“Resident Evil 4” was first launched on the Nintendo GameCube again in 2005. Since then, it’s been hailed as top-of-the-line video video games of all time. Its goofy dialogue and action-based gameplay made for an entertaining journey with authorities agent Leon S. Kennedy as he rescues the president’s kidnapped daughter, Ashley, from a mysterious cult.
Nearly 20 years later, Capcom has now remade “Resident Evil 4” from the bottom up. When it was first introduced, I assumed to myself, “This recreation holds up and it doesn’t want a remake.” I used to be lifeless improper. This remake of “Resident Evil 4” is superb because it manages to honor the unique, but additionally units itself aside from it.
The sport follows Leon on a mission to a rural village in Spain. The villagers there are contaminated with a parasite referred to as Las Plagas and assault him on sight. As he fights his manner by means of the village, he should uncover the reality behind the parasite whereas additionally monitoring Ashley.
It’s a really foolish premise that works as a kind of B-movie aesthetic within the authentic recreation. Nonetheless, the remake has a a lot darker and extra critical tone. It’s paying homage to video games like “The Final of Us” and “A Plague Story: Innocence,” the place you’re on an escort mission with a companion.
The remake appears to take some cues from the extra survival horror leanings of the “Resident Evil 2” and “Resident Evil 3” remakes. There are sections of the sport in darkish and enclosed areas with a lot dimmer lighting than within the authentic, invoking emotions of concern and dread. I turned extra methodical and cautious about what may be hiding across the nook, quite than simply moving into weapons blazing as I did within the authentic recreation. However the remake nonetheless retains a few of the authentic’s levity by permitting Leon to melee wounded enemies with a roundhouse kick or suplex.
The sport strikes the right stability between horror and motion, whereas I felt that 2021’s “Resident Evil Village” was a really uneven expertise — the action-packed Fortress Dimitrescu was adopted up by horrifying Home Beneviento, which resulted in a whiplash pacing. On this “Resident Evil 4” remake, the fight sequences are exhilarating however afterward enable for moments of brevity in between. There are 16 whole chapters and it actually felt twice so long as the unique. The sport is so well-paced that I didn’t notice I spent about an hour on every chapter.
One other instant distinction I felt within the recreation was its controls. They really feel a lot smoother than they ever did within the authentic “Resident Evil 4.” The unique recreation performed out in a stop-and-go movement, requiring Leon to face nonetheless whereas he aimed his gun down at enemies. On this remake, Leon has rather more flexibility and is ready to carry out motions resembling backing up whereas additionally aiming down and taking pictures. It’s such a small change in gameplay element that has large ramifications on the sport’s fast-paced taking pictures fight.
The PS5’s DualSense controller was carried out right here properly, too. At any time when Leon patches in a radio sign to talk with somebody, you possibly can hear it by means of the controller’s audio system. The haptic suggestions from the set off buttons additionally provides a contact of immersion as you possibly can really feel your weapon’s disadvantage and recoil.
The one grievance is that Leon generally looks like he runs too slowly and sluggishly. In an effort to do a melee assault on an enemy, it’s important to be up shut. When taking pictures at a distance and seeing the enemy double over, that’s your cue to do melee them. Nonetheless, Leon may not make it as much as the enemy in time earlier than they recuperate, resulting in a clumsy state of affairs the place now I’ve to try to again as much as keep away from being attacked.
Enemies will come at Leon in droves, however he has an enormous arsenal of pistols, machine weapons and shotguns to take them down. He also can discover foreign money mendacity throughout the village to purchase varied gadgets, like first assist kits and weapon upgrades. So whether or not you prefer to go for exact headshots with a pistol, or mow down enemies with a submachine gun, you possibly can tailor Leon’s weapons to your individual play type. The sport can be intensely replayable as there are a number of problem modes and particular unlockable weapons for ending a playthrough underneath sure circumstances.
There are another huge gameplay adjustments to the sport as properly. When Ashley is accompanying Leon, you could have the choice to both have her keep shut with the intention to run previous enemies or offer you area so you possibly can safely shoot them down with out her getting in the best way. It is a welcome addition because it provides extra choices to guard Ashley. Nonetheless, it nonetheless feels such as you’re babysitting her, provided that she doesn’t have any strategy to defend herself. That is actually annoying contemplating how fast-paced the fight is — it’s simple to panic when somebody is carrying her away and you continue to must take care of quite a few enemies making an attempt to stab you.
The spinel jewels discovered within the authentic recreation have been solely meant to be bought for money. Nonetheless, within the remake, they’ll now be traded in for further perks, resembling a treasure map of the world Leon is at the moment in, or further components for weapons, like a elaborate new scope. The remake additionally provides aspect quests, which embody small duties like killing three rats in a constructing. Whereas these sound mundane, it’s price finishing them as they reward you with spinel jewels to commerce in.
These new options are good touches that honor the muse of the unique recreation whereas additionally modernizing it for the present day. It’s clear that Capcom put fairly a little bit of thought into the “Resident Evil 4” remake to ensure that it to face by itself deserves. It doesn’t exchange the unique recreation in any respect; it’s merely a special and supplemental model of it.
Whether or not you’re a long-time fan of “Resident Evil 4” or a newcomer to it, this remake is an unbelievable recreation. Regardless of some small points, I can’t overstate how a lot enjoyable it’s and the way it honors the unique’s legacy as one of many biggest video video games of all time.
