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The shooting and inventory system were also revamped from the previous games and the storyline featured minimal ties to the previous games so Capcom could mark a new chapter in the franchise's storyline. The pre-rendered backgrounds and fixed camera angles of previous entries were replaced with an over-the-shoulder view that follows the player character around in a fully 3D environment.
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Resident Evil 4 was finally released four years after the initial announcement, taking the series to a radically new direction.
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Resident Evil 4 languished a few years in Development Hell, however, as a result of changes to the game's premise and staff Mikami's role also changed from producer to director.
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