Resident Evil 4 Remake Review - Are Remakes Worth Buying?

The original Resident Evil 4 is hailed as one of the best titles of the franchise and a pioneer of the action-horror genre in general. While it did move further away from Resident Evil's survival roots, a change in pace that was unwelcome for some (such as myself), it defined the future of the next few games to come.

It reasons to stand, then, that remaking such a crucial game would be a momentous task. Remakes and remasters are a dime a dozen these days; some masterfully recreating the intended designs with modern innovation, whereas others are lazy cash-grabs that only tarnish the legacy of the originals.

Thankfully for Resident Evil fans, the 2023 remake of 4 is absolutely part of the former.

The Remakes So Far

Before delving into 4, it is worth examining the previous modern remakes of Resident Evil games to determine how they were handled and what that could have entailed for RE4. 

Resident Evil 2 was the first game to be remade in the current style back in 2019 to a resounding success. Capcom reinvented the classic 1999 game for old and new audiences alike, taking advantage of twenty years of graphical and gameplay advancement to recreate Raccoon City's fall in a brutal, punchy fashion.

This time played from a third person perspective as opposed to the fixed camera angles of the original games, the combat took a front and center approach, thrusting you into the horror up close.

Zombies, lickers and the other horrific BOWs (Bio-Organic Weapons) were more animated, smarter and gore-splattered than ever before. The police station, sewers and Umbrella laboratories were crafted to faithfully replicate the original locations and puzzles within, and in some cases even expanded.

Even the characters of the story were fleshed out to a heavier degree, with new dialogue and motivations beyond the cheesy speeches the originals were renowned for.

Unfortunately, the RE2 Remake did suffer some content cut from the original, notably the heavily differing B scenarios which provided clarity to the game's canon and the roles of Claire and Leon. The B scenarios still technically exist, but only as a mode with minor item randomisation. Other casualties included the crow and spider enemies, as well as an alligator boss fight that was relegated to a quicktime event.

The cuts were a major disappointment to fans of the original game, but all in all, did not prove enough of a problem to affect the otherwise positive outlook of the remake. 

Such a sentiment could not be shared for the second game in the series to be remade, Resident Evil 3. 

Resident Evil 3's remake came just a year after the RE2 Remake, already foretelling signs of a rushed development cycle that left developers no room to breathe and a heap of content sacrificed to make the deadline.

The reception was unanimous: while RE3 served as a fun, if short, game on its own -- it failed miserably as a remake.

Several important chunks of the game were removed entirely. The Clocktower, one of RE3's landmark locations, home to one of the game's most notorious puzzles and an epic showdown with Nemesis, was reduced to a mere background piece. 

The live choice segments were cut, as was the mercenaries mode and multiple weapons. The Gravedigger boss, Raccoon City Park... the list goes on. 

With one remake a success and the other a failure, the odds were 50/50 on whether Resident Evil 4 2023 would turn out a faithful recreation or a game eviscerated by cut content.

Resident Evil 4 (2023)

Continuing the trend of the remakes, Resident Evil 4 was created by Capcom on the REngine, without a need to transition camera perspectives as the original was also the first game in the franchise to switch to a over-the-shoulder perspective. As such, the graphics are just as atmospheric and gritty as the first two remakes, pushed further as the engine is iterated upon.

The game begins when Leon S. Kennedy is deployed to rural Spain to rescue the missing daughter of the President of the United States, and becomes entangled with a cult of parasite worshipping locals known as Las Plagas. Entering the village for the first time feels like a direct replica of the original, upgraded with moody fog and crisper lighting -- and this continues to hold true through every subsequent location.

Compared to the original, the remake's story is almost a direct translation; a few trims here and there to keep a tight pace, dialogue rewritten to fit modern audiences and rely less on cheesy quips (though they are still present!) and focus on a more mature story through expanding Leon's trauma from the Raccoon City incident.

The action is preserved just as well, lending to a more grounded, impactful style of combat this time around rather than the near anime-esque moves of the original, especially where Krauser is concerned.

These changes to narrative and tone make a game that somehow manages to balance a bleaker, darker setting while maintaining the occasional sprinkle of camp from the original. And the best part? All of this is done with minimal cuts from the original game. Even Mercenaries and Ada's Separate Ways were released as DLC not long after launch, with the latter containing the majority of what was cut from Leon's story.

Gameplay

With plenty of experience in Resident Evil already, I began my first playthrough on hardcore and found it thoroughly challenging -- even more so than the original game's difficulty. 

All monsters have been improved dramatically, with more accurate throws, smarter pathing, and less ways to abuse their AI.

  

Ammo was scarce enough in the early game to keep me rationing whatever rounds I could, before gradually becoming more abundant towards the end of the game, especially as I maxed out treasures and began to drown in merchant points.

Countless amounts of Ganado villagers corner and harass you throughout all chapters of the story, with an occasional harder monster such as a chainsaw wielder, Garridor, or Regenerator thrown in. The difficulty peaks when one of these creatures are unleashed upon you in the overwhelming mix of the former. Thankfully, the parry ability is a lifesaver when used proficiently. 

While the hordes of enemies you face can pose a threat (especially when having to open doors, figure out puzzles or save Ashley) the majority of bosses left something to be desired. 

Mendez was tough until I figured out his patterns, as was Verdugo, but fights like the El Gigantes, Del Lago, Salazar and Saddler were far too easy. Salazar can be dealt a near fatal blow with a mere golden egg, and by the time you reach Saddler you likely have enough points to buy an RPG or two and one-shot him -- though this is a problem with Resident Evil games that contain merchants rather than a boss design issue. 

Speaking of merchants, a welcome addition to the remake is merchant requests, and I say this as someone who dislikes the fact that merchants detract from the game's survival aspect. Requests are side quests that encourage exploration or lead to fights with mini-bosses, rewarding those who take the time to investigate every corner of the map.

 

Completing requests reward the player with spinels that can be used to purchase rewards such as weapon attachments, treasures, or maps. Nothing too overpowered, but certainly helpful.

The gun range also returns, providing a fun if sometimes frustrating side game that hones your skills with multiple weapons. Another new addition to the game is gun case charms, a reward from the gun range which provide small passive bonuses to crafting, health items or weapons.

Puzzles took less of a precedence in the OG RE4, to my grievance, and the same holds true with the remake. While they are still present, many of them lack the complexity of the earlier games and instead draw difficulty from being able to complete them under the pressure of enemies attacking you.

Characters 

The characters of RE4 Remake mostly maintain their personality from the original, for better or sometimes worse. 

Leon is the same stoic, determined hero as before, with the aforementioned evolution to account for his experiences in RE2. His witty comebacks remain, if slightly toned down, and he is just as supportive of Ashley as ever.

Ashley herself perhaps has the best changes, with a more mature demeanor and her unbearable screams of "Leonnnnn!" drastically reduced. Overall, she is still in distress, as anyone in such a horrific situation would be, but she is no longer a damsel.

Louis is still charming as ever, injecting levity into an otherwise serious situation. Ada returns with a different voice actor from the Resident Evil 2 Remake, unfortunately sounding bored but continuing to assist Leon with timely saves and crucial knowledge. Sadly, Krauser is the same old over-the-top edgelord with atrocious dialogue. 

Salazar and Saddler are perhaps the two closest to their original incarnations, though Salazar felt remarkably less irritating this time around. I find the latter to be lacking in much personality beyond preachy cultist leader, but that's okay -- he still provides numerous setbacks and a target of our ire.

 

Conclusion 

The original Resident Evil 4 was a bold new direction, one I did not necessarily enjoy -- but it is easy to see why so many did. It was not a bad game to me, it simply wasn't the style of Resident Evil I preferred. 

With all that being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the Remake and its melding of old and new. It excels not just as a game, but comes as close to perfection as remakes can, keeping the bulk of content from the original while trimming the fat that weighed it down. 

Even if I prefer the remake of Resident Evil 2 due to its focus on survival horror rather than heavier action, it is hard to deny that 4 is a superior remake. If Capcom plan to remake any others in the franchise, such as the teased 5 or Code Veronica, it is paramount that they stick to 4's winning formula.