Capcom redefined third-person games with the original release of Resident Evil 4 back in 2005. I remember watching the G4TV X-Play review and hearing nothing but amazing things about this title. Some complained the series was shying away from its survival horror roots but many fans loved the new take on the series, with the inclusion of the over-the-shoulder view camera and an emphasis on precise combat. It looked completely different from any other Resident Evil title before it and this helped launch the series into a gigantic franchise, appeasing old fans and gathering a ton of new fans to the series.

After a hugely enthusiastic response from Capcom’s remakes of RE2 and RE3, it is now time for the “God Father” of third-person gaming to get its fair share of love from a modern audience. The RE4 remake launches with Capcom’s famous attention to polish and breathes fresh air into a classic title that has probably been replayed by many fans numerous times throughout the nearly two decades since its launch. Whether you have played it 100 times or for the first time, the Resident Evil 4 remake is a must-play for any survival horror fan and fans of the franchise.

Story

It has been six years since the Raccoon City incident and our knight in shining armor, Leon, is back in the fray. We are exposed to a much more grizzled and seasoned Leon, no longer a rookie cop and now a very well-trained government agent. Leon is sent to Europe searching for the U.S. President’s daughter, Ashley. She was last seen near a “small” rural village in which the game begins.

Fans who are familiar with the original story will be glad to know that this new remake follows a similar formula to the other RE remakes. Although the story does not veer away much from its original material, there are some changes that definitely change the way certain plots are played out and further expands on character development. Comparing the remake’s story to the original is like comparing a film adaptation to the novel. Only the remake is the novel and the original game is the film adaptation. There is a lot more lore and character development that made more sense in the RE4 remake, making this my preferred way to experience Resident Evil 4.

Gameplay

I would like to start this section by stating I reviewed the game while playing on the Hardcore difficulty mode. The game recommends this mode to “any players who have played the original Resident Evil 4.” I usually prefer to play my survival horror games on the harder difficulties to make it feel more like an actual survival sim and I was not disappointed. RE4’s Hardcore mode does not disappoint in difficulty and survival-horror aspects and I totally recommend it as a first playthrough, especially if you have played the original before. 

Resident Evil 4 is carrying over a lot of what the previous RE remakes have already presented, but it feels fine-tuned and well-crafted. This does not feel like a quick cash grab. Clearly, Capcom realizes the importance of maintaining their “golden child” RE4 as a significant stance in gaming history and it shows in the remake’s polish. The game looks fantastic on current-gen hardware and PCs, all while pushing excellent performance on all fronts. Load times are quick and nearly seamless and the combat feels the best out of all the remakes thus far.

RE4 will satisfy fans of multiple tastes, from survival horror to action shooter. The close-quarters combat is fantastic and frantic, especially on the Hardcore difficulty. Enemy AI is smarter now, rushing to Leon when cornered and they move much faster overall, upping the difficulty. Leon is much more agile and easier to control this time around, with full 360-degree movement. Gone are the clunky tank-like controls and the buttery smooth remake controls from RE3 take its place. Enemies can still be kicked and suplexed, depending on their stunned stance. Leon still has his knife this time around, but it has limited use before it breaks and needs repairs.

Luckily, the Merchant makes a return in the game and can repair certain items, such as the knife, in exchange for coins found throughout your adventure. It seemed like most if not all weapons made a return from the original title, but I won’t go into specifics to avoid spoiler territory. I will say that the weapons can be fully upgraded to unlock special bonuses. Most weapons are available via purchasing through the Merchant but some are found throughout the campaign. The Merchant will offer discounts on weapons that are featured in that Chapter, but it is a one-time offer so be ready to save your coin! I would also like to mention that those who miss the original laser beam sight from the original title will be happy to know that a laser sight is an optional weapon attachment that can be unlocked early on in the game. The nostalgia was so real you could taste it.

So, how does the remake differ from the original? In almost every way imaginable, the remake takes what the original accomplished and heightens it to such a high level that it feels like a new experience. Even the inventory system remains very similar to the original game but with the added bonus of charms, which can be unlocked through an in-game event, that will aid you with bonus perks. In regards to the combat, the enemies are more agile in order to compensate for Leon’s new full range of movement. You can run away from a crowd of enemies only to quickly turn around and see they were chasing right behind you the whole time. I found it much more difficult to outmaneuver the enemy and found that tactics from the old game did not work as well with the remake. This was the most appealing aspect of the game for me, the combat felt fresh and made the remake feel like a brand-new game. It was actually challenging and felt rewarding.

As you can probably imagine, Boss fights have new twists compared to the original and all felt familiar but unique. Some are more similar than others but I was happy to see some of the newly added aspects to the fights. It made them feel as exciting as they did the first time I experienced them with the original game. There are also new types of enemies in the game that challenge Leon in new ways, making the gameplay feel more varied than the original title.

There are sidequests in the new remake that are completely optional for Leon to take on. I won’t spoil the different types of sidequests here but all I will say is that they are varied and give a fantastic reason to backtrack or even encourage a second playthrough. The sidequests do give Leon rewards that aid him on his journey so they are well worth your time and effort.

Protecting Ashley this time around is much less of a chore and more of an intense task. You no longer have to worry about healing Ashley with your hard-earned herbs, but she can still be killed after she becomes incapacitated or by Leon’s friendly fire. When she is struck by an enemy she becomes incapacitated and falls to the ground. If she is struck a second time then she will be killed and it's an instant game over. She can also be abducted by enemies, just like in the original game, and if she is carried away too far out of Leon’s reach it will result in a game over. I thoroughly enjoyed the way the game handled Ashley and it gave the game an added sense of intensity and survival. Commands can be given to Ashley with the click of a button, telling her to come in close or to back away. The dialogue between Leon and Ashley has also drastically been improved and feels more natural and realistic, which I appreciated.

Audio and Visual

Resident Evil 4 is the best-looking remake in the series thus far. No big surprise here but Capcom hit it out of the park with this one. Character models look fantastic and near photorealistic, environments are thoroughly detailed, especially the castle, and performance is buttery smooth on console. The game does allow for a performance-preferred or fidelity-preferred setting on PS5. I did play on the performance mode setting, providing 1080p resolution and a solid 60fps.

Audio design is also top-notch, guns sound more realistic and have deeper lows and clear highs. The voice acting is also better with expanded dialogue. I will say that the cheesy lines that Leon spit out in the original title are mostly back, if not added upon. Thankfully they don’t seem as cringy for the most part, but there were times that I just shook my head in silence after hearing some of his famous one-liners. But hey, that’s part of the campy personality of the original and honestly, I would be more upset if they excluded them and decided to go full-blown gritty.

Replayability

Although I will not spoil any details here, I will say there is a new game plus once you complete your first playthrough and it definitely changes things up a bit. The campaign is lengthy and took me 22 plus hours to complete. Granted, I did attempt nearly all sidequests and I attempted to search for all treasures in every area. Surely multiple playthroughs won’t take as long but this is definitely the beefiest campaign out of all the RE remakes released thus far.

Currently, The Mercenaries mode will not be available until a later date but it will most likely offer players the ability to challenge themselves with hordes of enemies and beat their score. There is a rumor of more expanded DLC but we are waiting for Capcom to reveal any more news on RE4 DLC.

What It Could Have Done Better

The RE4 remake is stellar, introducing new mechanics like stealth gameplay. However, it seemed like the stealth gameplay could have been expanded upon just a bit, allowing enemies to react to dead bodies and allowing Leon to open windows in a stealthy manner. There were some sections in the game that felt like stealth was a necessity and it worked quite well, but other than that, it would seem a little clunky at times.

The only other complaint I have is not really a complaint and more of wishful thinking. As solid as this combat feels, I would have loved to see a multiplayer or co-op aspect added to this game. This would have really elevated the experience and keep players coming back. Capcom has tried in the past by shoeing in a multiplayer Resident Evil title with RE3 and Resident Evil Village, so why not with RE4? My dream is to have Capcom remake their Resident Evil Outbreak series with modern mechanics, but again, one can only dream.

Verdict

One of my favorite games of all time has just gotten better. The campaign for the RE4 remake is handled with care and elevates the title to new heights. This is my preferred way to experience Resident Evil 4 and has cemented itself, yet again, as one of my favorite games of all time. The new gameplay mechanics and expanded story elements really make this entry feel like a new game. This is an excellent example of remaking a classic title for a modern audience and giving returning fans a new experience. This easily makes this the best in the series. Bravo Capcom!

Resident Evil 4 launches on March 24th for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.