Resident Evil 4 Remake review: A bolder, Leon-hearted take on the classic, improved in every way

Resident Evil 4 Remake Finally caught up with Leon. As much as the Resi 4 protagonist was grown when we first met him in the 2005 original, Capcom has finally made a game that reflects his maturity — but that doesn’t mean the campy nature of the original cult classic has faded. Gone; it just evolved to be more in keeping with the tone of the series.

The original Resident Evil 4 pushed the series down a more action-oriented path, and after trying the less-horror route for a while, Capcom managed to mix action and survival horror just right in the original game.

But at its core, Resident Evil is a gruesome horror series. Best, even. Resident Evil 4 strayed a bit from that path, and as good as it was, Resident Evil 4 Remake showed us that this entry in the series could be as gritty, tense, and scary as the others—without affect fun.

I’ll state what you undoubtedly want (or, maybe, In no mood) hear; yes, there are a lot of changes in Resident Evil 4 Remake. Most things get better though – I haven’t been allowed to delve into the details yet – and I do find myself disappointed from time to time.

Thanks to its camping moments, the original game is a cult classic in its own right. They’re something the community knows, loves, and often aligns with. It’s definitely frustrating to see some of Leon’s most iconic moments eliminated, but I can’t say it was unexpected. Resident Evil 4 Remake clearly needed room to grow into what it is–a great game–but it missed some of the original’s best moments.

Yet what’s added in place of these iconic moments feels sophisticated, modern, and relevant. If you want old games, Narrative is more than enough for you. The story, combat, and characters in Resident Evil 4 Remake have been carefully bred and tailored to their best form, and what we’re left with is one hell of an adventure, albeit a less comical one.

Combat in the series has always been fun, but long gone are the days of standing still and shooting stiffly, wrestling with tank controls to guide your character through a door. Of course, you’ll no doubt be drawn into or cornered by the scenery from time to time, but the more interactive environments (with combat feeling more impactful) make up for that. The same goes for the expanded boss fights. With an intuitive crafting menu and a more versatile inventory, keeping grenades, ammo, and meds together in a pinch feels more straightforward and engaging.

The most impressive thing about Resident Evil 4 Remake, aside from its feel, is its storytelling. For those unfamiliar with the game, the original game saw Leon transported to a Spanish village to rescue Ashley, the daughter of the President of the United States. The original felt a bit lacklustre, with underdeveloped characters and a narrative taken out of context. The Remake fixes that, and leans more heavily into each character’s story and personality than ever before.

result? Ashley looks, sounds and functions much better as a companion. She has the personality of a true elite daughter; fully flesh and blood, no longer with us simply screaming belligerently at Leon. She’s even badass this time around, with witty one-liners and a personality that makes her character feel more human — not just another NPC. We could tell her to move closer or get out of the way, and she even warned us when Ganardo approached us from behind. And it never feels overbearing.

I can’t stand the Ashley part in the original. How many nights have I fallen asleep with “Leon, help!”? Still ringing in my ears? In Remake, Ashley is actually humanized and no longer destined to be candy in the eyes of players (we have Ada, right?) Ashley is the privileged daughter of someone important, sure, but that’s not all she has no personality anymore No longer completely incompetent, or doomed to hide in the dumpster. She can even climb down a ladder by herself now! Let’s imagine.

Let’s not forget Luis and Ada either. Who, without spoiling too much, we’ll see more of throughout the remake (in a pattern established by Resident Evil Remake 2 and 3). They weren’t the only people we met face to face more than once. You better believe Resident Evil 4 Remake is full of surprises.

I can’t stop playing. So much so that my plan for New Game Plus (yes, there is New Game Plus!) is to only use Leon’s knife for the most stealthy runs. I probably won’t get that far before needing to fix it, but I’m looking forward to seeing the Resident Evil content creators do what they do best in this evolution of Resident Evil 4: this remake so consciously running the game like crazy to adapt.

I can’t express how excited I am to see the community’s response to these changes, and to see the stories of others experiencing Resident Evil 4 on such a large scale for the first time. Of course, some will be disappointed to see their favorite moments lost to time, but I’m sure the remake will surprise even the most nostalgic of gamers.

A string of successful Resident Evil Remakes also gives me hope for the future. Over time, I’ve made it very clear that I’m not the biggest fan of Resident Evil 5 or 6, however, this remake – seeing all the intricate details fit into this remake of a timeless classic without losing its charm Magic – makes me prefer to be open about what happens next.