Capcom gave the press a double dose of Resident Wiivil this week; besides Umbrella Chronicles, Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition was also available for hands-on fun. And fun it was, although it took a while to get used to the controls.
Resident Evil 4 Wii Edition is by all accounts the definitive version of the acclaimed over-the-shoulder zombiesplatterfest, combining the super-hot graphics of the GameCube game with all the extra content that came with the PlayStation 2 release. But aiming your weapon is now controlled by pointing the Wiimote instead of pushing an analog stick. It's a small change, but it makes dispatching zombies considerably more expedient.
In fact, I think that's the idea. As Capcom's promotional video for the game shows, they're going after a more casual audience with Wii Edition, and point-and-shoot aiming is the way to do it. The targeting reticule has been expanded from a tiny laser dot to a wider, more forgiving circle. This isn't to say that the game is easier -- I died right when I went into the village, because I forgot how quickly that first batch of zombies sets upon you. Plus I was going for close-range headshots, which is just never a good idea.
I should have used the knife. In fact, I tried to, but since the knife controls are mapped to the Wiimote's motion sensor, and so is the camera, I just ended up flailing all around me and not being able to see the things eating me. Apparently I had the "search-knife" function turned off, people explained to me when I told them this story. With "search-knife" turned on, your knife will automatically target whatever's closest to you. That sounds like a much better solution, because the last thing you should expect anyone to do is to wave the controller around in a precise, calm manner when they're flailing for their lives.
At any rate, those are the only two things that set Wii Edition apart from the other versions of the game. There's definitely far more of a learning curve than you can get over in a brief 10-minute demo experience in a crowded room, but we'll see how it translates to the more forgiving confines of my apartment when it releases this June. Capcom hasn't set pricing, but there's a chance they might bargain-price it at $30. If not, assume $40 maximum.
