REVIEW: Resident Evil 4 Remake
Developer: Capcom Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Capcom Co., Ltd.
Released: 2023
Platforms: PS4 & PS5 | Xbox Series | Steam
Capcom did a great job reimagining a game that didn’t need it in the first place. And thankfully, it didn’t go down the bland route that RE7 took.
I’m predictable as a Resident Evil fan in that I think 4 is the “best” of the franchise. While I’m a bit disappointed with how serious Remake takes itself, I’m ultimately not angry about the change. The original game is readily available to own and play, and it still holds up perfectly. RE4R is a different way to enjoy it (if you’re okay with the second price for entry, of course).
My opinions about RE4R are basically split into “buffs'' and “nerfs” compared to the original. I’m skipping the deep and meaningful essay, and straight to the Best and Worst list. My blog is a mess!
BUFFS:
I was apprehensive of knife durability at first, but it grew on me as soon as I applied upgrades. It injects more survival horror into the game. The knife can be used as a panic button to break free of a tight situation, but at a massive penalty to its durability.
Other great features include parrying with the knife (even chainsaws, which is spot on with RE4’s campiness), and using kitchen knives as emergency backup knives.
Ashley is adorable in Remake. She’s leagues more likable. I believe she's aged up, so it shouldn’t be awkward to compliment her upgraded outfit.
My Twitter algorithms suggested a weird number of people upset over her new black tights. One dumb gaming journalist even rambled about the tights “de-sexualizing” Ashley. What are these Internet randos talking about? Tights are hot! She looks great with them!
I guess I’ll also address the elephant in the room: no, her “ballistics” weren’t nerfed. They’re just freed. Oddly, Luis’s memeable comment about them got removed, when it wouldn’t sound as creepy in this game.
Luis plays a bigger role in Remake by tagging along with Leon in more than just the cabin. His face has been redone to have that cliché sculpted chin and smoldering face, and yes I’m a sucker for it.
Leon isn’t as sassy, but it’s nice to see his more caring side. His adjusted personality meshes well with Ashley when they chat with each other.
There are a couple alterations to earning money in Remake that I appreciate. Spinels are repurposed as a currency for deluxe items and upgrades. Getting to rearrange gems on special treasures is a godsend.
NERFS:
Salazar and Saddler were hurt the most by Remake’s serious tone. They’ve lost their charm, degraded to generic villains of the week.
I hate the removal of codec calls. Hunnigan and Luis simply appear in a generic box at the bottom of the screen. Consequently, the best sassy quips from Leon are gone. Its absence further hurts Salazar and Saddler.
Ada’s performance is flat (don’t harass voice actors over butchered jobs, though).
Her new outfit isn’t the worst, but it’s not great, either. Nothing can top the silk dress from the original game.
Screenshot from the Resident Evil Fandom Wiki
If you can believe it, I think the Plagas dogs are too goofy, even though Resident Evil is already goofy. Because of the game’s intense contrast and dark shadows, their murky bodies blend in (I think the Fandom screenshot above lightened it so you can properly see them).
To compensate, their teeth were made intensely bright. They look like silly Halloween decorations with LEDs in their mouths.
I get the camouflage aspect for their fur, but I still think the devs should have used the white wolves from the original game. Plus, the lycanths from RE8 did a better job integrating unsettling proportions into their designs.
For me, the biggest crime in Remake is in regards to the Regenerators. It feels like the devs forgot what made them so terrifying.
The first time I saw a Regenerator in the original RE4, I felt a slight fear shoot down my spine. With their stuttery animations and the way their model geometry pulls apart, they shatter what your brain considers “normal” in the game’s world. That’s effective horror!
The new Regenerators still flop around, and they have jiggle physics (yes, including the booty), but everything I mentioned previously is gone. I was looking forward to seeing them, only to be severely disappointed. I hope a PC mod brings back their true eeriness.
Despite the sacrifices that Resident Evil 4 Remake makes to fit its new vision, the overall experience is worth it.
Two Thumbs Up
