Like more or less everyone already mentioned: Move + Shooting is impossible in all RE4 versions. And that's deliberate to keep the horror tension. If you can't get used to that don't try RE5, cause it's in there as well.

That keeps these games from being a regular shooter and I love the fact that it creates a good atmosphere.

If you want worse controls and an even better atmosphere I highly recommend REmake as the best horror game ever.

Although I've heard Silent Hill 2 is better for some. So the OP has two greath choices to try out true examples of the genre.

I always hated the controls and several gameplay mechanics of Resident Evil 4. I was always confused by the acclaim that it garnered because it felt so broken to me.

 That would be because you never played resident evil on the PS1 and you don't "get it".

Moe along ;)

Let me check my game collection... oh wait, I own REmake, 2, 3, 4, 0 and Code Veronica . I have every right in the world to criticise RE4's crappy control scheme and lack of horror. There's nothing that I don't "get" after having finished it 3 times other than the reason for its popularity. It's a great game but the gameplay is awkward and it's not frightening in the slightest. I'm not trying to be confrontational but I just think that RE4 is easily the most overrated "survival-horror" game ever released.

I'd be more willing to accept the controls and gameplay of the older games than the clunky feeling of RE4.

People get so spoiled by games which allow them to fire rocket launchers while running sideways at full speed with no accuracy loss. If you tried to do something like that in the real world, you'd probably trip and discharge that bazooka into your own face.

If you wanted to shoot somebody in the head in real life, you would plant your feet and take careful aim, just like Leon does. RE4's game design choice (nothing to do with controls) to make you choose between moving and fighting increases tension by adding a slice of realism to an otherwise fantastic scenario. It forces the player to take risks and make choices between attack and escape, and reminds the player that his in-game avatar is mortal, not some god who can dual-wield shotguns while doing somersaults.

It's fun to play both the mortal and the god, but most games (especially shooters) go with the deity, so I found RE4 to be very refreshing.

Good point but it sucks that Leon can't even lean to the left or right to avoid incoming projectiles. I also hate having to pause the game to change weapons or heal and I hate all of the radio conversations and cut-scenes that interupt the gameplay which do nothing but decrease the immersion (and push the flacid storyline). It sucks when a giant group of enemies approach and I have to pause and select the shotgun, unpause and shoot them to the ground, pause and select a grenade, unpause and throw it into the crowd, pause and select my handgun, unpause and continue just to find another group of enemies approaching fast >_<

lol, realistic to stand still to fire any shots, but Leon does MGS: Twin Snakes bullcrap stunts in the cut-scenes. It would seem rather inconsistant that he has to stop moving just to fire a pistol.

I wouldn't have a problem with having to move around and shoot if it didn't feel clunky. It might make me sweat at first, but it became more annoying the further I progressed.

I did say a slice of realism. Pure realism would be brutally boring, after all.

That's fine if some people don't appreciate the game mechanics. I enjoy the variety. And there are probably quite a few things they could do to improve the formula and appease more gamers. A slow walk which reduces accuracy while aiming might be nice. bouzane outlines some frustrations which are quite understandable. I could certainly stand to see the "organizing my suitcase so I can fit all my crap in it" minigame go out the window.