Resident Evil 4 Review — Resurrection in its Finest Form

Some may argue that perhaps Resident Evil 4 didn’t need a remake, but given what Capcom did with the brilliant remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, not to mention the heightened experience that EA’s Dead Space remake delivered, it’s hard not to be intrigued at the prospect of a RE 4 retread, injected with Capcom’s impressive and ever-evolving technology that makes things a whole lot, well, spookier. Furthermore, it actually makes sense, given that the Japanese developer has somewhat of a master plan to ‘sync’ up all the older games into a more cohesive anthology, that look, move, and play similarly to one another; and the original RE 4 was actually the archetype of that third-person, action-meets-horror formula, so it’s a no-brainer.

But, the conundrum is: while the RE 2 and RE 3 remakes were actually designed to be more like Resident Evil 4, what is the Resident Evil 4 remake supposed to be? Thankfully, Capcom know that this is the crème de la crème of the franchise, and has integrated the more cinematic and high-production value of the more recent Resident Evil 7 and Resident Evil: Village into a game which already has solid mechanics, but could benefit from new-improvements.

Therefore, this retelling of the beloved 2005 release is fully aware of what made the original great: tense shoot-and-move moments, a haunting European village setting, and a healthy dose of the franchise’s campy but terrifying enemies. As such, the remake doesn’t fiddle with the formula too much, and instead uses the developer’s improved combat, inventory, and movement mechanics, along with the gorgeous visual output that the modern RE Engine produces, to heighten an already fantastic experience to a stellar one.

It’s as if the approach for the game involved Capcom now having the technological ability and creative sharpness to elevate and deliver what was initially envisioned almost 20 years ago, thanks to the power of modern consoles and game development tricks. With that said, while the cutscenes look gorgeous, enemies are gooey-er, and the detailing is turned up to 12, it still manages to feel like a nostalgic experience due to the levels, puzzles, and old-school Resident Evil feel remaining very much in-tact.

There is an interesting new gameplay addition in the form of a knife-parry. Using the trusty ole knife (we know it all too well when ammo runs dry), you can actually parry some low-level enemy attacks if you get the timing right, opening them up for a roundhouse kick.

Furthermore, you can also stab downed enemies, stealth kill, and use the knife to escape some enemy holds, all at the cost of the knife’s durability and eventual lifespan. It’s a great way to conserve ammo and ties into the more physical presence of protagonist Leon Kennedy while making the game a lot more visceral by forcing you into up-close scenarios with RE 4‘s many unnerving enemies.

If you played the original, you’ll love shooting and surviving your way through this vastly improved nightmarish rescue mission of Leon Kennedy that makes up RE 4′s plot. And if you haven’t ever played Resident Evil 4, you’re in for a treat, given that this is one of the best survival horror experiences around, which has now been given a healthy dose of ninth-generation gaming magic.

Resident Evil 4 is available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, and PC.

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