After over 25 years of new single player and multiplayer games, Capcom has proven that it’s more than willing to reinvent how players view the horrors that lie within the Resident Evil franchise. Whether its changing the camera perspective or fully remaking a beloved classic for a new generation of gamers, Resident Evil has managed to survive its worst days by re-evaluating what modern fans want from the series and taking advantage of the updated hardware to create (or recreate) new adventures that can stand shoulder to shoulder with the original entries. Even just six years after the series made its debut, Capcom saw the opportunity to remake the original Resident Evil and took additional steps beyond just updating the graphics, instead revising the puzzles and overall story while fleshing out Spencer Mansion with new areas to explore and new subplots to uncover. This original remake has managed to stand the test of time so well that when Capcom reapproached the idea of reconstructing the initial games in the series back in 2015, the development team instead decided to go straight to Resident Evil 2 for the first of what would be several remakes, with the 2019 game being followed by Resident Evil 3 the next year. Both of these retellings embraced the modern over-the-shoulder camera perspective and enhanced visual and audio presentations to produce new entries that feel fresh and original despite being based on games from over two decades ago.
After the release of the Resident Evil 3 remake, debates had already begun on the necessity of a remake of the acclaimed fourth game. Not only did Resident Evil 4 help kickstart the traditional third-person shooter perspective, but the sheer number of ports over the years has helped ensure that anyone who has wanted to check out Leon’s adventure in rural Spain could already do so on their platform of choice, even including VR or mobile. But once again, Capcom had the freedom to not only retell but expand upon one of their fan favorite titles, and as we inch closer and closer to release,many of these changes have already been made public. For one, much like the 2002 remake of the series debut, the new Resident Evil 4 will feature six different control schemes, with one that hearkens back to how the game first played back in 2005, as well as others that will allow Leon to move and shoot at the same time. Additionally, players can also discover side quests via blue flyers posted around the levels or by chatting with the merchant, an added feature that the recent Dead Space remake used to great advantage by rewarding dedicated players with extra lore and meaningful loot.
The president’s daughter Ashley Graham will make her return as a supporting character in the remake, which may or may not be welcome news to fans of the original game, as her unreliable AI behavior regularly encouraged players to hide her in a nearby dumpster or risk her death during a tense combat sequence. Fortunately, players will have more control over her movements in the remake, with the R3 button encouraging Ashley to follow close or stay further back, and she will also enter a downed state when taking too much damage, providing an opportunity for revival instead of going straight to a game over screen. Ashley will also come in handy for select puzzles that have been revised to take advantage of two characters, with Ashley being able to fit into small spaces or use Leon’s help to reach higher platforms. The frequent usage of quicktime events has also been toned down and Leon can now carry multiple knives to escape or parry enemy attacks, although the durability of the knives will need to be upgraded via the merchant. A new quick weapon select mechanic has also been introduced, allowing players to quickly swap between guns, knives, explosives and the freshly-added crossbow, which can be fired quietly for stealth attacks and has retrievable bolts.
The sheer popularity of the original Resident Evil 4 will likely prove to be a double-edged sword upon the remake’s launch. While new fans will simply be able to evaluate the game as it is, longtime fans will understandably be comparing nearly every sequence to how it played out all those years ago, and whether all these changes and new features make for an improved experience overall. With so many varying expectations on how the remake should and should not play out, and several teases from Capcom as to how the story will be altered for a modern audience, the odds of the 2023 game being vastly preferred to the original game are slim to none. But if Capcom can make a compelling new entry that respects the vision of the original development team all those years ago while also expanding upon the gameplay and atmosphere that continues to engross players to this day, then the latest Resident Evil remake can stand proudly alongside the others as a faithful but evolved retelling. Capcom has managed to walk this fine line before and it’ll only be a matter of time before we find out if they can do it again when Resident Evil 4 remake launches on March 24 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and PS4.
