Resident Evil 4 Review: A Remake Done Right
Capcom gives the 2005 classic the treatment it deserves
Following the footsteps of the Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3 remakes, the long-awaited Resident Evil 4 remake was finally released 18 years after the original was first released on GameCube and PlayStation 2.
Despite its age, many fans consider RE4 the best in the series and one of the greatest survival/action horror games ever. It popularized the over-the-shoulder camera system that redefined the third-person shooter genre. Remaking such a treasured game is daunting, but their stunning recreations of RE2 and RE3 had me optimistic.
Reboots are a contentious topic in the gaming industry. There’s disagreement over the ideal way to modernize a classic. It typically falls on a spectrum between a remaster and a remake. A remaster is typically limited to some visual touch-ups; it won’t change any of the gameplay. On the other hand, a complete remake can completely overhaul every aspect of the game.
I typically stay away from remasters. Most of the time, the graphical improvements are modest at best. Sure, there may be more polygons and sharper edges here and there, but it’s still the same game. Occasionally, I’m pleasantly surprised by games such as Halo: The Master Chief Collection and Spyro: Reignited that add substantial visual improvements. But I still find myself disappointed most of the time.
Remakes aren’t always guaranteed success either. Many remakes have strayed too far from the source material, cutting out iconic bits, or releasing the product half-baked with more bugs than the original.
Capcom clearly wasn’t afraid to make some drastic changes. Everything from the combat to the environment design has been revamped.
The story remains largely unchanged, but there are a few minor changes. The main scenes are still present, but they play out a bit differently than the original. These adjustments keep the story fresh, but truthful to the source material. To avoid spoilers, I won’t go into further details.
Resident Evil 4 was never a serious game. Although it has the cover of a zombie shooter, it’s full of goofy moments that remind you it was released in 2005. Everything about it was over the top, but it stayed true to the series survival-horror roots. It masterfully combined its B movie plot with constant tension and tight gameplay. Future RE games tried to recapture this formula but never got it quite right.
The remake brings a darker tone. The world looks darker and grittier, the dialog is more serious, and the characters have more realistic designs (no red dress this time). Leon has more depth to his character reflecting the previous events in the Resident Evil timeline. Haunted by the events in Raccoon City, he’s desperate to save someone instead of merely surviving. While he still has that fearless “special agent” persona, he’s less one-note than before.
Despite the shift in tone, the game retains the campy charm. Classic one-liners that fans expect, such as the iconic “Where’s everyone going? Bingo?” and “Hey, it’s that dog!” made the final cut. Players can still expect Leon to execute numerous backflips, suplexes, and roundhouse kicks.
In addition to the story, several environments have seen some significant changes. Various levels have been shuffled around, expanded, or reworked. These changes keep even RE4 veterans on their toes, especially on harder difficulties. Many less desirable set-pieces featuring frustrating quick-time events have been removed (no more running away from runaway boulders or giant statues). Most of the classic’s most intense moments, such as the village standoff, garden maze, and castle sewers return in all their glory.
Out of all the zones, the island has been revamped the most. Most fans consider this the weakest section of the original, but the remake improves upon it. The pacing is much better, and the frustrating moments have been (mostly) cut out. The regenerators, arguably the best part of the island, are more numerous and have better placement. The fight with Krauser is much more fleshed out and gives more backstory on his relationship with Leon. While I still preferred the village and castle sections, the island holds up much better now.
Visually, the game is absolutely gorgeous. Everything built on Capcom’s RE Engine has been stunning, and RE4 is no exception. Character models, animations, textures, and lighting effects have been substantially upgraded. Ray tracing takes things further, giving breathtaking detail to rain-soaked rocks and murky puddles. I was constantly opening the photo mode to grab screenshots when the game flexed its graphical fidelity.
The majority of the gameplay mechanics have been reworked. The laser aiming has been replaced with a crosshair. Recoil and idle sway are much more apparent, and Leon can’t instantly squeeze off pinpoint shots anymore. Compared to the original, it feels heavier and less snappy, which may upset some players. Lower difficulties offer aim assist, but the game is best experienced without it. Consistently landing headshots to stun enemies for melee attacks is harder this time around. Instead, I went for knee shots to follow up with kick attacks.
The entire armory of the 2005 version returns for the remake (along with a few additions). Like the original, Leon can pay the merchant to upgrade his weapon stats and acquire special attachments. For my first play-through, I used the riot gun, semi-auto rifle (now called the Stingray), broken butterfly, and the iconic Red9 with the stock attachment. The addition of weapon shortcuts made it much easier to manage a large arsenal.
The knife, which was hilariously overpowered in the original, plays a different role this time. Leon can now perform stealth attacks, finishing moves, and even parries in addition to his stabs and slashes. However, this comes at the cost of a durability meter that depletes when used. Players must pay the merchant to repair it or rely on flimsy disposable knives that can be looted in crates and barrels.
A plethora of small gameplay additions have been added as well. Ammo and grenades can be crafted from resources, so the player is no longer dependent on random drops. Leon can equip different attaché cases that give various bonus effects. Merchant side quests can be completed to obtain spinels that can be traded for unique rewards. Typewriters allow Leon to move unneeded items into storage to preserve valuable inventory space. These changes add a breath of fresh air to the game and make it feel like a completely new experience. It also irons out the frustrating elements that didn’t quite age well.
Capcom didn’t forget about the shooting range, although it’s been completely revamped. The load-outs are now locked, and the scoring system favors speed and bonus objectives over headshots. Players earn tokens that can be exchanged for charms. These charms provide bonus status effects, such as additional health recovery or item discounts. It feels much more rewarding than the original, which only occasionally rewarded the player with in-game currency.
The Mercenaries also returns as free DLC. This iteration includes 4 playable characters and 3 stages. The new gameplay translates to the mercenaries, but it feels scaled back compared to the original. I got an S rank on every stage in only a few tries to unlock the hand cannon, but I didn’t feel enticed to keep playing.
I was disappointed that Separate Ways didn’t make it to the remake. This separate campaign was a nice addition to the original. It filled in missing pieces of the story and mixed up the gameplay. I’m hoping that Capcom announces it as a free DLC soon, but there hasn’t been any news.
Anyone who has played the original RE4 is all too familiar with Ashley Graham. Leon must protect her at all costs, even at the risk of his own life. During several chapters, players must prevent enemies from killing or capturing her, or else they will be faced with a Game Over screen. Capcom has made several significant changes to Ashley this time around. She’s less of a typical “damsel in distress” and does her best to help Leon instead of hindering him. Her dialogue has been significantly improved (no more “Help me, Leon!”), and her character design actually reflects her age now.
Ashley is less of a chore to escort compared to the original. Players can now order her to follow closely or at a distance so she stays out of the fight. Her health bar has been replaced with an “incapacitated” state that she automatically recovers from. There are still some frustrating segments (such as the catapult section of the castle), but she’s much less of a nuisance than before.
The brief section of the game where you play as Ashley has been completely overhauled. By focusing on the “armaduras” (shambling suits of armor controlled by parasites), the sequence feels like an authentic survival horror experience. Ashley’s only means of self-defense is a lantern that can briefly stun enemies. Players must evade these monsters as they traverse the dimly lit mausoleum and library.
Overall, I enjoyed my time with Resident Evil 4. After years of waiting, the remake lived up to the hype. Capcom struck a perfect balance by reworking the gameplay to modern standards while retaining everything that made the original iconic. I’m hoping to see Resident Evil 5 gets the remake treatment next.
