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Overview Resident Evil 4


Resident Evil 4. The game that people have been waiting five years for, is finally on it's way. It's history has been a long and twisted one which reaches back to 1999, after the release of Resident Evil 3 on the PlayStation One. Straight away people were expecting an "official" fourth title due to the releases of Code Veronica on Dreamcast, the announcment of Zero on the Nintendo 64 and Gun Survivor on the PlayStation One as well.
Sure enough the game was announced as on it's way by the time Capcom had it's Gamers Day in Jan of 2000. The director was announced as Hideki Kamiya, the director of Resident Evil 2, and the game was supposed to have some close connections to Europe, as the team had gone on a trip to see Spanish design specifically. The game was expected to make it's first showing already at the E3.... however this wasn't to be the case. Rumors began to do the rounds and it wasn't until November we got an answer.


Capcom announced that Code Veronica would be coming to the PS2 and aside from that a new project for the PS2 called Devil May Cry would be released, which was commented on as being created from a scrapped Biohazard game. Given the director was none other than the same one originally marked for Resident Evil 4, the platform, and the style, it didn't take long to guess that game was Resident Evil 4. No replacement for the game was announced after Devil May Cry's announcement and yet another E3 in 2001 came and went with nothing new other than the comment that "it is coming." This lasted until September of that year when Capcom made the announcement of the "Capcom 5" to the Nintendo Gamecube, follow the announcment that Resident Evil Zero was already going there. The five titles; Viewtiful Joe, Killer7, Dead Pheonix, Biohazard (Remake), and Biohazard 4, were to be released over the next couple of years. However the focus on the Biohazard remake and Biohazard Zero, meant that news and info on 4 would be a little while away.
And that it was. The next news wouldn't be until over a year later in November 2002, when Capcom showed off the first footage of the new look Biohazard 4 in Japan. The footage hit the web with quite a bit of fuss until Capcom posted the video itself along with new screens later in the month, with a few words by the new director, Hiroshi Shibata. Between this and the next lot of footage shown off at the E3, Capcom released small news bits, but apart from the new set of images and the trailer movie shown in May and then again in September, news had gone dead again. While it was expected this was due to preperations by the end of 2003, rumor was about with delays and changes. It wouldn't be until the start of 2004 when this would all come together. Capcom's own gamers day would again be the place for news - a shock announcement. The game has been overhauled again, the third time, and now Shinji Mikami is in charge as director. News of the title was first released through the magazine Game Informer, before later going web wide a month later. The first proper footage of the game was released by Famitsu through their Wave magazine and DVD. Right now we wait for more information and media, hopefully to be released at the E3.

Characters



LEON SCOTT KENNEDY
Height: 181cm
Weight: 73kg
Blood Type: B
Age: 27
DESCRIPTION / BIO
Leon S. Kennedy, now 27 returns to the saga, not as a rookie cop but as a fully trained US Government agent. Working directly under President Graham, Leon has been sent in to find his daughter Ashley, and bring her back safely from her kidnappers, the vicious Ganado.

ASHLEY GRAHAM
Height: -
Weight: -
Blood Type: -
Age: 20
DESCRIPTION / BIO
The daughter of the president who's been kidnapped. The reason for the kidnap is still yet unknown. Apparently, she has been witnessed somewhere in Spain.

LUIS SERA
Height: -
Weight: -
Blood Type: -
Age: -
DESCRIPTION / BIO
A man that Leon will encounter during his search for the president's daughter. Why is he here? Is he an enemy? Are there other survivors?

JACK KRAUSER
Height: -
Weight: -
Blood Type: -
Age: -
DESCRIPTION / BIO
An old ‘friend’ from Leon’s past comes back to haunt him. Working for Saddler, but also for an unknown party, Krauser is the man responsible for kidnapping Ashley and bringing her to Spain.

BITOREZ MENDES
Height: -
Weight: -
Blood Type: -
Age: -
DESCRIPTION / BIO
The Chief of the Village controls the peasants and also hunts down Leon. Leon will encounter this guy numerous times, and houses incredible strength and speed.

RAMON SALAZAR
Height: -
Weight: -
Blood Type: -
Age: -
DESCRIPTION / BIO
This young midget’s family descends far back into history. Housing the true secret of what caused the Biohazard, he has been deceived by Saddler into releasing the plague that besieged the village long ago.

OSMUND SADDLER
Height: 183cm
Weight: 84,4kg
Blood Type: 0
Age: 38
DESCRIPTION / BIO
The orchestrator of the entire ordeal. Mysterious in appearance and harbouring the true power of the Biohazardous parasites that consume the villagers, he alone drives the agenda of over-throwing the US Government in a bid for world domination.

ADA WONG
Height: -
Weight: -
Blood Type: -
Age: -
DESCRIPTION / BIO
The mysterious woman in red from Leon’s past returns! The ultimate femme-fatale sees fit to interfere with Leon’s plans again. Last known to be working for the now enigmatic Albert Wesker, exactly what does she hope to attain from the ordeal?

ALBERT WESKER
Height: -
Weight: -
Blood Type: 0
Age: 44
DESCRIPTION / BIO
Wesker has a short, but ultimately pivotal role that will no doubt shape the rest of the series and the storyline beyond this game. His motives are still as yet, unclear however.

Enemies



GANADO
Origin: Human
Attack: Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
The inhabitants of the town, for some reason they possess the need the kill Leon as quick as possible. They all seem to be under a form of control that renders them fairly unintelligent, but make no mistake – these are clearly not zombies. Doctor Salvador, is in possession of the village chainsaw, and has no hesitation in using it.

LOS ARMOURS
Origin: Human
Attack: Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
The Ganado also prove to be resourceful, as at the castle are many suits of armour they possess. With extraordinary defensive purposes and great broadswords they are more than a match for Leon’s firepower.

COMMANDOS
Origin: Human
Attack: Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
These guys are probably under command of Krauser, several are in possession of shock sticks and powerful armour. The large in position of miniguns. They guard the island which is Saddler’s main base of operations.

GARRADOR
Origin: Human
Attack: Very Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
After being subjected to god only knows what forms of torture. These people are found deep in the Castle dungeons, their eyes stitched together and large retractable claws. The parasite that has fused to their spinal column has enabled greater hearing, and every footstep Leon takes is tracked. Silence is seemingly the best defence against these powerful Ganado.

LOS ILLUMINADOS
Origin: Human
Attack: Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
The Monks of the castle possess more offensive weapons than the Ganado of the village. They often wear strong masks that protect their heads from crucial headshots used to dispatch them quickly. They also use large shields to get closer to Leon and Ashley without causing damage to themselves.

NOVISTADOR
Origin: Insect
Attack: Very Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
These are the most ‘traditional’ of creatures. They adapt to their surrounding so well they actually go invisible. What they lack in strength they make up in sheer numbers, as many will attack at once. Later on, they loose the ability to turn invisible but can fly.

REGENERATOR
Origin: Human
Attack: Normal
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
Don’t let the slow, lumbering nature of these creatures fool you. They are incredibly powerful creatures. The parasites are so well burrowed into their nervous system that they can effectively regenerate any damage given to them. So the parasites must be killed from within, using a high powered rifle and the thermal scope offered later in the game.

IRON MAIDEN
Origin: Human
Attack: Normal
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
Similar to Regenerators in that they have the same parasites burrowed into their person. Different in that they can shoot out deadly spikes when they get close to Leon, which will inflict absolutely major damage.

DEL LAGO
Origin: Salamander
Attack: Very Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
The creature of the lake. When Leon needs to cross it, it finally attacks him. Armed with only a small wooden boat and several spears. Leon is forced to fight the largest creature in his experience.

EL GIGANTE
Origin: Human
Attack: Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
Otherwise known as the Cave Troll. These large lumbering beasts have a small parasite on their back of the neck that is exposed when enough damage has been dealt. They are large dangerous and fairly fast. Quick reactions and awareness of surroundings will keep Leon alive during their numerous appearances.

U3
Origin: Human
Attack: Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
A creature released by Saddler late into the game. Nothing is really known of this creature except that it is highly dangerous and very fast. Leon must battle it in a series of cages above a very deep chasm.

VERDUGO
Origin: Human
Attack: Very Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
One of Salazar’s guardians is despatched to kill Leon during the game, and he proves to be a worthy foe. Dangerously powerful and frighteningly quick, it is amazingly resilient to all forms of firepower. Leon must become resourceful and use the large canisters of liquid nitrogen to battle the creature, and expose it’s deadly weakness.

DOCTOR SALVADOR
Origin: Human
Attack: Very Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
Is he a Doctor or the village's tree surgeon. Either way, through whatever purpose this guy holds the village chainsaw, and he disguises his disfigured face via the use of a sack. This guy can kill you instantly with one swipe of the chainsaw, so be sure to maintain your distance.

COLMILLO
Origin: Wolf
Attack: Very Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
Wolves infected with the Plagas parasite, they sprout large tenticles from their backs and attack Leon, generally in packs. They go for the throat and are fairly quick.

PLAGAS PARASITE
Origin: Parasite
Attack: Quick
Infection: Las Plagas
DESCRIPTION
They come in all shapes and sizes. Later in the game they shoot up from the necks of Ganado and still maintain control of the body. Later parasites actually leave the host and scutter along the floor in the form of a large spider.