First of all, I would like to clarify that I will NOT be bashing Resident Evil 4 in this article. In fact, I happen to be, regardless of what Silver might say to the contrary, the most hardcore Resident Evil fan working for this site. However, that does not mean this will be a rabid fanboy rant, either. I am not saying that Resident Evil 4 is ripping off Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater or the Metal Gear Solid series as a whole. I am simply going to compare several of the new gameplay mechanics in Resident Evil 4 with some very similar ones in the Metal Gear Solid franchise. So let's get started, shall we?

One of the most obvious changes to the good old Resident Evil formula is the ability to switch to a pseudo first person perspective when aiming your weapon for more precise shooting. You can even shoot the enemies in key hit points on their bodies, causing them to react accordingly. This has been a feature common in First Person Shooters for a long time now, but it was never really a part of third person games until Metal Gear Solid 2: Sons of Liberty (and if I'm wrong, I'm sure someone will correct me). MGS2 introduced the ability to switch to a complete first person perspective for more precise shooting. You could also shoot different areas of the enemy's body, and they would react to the wound. Again, I am not saying RE4 is ripping off MGS because of this, but it does feel rather similar when playing the games.

One of the other more obvious changes is the new context sensitive Action button. Granted, Metal Gear Solid was not the first game to try this, but it does include just such an Action button. Since the button is context sensitive, you will be able to perform a myriad of abilities with just the touch of a button (as long as the A button icon appears anyway). Similar to the Metal Gear Solid games (though it was also included in Star Fox Adventures), there will be several instances in RE4 where you'll have to rapidly tap the Action button in order to stay alive.

Another new gameplay mechanic that has been implemented is the ability to equip your weapons with laser sights, silencers, and other upgrades. The laser sights will allow you to be able to take even more precise aim at your enemies, as a bright red dot will appear over their bodies so you can know just where you're shooting. The silencers will let you take a more stealthy approach to bustin' a cap in your foes. In the Metal Gear Solid games, you have always had this ability. Since those are, after all, stealth games, it would only make sense for you to be able to find and equip silencers. However, right now, it seems that the silencers in RE4 will only really help you in a particular boss battle, as well as killing large groups of crows. Oh, and did I mention you'll be able to get optical camouflage, an item that has been a tried and true staple of the MGS series for years, in RE4 as well?

One of the biggest and most talked about features of Metal Gear Solid 3: Snake Eater was the ability to kill wildlife for food. By eating the local flora and fauna, you could replenish your stamina. Well, guess what! You can do it in RE4 too! Well, sorta. Besides the usual herbs that are a staple of the RE franchise for replenishing health, you can kill fish and then eat them to restore your health. You can also collect chicken eggs, which will completely refill your life meter. However, while you can kill crows, chickens, cows, and snakes, you cannot eat any of them like you could in MGS3. When you do kill a snake, it may leave behind a... chicken egg. At first, this might not make much sense. However, snakes do not chew. They have to swallow their food whole. If you have ever seen a chicken snake after it just had a meal, you surely would have noticed the large egg-shaped lumps in the snake's otherwise narrow body. So it is entirely possible for you to retrieve the eggs intact if you were to kill the snake and cut open its body. Though why you would want to eat an egg after it's been down the gullet of a snake is beyond me. Come to think of it, why you'd want to eat an egg raw in the first place is beyond me.

And now on to what is quite possibly the most obvious, and even somewhat blatant, "homage," if you will, to the MGS series: Leon's radio. While the radio itself is not necessarily related to the MGS series in any way, shape, or form, the screen that appears when you are using it is remarkably similar to MGS' codec screen. Leon will use his radio to phone in HQ where a fellow agent by the name of Ingrid Hannigan will give him information, orders, tips, hints, and the like. Sound familiar? At least you won't be using the radio to save the game. That's what the trusty typewriters are for, thank goodness.

For one last time, I would just like to explain that I am not saying that Capcom has blatantly ripped off Konami's magnum opus. These have just been a few things that I have noticed as more and more information about RE4 has been released. Rest assured, RE4 looks like it will still focus much more on action than the MGS games. Plus, RE4 has one thing that the MGS games have never had: scare factor. It is certainly shaping up to be one of the best games on the GameCube, period, and quite possibly the best RE game ever. Here's hoping. And just remember, "Don't pee your pants," when you play it.

Will Szwagiel