Review: "Resident Evil 4" is a top-notch slasher

Just not for the faint of heart...or faint of stomach.

Capcom’s Resident Evil 4 provides a bloody amount of entertainment in this remake of the 2005 zombie-slaying title. While the game is well done, it's a survival horror game that only those with strong stomachs should play.

When United States government agent Leon S. Kennedy (voice of Nick Apostolides) is sent to a rural town in Spain to rescue Ashley Graham (voice of Genevieve Buechner), the daughter of the U.S. President and recent kidnapping victim of a cult called Los Iluminados. 

Upon arrival, however, Kennedy discovers that the cultists aren't at all what they seem to be, but are infected by a mind-controlling parasite called Las Plagas, and they hope to use Ashley to spread this disease to the highest form of government in the United States. 

As a remake instead of a remaster, the game received an impressive overhaul of mechanics and visuals, providing improved puzzles for Kennedy to solve and new controls. 

Refreshingly, there is no sexual or romantic content included. However, combat is frequent as Kennedy engages in battle with infected villagers, animals, and other monsters that stand between him and freedom for Ashley. 

The gory effects lean heavily into classic Hollywood B-movie horror and enemies are seen being decapitated or dismembered. Kennedy himself, when killed, can also end up in a similar situation. 

The gore does persist throughout the story, in classic horror fashion. There is a scene depicting a man being burned alive and others displaying bodies subjected to torture. Some enemies also have a grotesque aesthetic designed to unnerve the player. 

It is important to note that horror as a genre should not be condemned simply on its own. The Vatican has included several classic horror movies on its 1995 list of great films. Horror can be an excellent medium for storytelling and gory images play their part. Yet the category must be approached cautiously in regards to what is age-appropriate. 

Resident Evil 4, while an excellent remake that provides entertaining storytelling, is not acceptable for adolescents. Still, an exception could be made for mature teens capable of acknowledging how such a subject matter might negatively affect them.