Just clocked Resident Evil 4 and currently watching the loveliest credits sequence since the Jet Set Radio medley - what can I say, I’m a sucker for such sweating over details and without spoiling anything it really is nice.

As you’ve no doubt heard elsewhere it’s superb. This is largely because it resolves most of my complaints with the series - camera angle, save system, backtracking, storyline, acting… all the aforementioned are good at worst, exceptional at best. You get memorable set pieces, astounding boss battles, finely maintained tension and just so much damn refinement. When you think about it you realise just how much tweaking, creativity and care the gameplay has clearly received and it shines for it. Just like Half Life 2 the extended development time has clearly been put to good use.

Stunning visual design, tense Shenmue-style QTE sequences (cinematics with reaction-based button pressing), some genuinely freaky looking monsters… brilliant stuff. My only complaint? I must’ve selected "Yes, I want to pick up this item" a million times and "No", er, never. I’ll overlook that one, hardly a devastating design flaw but a somewhat silly one.

Don’t believe me? Have some linkage.