Patch for Resident Evil 4

Pros

• A modernized nip-tuck for one of the best survival horror games ever
• Easy to patch into an existing copy of the game

Cons

• Graphics are starting to show their age even with the patch

Parche Para Resident Evil 4, or the Resident Evil 4 patch, is a fan-created update that can improve the quality of the core Resident Evil 4 experience. While Resident Evil 4 was regarded at the time as a revolutionary step forward for the venerable survival horror series, age has added some wrinkles to its visage. While the mood and ambiance of the game is as strong as it's ever been, low resolution textures and jagged angles can draw modern players out of the experience. It can be difficult to immerse yourself in a horror experience when you have trouble connecting with the characters and the setting, and this is certainly a world worth immersing yourself in.

Set in a fictional eastern European nation, Resident Evil 4 initially feels like a far cry from the games that came before. In place of the traditional zombies that had been the franchise's trademark since the very first iteration are mobs of supernaturally possessed villagers infected by a bizarre parasite. The body horror on display brings to mind the most bizarre horror films of Cronenberg, and they just constitute the tip of the iceberg as far as battles go. Of particular note is an enormous sea monster you'll do battle with in an epic set piece. It's a game that stunned critics and fans for its graphical fidelity and sense of style when it was first launched, and this patch can help you bridge the gap between where graphics were then and where they are now.

But if all Resident Evil 4 brought to the table was stunning graphics for the time, would it really be worth playing? After all, graphical technologies have come along way since this game's release. Fortunately, there's a whole lot more to this survival horror game than just good if aging looks. It carried the series five steps forward by trading in the cumbersome control system of previous Resident Evil games and trading them in for a more nimble over the shoulder perspective. For the first time, action truly took center stage in the series, and this game still occupies an important position straddling the more slowly paced horror games that preceded it and the action adventures that would follow. Add in the inclusion of an escort character system that actually works - a rarity in the industry - and a story that ties together years of narratives, and you have a game that continues to stand out on its own even over a decade after its release.

Whether you're returning to the game after years away or checking it out for the first time, you're going to want to be sure to apply this patch first. It improves the quality of the graphics significantly while also offering an upgrade to the lighting and speeding up loading times. It's simply the definitive version of the game.

Pros

• A modernized nip-tuck for one of the best survival horror games ever
• Easy to patch into an existing copy of the game

Cons

• Graphics are starting to show their age even with the patch