I think Mikami understands to an unnatural degree that video games are fundamentally about problem-solving. Unlike an academic interpretation of "problem-solving" though, Mikami understands that the exercise of problem-solving is less about solving the actual problem but of learning new ways of thinking. Sure, other video games are problem-solving in a base sense, but Mikami's problems have that magical "Oh Shit" element to them; everyone who's done one playthrough of this game will instantly remember all three wolverine encounters, the first time they encountered Regenerators, the Krauser section, the entire 4-4 homestretch, etc. Consistent to all these amazing sections is that the game feels like it's adapting along with the player--as if Mikami was a math tutor guiding us along the workbook. "Ok you know how to deal with Wolverine now, but what if we stuck in you a locked cage with one of them? What if we put two of them in the same room? How would you adapt then?" You have to recontextualize and reinvent constantly, without forgetting the fundamentals that got you there. One of the fundamental pillars of a conservative mindset is the idea that change is risky--the problem might get worse if you approach in a new way, so it's safer to keep doing things the same way. RE4 looks at this mindset, kneecaps it, then gives it a head-exploding suplex--change is necessary, even if it is risky; use more of your resources, resupply, be more precise, exploit another weakness, or use a goddamn rocket launcher if you have to--just don't think the old way is the only way if you want to make it through. It's a constant escalation of gameplay, and that the narrative matches this escalation tit-for-tat is just aces. Literally one of the most radical games of all-time, in every sense of the word.

what may just separate the veterans from the inexperienced in this game is the quality of their knifework. leon might pack an arsenal replete with the sexiest weapons of all time, but it's the tried-and-true double-edged stiletto he's packing that remains your eternal companion out there in the shit. utilizing it to its fullest requires confidence to an extent that resembles rashness - a full understanding of where to strike, when to kick, and how to deke. if you ask me, coming fresh off a run of professional, this is one of the most compelling elements of RE4 - the convergence between melee and gunplay is transformative, configuring leon into a living weapon. there is no element of his kit that goes unused or registers as unnecessary.

i once jokingly claimed that a remake of this title needed to simply superimpose re6's base of mechanics on to the game, but actually convey to players how best to parse these systems. there's actually probably a little nugget of gold buried in there - after all, i refuse emphatically the addition of a block button ala the ethan winters duology, or the presence of a parry which, when mishandled, tends to choke combat systems with its rote all-encompassing applicability. what they really need to do here is expand and tailor the level of knifework present. imagine if we got rid of the need for qtes because we got a game with hitboxes every bit as fair, but your knife mode had dozens of options attached to it resembling something like genes dodges from god hand, informally and unofficially linking mikamis action game tenure...errant slashes leading to blades clashing...im talking high risk high reward knife action in such a manner that it doesn't compromise on leons fragility. that, to me, would be a good rendition of re4. shouldn't bend the knee or make concessions to enemy design so as to make the holy grail 'knife only challenge run' more palatable to layfolk...people figured out how to do it with the original, they'll do it again

also id like to be able to throw my knife

Murphy's Law:
1. In any field of endeavor, anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.
2. Left to themselves, things always go from bad to worse.
3. If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one that will go wrong, is the one that will cause the most damage.
4. Nature always sides with the hidden flaw.
5. If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something.

This really is just a mini version of the first game. If you enjoyed the gameplay and style of MFP and wanted more of it, I think you'll probably enjoy this too. The controls are a little weird but they didnt take long to get used to.

There are 37 levels in total, although 3 or 4 of them barely count as ones. The lack of boss fights and difficulty does make this already short game breeze by really quickly. It does offer some replayability if you want to try to earn three stars in all the levels at least. A lot of the mechanics are just from the original but theres enough new to keep things fresh. I enjoyed the motorbike sections but it never added much to make them more interesting.

The only big issue is the ads. You can pay a pretty small fee to get rid of them and unlock a new mode, but for a game thats so short already it personally didnt feel worth it. The ads can be pretty intrusive, you'll almost always get one after completing a level, even the really short ones. You also have to watch an ad to restart if you die or sometimes even just to continue where you left off. This can be pretty annoying and definitely might hinder enjoyment, but it got less annoying as the game went on.

Anyways, overall this is actually really solid for a mobile game spinoff, I quite enjoyed the two hours of distraction. I hope to see some more of this wacky series in the future.

5/10 Google Play Achievements
Nancymeter - 67/100
Game Completion #88 of 2022
Mobile Game Completion #5 of 2022
August Completion #8

It's not worth anyone's time. The character is very stiff, movement and interactions with environment feel like something in early development. For example when player is killed by the bird when the bird's sprite touches the character that's it. No death animation, no sound. Bird keeps flapping it's wings while staying in place of the collision while screen fades black.
On top of that the game requires player to know exactly when and how to move in order to avoid some obstacles without giving them any chance react. You need to die in order to know what's going to happen.