evil 4 for the PS2 was a successful one from Capcom's part as the PS2 version of the game managed to outsell the GameCube version in a few months. According to the last Capcom software sales charts, the PS2 version had sold 1.8 million units as of May 2006.

The drastic changes paid off, and the game was considered by industry insiders and the casual gaming public as a top contender for 2005's Game of the Year. The fourth iteration (although it is the sixth game in the main series, which includes Code: Veronica and Zero) has made fans out of players who would not otherwise have given the Resident Evil series a second glance. Both versions of Resident Evil 4 scored over 95% on Game Rankings and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes, two review aggregator sites.

Nintendo Power also gave it a perfect 10, and also ranked it their 2005 Game of the Year. It also ranked #2 on their NP Top 200 list (featuring the best games ever on Nintendo consoles), behind only The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The Official PlayStation Magazine named it the Game Of The Year on the PlayStation 2. Game Informer gave both editions of Resident Evil 4 a perfect score, and ranked it their 2005 Game of the Year. It tied with Kingdom Hearts II as Famitsu's Game of The Year 2005.

Subsequently, Resident Evil 4 was named 'Game of the Year' at the 2005 Spike TV Video Game Awards.

In addition, it is the only game to receive two 5/5 ratings from X-Play (one for the GameCube version and one for the PlayStation 2 version). X-Play also declared it the best game for the Nintendo GameCube in a Top Ten countdown after the release of the Nintendo Wii.

GameCube exclusivity controversy
In September 2001, Capcom announced that the core Resident Evil series would become exclusive to the Nintendo GameCube with three new games: a remake of the original Resident Evil (better known by its informal abbreviated name, REmake), a prequel titled Resident Evil 0, and Resident Evil 4. This caused a stir among longtime Resident Evil fans who owned the series on PlayStation and PlayStation 2. In fact, Capcom had previously proposed a version of Resident Evil 4 for PlayStation 2, but the idea was revamped into Devil May Cry.

Many believed that Capcom would follow their actions with Resident Evil: Code Veronica, which was originally marketed as a Sega Dreamcast exclusive, but eventually made its way to the PlayStation 2 and GameCube in the form of an updated version. The fans' beliefs were helped by the financial losses Capcom took in 2002 and 2003 due to lower sales of Resident Evil (remake) and Resident Evil Zero on the GameCube, as well as high sales of Resident Evil Outbreak on PS2 (see next paragraph). Despite this, Capcom, especially Shinji Mikami, touted the three new games as GameCube exclusives. In an interview with a Japanese magazine, Mikami even claimed that he would "cut [his own] head off" if Resident Evil 4 came to the PlayStation 2.

After the announcement of the exclusivity policy, Capcom still announced two Resident Evil titles for the PlayStation 2; Gun Survivor 4 (Resident Evil: Dead Aim) and Outbreak. Capcom's justification for these titles appearing on the PlayStation 2 was that they were side stories and such, were not subject to the GameCube policy, also required the use of additional peripherals (a light gun and online support) that were not available for the GameCube.

However, on October 31, 2004, Capcom officially announced that Resident Evil 4 would come to the PlayStation 2 near the end of 2005, citing increased profit, changing market conditions, and increased consumer satisfaction as the key reasons (this, and that Capcom was equally pleased with the sole sales of Resident Evil Outbreak). Resident Evil (remake) and Resident Evil Zero will remain GameCube exclusives. Similar to the fans' outrage in 2001, some were angered that Capcom had remitted three years worth of exclusivity promises.

On February 1, 2006, Ubisoft announced that they would be publishing the game on the PC.

Special editions and bonuses
During the GameCube launch, the retailer chain GameStop released Resident Evil 4 in a limited special edition, packaged in a tin box, along with an artwork book about the story of the series, a cel art of Leon, and a soundtrack CD. The PlayStation 2 also saw a special edition, (but official, released by Capcom itself), packaged in a "fake tin" plastic case, along with the artwork book, a documentary DVD, and a cel art of Ada.

Game developer NubyTech also made a special chainsaw controller. This controller is a reference to Dr. Salvador, the chainsaw-wielding Ganado. The GameCube one is colored yellow, while the PlayStation 2 one has an orange color. The controller is very detailed in appearance (which features blood-stains and a bloody image of Leon). However, due to its less-than-ideal layout and cost, it is seen more as a collector's item rather than an enhancement to the gameplay.

Regional differences
The GameCube version of Resident Evil 4 went through slight modifications in each regional release since the initial one. The North American version was the first and the original to be released, followed shortly by the Japanese version (titled Biohazard 4). These two versions are reportedly identical in most aspects (excluding localization), with the only difference being that animation involving decapitation were censored and removed from the Japanese version. This was presumably due to the fact that Biohazard 4 was the first game in the series (not including re-releases and ports) to be rated by the Computer Entertainment Rating Organization, which objected to the game's depictions of decapitations. When Leon is killed by a chainsaw-wielding ganado, his face is rather unrealistically mutilated. In Japan, the Assignment: Ada minigame is titled Ada the Spy.

The PAL versions of the game went through several changes from the North American version. This includes more balanced gameplay, a new Easy mode and increased firepower in some guns. In addition, the listed firing speed for rifles has been changed to reflect their actual firing speed in the game more accurately.

In terms of violent content, all the PAL region versions are identical to the North American version. This is with exception to the German version of the game, which has the Assignment Ada and Mercenaries mini-games left out Since all PAL versions include multiple localizations, the game sold in the Netherlands is identical to the UK version. Only the language of the manual is different in each country. The Swiss and Austrian version, however has all the original violence of the normal game and also includes the two mini-games that were removed from the German version while shipping with a German booklet.

PlayStation 2 port
A PlayStation 2 port of Resident Evil 4 was released in America on October 25, 2005. Despite earlier rumors of a downgraded port due to the PlayStation 2's hardware capabilities, impressions of the port based on a preview build have been generally favorable. Many critics stated that the PlayStation 2 version's graphics were very close to the GameCube’s, despite a lower polygon count, which resulted in a loss of character and environment detail.

The port is missing many lighting effects, however, and water effects needed to be re-designed (ripple with transparency, but a flat surface with no reflections) as the PlayStation 2 hardware does not have the same capabilities as the GameCube.

Additionally, almost all the GameCube’s real-time cut scenes were converted into movie files in order to maintain a better quality. In other words, the player’s character will appear wearing their default costume, regardless of which accessories or outfits were actually chosen. The gameplay balancing present in the PAL GameCube version applies to the PlayStation 2 version as well (though the North American release has no Easy option).

Voices and sound effects quality outside of the cutscenes had been reduced due to disc space being quickly used and audio RAM constraints.

Exclusive features
To compensate for the late release, Capcom has added new content made specifically for the PlayStation 2 release.


 * Separate Ways, a five chapter mini-game which revolves around Ada Wong’s involvement in the Resident Evil 4, and her connection to Albert Wesker, a former member of the Raccon City S.T.A.R.S. squadron, who is now attempting to revive Umbrella. During the mini-game, the player can use a pump-action shotgun and a bowgun with explosive arrows, two exclusive weapons.
 * Ada's Report, a five-part documentary, which analyzes Ada’s relationship with a particular character and their role in the plot. One unlocks portions of the documentary as they progress through the Separate Ways mini-game.
 * New costume set, which portrays Leon as a 1930s Mobster, and puts Ashley in an indestructible suit of armor. Chicago Typewriter also has a drum magazine as opposed to the regular box magazine.
 * P.R.L. 412 (Plaga Removal Laser), a laser gun which can be used to instantly destroy enemies. Unlocked by beating the "Professional" difficulty setting.
 * Movie Browser, a feature that allows the player to view cut scenes from the both Separate Ways and the actual game. The feature is unlocked after a player beats the game.
 * “Amateur” mode, an easier difficulty setting which is exclusive to the Japanese version
 * The PlayStation 2 version also offers support for widescreen televisions.

PC port
A PC port of Resident Evil 4 will be published by Ubisoft. This port is scheduled to ship to the United States sometime in June 2007 and Europe in March 2, 2007. There is no planned release in Japan although this port was first released in Taiwan. The port will contain the bonus features from the PlayStation 2 version, such as "Separate Ways", the new weapon P.R.L. 412 laser cannon, and unlockable costumes for Leon and Ashley.

Wii Port
A Wii port has been confirmed in the April 20 issue of Weekly Famitsu. Subtitled Wii Edition, this version will include Wii Remote compatibility for numerous gameplay features such as aiming and shooting, reloading and a "search knife" function that aims the knife at the nearest enemy. The Wii Edition will also include the "Separate Ways" sub-scenario previously exclusive to the PlayStation 2 version. According to an interview with producer Masachika Kawata (who worked on the PS2 port) and director Minoru Nakai (the director of Deadly Silence), the Wii Edition will have the Amateur and Easy difficulty settings available by default. It is currently scheduled for a May 31 release in Japan for the price of 5,040 yen, which is about $42 in US dollars. Famitsu also stated that the release will include a trailer for Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles.

Development history
Officially announced in 2001, Resident Evil 4 underwent a long development period in which three proposed versions of the game were discarded by the developers before the finished product was released in 2005.

An earlier attempt in developing Resident Evil 4 was made from sometime in 1998 to 2000 for the PlayStation 2, with Resident Evil 2 director Hideki Kamiya leading the project. The first year was primarily spent on R&D of what the project would be, and included a trip to Spain for the development staff to study Spanish castle architecture. The direction that the project took was considered too much of a departure from the traditional Resident Evil style and the resulting game was revamped and released as Devil May Cry in 2001. In Devil May Cry, several similarities can be observed when compared to the Resident Evil games, hinting that those parts were 'leftovers' from the development of that version of Resident Evil 4, including: The development of Resident Evil 4 got its official start in 2001 for the GameCube as part of an exclusivity agreement between Capcom and Nintendo. The first proposed version, dubbed the Fog Version, was unveiled in the Tokyo Game Show in 2002 and had Hiroshi Shibata (background designer for Resident Evil 3: Nemesis) attached to the project. This version's premise featured Leon infiltrating Umbrella's HQ in Europe, getting infected by the Progenitor Virus (covered in the Resident Evil remake and Resident Evil 0) and fighting fog-like creatures. One of the most notable areas shown in this version was a flying airship. However, Capcom scrapped the second beta of Resident Evil 4 quietly and created a new version without any outside announcement.
 * The "Phantom" boss, a gigantic spider, a monster design that has appeared in almost every Resident Evil game.
 * The "Marionette" is a puppet-type enemy. They have no brain of their own and act as cannon-fodder, like the zombies from the Resident Evil games.
 * The "Blade" enemy is modelled after the "Hunter" enemy from the Resident Evil series.
 * The sound effects created by spent shell cartridges clunking against a wall or floor after a gun is fired in Devil May Cry are identical to those used in the early Resident Evil titles.
 * Both Resident Evil 4 and Devil May Cry contain a quasi-ally/enemy; Ada Wong and Vergil (as Nelo Angelo)]] respectively.
 * Resident Evil 4 and Devil May Cry both take place in Spain.
 * Apart from hair colour and style, Leon and Dante are quite similar in appearance.
 * In Resident Evil 4, players collect money to upgrade weaponry, whilst in Devil May Cry, players collect orbs to upgrade weaponry. Both are collected by killing opponents and destroying surrounding objects.

After the Fog Version came the Hooked Man Version. First shown at the E3 in 2003, this version was set in a haunted mansion and featured Leon fighting what appeared to be paranormal enemies, such as medieval suits of armour and living dolls. It also seemed that there are two different worlds, one relatively normal and one where the bizarre enemies would apear, similar in many ways to the Silent Hill game series. The most notable enemy in this version was the aforementioned "Hooked Man," who was intended to be a recurring enemy in the game, along the lines of the role of the "Nemesis." The game displayed numerous elements that have been carried over to the final release:


 * The camera moves to over Leon's shoulder when his weapon is drawn. However, in the video, there are a few times when Leon aims without the over-the-shoulder camera. The game reverts to a third-person view like a traditional Resident Evil game.
 * A red laser sight for Leon to use during aiming.
 * The flashlight that is added to Leon's character design.
 * A suit of armour suddenly attacks Leon when he attempts to pass it, as well as the button combination to dodge the attack.
 * The ability to throw a grenade.
 * The concept of assigning the L button to draw another type of weapon. A player can use a grenade in the beta, but it is a knife in the final release.
 * The 'struggle' feature where you have to break free from an enemy's grasp.
 * Leon's health indicator. In the beta, it flashes when Leon is hurt, but in the final release the developers decided to add a HUD to display more information.

This version was reportedly so scary that Shinji Mikami himself warned the gamers with a famous quote "Don't pee your pants" prior showing the initial trailer at E3. Gameplay footage of this version was featured in the Biohazard 4 Secret DVD released in Japan only. This version was scrapped due being far too paranormal for the Resident Evil plot.

The final proposal before the finished product reportedly featured zombies as enemies once again. Not much was known about this version as it was never shown publicly. It was considered too formulaic by the developers and was discarded. After this, Shinji Mikami took over directorial duties from Shibata and began working on the version that was released.

At the last beta version, again, several things were changed during the development. Resident Evil 4 was to retain the inventory slot system, but was changed to the attache case.

In much interest, it seems that this is the first Resident Evil game in the series that reject the "Survival Horror" theme in favor for the "Survival Action" genre: In the packaging art in the back of the Nintendo Gamecube version it says Forget everything you know about Resident Evil, while the Playstation 2 packaging art in the back reads Forget "Survival Horror"- This is Survival Action redefined

Awards and recognition
2004 IGN Best of E3 Awards
 * GameCube Best Action Game
 * Best Graphics
 * Best Sound
 * Technological Excellence
 * Game of the Show

2005 CESA Game Awards
 * Prize of Excellence

2005 Spike TV's Video Game Awards
 * Best Graphics
 * Game of the Year

IGN Best of 2005
 * GameCube Best Action Game
 * Best Graphics Technology
 * Best Artistic Design
 * Best Original Score
 * Best Use of Sound
 * Game of the Year

IGN Best of 2005 Readers' Choice
 * Gamecube Best Action Game
 * Best Graphics Technology Overall
 * Game of the Year

2006 IGN
 * Ranked #1 on "Reader's Top 99 Games"

2005 Golden Joystick Awards
 * GameCube Game of the Year
 * Editor's Game of the Year

2005 GameSpot Best of 2005
 * Best Action Adventure Game
 * Most Improved Sequel
 * GameCube Game of the Year
 * Game of the Year 2005 (GameCube Version)

2005 GameSpot Reader's Choice
 * Best Action-Adventure Game
 * GameCube Game of the Year
 * Game of the Year 2005

GameSpy Best of 2005
 * Best GameCube Action Title
 * GameCube Game of the Year

2005 Edge magazine Awards
 * Best Game Of 2005

Telewest Shiny Awards Games Digest
 * Game Of The Year 2005

G4TV's "X-Play" 2005 Nintendo Power Awards
 * Best Action Adventure Game of 2005
 * Game of the Year 2005
 * Ranked #1 in the "Top 10 GameCube Games"
 * Ranked #4 in the "Top Ten Scariest Games of All Time"
 * Five-out-of-Five (GameCube version)
 * Five-out-of-Five (PlayStation 2 version)
 * Ranked #1 game of all time
 * Game of the Year (Staff and Readers)
 * Best Graphics (Staff and Readers)
 * Best Storyline (Staff and Readers)

GameFAQs 2005's Best
 * Best GameCube Game
 * Game of the Year

GameFAQs Tenth Anniversary Contest
 * Ranked #14 on "Best Games Ever"

2005 Game Informer
 * Game of the Year

2005 Metacritic
 * PlayStation 2 Game of the Year
 * GameCube Game of the Year

2005 Play Magazine
 * Editor's Choice Game of the Year
 * Best Graphics

2005 EGM Magazine
 * Game of the Year

2005 GamePro Magazine Editor's Choice
 * Game of the Year
 * Best Action-Adventure

2005 UGO.com
 * Game of the Year

2005 Game Revolution
 * Game of the Year

2005 Blender Magazine's Reader's Poll
 * Game of the Year

2005 NGC Magazine
 * Game of the Year

2005 1UP Awards
 * Game of the Year
 * Best Action Game

2005 GAME
 * Game of the Year
 * People's Choice

2005 Gamefly Q Awards Favorite
 * Game of the Year
 * Gamecube Game of the Year

2005 Game Central's (UK)
 * Game of the Year
 * Viewers' Game of the Year(both PS2 and Gamecube)

2005 "Nintendo Power Awards"
 * Game of the Year - GCN
 * Best Graphics - GCN
 * Best Sound / Voice Acting
 * Best Adventure Game
 * Game of the Year (Overall)

2005 Nintendo Power "NP Top 200"
 * Ranked #2

Gaming Target
 * 52 Games From 2005 We'd Still Be Playing

2006 Famitsu
 * 2005 Game of the Year (tied with Kingdom Hearts II)

2006 GameSpy
 * Ranked #1 on "Top 25 GameCube Games of All Time"

2006 PSM
 * Ranked #2 on "Top 10 Games of 2005"

2006 IGN
 * Ranked #3 on "Readers' Choice 2006 - The Top 100 Games Ever"

Cast

 * Paul Mercier — Leon Scott Kennedy
 * Carolyn Lawrence — Ashley Graham
 * Rino Romano — Luis Sera
 * Salli Saffioti — Ingrid Hunnigan
 * Sally Cahill — Ada Wong
 * Rene Mujica — Ramon Salazar
 * Jesse Corti — Bitores Mendez
 * Jim Ward — Jack Krauser
 * Michael Gough — Osmund Saddler
 * Richard Waugh — Albert Wesker
 * Carlos Carrasco — Villagers/Zealots
 * Alex Mendoza — Villagers/Zealots
 * Carol Bach y Rita — Villagers/Zealots
 * Ward E. Sexton — Title Call

Music
biohazard 4 Original Soundtrack The original 2-disc soundtrack CD for Resident Evil 4, composed by Misao Senbongi & Shusaku Uchiyama, was released in Japan on December 22, 2005 and its catalogue number is CPCA-10126~7 .