Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition Comments by Dave McCarthy

I think this review possibly demonstrates that there could be a fundamental flaw with the pointing technology Nintendo have implemented in the Wii. I know a few people who have had no problems what so ever with this game, or the shooting sections in Wii Play, or the goal keeping sections in Mario Strikers. However I also know that I and some friends have found those games almost unplayable. For some reason when I try and play the pointing parts of Wii Play I find the wiimote quite inaccurate, especially with the cursor jumping around horribly in the games where you have to turn the remote as well as pointing it, and I'm lucky if I manage to save even 1 goal in Mario Strikers. If the game does not require quick aiming its OK, because I can point at the screen and then move the cursor to the target using relative movement like a mouse, albeit only fairly slowly (I find this method works fine in Zelda). However if the game requires you to quickly point at targets on the screen (like shooting in Wii Play, or goal keeping in Mario Strikers) I find it so inaccurate as to be almost unusable.

I don't think this is a problem with my ability to use pointing devices, as I've happily used and been very accurate with light guns in the past.

I suspect it could probably be a problem with how I have had to setup my Wii. The sensor bar could not go on top of my TV, as that is where it's controls are, so it had to go underneath. Unfortunately due to the style of the TV and its stand, the first space available underneath is actually a good 6 to 8 inches below where the screen finishes. I also sit a good 7 or 8 feet away from the TV screen, and due to the shape and setup of my lounge I am slightly off centre. Some or all of these things could be causing the inaccuracy of the pointing technology. (Zelda is a little bit better as it does offer some calibration to compensate, but even then the calibration does not go far enough)

I don't think any of these things are my fault, I don't have any problems with the motion sensing in the control, I don't have total control over the environment in which I'm playing, and I don't have any problems with other consoles. So even if these are the cause, I don't think I should be expected to modify the environment within which the console is operating just to make it work effectively.

I think this reviewer could be suffering from similar problems and demonstrating that there may be some serious flaws in the technology Nintendo are using. Hopefully I'm wrong and either Nintendo or somebody else can find and remedy what is actually causing the problem. But I don't think anybody should slate somebody for finding a real flaw in something, even if you are not all experiencing it.

If they are real limitations with the technology Nintendo has used, they should be clear that they are, and make sure people don't buy the product if they can't use it.

@Ceatlan:
I'd expect the reviewer to have the ultime setup though...

Does your cursor jump when you move it slowly?
If it does it is probably seeing other light sources...maybe a reflection in the screen seeing as you're sitting at an angle...

When you notice any problems go to the wiimote calibration screen...
It looks like a whole black screen with just 2 white dots appearing...Should you see any other dots you must decrease the sensibility or remove the extra light sources...

See if that helps...Otherwise drill a hole in your basement and make a 'gaming cave'...Should work!

@Ceatlan
Are you saying that your wiimote pointer jumps about on the screen or its motion doesn't bear any correlation to how you move the Wiimote? If so, you may be getting interference from sunlight or other heat sources (fireplaces etc.).

From the sound of it though, you're not having trouble with the Wiimote being inaccurate but with actually aiming it quickly. It's not a light gun, it doesn't move the cursor exactly where you point on screen.

/reads review that disagrees with general consensus

Oh NOES! My tiny little mind cannot cope with teh ramifications!

The sky is falling!

I don't agree with the review, but everyone's entitled to their own opinions.

But when did a 7 become such a bad score? Oh wait of course it's a Wii game, so even if it got a 10 the trolls will still proclaim the console to be shit, gimmicky and sure to die within a year 'cos of the lack of HD etc. I bet most of the trolls on this site have never even played on a Wii.

Your funky TV stand is Nintendo's problem with technology? Seriously!

While I agree that there can be certain limits I don't think that the sensor bar is a tremendous obstacle that is nowhere to be satisfyingly placed.

It would be a problem if it does not work the way it should even when placed correctly. But when you are too lazy to set it up like intended then I doubt you are in any position to complain about the technology.

And I really mean lazy because the sensor bar is small and can easily be squeezed between other devices. It's not like it takes a complete rearrange of your setup.

We've all already played and completed this haven't we?

Why are people shitting themselves about this? Its a port of an old game which we all loved but have moved on from. This wasn't supposed to be the jewel in the crown of the Wii lineup was it????

Howsabout Ninty get up off their fucking arses and sort out some real games for the Wii, you know, ones that actually work and last more than five minutes rather than ports and repetetive mini games?

@afghan_jones
Nice strawman you have there.

Erm, seeing as no on here has played it yet, it seems a bit odd to be having a go at eurogamer......

maybe they are right? Maybe they are wrong? But saying the reviews are stupid and not to be trusted seems silly when you don't own the game....

Ceatlan, to check that it is your placement, and not you, have you tried actually placing the bar on top of the tv, and standing infront of it straight on. If you try that, and dont have the problems, then you can assume it is your setup, if its still jumping then its something else.

I have found that for pointing you really do need to be pretty much head on, which may be an issue for some users layout. Maybe one of the 3rd party wireless sensor bars works better for you, and you could just place it ontop when you need it, as apposed to all the time.

Not really a great sitation if some peoples experience is hindered, but then ive always sat directly infront of screens when gaming, and never to the side.

I already own it on GC so I'm not gonna buy it again to play it again with different controls. However I would say that if the aiming is anything like the Wii play game, Zelda or even in Mario strikers then I can't see it not being an improvement on the original which I had no end of problems with. Aiming with an analogue stick is just painful for me

stampax: of course EG is wrong, of course Wii-owners are right (even without playing the game, they know better), why? Because it's a WIIIIII!; it isn't HD; and it has the playability thing and all the other esoteric factors!
Wiiii know better, fools!

Der_tolle_Emil,

Thank you for your thoughtful and reasoned response. I am not lazy, it is not due to not wanting to rearrange my setup. There physically is not a gap in the TV/stand for about 5 inches beneath the bottom of the LCD panel. Yes I suppose you could call me lazy for not sticking the sensor bar to the underside of this area, and instead sitting it on top of my Sky HD box. That would save me all of about an inch so I doubt it would make much difference.

If Nintendo want to open up gaming to a wider audience then surely they should be making devices that work in the common living room environment i.e. it is a general living space that has to fulfill multiple rolls including, childrens play area, family environment, enternaining space, home cinema room, relaxation area and games room. Not something that will only work in a dedicated gaming environment especially tailored to meet that tasks specific requirements. They are after all going after the non gaming, mass market, who wouldn't even understand how to do this, all they'd think is that it doesn't work very well.

I love my Wii and applaud Nintendo for their attempts at innovation. I do believe however that it does appear to have some flaws.

You are a troll and are now ignored.

@Ceatlan

My sensor bar is at least 6 inches beneath the edge of the TV and it works fine, that can't be the problem. I would suggest running the calibration for the sensor bar and seeing if you're getting any interference.

"Not something that will only work in a dedicated gaming environment especially tailored to meet that tasks specific requirements."

Yep every Wii owner apart from you has had to have an extension built on to their house giving them a room especially designed for playing wii. Unless the Wii is kept at the exact right temperature, and the light in the room is exactly the correct brightness, it will self destruct killing you along with it. Evil Nintendo!

strikes me that most ps3 games out atm are also "2 year old rehashes lolol" but they seem to manage fine!

ok sorry that was a bit flamish - i'm talking about Oblivion, Fear etc. FEAR at any rate is coming up to 2 years old, is it not? But it's still damned fun and worthy of a re-release on the ps3, of course.

its also worth remembering this Wii version is being released at a lower price than most new games

Just had a read. Sounds fair enough to me - if he found it to control difficultly what else is he going to do? Lie and write how wonderful it isn't?!

I'm also not buying into the EG Conspiracies that some of you lot are coming up with. Halo 2 is a fairly great game on the Xbox but it's not surprising a gash PC port is going to receive a mediocre score. Resistance is hardly redefining the FPS genre either.

Back to the review tho - since when has a fullstop been followed by "which"?! Ugh. I'm being a grammar whore - throw a Wiimote at me now dammit.

Not as good as Pac-Man, then?

/runs away

"Just had a read. Sounds fair enough to me - if he found it to control difficultly what else is he going to do? Lie and write how wonderful it isn't?!
"
No, but it's quite strange that he spent half the review moaning about it and didn't even mention that if you don't get on with the Wii remote motion controls you can use a classic controller of GC pad.
I'm not bothered about the score, after all all scores are subjective to the reviewer. It's the content of the review which is utter flame bait, with the high-lite being "of the best ever action games has become another casualty of the Wii controller." implying the game fails because of the controller just like in other Wii games, he might just as well called it a gimmick. Yes I know that reviews can't be completely devoid of bias, but this one takes the piss.

True. I thought it didn't use the GC, according to the forums a few days ago. That does seem a bit daft then.

Hm, my impression was that the controls were very good. Other sites claim it's the best version yet. EG claims it's the worst. Another love or hate thing, like many Wii games?
If SSX Blur and Red Steel is anything to go by, I'll give it the benefit of the doubt. The controls in those games weren't nearly as bad as they've been made out to be. Perhaps it's the reviewer not being able to get the hang of it?

139 comments and counting, yet not one rebuttal based on fact. How can people be so passionate about something they have not played? I do not know if the EG review is a fair one, but to be so resolutely negative about it without having played this version of the game seems the worst of the two evils.

Funny I've played the Wii version and it controls better than the Gamecube version which I've completed three times on pro. And you can use the Gamecube controller on the Wii version as well if you wish.

Just another lame Eurogamer review, nothing to see here. They really have gone down hill lately.

As I've pre-ordered this, I'm really curious to find if the game plays as well with the Wii controllers, if not - then I'll buy the old-style controller and still have a great game. Don't see why EG has gone down on this so harshly - their audience is gamers so they'll understand the idea of different controllers.

What a disgrace, you can't mark a game down so badly on a 'games review site' just because the reviewer couldn't work out the bloody controls when it's apparent that most other reviewers can.

EG stop being so fecckin anti-Wii and get at least a second opionion on Wii reviews from a control perspective from now on, as they are SO critical to a games success.

I thought you'd have thought this out already.

As long as there is choice which controls to use I also don't think it's too much of a problem when you cannot cope with the Wii controls. And I say cannot cope because the controls according to every other review and player who has played this game are excellent. Of course a bad Wii control scheme is valid criticism with Wii games but then again there are lots of people who actually want to play with the GC controls because they prefer them and not because they don't get along with the Wiimote controls. Then again the controls are probably the biggest selling point of the game, but if you look behind that, then you have one of the best games of the last years with added content over the original cube version and technically the most advanced Wii game in existence.

I take back what I said about Eurogamer going downhill, not fair. But there really is nothing wrong with the controls, I've played the Japanese version and it's fine.

It's like the Eurogamer reviewer who said Halo 2 music was terrible in the PC review, and then went and wrote another review for a PC magazine and said the music was shit. The music in Halo 2 won many awards... it was actually pretty cool.

It seems some people just have it in for certain things, whether it be Halo 2 on PC, Wii, RE4. That is why you should never take a review seriously, people have issues and they reflect in reviews and warp the final score.

The review is based on 5 hours' play at the Wii Flat and doesn't seem to recognise/acknowledge that at the start of the game the controls are deliberately wobbly until you upgrade your weapons.

I upgraded my weapons.

I upgraded my weapons.

Did you? You must have been able to form a nice coherent view of it then whilst skipping about using different save files!

I agree with the person who said that knocking each and every single goddamn Wii game for being on the Wii, is just as stupid as if people were knocking each and every single goddamn PS2 game three years ago for being on the PS2, and not the PC! I mean, 1024x786 versus 640x480, duh!!! :)



Artistic style is not improved by lower resolutions, it is hindered.


Ugh, teens. Look guy, a game with great art direction and low resolution still looks great. A game with awful art direction but an insanely high resolution and 4xAA still looks like shit. It's simple. RE4 still looks miles better than many so called HD games out today.


People have been playing sharp looking PC games with normal mapping, high res textures and better-than-HD resolutions before RE4 even came out, and RE4 STILL got lauded for being a beautiful next-gen looking game when it was released. Can you figure out why that is? I hope so. If not, you're either stupid, or a troll. Pick one (or both). That goes for anyone here, btw. ;)

Not surprising. Wii will suck if all it gets is ports from other consoles. 3rd party companies need to make original exclusives to get any sucess from the Wii. Its a shame, because its selling incredibly well, the potential is there to make loads of money. Noone seems to want that money though...how odd :-/

Still no review of the PC version?

*Hi5s Nikanoru*

Although I am a RE fan, I'm not going to buy a Wii for Resident Evil 4 Wii - maybe I'll get the console if Umbrella Chronicles is up to snuff, but not before. Either way, this review is just one person's opinion. Wait a bit, and you'll see many more opinions on the web. In the end, though, you'll have to test it out yourself and then decide whether or not the title warrants purchase.

Personally, I think that controls are only a minimal game aspect unless they're broken beyond repair. Most of the time, dev teams make good, responsive controls which require some practice to get used to - after that, it's full sails ahead. To use controls as a negative is not quite the way to go, especially since the game appears to offer more traditional control methods as well.

'Ugh, teens. Look guy, a game with great art direction and low resolution still looks great. A game with awful art direction but an insanely high resolution and 4xAA still looks like shit. It's simple. RE4 still looks miles better than many so called HD games out today.'

Yes, and what about a game with great art direction *and* an 'insanely high resolution' 4XAA and 4XAF. People always leave this example out of this argument :P RE4 looks great, but that's not to say it could look even better :P

@Nikanoru

I don't really have to bother as someone else has already pointed out the problem with your argument.

I see it time and time again "I'll take great artistic direction over HD anyday!" - that is the argument of someone who doesn't have HD and a stupid comparisson. I'll take great artistic direction on HD over great artistic direction on SD anyday. Anything you can do on SD you can do on HD with greater clarity and flexibility. Don't let that stop you comparing the best of SD to the worse of HD and congratulating yourself on being right though.

Yes Hidef is better, nobody says it isn't, but it doesn't mean that anything SD is suddenly crap and not worth looking at.
The allegation that people who defend HD havent got it is nonsense, those who bang on about HD forget that PC's have been better than HD for years and years, yet we all played our "low def" consoles anyway. Yes HD is nice, but its not as important as it is being made out to be at the moment - but then TV manufacturers, sony and Microsoft really need it to be important.

So, in conclusion: The Wii is shit.

The review didn't say that though did it? It said "the visuals feel a bit out of date" and "looks dated next to newer high definition games". What is wrong with those statements exactly? It even acknowledged the art style.

Part of the problem now is that games we were playing on regular 28" CRT TV's a fair number of us are now playing on 40" pin sharp LCD TV's. The CRT used to make up for certain weaknesses which the LCD is not so forgiving of.

Don't underestimate what HD brings to console gaming. It enhances a lot of genres in ways which make it difficult to go back to SD. Clarity in the mid and far distance is a key factor in FPS, racing games etc. Well done effects add great atmosphere to the survival horror genre.

I still enjoy well done stuff on the Wii and PS2, but there really is no denying it looks dated - just purely by definition. It can still look good - don't get me wrong - but it is dated - fact.

given the otherwise universal acclaim for wii re4, it seems more likely that the reviewer got out of the bed on the wrong side on the day of the review, rather than any major faults with re4 itself.

it would've made more sense for the review to start off with what the reviewer's opinion was of re4 on the 'cube/ps2 before launching into their thoughts on the wii version.

but going on past "offences", i would say that eurogamer would be more likely to get a review wrong than right anyway...

We have been here before.

Capcom released straight ports of Resident Evil 2 and 3 for the Gamecube. Despite being games that had received very favourable reviews for the Playstation they quite rightly took a severe critical drubbing on the Gamecube.

The only difference is that I don't recall people losing their minds over it last time. Lazy ports of great games are going to get a chunk slashed off their formerly great score, thats what normally happens to lazy ports. Seven is a perfectly acceptable, even generous score.

I would be more worried about the decline in standards elsewhere when reviewers slap 90% + scores on lazy ports without question.

But surely reviews are based on opinions, and opinions cannot be wrong?

I'm going to wait for a few more reviews now...
I want this to be really good...giving me an excuse to play it again...

I suspect that when the Edge and Games TM scores are in, there will probably be another couple of 7's or even 6's to go with the EG review and counterbalance the ONM spooge.

This is no good next to some 360 games. On the 360, a game feels like a LUCID DREAM thanks to the POWER OF HD.

"What is this 'universal acclaim' people speak of? "

All of the bigger sites (for example IGN, Gamespot, and 1up) have released previews highly praising the controls, and of course the title's already been reviewed by Famitsu from which it got a 10,10,9,9 (they use four reviewers for each game, and each score is out of ten for those who don't know) and said it was the definitive RE4 experience, with controls that make pin point aiming of body parts a breeze. But hey, maybe Dave McCarthy is right the controls are broken and ruin the experience thus justifying half of the review given over to it,........ oh wait you can use a pad just like the original.....

I think the weight of the opinion is that the reviewer didn't get on with controls that a lot of other people did. He can't up his own score based on other people though surely? The score is his opinion and experience, not someone elses.

You can use the pad is not an excuse though is it? That would require you having a pad in the first place or another £10/£15 on top of the £25. If you are going to use a GC pad you may as well buy the GC version and save some cash.

Isn't the cube version quite sought after now (price wise on ebay)

(isnt going to bother reading this comments thread as it's almost gauranteed to be full of xbox fanboys going on about how crap the wii is and how great their machine is)

Cheers, good review. Exactly my opinion. Bad Wii audience, bad!

Actually smelly it is mostly crying Nintendo fans in a rage of disbelief that anyone could give Resi 4 an average review. 7/10 sounds about right.