Introduction

There really is something that can be said for a series that can build the foundations of a genre and sustain the staying power for all of these years. Resident Evil is a series that introduced many of the building blocks and staples of the survival horror genre. It's managed to sustain staying power in the hearts of fans for over 25 years. The series would take a turn towards more action horror that began with the release of Resident Evil 4, and this direction was taken due to the low sales of the remake of Resident Evil 1 for the Gamecube. Shinji Mikami decided that Resident Evil 4, would take a more action-oriented direction while preserving many of the tense survival horror aspects. This works in Capcom's favour creating one of the peak horror experiences and what some argue is the perfect game.

However, the final product we have now didn't come easy. Throughout the long five years of development, Capcom would see about four different iterations of what would have been Resident Evil 4, one of which culminated in Devil May Cry and another concept surrounding a girl being protected by a dog which would eventually turn into the game Hunting Ground which would release the same year. There were many concepts and ideas, and many aspects of these original ideas would make it into the final game and create that lighting in a bottle that is Resident Evil 4. A masterclass in engaging gameplay that pushes a player to their limits whilst making them feel in control.

So the big question about remaking a game that is such a beloved entry is, "Is this remake necessary, and will it reach the same heights as the original". To answer these questions, we'll start by continuing the track record of Capcom, basically after Resident Evil 4's release, its following two entries would lean more heavily into the action-based combat that was laid out in Resident Evil 4, indulging more in quick time events, action set pieces and bombastic over the top action sequences. This would divide many fans, but it wouldn't be until the release of Resident Evil 7 in 2017 that the series would see a return to its survival horror roots and a resurgence and demand for survival horror.

It was clear to Capcom, with the success of Resident Evil 7, that the demand for Survival horror games had resurfaced, and with many of the series' older titles sitting on older consoles becoming dated, this was an opportunity sought by Capcom to remake and breathe new life into many of their existing classics. It would all start with the remake of Resident Evil 2, which would sell incredibly well and even be a nominee for the game of the year in that particular year. The game would reshape and characterize with a more cinematic and serious tone while preserving and honoring its source material.

With a few more releases and remakes, we shift to 2023, and the release of Resident Evil 4's remake is here. The question, "Is this remake warranted" is more apparent given how accessible the original is. It, too many, myself included, still holds up. The answer is similar to the Resident Evil 2 remake. Resident Evil 4 manages to serve this reshaping and tweaking that Capcom is trying to take the series in, with a more serious tone that does with much of the campy moments, goofy one-liners and set pieces, and does away with the tank control combat. It's a brilliant reimaging of a game that is beloved by many to fit the ongoing style of storytelling and universe that Capcom is trying to mould with its existing and future entries, but at the same time doesn't replace or take away from the significance of the original Resident Evil 4. It's the perfect alternative way to experience Resident Evil 4, and I'm here to delve into why that is, so let's get into it.

Story

Overview

The story for Resident Evil 4 remains intact, telling the same level of a hard-boiled Leon Kennedy on a mission to rescue the president's daughter. The game does feel like it portrays Leon's character a little differently to the original, having him feel like a serious character, more than the action hero badass with his one-liners telling people they're "small time" or referring to someone as "the big cheese". Whilst I find the original title's campy nature quite charming and endearing, the type of atmosphere, setting and overall direction is why these changes would be made. The narrative trims and reworks some characters and story moments whilst keeping its main events and plot points intact, and to be honest, in a lot of ways, enhances and fills in many of the blanks and places the 4th entry properly into the thematic and overarching narrative that the remakes are threading together.

Campy vs Serious

One of the major differences that one familiar with the original RE 4 may notice is the tonal shift in storytelling. As mentioned, Leon's character here is a lot different, but it's not just him. They've taken great lengths to rework many of the conversations and even cut out a lot of back and forth between Leon, Salazar, and even Leon and Sattler. One thing I do really like in the remake is how they've given Ashley more character; she feels less like a damsel in this game, and more moments between her and Leon feel like they flesh out the relationship they share throughout the journey.

Again, whilst I say that I like these changes, this doesn't imply that there is anything wrong with the original, and that's what makes this remake so perfect. It's just another way of seeing the game. It polishes many aspects of the game from a narrative standpoint and sets it in a theme that works alongside the previous remakes and recent sequels.

Whilst discussing the characters, there are many here that they give a lot more attention to that I felt was great, for example, Luis, who gets way more screen time in this version of the game. In the remake, the character Luis is given a whole character arc that makes you care for him more beyond the fact that he is a cool dude. The character Kruaser and his relationship with Leon are more properly explored and touched on in the remake, filling in some of the blanks that some may have coming from the RE 3 Remake to the RE 4 remake. That's what makes RE 4 remake so great from a narrative standpoint. Now that they've iterated on the RE story since its original release, they can hone in on the direction they want to take this narrative with its source material and prior remakes.

Whilst this game is more action-focused, that doesn't mean there aren't some genuine great survival horror moments. Resident Evil 4 is still a survival horror game, but it still has moments that encapsulate this, and a golden example would be the segment where you play as Ashley. This section in the original was really heart-racing. In the remake, with its use of lighting and lack thereof, in this compact library, it's a claustrophobic nightmare that makes you fearful for your life from how well the atmosphere is set from the environments, the giant towering knights, and being stripped of all ability to fight back.

Simply put, the RE 4 remake feels more succinct with its storytelling but not so foreign or absent of crucial story moments that it feels like a completely different game. It's narratively the perfect alternative to the already charming campaign that RE 4 has been for all these years. That fits perfectly into the catalogue of the current Resident Evil universe that Capcom is building through remakes and the recent ongoing sequels.

Gameplay

Reworking the combat

One major aspect of Resident Evil 4's Remake that has been completely reworked from the ground up is removing tank controls, including stealth mechanics, shortcut mappings for weapons, and a new parry system tied to the way the knife operates. The game functions entirely differently from its 2005 counterpart yet still encapsulates the level of both tension and action throughout. The original RE 4 was the first game that really took the game in an action direction, and that can still be felt in the remake with the number of weapons, enemy types, and sheer ammo reserves scattered throughout the game. This new combat model they've built for the game feels so satisfying and comprehensive from the weapon swapping and environmental hazards that you can lure enemies into the combat of RE 4 feels tense and strategic.

Another noticeable change in the remake is the removal of quick-time events, which would be a regular occurrence throughout the original game and seldom appear in the remake. Instead, many of these quick time moments are replaced with a parry system where Leon can time and deflect attacks. However, these deflection attacks degrade your knife, meaning you'll need to repair it, meaning that you can abuse this mechanic more on repairs later.

The iconic tiled suitcase inventory has returned in the remake with a few additional functions that can keep the flow of combat and crafting engaging. The first new addition includes gunpowder and resources, which enable Leon to craft ammunition and supplies on the fly. The second new feature that is helpful throughout your adventures but can detract from the original charm of inventory management is an auto-sort system. This shuffles and sorts your suitcase, allowing you to store and fit resources easily. I'm of two minds with this, there are times when I do feel like this is a convenient feature, but at the same time, I think that inconvenience and the need to sort and arrange your inventory is such a core component to the Resident Evil experience. This isn't a complaint or critique, more some food for thought and something that purists of the original titles may find a little jarring.

One feature from the original title that sees a return in the remake is the adaptive difficulty. When I list many of the different things I love about Resident Evil 4 and tick off all the incredible things this game accomplished, I look at how well both versions handled difficulty. When you start your playthrough of Resident Evil 4, there are three difficulties that you can pick that can not be changed. These are Easy, Normal, and Professional. Pretty standard stuff. However, there is another layer of difficulty back into the game: if you're smashing your way through the game, the difficulty will ramp up by being more strict with ammo drops and spawning more enemies, and if you're struggling, be more generous with drops. You guessed it, spawn fewer enemies. The remake works similarly, making enemies deal less damage, being more accommodating if you're struggling with a particular section and working in reverse if you're blitzing through the game. Whilst this may sound like some easy mode cheat, the game never feels like it is shaming or babying you, and it doesn't ever feel too easy or too hard, and that's another foundational aspect of Resident Evil 4's combat. It provides the player with a breadth of tools with a large pool of depth to master and pushes the player to their limits to understand and effectively utilise these tools.

The sandbox and enemy interactions feel so versatile in the ways you can approach a situation, from being able to shoot down lanterns to set your enemies ablaze to shooting the dynamite an enemy is holding in their hand. The world is reactive and full of tiny detail that rewards players willing to get creative and experiment.

The overall combat for Resident Evil 4 Remake feels excellent, with the variety of ways to defeat your enemies and ways an interaction can play out. The mantra of Resident Evil 4 is here in the remake. The game has so much replay value with many different approaches, weapons and environmental mastery, and the various ways enemies will interact with the player. But in the most basic terms, the combat is fun and constantly engaging, even when you know what is around the corner. That is a testament to just how well all the linking components of Resident Evil 4 are put together and are only enhanced through the remake.

Reworking the Level Design

The combat and environmental aspects can be primarily attributed to how the environments have been designed in this game, which in many ways still possess the blueprints and layouts of the locations in the original game. It is also important to mention that a few different areas have been melded together to make that game feel tighter and more compact. Like the original, the game is divided into three major parts. Where the original would allow for backtracking, it would still feel segmented due to limitations and loading screens. The remake feels like three open areas that take different locations from the original and neatly lay them out.

Having played the original Resident Evil 4 and the remake back to back, it is interesting to analyse what components have been removed from this game. Again, it ties into removing the bombastic campy nature in favour of a more modern approach and a more survival horror feeling. Some examples of content that doesn't appear in the remake are the moments such as Leon running from the boulder and the statue of Salazar. These cut moments from the game further lend to the more serious thematic approach Capcom was taking with this game, and frankly, whilst I do find them charming in the context of the original game, I think the absence of them in the remake works more in the game's favour.

One of the best examples of the reworks to the level design in the remake can be found throughout the Island segment of the game. It still contains all the memorable moments from the original but trims some more repetitive moments that could make this part of the game feel stretched out.

Reimagining Boss Encounters

The boss encounters of Resident Evil 4 was always a unique and memorable experience, and they've been reworked and reimagined phenomenally here in the remake. All of it, everything. From battling the De Lago in the lake to your final showdown with Krauser. The refinements and polishes made to these boss encounter and additional narrative context elevates these fights to a more iconic and dramatic affair than I felt when playing through the original. Both encounters with Krauser feel way more intimate due to the refined mechanics to melee with both, mainly the parry system. The second and final showdown with Krauser is more of a showdown between Leon and his mentor and sees the removal of the three scattered pieces aspect that the original used to move you through the encounter. There is so much charm and character that shines through the original, and the fact they've been able to improve upon what was already considered excellent here still surprises me.

Weapon Upgrades, Repairs, and Side Missions

The final component of the Resident Evil loop that neatly seals the package for this god-tier experience is the man, the legend, and the merchant. Yes, our favourite character from the original is back to ask us two hard-hitting questions: "What are we buying?" and "What are we selling?". Of course, in this remake, he provides many new features, such as side contracts, which are fun little missions that break up each area and come with their own currency, which you can exchange for unique awards. Whilst some of these challenges have been carried over from the original, they've been wholly repurposed and streamlined into the gameplay loop.

Another new feature that has made its way into the remake is weapon durability with your melee weapons. A few items in the remake will have durability and add another purpose to regularly visiting your favourite merchant. There is something so relieving and exciting when you see those purple flames off in the distance. Many different weapons are returning from the original game, and a few new additions have found their way into the remake. The Bolt Thrower, a new weapon but also a rework of the Mine Thrower, sees a more valuable and versatile approach here in the remake, playing into the more stealthy approach to gameplay but can also be spliced in with the tool of the original.

Like in the original, there are plenty of gemstones that you can inlay into treasure items to make them sell for more. There are upgrades for each weapon, the one-shot rocket launcher and all the other loveable staples of the merchant's offerings still intact. However, it is still crazy to consider how much thought and depth went into each aspect of this game and how well crafted and melded together each of its systems feels. But not only that, to have a remake almost 20 years later that can take a masterpiece of a game, push it further, and make it an even greater game still impresses me.

Sound and Visuals

It is important to note when discussing the sound and visual presentation of Resident Evil 4, just how much work and effort went into the original to capture the sense of realism and immersion that the team were aiming for in the original. This can be found throughout the game an example being in Leon's footsteps how each individual foot can each provide individual sounds based on what they're stepping on, the use of music fading in and out during encounters to create the sense of tense and stressful atmosphere. Resident Evil 4, was an ambitious title in all of its aspects where the team would really be trying to raise the bar in as many ways as they could. Here in the remake, and now approaching 20 years since the release of the original game, we'd see the adoption of modern technology that would would work its way into both the remakes visual and sound presentation. Whilst these additions to the game may not feel as ground-breaking here in the remake, as the leaps were back in 2005, I'd argue that they're still incredibly impressive and really do modernize and bring to life many of the different aspects of the RE 4 experience. The environments feel like they're filled with more color palates, lighting effects, and animations. Here in the remake they provide subtle visual queues for particular actions such as Leon's kick, which will now prompt above the enemies head, which allows you to swoop in and knock down your enemy and roundhouse kick any one else caught in the crossfire.

The sound remake of Resident Evil 4 would take advantage of many modern tools, mainly 3D positional audio and sound effects, to create the immersive and tense soundscapes found throughout the remake. I've said this often with horror games I've covered on the channel. Still, many of these games aim to ramp up the intensity and create a sense of dread, which shines through the Resident Evil 4 remake, from its audio queues to its environmental design, interactable objects, and the stories these spaces carry. There were many changes to the animations found in RE 4's remake, with the incorporation of motion capture and re-recordings of the original dialogue, along with new actors to take on the roles of these characters.

Conclusion

In summary, the remake of Resident Evil 4 is one of the best remakes I've experienced and one of the best games I've had the pleasure of playing. There is tons of replay value here, and even on my second playthrough, there were new encounters, mechanics, and tricks to learn to better refine my play style. There is something so satisfying about engaging with all forms of combat that keep you feeling like a badass but also tense for dear life. They've managed to take a game that already was so well made in all of its departments and polish and repackage it in a way that is both recognisable but completely different. Resident Evil 4, both in its original and remake, is a game that the more you dive into the game and replay it, the more you uncover its depths and intricacies. Its narrative elements are more tightly structured, and the characters are given more time to breathe with character arcs that make them more memorable than they already were. The artistic reimaging, lighting, and diverse uses of colour make each of these locations pop to life and create an incredibly atmospheric experience. The charm of the original game has yet to wear off on its fans, and the remake will carry on the legacy of the original into the future, providing a perfect alternative to what are a brilliant masterpiece and a confidence level of reassurance that the future of the series and its direction are in safe hands.

Ultimately survival horror fan or not, Resident Evil 4 period is a must-play, but the remake is definitely a game that I would easily recommend in a heartbeat. It has it all and does it all so perfectly, so if you're on the fence about the series, I'd say now is the time because Resident Evil 4 remake is a modern classic.