Video Game Review: “Resident Evil 4 (Remake)”

Platform – PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Steam

Developed By – Capcom

Published By – Capcom

Released – March 23, 2023

Genre – Survival Horror

For the past four years, Capcom has released remakes of titles from the Resident Evil franchise, starting with Resident Evil 2. During a PlayStation State of Play in June 2022, however, a remake of Resident Evil 4 was announced. 

The Remade 2005 Story

Resident Evil 4 Remake’s story follows the exact premise of the 2005 original but does feature some changes longtime fans will likely notice. 

Set six years after the events of Resident Evil 2 and the destruction of Raccoon City, Leon Kennedy has become an agent of the United States government and is sent to rescue the daughter of president, Ashley Graham. Ashley was taken to a village in rural Spain and upon arrival to the village, Leon finds that the villagers are being controlled by the parasite Las Plagas, a recurring virus in the franchise. 

Leon must now protect Ashley from these villagers as he waits for his extraction from the village. 

The Remake Versus Original

Resident Evil 4 Remake takes cues from Resident Evil 2 Resident Evil 3’s remakes, where the gameplay was modernized. For example, Leon’s knife has limited durability, meaning players can no longer exclusively rely on the knife as they could in the original. Enemies have also been given an upgrade as they are now much more aggressive because they can actively use the environment against Leon or even grab him during combat forcing him to escape before his health is drained. Leon has limited resources, meaning he will have to utilize the merchant, a crafting system and strategy to ensure their survival. 

Ashley has also been reworked to fit a more modern play style. In the 2005 original, Ashley was given a health bar like Leon and players could expand it if needed. However, the remake omits this and now Ashley can only take one major attack before being “incapacitated.” If she is hit  while in this state, it’s game over. A game over can also be triggered if an enemy grabs Ashley and takes her a certain distance. In the original, the player could force Ashley to follow, wait or hide in a dumpster, but once again, the remake changes it to where Ashley can either loosely or tightly follow Leon. These changes to Ashley’s escort mechanic force players of both the original and remake to reapproach the game and adds a sense of challenge. 

There are also other various gameplay changes incorporated such as the omission of most quick time events or the properties of Leon’s guns.

Graphically, the remake is phenomenal as it gives a gritty realistic setting. Character models are realistically rendered, even down to their hair strands. Additionally, environments give the sense of tension as players have no idea what is around the corner while they explore. Enemies are also appropriately rendered as they have a disgusting look and can make players uncomfortable. The soundtrack also revamps the original’s by giving it an even creepier vibe but if players have the deluxe downloadable content, they can change the soundtrack to the original’s. 
Resident Evil 4Remake brings a fresh take on the 2005 original that was hailed as a classic by many fans. Long time Resident Evil fans will enjoy revisiting Leon’s adventure and new fans will have something to enjoy as well. Currently Resident Evil 4 Remake is $59.99, unless players want the Deluxe Edition for $69.99, and it is very much worth the price but players should also take the time to experience the original game as well.