As I’m led through a horrifically dark and glowing red hallway in the basement of an 18th Century London prison, I can’t help but wonder whether there’s really a pair of Sony’s Inzone H9 headsets waiting for me on the other side or if this is just some convoluted prank. But I’ve already come this far, so why not explore the terrifying catacombs further?
I round a corner to see a desk in the centre of a dusty room filled with mutilated manikins and chains. After taking a closer look, it turns out that there is actually the Inzone H9 headset and an M9 monitor waiting for me to try out. However, this dank dungeon isn’t the most reassuring setting for a good gaming session.
Regardless, I take a seat and put on the H9 headset. The noise cancelling is immediately so good that if a vicious killer were waiting for me down here, I probably wouldn’t notice until it was too late. As if the horrific setting and immersive headset aren’t scary enough, the game of choice this evening is the Resident Evil 4 remake; this scenario definetly wasn’t on my bingo card.
Light’s on, curtains open
I’m tasked with making it through the infamous chapter 7, specifically the riveting Water Hall location, which I know is a fan-favourite part of the remake. But there’s no time like the present, and I’d rather not hang around in this prison any longer than I have to, so the speed run begins.
[The M9] monitor's clarity and contrast opened up the castle in ways I hadn’t seen before
I couldn’t say I found the Resident Evil 4 remake scary the first few times I played it. While I still managed to keep my composure, Sony’s M9 monitor and H9 headset added something to the gameplay I hadn’t experienced before.
The M9 monitor creepily illuminated the menacingly dark room, with the backlighting making gaming in this spooky locale much easier on my eyes. The M9 also has full array local dimming, which was perfect for the Resident Evil 4 remake as it gave the third-person shooter more depth in its dark shadows, which meant I could easily spot any pesky monks lurking in the dark. Overall, this monitor's clarity and contrast opened up the castle in ways I hadn’t seen before. Coupling it with the 4K resolution makes the picture so pretty that you almost forget you’re getting beaten up by a bunch of angry cultists.
Then there was the Inzone H9 headset, which made playing through the Resident Evil 4 remake horrifying in all the best ways. As I said before, the noise cancelling was a terrifying addition to the already creepy prison situation; however, it worked so well I completely forgot that other people were in the room. Couple this with the 360 spatial sound; and you have an incredibly immersive experience; I just wish I was playing something slightly more comforting.
Scares aside, the H9 provided me with accurate sound detection that helped me pinpoint every mutated monk that came my way while trapping me in the stressful environment of the Water Hall. I felt especially uneasy because, unlike previous playthroughs, this headset was so immersive it made fighting off the swarming cultists incredibly claustrophobic, which gave me a welcome adrenaline rush.
Confidence is key
While the adrenaline rush was a welcome surprise, and I loved my time with the Resident Evil 4 remake. Capcom can do horror like no other – as demonstrated quite clearly by Resident Evil 7 Biohazard. While I loved how the seventh game made me question every life decision I’ve ever made by occasionally taking away my power and agency, I was so reassured to return to the comparatively safe hands of competent, do-or-die Leon in Resident Evil 4.
I’m happy to have a Resident Evil title that I don’t have to play in the middle of the day to avoid nightmares
Being seen as a threat in a world as creepy, mutated, and horror-fulled as Resident Evil 4 is no small feat, and gives you a real sense of accomplishment that I didn’t get with Resident Evil Biohazard and Village. Watching Leon confidently backflip out of enemy attacks and utter his classic one-liners gave me the fighting spirit to blitz through every bloody situation that came my way.
I’m happy to have a Resident Evil title that I don’t have to play in the middle of the day to avoid nightmares. However, if I ever play this remake again with the H9 headset, I’ll have to turn on all my lights, just for peace of mind.
