Image: CapcomIt seems funny to think back on it now, but during the early days of Resident Evil when decomposing zombies were the top dog and Raccoon City was everybody's favourite apocalyptic holiday destination the idea that the franchise would find itself in the rural outskirts of Europe in which you fight a child-like evil castellan seemed utterly absurd.That's exactly what Resident Evil 4 was, however absurd. Although the series has always enjoyed its own endearing sense of lunacy amongst the gritty, survival horror tropes, RE4 went above and beyond with its utterly ridiculous storyline and gameplay.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube791kWatch on YouTube Where once we were traipsing through the burning streets of Raccoon City, now we're practically skipping through the hallways of a grand castle, shooting down mysterious blue medallions, bartering with a charismatic pirate-like merchant, suplexing cultists, torching giant parasites, and knifing conveniently placed pots and barrels. It was insane and, in many ways, it wasn't entirely Resident Evil. But y'know what? It saved the franchise.Image: CapcomIt's not out of the question to state that RE4 is one of the greatest games of all time. It was a blast to play back in 2005, and it's a blast to play this very day, 20 years later, even with the remake out there. It showed just how successful a game can be when developers choose to take a risk and usher their franchises in new and exciting directions. In an age in which bloated budgets make publishers more risk-averse than ever, it's something we frankly don't see enough of anymore.You only need to take a look at the ridiculous number of ports RE4 has received since its initial release to understand just how significant a game it really is. One of the best (and perhaps more underappreciated) was the Wii Edition which implemented excellent motion controls for the aiming functionality, but of course, you can boot it up right now on the Nintendo Switch, if you wish. And with the upcoming 'Switch 2' boasting full backward compatibility with current Switch games, you'll be able to enjoy RE4 comfortably for the best part of the next decade, at the very least.If you somehow haven't played RE4 yet, I urge you to give it a go. Yes, you can play the remake if you really want to, and that's a perfectly fine way to experience Leon's deadly jaunt into Europe, but the original is such a special game and is, in my eyes, a required experience for fans of survival horror, action games and, well... just games in general.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube791kWhat's your favourite memory of Resident Evil 4? Did you play it on day one on GameCube, or was your first experience via one of its many ports? Let us know with a comment. 2Demake"My, my, we've got a feisty one"You sort the Nintendo S.T.A.R.S. from the lickersRelated GamesSee AlsoShare:00 Nintendo Lifes resident horror fanatic, when hes not knee-deep in Resident Evil and Silent Hill lore, Ollie likes to dive into a good horror book while nursing a lovely cup of tea. He also enjoys long walks and listens to everything from TOOL to Chuck Berry. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesFeature: Biggest Nintendo Gaming Anniversaries Of 202557 games with big birthdays this yearOkami Sequel Studio Looking Forward To Sharing "More Exciting News" ASAPHideki Kamiya chimes in with a New Year messageFeature: Meet Four Developers Making Brand-New Game Boy Titles In 202435 years and stronger than everFeature: "It's Fun, So It's Okay!" - Celebrating Takashi Tezuka's Astonishing 40-Year Nintendo CareerA look back at a glittering catalogueFeature: That Time I Was Invited To Square HQ To Playtest Final Fantasy VII was there 30 years ago