This review contains spoilers
Remaking RE4 must have been a daunting task. To update one of the most beloved games of all time is a banana skin if I ever saw one. However Capcom found a way by both staying faithful and branching off in it's own direction. Making a game that feels like RE4 and a new experience at the same time.
Controlling Leon has never felt better with stellar gunplay, but the knife updates are a game changer. Stealth kills to conserve resources and the ability to parry attacks which never got old. The durability meter is a small price to pay for these new tools in Leon's arsenal.
The game still has the high octane action of the original but mixes in more traditional RE atmospere and light puzzles that do wonders for pacing out the action imo. Many classic set pieces return some faithful some with new twists to make them more enjoyable in a modern context. The remake also adds entirely new setpieces which kept me guessing throughout. Boss fights have been updated to take advantage of modern tech creating epic encounters that will test your mastery of the games mechanics. The addition of sidequests in a very FF7R manner feels clunky but still welcome as it gives you more reason to keep playing this amazing game.
The merchant adds a level of personalisation and replability to the game as how Leon is kitted out is down to you. The game rewards explorers with more tools to deal with the waves of cultists in your way, creating a eternal gameplay loop. New enemy types and updates to existing enemies keep players on there toes and adds to the combat sandbox seen in the original. Ashley gameplay changes make her a little less of a hassle to deal with as you no longer need to consider upgrading her health instead of Leon's.
What makes Ashley far less of a hassle tho is the change in story. The more serious tone to put in line with the other remakes greatly benefits Ashely and Luis to be more fleshed out and likeable. The cheesy tone may be diminished but not completly lost as there are still plenty of one liners thrown out by our leading man. Which take you prefer will come down to personal taste.
The same can be said about the games as a whole. Both versions are amazing games and which you prefer comes down primarily to taste. I personally prefer this more modern take but have great respect for the original.
Controlling Leon has never felt better with stellar gunplay, but the knife updates are a game changer. Stealth kills to conserve resources and the ability to parry attacks which never got old. The durability meter is a small price to pay for these new tools in Leon's arsenal.
The game still has the high octane action of the original but mixes in more traditional RE atmospere and light puzzles that do wonders for pacing out the action imo. Many classic set pieces return some faithful some with new twists to make them more enjoyable in a modern context. The remake also adds entirely new setpieces which kept me guessing throughout. Boss fights have been updated to take advantage of modern tech creating epic encounters that will test your mastery of the games mechanics. The addition of sidequests in a very FF7R manner feels clunky but still welcome as it gives you more reason to keep playing this amazing game.
The merchant adds a level of personalisation and replability to the game as how Leon is kitted out is down to you. The game rewards explorers with more tools to deal with the waves of cultists in your way, creating a eternal gameplay loop. New enemy types and updates to existing enemies keep players on there toes and adds to the combat sandbox seen in the original. Ashley gameplay changes make her a little less of a hassle to deal with as you no longer need to consider upgrading her health instead of Leon's.
What makes Ashley far less of a hassle tho is the change in story. The more serious tone to put in line with the other remakes greatly benefits Ashely and Luis to be more fleshed out and likeable. The cheesy tone may be diminished but not completly lost as there are still plenty of one liners thrown out by our leading man. Which take you prefer will come down to personal taste.
The same can be said about the games as a whole. Both versions are amazing games and which you prefer comes down primarily to taste. I personally prefer this more modern take but have great respect for the original.