Games you've recently finished

Resident Evil 4

I'm really not a big fan of shooting games and I have never played a resident evil game before, but I started playing through this game one day just for the hell of it. I didn't think I'd be able to make it through very far since it looked like it was a difficult game when I saw my brother playing it a few times, but as soon as I got the hang of it I loved it.

the graphics were really well done. all of the characters were very realistic and believable, both in game and cut-scenes/cinematics. I played this one on the game cube, which I've heard is the best console for this game. the fog effects were done really well and contributed to the overall eery feel of the game, which was great.

controls were awesome. I was worried I might not be able to get used to it, as I tried Super Smash Bros on the game cube and just couldn't adjust to the controller from the original n64 version, but the controls in RE4 were really easy to get used to. the only thing I had to really watch was the fact that the analog stick was not inverted for the aiming. in most games when you press down, the gun would aim upwards, but it was the opposite in this one and just made a lot more sense in the end.

there's a great selection of weapons to use throughout the game. multiple types of handguns, magnums, shotguns, rifles, grenades, etc. you can upgrade them with money, and there are a few weapons you can unlock through sidequests or the missionary option that is separate from the game.

the music worked well with the action in the story. it was the type that got you on the edge of your seat and made being attacked by a mob even more intense. foleys in the game were well detailed. you could hear the footsteps of other people coming closer, birds in the distance, the sound of various objects being thrown at you, etc.

the plot was interesting. it was a little cheesy how you obtained most information though. as if any real enemy would leave detailed notes lying around for you to find and discover their plans with. I haven't played the other resident evil games though, so maybe I'm just missing out on some inside joke.

as far as characters went, I liked all of them. the character you have to protect is a pain in the ass most of the time just because she's an annoying little piss, but that's just a personal opinion. I'm not certain she's meant to be annoying, I just found her to be. the bad guys were entertaining, the good guys weren't too cheesy, and they all had their own way of working humour into the story so it wasn't all just drab solve-the-mystery-without-dying stuff.

game play had a lot of variety. it's not always shoot the bad guys. there's a lot of dodging worked into it, various things in your surroundings that you could use to pick off enemies [ie) explosive barrels, rocks from cliffs, knocking down ladders, etc], sorts of mazes and puzzles you need to solve to get to the next area, you have to protect yourself as well as another person from time to time etc etc etc.

it wasn't too linear either. I mean you were able to backtrack to certain areas, albeit being blocked off from ones the game doesn't want you in yet. for the most part it did want you focusing on the objective, but there is room to play around. there are sidequests in game to keep yourself occupied with as well.

this game is open for a lot of replay. once you complete the game you get to keep your inventory and money from the last game when you start a new one. this way you can save your money up for the special weapons that become available to you after you beat the game. the game has two modes to play in as well; normal is the default mode. it gets progressively harder, but if you make it through that there's also a professional mode. I haven't tried it yet, but apparently it's miles more difficult than normal. the enemies have more health, and things are much faster paced.

overall I think I'd give it a good 9.5/10. there was a lot of suspense, and the fact that it can actually get your heart racing during the more intense scenes and scare the hell out of you was a plus. some parts actually made me jump, which was pretty awesome.

so yah, GO PLAY IT.

How ya doing, buddy?