Not interested in mp, but Abram touched on some key points I agree with completely regarding sp. With the proper mods RE 4 is way better than stock. Everything looks good but the cutscenes, which are pretty blurry, and the mouse aim fix and keyboard replacer mods allow for very similar aiming to RE 5 and you can see all the dodge hints in the appropriate KB keys.
RE 4 has more map and enemy variety and some of the gameplay is just outstanding, like the mining cart segments. I also find RE 4 to be more mood inspiring, non linear, and methodical in combat. RE 5 by comparison is very linear, with no way to conveniently scavenge and trade with traders here and there and the combat is all about running to a spot and gunning, grenading or using explodable/flammable containers.
Just RE 5's boss fights alone so far are noticeably less creative and way more linear. I mean half of them so far have had me at fixed guns most of the time. The first boss fight with the giant was one of the strangest I've ever seen in a game. Sit there on the Hummer's fixed gun the whole time firing endlessly, just after the game tells you you can't do that because the guns will overheat. Yeah right, whatever. :roll:
RE 4 has a nice balance of more freedom to the player and more need to carefully plan things. It makes you feel more intelligent playing it because it begs for someone that thinks about the way they play a game. I loved the traditional typewriter save system RE has always had up until now and the scavenging, inventory arranging and upgrading were all spot on. It also has some nice side challenges in the bottlecap shooting gallery.
In RE 4 the background music was way better, the trading and inventory system more adaptable to various styles of gameplay, and the combat more inducing to creative ways of using melee to conserve ammo. In RE 4 there was time in many places to plan a shoot them in the foot or knee then suplex approach, esp if you tell Ashley to stay in the room you were in prior.
Sheva is a total retard by comparison, which is odd considering she's combat trained and Ashley isn't. She's constantly wasting ammo and running out. It would be nice if you could get her to cease fire while you're sniping from a distance, meleeing, etc. She'll run in front of you all the time when you command her to stay back. Then there's the constantly having to stop and swap items with her, while the tiny inventory screen closes on you and you have to reopen it.
What's really weird too is the addition of strafing and mouse aim didn't really make the movement any less awkward than RE 4 with the mouse aim mod. The only time you can really do a true strafe is while walking slowly. It's really only useful to arc a bit better turns as you're running, you still have to use the 180 quick turn feature a lot.
Sorry for the lengthy post, just had to get that off my chest. Back to RE 5. The only perplexities I've encountered so far are two treasure that I can't seem to figue out how to get to.
This is the first, it's right near where you get the key for the gate at the docks, which is hanging on the hook by a corpse hanging upside down. Outside the building you find it in there's a flea market booth between it and the gate you open that has a treasure chest in it which I cannot get to.
The 2nd is at the start of the level I'm on now, which begins in a circular irrigation room where you first encounter the flowers that they extract the virus from. There's a large blue gem under the small metal footbridge that leads you out of that room, but I see no way to get to it. (Sorry, no pic)