First, would a PS2 port retain the quality of the original? Then, would a version with

motion control work, and would a port two years later even be relevant? Now, does HD

warrant another look at a game released only seven years ago? And every single time, Resident

Evil 4 offers a retort as forceful and...curt as a well-placed headshot. “Yes, Virginia.

There is a Leon Kennedy.”

“And he’s still better than everyone else.”

You can praise this game for a million different things and be correct on all counts. In fact,

if you want to hear us do precisely that for nearly eight minutes, watch our review of

the GameCube original. But suffice to say, Resident Evil 4 is a modern masterpiece and

a real landmark in contemporary game design, not to mention one of my favorite games of

all-time.

But of course, this is not the original version. This is the so-titled Wii Edition, which released

in 2007. A lot of Wii owners—myself included—were very disappointed back then to learn that,

as other systems got Resident Evil 5, we were getting a remake of a game many of us had

just played dozens of times. But looking back on the situation years later, I mean...Wii

owners kind of got the better end of the deal.

This is the best version of one of the best games ever.

If you’ve never played it, please do so. You play as Leon Kennedy, you’re off to

an isolated part of Europe to rescue the president’s daughter, you’re playing one of the greatest

horror games of all freaking time. And yes, I call it a horror game because Resident Evil

4 is scary, unsettling, creepy...any number of adjectives work here, provided they denote

the attributes of a horror game. Cojelo! Cojelo!

What’s really remarkable about this particular version is how it plays. The same stunning

art, masterful use of mood and stellar game design apply, only with controls that actually

improve the gameplay experience. Leon’s tank-like movement remains, and as long as

Resident Evil lives, so will that. But the revelation is how shooting a weapon benefits

from pointing at the screen.

At first, it feels strange. So does walking when you’re a toddler. But for aiming in

a shooter, the Wii Remote truly is walking to dual analog’s crawling. You get used

to it in minutes, and afterward, there’s no going back. The accuracy, the speed, the

swiftness of control...all superior. In fact, it’s almost to the detriment of the game.

Shooting your enemies in the face has never been easier.

Nor has shooting those damn birds.

Motion is kept minimal, and when applied, you’re glad it is. It’s never a benefit

to the game, at least not to the degree the pointer is...another example of why the pointer

has always been the real revolution of Nintendo’s console. But another big improvement is the

addition of widescreen support, which the GameCube version didn’t have.

In fact, this version has all the extra content of the PS2 port, but with the GameCube’s

superior graphics and real-time cut scenes. Add the widescreen, the improved controls

and the fact that is truly is a benchmark for modern game design, and Resident Evil

4: Wii Edition may be a port, but it’s also a must-have for any Wii owner.

Morir es vivir! Morir es vivir!