Yeah, contain your shock at Resident Evil 4 ending up at the top of my list. For old-school purists, this is an outrage. But for the rest of us, RE4 was such a perfect mix of horror, combat, and puzzles that it still feels good to play in 2021. The game has so many memorable moments, from the first time you meet the “chainsaw dude” to the boss fight on the lake or the creepy nighttime levels that ramp up the scares and tension.
Yes, Ashley is annoying, and having to worry about her the whole time isn’t great. But the atmosphere, music, and combat more than help me get over having to escort the President’s daughter. Oh, and let’s not forget the attaché case. How many games can say that even managing the inventory is wonderful? Very few. There’s a reason I keep buying this game, and it’s simply that I can’t stop playing Resident Evil 4. In fact, writing all these words about it has me in the mood to have at it once more. Now to figure out which console to play it on…
This article was originally posted June 31st 2021.