Out of the so far four re-releases that have released in 2023 thus far, RE4 was the one that initially I felt did not need to exist. The original game not only holds up super well and still looks great, but it's also available on enough platforms to make Todd Howard jealous. Yet despite all that, this remake is everything it possibly needed to be.
Building off of the RE Engine, Leon moves and handles similar to his RE2R counterpart with a new exciting parry mechanic which can be used to deflect an impressive number of different attacks (and projectiles). All the guns feel great too and are all more or less viable depending on player preferences. If I have any real complaints about the experience at all, it's the loss of cutscene QTE's (but I'm one of those weirdos).
The structure of the game is largely the same with some minor new choices to differentiate itself from the original release and keep things fresh. A couple of sections from the original game were cut or shortened, and other new ones were introduced or expanded upon in a meaningful way. The characterization has been dramatically improved as well; especially Ashley, and surprisingly the Merchant as well through new side quests. Overall, the atmosphere and tone of the game are a fair bit more serious. Leon still has his moments but the experience feels a lot less of an arcade-y action shooter with horror window-dressing and a lot more in line with what 2R, 3R, 7, and 8 have established.
I think that all goes to say, RE4R is a masterpiece not just because it feels so good and stands on its own for both new and old fans, but also because it DOESN'T wholesale replace the original. It was the only way this could have been executed properly with how widely beloved and iconic the original game is. It is a decidedly different take and I'll certainly be spending a lot more time with it (especially if they do Mercenaries right this time).
Building off of the RE Engine, Leon moves and handles similar to his RE2R counterpart with a new exciting parry mechanic which can be used to deflect an impressive number of different attacks (and projectiles). All the guns feel great too and are all more or less viable depending on player preferences. If I have any real complaints about the experience at all, it's the loss of cutscene QTE's (but I'm one of those weirdos).
The structure of the game is largely the same with some minor new choices to differentiate itself from the original release and keep things fresh. A couple of sections from the original game were cut or shortened, and other new ones were introduced or expanded upon in a meaningful way. The characterization has been dramatically improved as well; especially Ashley, and surprisingly the Merchant as well through new side quests. Overall, the atmosphere and tone of the game are a fair bit more serious. Leon still has his moments but the experience feels a lot less of an arcade-y action shooter with horror window-dressing and a lot more in line with what 2R, 3R, 7, and 8 have established.
I think that all goes to say, RE4R is a masterpiece not just because it feels so good and stands on its own for both new and old fans, but also because it DOESN'T wholesale replace the original. It was the only way this could have been executed properly with how widely beloved and iconic the original game is. It is a decidedly different take and I'll certainly be spending a lot more time with it (especially if they do Mercenaries right this time).