The original Resident Evil 4, on the Gamecube, has a bit of a historical significance to me, being the first (and for many years, the only) survival horror game I beat by myself. I first saw it at a friend's house, thought it looked incredibly cool, and hey, sure, it's a horror game, but I'm old enough, I can handle it now! I was, of course, wrong, a lesson the Regenerator would soon enough burn into my mind. I was also terrible at the game and died a ton, as I'm pretty sure this was also my first shooter on console. Regardless, I pushed through, and the game earned a nostalgia-filled place in my heart.
So when the remake was announced, I was a bit apprehensive. RE4 was a product of its time, both in the sense that it could never be replicated and that it would never fly in today's industry, as it features mechanics and a storytelling style that major franchises, and especially, the Resident Evil series, have moved on from. How would they even go about remaking the game? Would a remake follow in the footsteps of its predecessor, focusing on delivering on an intense and satisfying action gameplay experience, or would it attempt to pull the series further back towards survival horror? And would it keep the cheesiness of the Gamecube game, the quips and trash talk, or would it play things more seriously and focus on the Resident Evil melodrama? Would it seek to replicate the highs of the original release, or would it feel like its own, separate thing?
The answer to all of those questions is yes.
It's unenviable how many disparate things RE4R attempts to balance, and even more shocking is how it manages to. Take, for example, the character of Leon S. Kennedy, the protagonist in this story. Leon is remembered by RE4 players as being this pretty cool guy who kills ganados and doesnt afraid of anything, but that representation, as fitting as it is for the pulp action ride that is that game, is at odds with his character in basically every other Resident Evil piece of media, especially Resident Evil 2. In all other places, he's a rookie cop turned US agent who's deeply traumatized by the incident in Raccoon City, which left him filled with survivor's guilt. How do you bring that element into RE4?
RE4R kicks off by presenting a slightly altered version of the opening in which, instead of Leon neutrally narrating the events that happened in 1998, focusing on Umbrella's downfall, he is more emotional and focuses, instead, on himself: the death of the policeman in the disaster caused by the T-Virus leading, almost unwillingly, to the birth of one of the US's top secret agents. This then cuts to him in the car with the two Spanish policemen, and the three exchange quips. It's an incredible decision, because it changes nothing from the structure of the original, but takes the opportunity to present both sides of Leon's personality, immediately establishing him as a much more layered version of the character he was in the original game. Which is to say, he still is that character from an external observer's point of view -- I have never been happier to hear the word "Bingo" in my life.
That opening also shows us glimpses of other characters, like Krauser and Ada, which gives more, much needed context to their appearances later in the story. Which is to say, pretty much everyone in the cast has gained from being remade in RE4R: Ashley now has more of a partner dynamic with Leon, through which we get to see more of her inner thoughts, and also his. Ada feels less out of place, being presented in ways that make her less of a surreal addiction to the story. Saddler and Mendez are now more cult-ish and intimidating, but there's also a human side shown to the latter; Krauser's relationship with Leon, as well as his motivations, are more clearly established, making the confrontations against him more satisfying...
The greatest winner, though, has to be Luis, who, like Leon, has had his backstory emphasized and got a more layered personality. Crucially, though, he now gets more time on-screen, time which is used to deliver on a more nuanced and satisfying character arc built upon his interactions with Leon, Ashley and Ada. Without going into spoilers, he is, at first, made more mysterious (not to say sleazy), which in turn causes Leon to not trust him, and the two have a much more rocky and thus more interesting relationship. There's a parallel made between him and Don Quixote, the overwhelming outward confidence of a man who wants to be a hero, not realizing the world isn't as simple as he thinks and that he is actually in way over his head -- it's fitting for the tragic heroism to this new Luis that greatly enhances the narrative of the remake. Incidentally, for those who like digging into the lore of the game's Files, he is now more integrated into the Resident Evil canon than his predecessor, which is also a plus.
People can change, right?
The way characters are treated is but a part of how RE4R understands what was great about the original and seeks to enhance those moments whenever possible. Another area in which RE4 was incredibly successful was the creation of horror through anxiety, the feeling of being trapped, undersupplied and soon to be overwhelmed, and iconic setpieces that played to those emotions are still here: take the village fight, for instance, which retains all the qualities of the original, but adds a couple more events that enhance the feeling of being cornered. It remains, in my opinion, the most brutal part of the game, though it is closely rivaled by the cabin fight, just a bit further into the village, which now has a new mechanic involving the windows that keeps the fight moving and the anxiety piling up. It also features much better scene direction and, even more importantly, sound design, both which drive home the point of how dire the situation our heroes find themselves in really is.
It bears saying, however, that although RE4 is notorious for that type of setpiece, it's not the only way in which it created horror: though less frequent, horror through dread also played an important part in the game. Here, I would avoid detailing specific sequences to avoid spoilers, but I will say that RE4R makes excellent use of the different types of plaga, and that old friends will be showing up again, like Verdugo and the Regenerators. Oh god, the goddamn Regenerators. I hate them so much. You know, when Leon said "What the fuck?!", I really felt it. Anyway.
And it's worth not going into spoilers, because as much as RE4R takes to enhancing beloved sequences, it's also willing to scrap ones that don't make a lot of sense. The original RE4 had a linear design in which some parts were unevenly paced (the Island, in particular, being notorious for this), and multiple sections felt like video game levels that were inconsequential in the long run. This may have worked in 2005, when we were all too eager to engage in more of the flashy combat of this new game, but is a way harder sell in 2023, when the bar is set so much higher. RE4R repositions, repurposes and even entirely replaces locations from the original game, and as such, it feels like a new game, with new surprises.
And does it hit that extremely high bar it sets to match? Yes. The remake retains the qualities of the original, but with modern enhancements that make all the difference. Most, if not all the original's guns are here, balanced further so that all of them feel like they have a niche, that they are exceptional at something. It's actually shocking how you can use anything if it fits your playstyle: even weapons I thought were memes, like the CQBR Rifle, have someone, somewhere, that swears by them and can use them to great effect. Central to all this is that one can now move while aiming, which improves their options during combat. Weapon shortcuts also exist, letting Leon switch weapons without entering the inventory screen.
The overall game balance, as well as the management of difficulty, was something the original RE4 was well known for. Similar systems are still, as far as I understand, being employed in all RE remakes, including this one, and as such, the game excels at making its player feel challenged, but never cheated; constantly running out of options, but never completely out. It also features a crafting system -- yes, I know, I too wince at the sight of those on modern games, but I promise, this one is actually good. The player is handed out crafting resources just like any every other resource -- it's not something that has or can be grinded for -- and at the cost of the inventory space they take, they give the player more flexibility in regards to the items they get. Is the RNG not playing along? You can offset that by using some of your resources. Would having more bullets help you out of this mess, or would popping a flash and booking it be more effective? Your choice. It's a simple and effective system that empowers the player without ever getting in their way.
And on that note, I have to mention the knife parries. The remake turns the knife into a resource which can be used to get yourself out of attacks that would deal high damage. Relying on that too much, however, will break it until the next visit to the merchant a time during which one misses out on the truly effective uses of the knife, which are stealth kills and knife parries. Through those, you can entirely avoid dealing with an enemy, or parry the attack and stun your target in the process. Parrying is an extremely rewarding mechanic with a high skill ceiling, and it's the final piece in making RE4's combat feel more fluid than ever.
What an incredible ride RE4R is. Its critics will of course say that it is not as revolutionary as its predecessor, but that was never the point: RE4 sought to create a new identity for a series that feared being forgotten, while RE4R seeks to rescue and reinforce that old identity, and reconcile it with the 2005 game. And on that goal, it succeeded, delivering an incredibly well-written and designed game, and highly polished to boot. I played it for almost 100 hours already, finishing it six times, each credits roll making me hungry for the next, and just writing about it makes me want to go for a seventh. In the end, that's what matters most.
So when the remake was announced, I was a bit apprehensive. RE4 was a product of its time, both in the sense that it could never be replicated and that it would never fly in today's industry, as it features mechanics and a storytelling style that major franchises, and especially, the Resident Evil series, have moved on from. How would they even go about remaking the game? Would a remake follow in the footsteps of its predecessor, focusing on delivering on an intense and satisfying action gameplay experience, or would it attempt to pull the series further back towards survival horror? And would it keep the cheesiness of the Gamecube game, the quips and trash talk, or would it play things more seriously and focus on the Resident Evil melodrama? Would it seek to replicate the highs of the original release, or would it feel like its own, separate thing?
The answer to all of those questions is yes.
It's unenviable how many disparate things RE4R attempts to balance, and even more shocking is how it manages to. Take, for example, the character of Leon S. Kennedy, the protagonist in this story. Leon is remembered by RE4 players as being this pretty cool guy who kills ganados and doesnt afraid of anything, but that representation, as fitting as it is for the pulp action ride that is that game, is at odds with his character in basically every other Resident Evil piece of media, especially Resident Evil 2. In all other places, he's a rookie cop turned US agent who's deeply traumatized by the incident in Raccoon City, which left him filled with survivor's guilt. How do you bring that element into RE4?
RE4R kicks off by presenting a slightly altered version of the opening in which, instead of Leon neutrally narrating the events that happened in 1998, focusing on Umbrella's downfall, he is more emotional and focuses, instead, on himself: the death of the policeman in the disaster caused by the T-Virus leading, almost unwillingly, to the birth of one of the US's top secret agents. This then cuts to him in the car with the two Spanish policemen, and the three exchange quips. It's an incredible decision, because it changes nothing from the structure of the original, but takes the opportunity to present both sides of Leon's personality, immediately establishing him as a much more layered version of the character he was in the original game. Which is to say, he still is that character from an external observer's point of view -- I have never been happier to hear the word "Bingo" in my life.
That opening also shows us glimpses of other characters, like Krauser and Ada, which gives more, much needed context to their appearances later in the story. Which is to say, pretty much everyone in the cast has gained from being remade in RE4R: Ashley now has more of a partner dynamic with Leon, through which we get to see more of her inner thoughts, and also his. Ada feels less out of place, being presented in ways that make her less of a surreal addiction to the story. Saddler and Mendez are now more cult-ish and intimidating, but there's also a human side shown to the latter; Krauser's relationship with Leon, as well as his motivations, are more clearly established, making the confrontations against him more satisfying...
The greatest winner, though, has to be Luis, who, like Leon, has had his backstory emphasized and got a more layered personality. Crucially, though, he now gets more time on-screen, time which is used to deliver on a more nuanced and satisfying character arc built upon his interactions with Leon, Ashley and Ada. Without going into spoilers, he is, at first, made more mysterious (not to say sleazy), which in turn causes Leon to not trust him, and the two have a much more rocky and thus more interesting relationship. There's a parallel made between him and Don Quixote, the overwhelming outward confidence of a man who wants to be a hero, not realizing the world isn't as simple as he thinks and that he is actually in way over his head -- it's fitting for the tragic heroism to this new Luis that greatly enhances the narrative of the remake. Incidentally, for those who like digging into the lore of the game's Files, he is now more integrated into the Resident Evil canon than his predecessor, which is also a plus.
People can change, right?
The way characters are treated is but a part of how RE4R understands what was great about the original and seeks to enhance those moments whenever possible. Another area in which RE4 was incredibly successful was the creation of horror through anxiety, the feeling of being trapped, undersupplied and soon to be overwhelmed, and iconic setpieces that played to those emotions are still here: take the village fight, for instance, which retains all the qualities of the original, but adds a couple more events that enhance the feeling of being cornered. It remains, in my opinion, the most brutal part of the game, though it is closely rivaled by the cabin fight, just a bit further into the village, which now has a new mechanic involving the windows that keeps the fight moving and the anxiety piling up. It also features much better scene direction and, even more importantly, sound design, both which drive home the point of how dire the situation our heroes find themselves in really is.
It bears saying, however, that although RE4 is notorious for that type of setpiece, it's not the only way in which it created horror: though less frequent, horror through dread also played an important part in the game. Here, I would avoid detailing specific sequences to avoid spoilers, but I will say that RE4R makes excellent use of the different types of plaga, and that old friends will be showing up again, like Verdugo and the Regenerators. Oh god, the goddamn Regenerators. I hate them so much. You know, when Leon said "What the fuck?!", I really felt it. Anyway.
And it's worth not going into spoilers, because as much as RE4R takes to enhancing beloved sequences, it's also willing to scrap ones that don't make a lot of sense. The original RE4 had a linear design in which some parts were unevenly paced (the Island, in particular, being notorious for this), and multiple sections felt like video game levels that were inconsequential in the long run. This may have worked in 2005, when we were all too eager to engage in more of the flashy combat of this new game, but is a way harder sell in 2023, when the bar is set so much higher. RE4R repositions, repurposes and even entirely replaces locations from the original game, and as such, it feels like a new game, with new surprises.
And does it hit that extremely high bar it sets to match? Yes. The remake retains the qualities of the original, but with modern enhancements that make all the difference. Most, if not all the original's guns are here, balanced further so that all of them feel like they have a niche, that they are exceptional at something. It's actually shocking how you can use anything if it fits your playstyle: even weapons I thought were memes, like the CQBR Rifle, have someone, somewhere, that swears by them and can use them to great effect. Central to all this is that one can now move while aiming, which improves their options during combat. Weapon shortcuts also exist, letting Leon switch weapons without entering the inventory screen.
The overall game balance, as well as the management of difficulty, was something the original RE4 was well known for. Similar systems are still, as far as I understand, being employed in all RE remakes, including this one, and as such, the game excels at making its player feel challenged, but never cheated; constantly running out of options, but never completely out. It also features a crafting system -- yes, I know, I too wince at the sight of those on modern games, but I promise, this one is actually good. The player is handed out crafting resources just like any every other resource -- it's not something that has or can be grinded for -- and at the cost of the inventory space they take, they give the player more flexibility in regards to the items they get. Is the RNG not playing along? You can offset that by using some of your resources. Would having more bullets help you out of this mess, or would popping a flash and booking it be more effective? Your choice. It's a simple and effective system that empowers the player without ever getting in their way.
And on that note, I have to mention the knife parries. The remake turns the knife into a resource which can be used to get yourself out of attacks that would deal high damage. Relying on that too much, however, will break it until the next visit to the merchant a time during which one misses out on the truly effective uses of the knife, which are stealth kills and knife parries. Through those, you can entirely avoid dealing with an enemy, or parry the attack and stun your target in the process. Parrying is an extremely rewarding mechanic with a high skill ceiling, and it's the final piece in making RE4's combat feel more fluid than ever.
What an incredible ride RE4R is. Its critics will of course say that it is not as revolutionary as its predecessor, but that was never the point: RE4 sought to create a new identity for a series that feared being forgotten, while RE4R seeks to rescue and reinforce that old identity, and reconcile it with the 2005 game. And on that goal, it succeeded, delivering an incredibly well-written and designed game, and highly polished to boot. I played it for almost 100 hours already, finishing it six times, each credits roll making me hungry for the next, and just writing about it makes me want to go for a seventh. In the end, that's what matters most.