Warning: Spoilers Ahead
The release of the Resident Evil 4 Remake has been followed up with heaps of praise and overall positive reception from fans, as Capcom has delivered another great experience for many to indulge within. Given the level of familiarity most fans have with the original, it was a surprise for many to see the twists and turns within gameplay elements, story, characters, and most importantly their dialogue.
While sections such as the final Island have mostly been maintained to their original feel, a large majority of the title has been revamped and upscaled to a great standard. As there are a plethora of things that most fans loved about the Resident Evil 4 Remake, there is a mix of both positives and negatives for fans to juggle. Fortunately, the massive level of success and improvements made this time around outweigh any of the less preferred aspects of the title.
5 Parrying (Best)
One of the biggest deviations from the original title is the introduction of the new parry system, allowing players to deflect attacks from enemies that can be followed up with a melee attack. This has allowed for more engagement within close-quarters combat, and this has been highly beneficial to the remake's gameplay loop, and for the Mercenaries DLC. As useful as this is for players, it must be used wisely as access to Leon's knife can very well be taken away if its durability is not high enough, or it is used too much.
This alleviated one of the main worries fans held for the game within its promotion period, as many felt that if the knife's depletion was too slow then it would make for an easy experience with enemies. While upgrading its durability through the Merchant, the level of aggressiveness and bombardment from enemies in the Resident Evil 4 Remake is extremely high, especially on the hardcore and professional difficulties.
4 Lack Of Ada Appearances (Worst)
Prior to release, a large majority of fans were in hope of finding new and more common scenes including Ada Wong, given the little amount of screen time the character had in the original. Unfortunately on this occasion, the same is replicated within the remake as most if not all the original appearances in the original are the same here with a lack of any new interactions. While one of the scenes featuring Ada and Luis may seem new, it appears as though this has been taken from the original's Separate Ways and placed within the main campaign.
Regardless of whether the potential addition of a Separate Ways DLC contains new interactions and scenes with Ada and others, the disappointment lies within the character's lack of interaction with Leon S. Kennedy, especially when this remake is more tied to Resident Evil 2 than the original should have been. Unless there are sequences between the pair during the main campaign that players do not get to see, it is highly unlikely that the Separate Ways DLC will change this.
3 Leon & Ashley's Relationship (Best)
While the original certainly contained some more light-hearted and fun moments between the two characters, the remake has massively improved Leon and Ashley's relationship. Throughout the journey aside from when they are separated, there is a sense of real danger within every corridor, but Leon manages to keep Ashley calm and focused, with sequences even showcasing flirtatious dialogue between the two.
During the original, unless it was in a cutscene, Leon and Ashley rarely ever say anything to one another aside from Leon's commands. This time around, almost every section contains a back-and-forth, and the two of them always check up on each other after each encounter with enemies which is much more realistic and grounded.
2 Luis' Companion Gameplay Is Too Short (Worst)
The extra length of time spent between Leon and Luis Serra was a pleasing addition from Capcom for fans. From the cabin onslaught that was in the original to the new mining segment in the remake, the relationship between the two just like the aforementioned Ashley has been successful. While the period is most certainly refreshing and great considering the lack of screen time for Luis in the original, it is incredibly short-lived once Krauser stabs him in the back putting an end to the epic journey.
Unlike Ada Wong who does not have many sequences, Luis gets more love on this occasion, but it would have been even better if players could spend more time with the character aside from the thrilling railway ride and taking on the two of the El Gigante.
1 Leon Vs Krauser (Best)
In both cutscenes and gameplay, the fight with Krauser lived up to its high expectations in an impressive manner. Taking into account Leon's shock at witnessing his former partner murdering Luis, to the Captain America Winter Soldier-esque Bucky Barnes against Steve Rogers knife fight, the encounters with Krauser are far better than the original's.
Not only do players get to control Leon in the pair's first fight, but the dialogue between the two regarding Operation Javier is more important and relevant this time around. This is also the pinnacle of the new parry system throughout the remake, as this is where the idea stemmed from for Capcom developers, and it has worked out successfully.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is now available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
