Hello friend! Today I want to walk you through an incredibly impressive speedrunning accomplishment in one of my all-time favorite games – Resident Evil 4. Speedrunning may seem like a niche gaming hobby, but I hope this deep dive will help you appreciate the sheer talent and dedication it requires. Let‘s get started!
This Resident Evil 4 Speedrun Is Absurdly Good
Released in 2005, Resident Evil 4 revolutionized the long-running survival horror franchise with its gripping story, gorgeously gothic visuals, and amped up action-horror gameplay. As one of the most critically acclaimed and best selling games ever made, it‘s no surprise a passionate speedrunning community emerged to master RE4 inside and out.
To highlight just how insanely optimized RE4 speedrunning has become over the years, we‘re going to spotlight one of the most jaw-dropping world record completions out there. Buckle up, because we have lots to unpack here!
A Brief History of Speedrunning
Before we get into the specifics, let‘s briefly cover what exactly speedrunning is all about. At its core, speedrunning involves playing through a video game as quickly as humanly possible – but there‘s much more nuance and variety to it.
The earliest known example of speedrunning dates back to id Software‘s seminal first person shooter Doom in the 1990s. Competitive gamers pushed themselves to fly through Doom‘s demon-filled levels at breakneck speeds. From these humble roots, speedrunning rapidly evolved into a full-fledged gaming phenomenon.
The launch of popular streaming sites like Twitch and YouTube in the 2000s shined a spotlight on speedrunning and turned top players into online celebrities. According to TwitchTracker, major speedrunning events now regularly attract 50,000+ concurrent viewers.
But why has speedrunning captured such a loyal following? For runners, it provides thrilling competition and a constant drive for self-improvement. For audiences, speedruns transform gaming into an exciting spectator sport filled with awe-inspiring skill and knowledge.
This brings us to RE4. With its balance of combat, exploration, and memorable set-pieces, RE4 has become a perfect sandbox for speedrunners to play in. Let‘s examine the history.
A Brief History of RE4 Speedrunning
RE4 speedrunning records date back to the game‘s 2005 GameCube debut:
-
The first recorded any% speedrun was 2 hours 28 mins in 2005 by user Franckyi.
-
By 2010, times dropped under 1 hour 40 mins thanks to advanced sequence breaks.
-
In 2020, famous runner Calebhart42 pushed any% under 1 hour 15 minutes.
-
As of November 2022, Calebhart42 holds the any% world record at 1 hour 27 minutes.
This steady progression demonstrates the constant optimization of RE4 speedrunning over nearly 20 years. Today‘s top times would have been unfathomable to early RE4 players.
Dozens of skilled players have held world records across multiple platforms and categories. To pay proper respect, let‘s spotlight two RE4 speedrunning legends.
RE4 Speedrunning Legends
Calebhart42
-
8+ year RE speedrunning veteran renowned for technical perfection.
-
Former any% world record holder with 1:15:00 in 2020 on PC.
-
Currently holds any% record of 1:27:00 set in March 2022.
-
Known for frame perfect inputs and pixel perfect movement.
Distortion2
-
Speedrunning RE games since 1990s across multiple titles.
-
Held multiple RE4 world records on consoles like PS3 and Xbox 360.
-
Current goal is optimizing PC RE4 any% to under 1:15:00.
-
Streams speedrun attempts to an audience of 30K+ followers on Twitch.
These two represent the pinnacle of RE4 speedrunning skill and dedication. Now let‘s dive deeper into how they achieve such mind-blowing times.
Speedrunning Strategies and Tricks
RE4 speedruns aren‘t just about raw skill – they require intricate knowledge of exploits and tricks. Here are some of the key time-saving techniques:
-
Door Skips – Bypassing door animations through precise movement and camera angles.
-
Inventory Swaps – Instantly equipping items without opening menus. Needs frame perfect inputs.
-
OOB Tricks – Cleverly falling out of bounds to skip large sections. Dangerous but effective.
-
AI Manipulation – Guiding enemies into beneficial positions for quicker defeats.
-
RNG Control – Influencing random elements like item drops to your advantage.
Flawlessly chaining these time-savers together while maintaining non-stop precise play is the hallmark of masterful RE4 speedrunners. Let‘s see these tricks in action.
Calebhart42‘s 1:27:00 World Record Run
To witness the pinnacle of RE4 speedrunning for ourselves, we‘re going to break down the legendary run where Calebhart42 set the current 1:27:00 world record in March 2022. Buckle up!
Right from the opening village section, Calebhart zips past houses and transitions in the blink of an eye. By subtly angling the camera, he perfectly slips by door animations that would force most players to slow down. The pace is already intense!
During tense enemy encounters, Calebhart keeps his cool under pressure. He lures groups of Ganados into neat formations allowing for rapid multi-kills with each shotgun blast. His reflexes are extraordinary.
Against a challenging foe like the Garrador, Calebhart42 knows exactly how to bait out specific attacks. He punishes every whiffed slash to swiftly put down threats with minimal ammo. His mastery of the game is on full display.
And who could forget the iconic boss battles? Thanks to extensive analysis of attack patterns, Calebhart takes down El Gigante in under 30 seconds flat. He makes what would be a 2 minute-plus struggle for most gamers look easy.
By utilizing every trick and optimization available, Calebhart42 breezes through RE4 in record time. Let‘s recap his amazing run:
- 1:27:00 time on PC version
- Flawless use of door skips and inventory swaps
- Pixel perfect weapon usage for rapid kills
- AI and RNG manipulation throughout
- Former world record holder in multiple categories
Calebhart42 represents the apex of RE4 speedrunning precision. But how much faster can humanly possible times get? Let‘s speculate.
The Future of RE4 Speedrunning
With Calebhart‘s 1:27:00 mark in 2022, many speculate the upper limit for any% world records has been reached. Executing RE4 mechanics any quicker may simply exceed mortal limits. But some top talent believes otherwise.
According to renowned runner Distortion2, more time save opportunities may still exist:
"People think we did everything, but there are still areas I know I can optimize. I won‘t stop until I fully maximize every second and hit 1:15:00."
Distortion2 predicts undisclosed movement tricks and more precise combat strategies could potentially lower top times into the 1:15:00 range. This would require super-human consistency however.
The 2023 RE4 remake also offers new potential for speedrun innovations. Clever players are already finding ways to break the reimagined environments and enemies.
While records may be plateauing, RE4 speedrunning remains captivating due to the sheer skill on display. Competitive players will keep pushing human and game limits to their absolute peaks.
Conclusion
I hope this deep dive has shed light on the extraordinary dedication and mastery that drives RE4 speedrunning. It‘s easy to see why players and viewers remain engaged after nearly 20 years of optimization.
Top talents like Calebhart42 and Distortion2 represent gaming skill taken to sublime levels through endless analysis and rigor. To complete RE4 in under 1 hour 30 minutes is simply remarkable.
Speedrunning wonderfully transforms gaming from a solitary experience into a competitive, community-driven environment of mutual growth. RE4 perfectly epitomizes the creative spirit that drives this unique gaming phenomenon.
So next time you see a speedrunner breeze through a Resident Evil 4 any% run in record time, take a moment to truly appreciate the years of work and expert technique that allow such a super-human accomplishment. It is a wonder to behold!
Thank you for letting me share my passion for RE4 speedrunning. I hope this overview provides some useful perspective on this captivating gaming niche. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask!