It can’t be denied that the “Resident Evil” series re-defined survival horror games nearly three decades ago with the original iteration. With fixed camera angles, jump scares and a control scheme that proved more hazardous to the player’s character than helpful, “Resident Evil” and its sequels inspired an entire generation of gaming & beyond – beyond included movies & comic books. But nothing compares to the true “Resident Evil” experience than through its original video game format.
Over the last few years, Capcom has mixed producing new iterations in the franchise with remaking old games for current consoles be it “Resident Evil Village” in 2021 and “Resident Evil 3’s” remake the previous year respectively to revitalize the series. After many years of wishing and speculation, the truth was revealed that, yes, a “Resident Evil 4” remake was on the way. Almost twenty years after the original version was released on Nintendo’s Gamecube, the adventures of Leon Kennedy are back in all their remade glory and I was ready to see if Capcom had the ability to recapture the magic of, arguably, the greatest “Resident Evil” game of all time.
Did I Complete “Resident Evil 4 (remake/2023)”?
Like the original iteration, the 2023 remake of “Resident Evil 4” features the player taking control of Leon Kennedy entering an unnamed Spanish village in hopes of rescuing the President of the United State’s daughter after an abduction. Entering the home of a rather stoic, yet obviously focused villager who refuses to even acknowledge Leon’s existence, Kennedy discovers that his eventual attacker is one of many who have been infected by “las plagas” parasites – a creature that turns even the most unassuming people into bullet sponges ready to throw hatchets, Molotov cocktails, and hands toward this unwanted, would-be hero who can now move and shoot instead of the player having to stop walking to fire off a round like in the original game.
Following up on the more action-oriented “Resident Evil 3”, “RE 4” originally set a standard for not only the series, but also the genre by placing the camera close & over the shoulder of Leon that allowed players to react a lot quicker when surrounded by the growing amount of adversaries flooding an area. This gameplay change was complemented by three unique sections quartered off into “Acts” & sub-chapters (in this version it’s just “Chapters”) full of treasures, opportunities to find resources, and, of course, the chance to put Ashley in harrowing predicaments that could result in her getting kidnapped again.
After a little over twenty-five hours according to the in-game clock (though there were several hours where I was away from the controller and didn’t use the “Pause” menu to stop the clock), I completed my first playthrough on “Standard” difficulty; picking up all of the collectables including the one mechanized “Castellans” hidden in each level (sixteen in total) and a slew of trophies such as one for completing every “Merchant Request” – a new feature in this version usually consisting of killing a few creatures be it rats or a super Regenerator, or collecting a specific item like a “scratched emerald” for the rarest in-game currency.
Unfortunately, the “Separate Ways” expansion mode isn’t available in this iteration; leaving players to replay Leon and Leon’s experience only with the intent of getting those perfect “S-plus”-grade runs on the various difficulties including “Professional” and even making it through an entire playthrough only using a knife and the original pistol. As of this time a platinum trophy seems like a no-go mostly thanks to the necessity of getting an “S” ranking in all the shooting range’s course. But with that being stated, replaying “RE 4” with the intent of seeing the optional shortcuts, getting all the weapons, and even tackling the hardest of hard modes in the game doesn’t seem too far fetched.
What Makes “Resident Evil 4 (remake/2023)” Unique?
The original “Resident Evil 4” revolutionized how someone thought playing an “RE” was meant to be by changing the camera orientation alongside how the hero moved while also presenting more sequences where the player would have to weigh their options when trying to land head shots on incoming foes. One of the best ways to prevent the loss of too much ammo especially when taking on a horde in the 2005 iteration was shooting an enemy in the kneecaps and pulling off a stylish roundhouse kick that had the potential of knocking a villager down for a follow-up knife attack (with one knife attack alongside the prompt pulling off a definitive kill that also prevents downed enemies from transforming into monsters sprouting las plagas from their necks) or said kick actually killing an enemy and producing some wonderful loot including the currency needed to purchase everything from weapons, to healing items, to increasing the effective of every weapon in Leon’s inventory via gaming’s favorite Merchant.
In the “Resident Evil 3” remake three years ago, the developers added an ability to dodge with Jill rolling underneath lunging enemies while her companion Carlos performed shoulder tackles for a subsequent skull-crushing punch. There is the ability to evade certain maneuvers as Leon (mostly against bigger foes and bosses), but nothing like the previous remake. Instead, Kennedy is given the ability to parry incoming attacks with his knife. If the player hits the “Block” button right before Leon is struck, he’ll pull off a parry that can knock back a foe if they’re wielding a weapon, and actually slice off arms if his foes are unarmed. The knife can also be used to free Leon when he gets grabbed, but the knife loses more of its durability as an escape tool compared to other instances of using the knife in combat.
To ensure Leon doesn’t become an overpowered parrying machine immediately, the knives afforded to Kennedy have lacking durability even when his main “Combat Knife” is upgraded to the max with the only way of repairing his favorite knife is by paying the Merchant. If Leon doesn’t have a knife in his inventory, he can’t parry and will take heavy damage. The game does a good job dropping lesser quality knives to avoid Leon being without, but knives like the “Kitchen” or “Boot” variations don’t hold up nearly as well.
The President’s daughter Ashley Graham has also come into this version with some significant changes. Beyond some aesthetic choices that makes her appear older than her 2005 version, Ashley is also both more capable and annoying especially when walking in front of an aiming Leon regarding the latter. With the touch of a button, the player can order Ashley to stay close to Leon (perfect for those moments when trying to run away from a sudden mass of enemies) or distance herself from him so he can shoot without fear of her interrupting him with her nearby body.
Ashley’s health bar from the original version is gone; replaced with a downed animation sequence where if she’s hit twice she dies. If the player is able to pick Ashley up after the first hit, it resets the unseen meter. A meter not invisible is the one that fills when Ashley is picked up and carried off by an enemy. If the meter completely fills before Leon can free her from the clutches of evil it’s an immediate game over.
Little touches to Ashley’s gameplay helps make this escort mission a lot more tolerable including her ability to help open doors or turn cranks to produce bridges; though she’s not as productive during combat like, say, Elizabeth from “Bioshock Infinite” who started off as the stereotypical “damsel in distress” before evolving into an essential part of the game’s action loop. Personality wise, Ashley is also a lot less annoying in this iteration; becoming something of a little sister to Leon attempting to show she can handle herself alongside him. Yet, Ashley still needs to be protected at various points including telling her to hide in a locker instead of a conveniently-placed dumpster or catching her after jumping from a balcony. Another interesting take on how to handle moments of Leon and Ashley being separated is the enforcing of las plagas infecting her body instead of the ditzy girl just running off into danger when things were getting too overwhelming for her like in the 2005 version.
“Los Ganados” are just as varied and tough as they were in the original with even the initial brutes needing a mixture of several bullets and some luck to put each one down. Unlike other games in the franchise, trying to sneak past a majority of the adversaries is impossible; though there is the implementation of stealth takedowns with the knife if the player can get behind a human-shaped foe. The enemy AI is quite intelligent as well by utilizing bear traps to their advantage, cutting off corners when giving chase, and being surprisingly patient when the player attempts to camp in one area (though funneling can work fairly well if the player has the opportunity to do so).
The boss battles mostly return in all their glory including the clash with El Gigante and his armored twin, trying to shoot a big-mouthed man-child, and taking on sub-bosses like the pig-mask wearing sledgehammer guy who is just as unpredictable as everyone’s favorite Leatherface wannabe. There are a few flaws in regards to the game’s biggest battles including the final boss that feels almost too easy compared to the previous two major enemies Leon has to conquer as the game reaches its climax. Also, the lagos monster battle is a lot more exhilarating in the original where it felt like a life or death scenario compared to this version’s almost tamed counterpart. And it must be stated that a majority of the boss transformation presentations seen in the original have been removed.
One of the most influential aspects in regards to the original “Resident Evil 4” was the implementation of the Merchant – a rather chatty individual housing so many goods within his trench coat. Coming back and actually having more encouraging words for Leon, the Merchant also presents rewards for completing his requests that can help purchase maps, wonderful pistols and various weapon attachments, and will offer Kennedy money for selling jewel-encrusted crowns or found gems to him. There’s also a shooting gallery associated with several spots the Merchant sets up shop where the player is rewarded with coins if they get a rating of “B” or higher when tackling the range. These coins are placed in the range’s slot machine that produces a keychain sporting unique specialties like gaining more handgun ammo when crafting as long as that keychain is attached to Leon’s inventory case (the case can sport up to three keychains at a time).
The Merchant is also the only way Leon can obtain the new “Bolt Thrower” weapon. By purchasing this crossbow, players can shoot retrievable bolts that may prove a one-shot-kill if the player hits that perfect head shot without making a sound to alert other enemies. The “Bolt Thrower’s” most interesting aspect is the ability to attach mines to fired bolts with a mine actually being able to explode an enemy if the mine hits a foe instead of the ground.
The plot is mostly the same, though there are some glaring differences in the presentation and interactions of the most exaggerated villains being reduced in number including Salazar being able to hack Leon’s communications to taunt him (replaced with various moments of him talking through a speakers that are conveniently placed around the island). Lord Saddler is mostly non-existent until the last few chapters and feels underwhelming as an all-powerful figure pulling the strings – now a maniacal cult leader instead of a man of great intelligence fueled by a power beyond his control.
For many, Ada Wong’s presentation is the most heartbreaking as her dynamic with Leon is hindered by a very lackadaisical vocal presentation and reduced scenes featuring the lady in red compared to the original. On the opposite end, Hunnigan gets more screen time even if it’s just through Leon’s two-way communicator. Lady-killer Luis also has more exposition added to his character that gives him a real sympathetic feel to conflict with his stereotypical “Spanish lover” personality. Just like the previous remakes, there are some sections removed or modified; but most were either absurd moments or not necessary in correlation with this game trying to be more grounded in its overall atmosphere.
“Mercenaries” mode was added not long after the game’s release. This time-based, kill-as-many-enemies-as-possible experience allows players to shoot & slash their way to rewards and “Challenge/Completion Points” needed to unlock different outfits, weapons, and gallery models. Unlike the “Resident Evil Village” version of this mode, there are multiple characters to choose from with their own non-customizable load outs and the newly implemented, meter-based “Mayhem Mode” where the playing character gains a unique power or ability like Leon’s speed & power increasing while in “Mayhem Mode” while Luis can throw dynamite when the mode is active.
From a technical aspect the game runs as smoothly as its remake predecessors with impressive graphical offerings in regards to almost every environment even when the player has to backtrack and discover the destruction that occurred off-screen. Musical cues and the general sound is absolutely perfect especially when the game attempts to confuse the player in regards of what’s around the next corner.
From a gameplay perspective, the game’s biggest flaw has to be the camera when pressed against a wall and surrounded by enemies that can result in Leon getting stun locked if hit by one enemy and Kennedy can’t either move or the player’s timing is off when trying to perform a block or parry. Also, there is some noticeable input delay at times when trying to block. The crafting system definitely is a step back when compared to “Resident Evil Village” if inventory management is an issue with certain gamers as resources now take up inventory space.
Micro-transactions were also added alongside the “Mercenaries” mode update in the form of being able to use real money to buy the “Exclusive Upgrade Ticket” – an item in the main story mode that originally could only be purchased with in-game currency. These tickets allow a player to unlock a fully upgraded weapon’s “exclusive upgrade” (usually something along the lines of “5 times critical rate” increase with the starting pistol). Of course, the player can bypass the grind and drop real money to avoid spending anywhere between 60,000 to 100,000 coins/pesetas for those premium upgrades. And that’s not mentioning the “Treasure Map” DLC where players can pay so more items made for selling to the Merchant are added to each map.
The original “Resident Evil 4” is considered the peak of “Resident Evil” games. While some of the magic and general campiness from the original is lost with this remake, in its place is better gameplay options, Ashley proving less of a hindrance, and the Merchant being his old wonderful self with more items for the player to take advantage of if they have enough money; producing one of the most enjoyable experiences of 2023 thus far and another “RE” classic.
Should You Play “Resident Evil 4 (remake/2023)”?
The strive to improve upon subjective perfection is a fleeting goal in almost medium or form, yet “Resident Evil 4” (2023) both surpasses and falls short in accomplishing the feat of being better than its original version. The flaws – be it some camera issues, unnecessary micro-transactions, and once playable sections either changed or removed – pale in comparison to the overall scope, combat, and general aesthetics that will help this remake stand the test of time just like the 2005 version. Fans of the newer “RE” remakes will find this as the crème de la crème in the catalouge thus far. Older gamers may have some more complaints when comparing the original iteration and its 2023 figurative son. Not surprising, “Resident Evil 4’s” remake is a game almost everyone should add to their library as it ends up being as satisfying as pulling off a perfect German suplex during a chaotic fight with religious zealots.
