The gameplay focuses on fast-paced gunplay, quick controls, and shootouts involving massive crowds of enemies in large open areas. This is a departure from the previous games in the series which focused on exploration and conservation of ammunition. The camera is focused behind Leon, and it zooms in for an over-the-shoulder view when aiming a weapon. The addition of a laser sight adds a new depth to the aiming not present in the other games of the series. The player is able to aim in various directions and easily change their placement at any time. Bullets now affect the enemies specifically where they are shot. Shots to the feet can cause enemies to stumble, while shots to the arms can cause them to drop their weapons.Another new aspect of Resident Evil 4 is the inclusion of context-sensitive controls. Based on the situation, the player can interact with aspects of their environment: kicking down a ladder, jumping out of a window, or dodging an enemy attack. There are also dynamic cut scenes, in which the player must press buttons indicated on-screen to execute actions such as dodging a falling boulder or wrestling an enemy to stay alive. These are often incorporated into the game's many boss battles, where the player must avoid one-hit kill attacks. The Wii version expanded on this concept slightly by including a quick Wii Remote shake as a possible context sensitive action. These can be called Reaction Commands.
Capcom added new content made specifically for the PlayStation 2, and later added into the PC and Wii releases. The largest addition is Separate Ways, a minigame which revolves around Ada Wong's involvement in Resident Evil 4 and her connection to Albert Wesker, a former member of the STARS, who is now attempting to revive Umbrella. The player can also unlock Ada's Report, a five-part documentary, which analyzes Ada's relationship with Wesker and his role in the plot, new costumes for Leon and Ashley, a new laser weapon and a Movie Browser.
Resident Evil 4, known in Japan as Biohazard 4 (バイオハザード4 ,Baiohazādo Fō?), is a survival horror third-person shooter video game developed by Production Studio 4 and published by multiple publishers, including Capcom, Ubisoft, and Nintendo of Australia. It is the sixth game in the Resident Evil series. It was originally intended to be released exclusively for the Nintendo GameCube, but before its release, it was announced that a PlayStation 2 version would be released as well. Years later, PC and Wii versions were released as well.