Dream Games: Resident Evil 4
Dream Games is a new weekly column where we explore a game we'd love to see on the PSP. Feel free to check in, and comment, every Tuesday.
Resident Evil 4
To kick-start this feature, I decided to shoot for the stars. Resident Evil 4 is without a doubt one of the finest games created in the last generation. The game completely reinvented the Resident Evil formula, placing the camera behind the game's protagonist, Leon, freeing the player from the notorious tank-like controls the series was infamous for. With its chilling enemies and brilliant gameplay, the game earned an impressive 96 average on Metacritic.
Why PSP?
Resident Evil 4's behind-the-back perspective removes one of the greatest frustrations of most PSP action games: the lack of camera control. The Gamecube original rarely utilized the second analog stick, simply because it was unnecessary. The game's intuitive controls come from its simplicity: a single button controls much of the action that you'll need. Resident Evil 4 was one of the few games that ran in widescreen only last generation, making the PSP's 16:9 display even more ideal.
Is it possible?
Although the controls may be well suited for the PSP, the game's technological requirements may mean this game will never see the light on our system. Capcom did an incredible job squeezing this game onto a PlayStation 2, and I doubt that their technical mojo would fail on the PSP. If a port of this fine game isn't being made, hopefully the PSP will see an original Resident Evil of its own: one that uses the same, elegant control scheme used by Resident Evil 4. And if we don't get Resident Evil, at least we can look forward to Silent Hill.
