It is a rare occasion indeed when a game releases to nearly universal critical acclaim. Even rarer is for a game from a long-running franchise actually reinvents and reinvigorates the very genre that it made popular. Such is the case for Resident Evil 4, a game that is perhaps the defining game of this entire generation. But what makes it so good? This is just the usual Resident Evil, right? Slow-moving zombies, illogical puzzles, and unforgiving camera angles? Assuming that, my friends, is the worst mistake you could make. RE4 ditches the slow-moving zombies, cuts away the illogical puzzles and key-collecting backtrack-athons, and puts the camera right behind you in a game that will completely change the way you look at Resident Evil and the survival horror genre in general. Any fear of the same old zombie-fest is eradicated in the opening cinematic. The game's protagonist, Leon, narrates the events of the past few years, including the "sterilization" of Raccoon City (read: nuclear strike) and the collapse of Umbrella, the organization behind the incidents of the previous games. Leon, now working for the President, is assigned the task of rescuing the President's daughter from her kidnappers somewhere in Europe. Upon arriving, Leon meets with a villager -- who, cursing at him in Spanish and wielding a hatchet, makes Leon know that he's not a welcome visitor. When the player is thrown back into the action, players frantically have to learn the essentials of RE4 while fighting to survive. The first of these is aiming, a pain in prior games in the series but now an incredible pleasure. Aiming and firing at specific body parts does differing things to the target - aim at their legs and they'll drop to their knees or fall over, shoot their hands to make them drop their weapon, or go for the head for a gruesome explosion. When villagers are stunned, you can run up to them for a context-sensitive action, such as kicking them away. Later in the game, this action changes to a suplex, and when you perform this on an enemy and it results in their head exploding, well, let's just say it doesn't get much more gratifying than that. Context-sensitive actions are a new staple of the series, and one that is integral to RE4. While you may never want to kick a villager away from you, very often you will want to hop over fences, knock ladders down to slow down attackers (or raising them back up again to escape them), jump off of rooftops, turn cranks, leap out of windows, and more. Capcom has brilliantly integrated this into the gameplay in such a way that when you're playing the game, nearly anything you'd want to do is possible, and even some things you didn't know you wanted to do. Experimenting with strategies of attacking enemies, coordinating escapes, and luring them into traps is an absolute thrill. Whereas previous Resident Evil games featured a small amount of enemies, both in variety and quantity, RE4 assaults you with dozens of enemies that are generally pretty diverse. While you may tire of the Ganados (villagers), you'll be refreshed when you face monks, chainsaw-wielding men and women, invisible insects, rabid dogs, and more. And keep in mind, these enemies have various modes of attack. Some enemies will wield a simple hatchet, while other enemies will wield crossbows, scythes, pitchforks, maces, explosives, and more. Enemies will occasionally catch you off guard by throwing their weapons at you. Others will advance on you while behind the protection of a shield. Other things to watch out for are traps the villagers have set, like laser-wire explosives and bear traps. RE4 forces you to be alert at all times, or else you'll face a quick death. Alongside these enemies are the real show-stoppers of RE4 - the bosses. There are several boss fights in the game, and almost everyone of them evoked a vulgar expletive from me. These bosses are truly larger than life, often being a dozen times as larger than you, and featuring plenty of grisly ways for you to die. Having 3-foot long claws run through your face just before you are eviscerated isn't something you will soon forget. A creature that you fight on the lake is one of the most memorable and insanely fun boss fights I have ever played in my history as a gamer. While battling off hordes of enemies and terrifying bosses, you'll have to manage your inventory carefully. Luckily, item management is another place where Capcom has thankfully altered the Resident Evil formula. Gone are the six item slots and item chests that had you tracking back and forth in order to access them. Leon carries an attache case that is laid out like a grid, and in this grid you may move, rotate, and organize your weaponry and healing items to your heart's content. Just as you begin to find you've not got enough room to store everything you want, you run across the travelling merchant, who not only sells you more powerful guns and gun upgrades, but also sells you a larger attache case. All of these elements come together in a package that is incredibly polished and detailed. The graphics in RE4 are among the best ever seen in a videogame. When you see over fifty villagers advancing upon you in the darkness, torches lit, you'll be amazed. There are times you simply want to lay the controller down and marvel at the environment, but you'll push on to see the next incredible locale. The music, while not incredibly memorable, sets a sometimes frightening and sometimes aggressive and heart-pumping mood. The voice acting has progressed far beyond Resident Evil's "Master of Unlocking" roots. The cinematics are impressive, using the real-time engine and displaying a real artistry of the camera. Capcom really went the extra mile doing the lip-syncing with English voices, and bringing lifelike emotion and expression to the characters. The dialogue in the game is often humorous (sometimes intentional, sometimes not), but the characters are so well done, and the game so good, that you'll love every minute of it. Speaking of the cinematics, when one comes on screen: do not put your controller down! In a brilliant move, Capcom has added timed button events, much like Shenmue's QTE sequences, that are almost always essential for you to hit if you want to avoid death. These timed button events are similarly added in context-sensitive fashion into boss battles. Pressing a combination of buttons is often the only way to avoid a tree being swung at your head, or an axe falling on you. While a simple idea, it really immerses the player and keeps the tension high even throughout cutscenes. Alongside the brilliant game is a slew of extra modes and weapons to keep you occupied. After completing the game, "Assignment Ada" is unlocked, which allows a bit more backstory into the game's events. "Mercenaries" allows you to select a character (including several not playable in the game) and do your best to mow down as many enemies as possible within a time limit. Completing these mini-games allows you to purchase extremely powerful weapons, like an infinite rocket launcher, in your next play-through of the game (for a hefty price, naturally). Alternate costumes are also available. These extras add a wonderful amount of replayability to a game that is so good that you'll want to play it multiple times anyway. After all this rambling, there should be only one thing on your mind: Resident Evil 4. There is no reason not to play this game right now. Capcom has done an incredible job with this game, and it has surpassed even the greatest hype going for it. Pick it up for your GameCube, and if you don't have a GameCube, this game is more than worth the purchase price. Even at the full price of $50, this game is a steal. I would gladly pay double for it, and once you play the game, you'll understand why. A must buy for anybody who is anybody. 5 out of 5 green+red herbs