--- Resident Evil 4 Wii---

    When the PS2 version of Resident Evil 4 arrived, with new content that the Gamecube version didn't have, we felt compelled to buy it again.  And since we did buy it again, we also did a comparison, weighing the extra content versus the graphical compromise, since the PS2 version was not nearly as pretty as the original.  Our official recommendation was that it was not worth the graphical (and aural, for the record) downgrade to play the new content.

    However, even as we offered this advice to others, we knew that if there were ever a "Director's Cut" that offered the new content with graphics on par with the original, we ourselves would be all over it.

    Well, it happened: the Wii Edition of RE4 was announced, and supposedly it would have all the extra content of the PS2 version, but none of the graphical sacrifices--and have new, improved Wii controls to boot.  And when it arrived, we snatched it up and played through it immediately.  When we finally unlocked Separate Ways (the largest part of the extra content), however, all we wanted to know is: did it feature upgraded graphics?  And here's the answer: YES...mostly.  Capcom understandably didn't completely overhaul the assets from Separate Ways.  But since SW is made up mostly of assets from the main game, they swapped them out for their Gamecube versions.  Fair enough.  They did forget just one asset that we noticed, however, and ironically, it was the first one we looked for (leading us to initially believe they'd not upgraded SW): the herb.  See picture below.

    And since RE4 Wii Edition can be played with a Gamecube controller, a Classic controller (the very Dual-Shock-ish 'traditional' Wii controller), or using the new Wii remote/nunchuck control scheme, this pretty much makes it the definitive version: all the content, and the best graphics.

    There are some reports that the Wii version's widescreen looks overly "jaggy" vs. the Gamecube one on some televisions, but after extensive comparison on our own TVs, that wasn't the case for us, so we really can't talk on that point.

    In any case, the proof is in the pictures, so here they are:

Notice the very 'blocky' character model, particularly the pointed edge on the jeans, in the PS2 version.  The Wii version uses the original Gamecube model.

Click this one for video of the bridge and lake.  Notice the nice water in the Wii version, just like the original.

Even the hay and its cart were downgraded on the PS2, but they're back in form on the Wii.

Ah, the infamous PS2 tree, with its missing branches (although they did stick a strange bush on top of this one...something we'd never noticed until this comparison).

Another short video, this one shows the (slight) difference in lighting in this cavern.  Turn the sound up and you can hear how much better the Wii version sounds, though, from just a couple of water drips.

And here's an herb--the single thing I can find that definitely did NOT get put back to 'normal'.

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