The deuteragonist of Resident Evil 4, Ashley Graham is the president's daughter and one of the biggest driving forces behind the game's plot. Ashley is abducted by the Los Iluminados and taken to a rural European village, where she is implanted with the Las Plagas parasite. It is Leon Kennedy's mission to rescue Ashley and find out what the Los Iluminados are up to.
Gameplay-wise, Ashley is a frequent companion of Leon who helps him through a good number of obstacles. Without Ashley by his side, the two cannot hope to survive this particular biohazard nightmare. But while Ashley is an indispensable ally in the Resident Evil 4 remake, her overall contribution seems lackluster compared to AI advancements from other game franchises.
Modern AI Companions are All About Action and Reaction
AI companions from recent titles like God of War: Ragnarok and The Last of Us feel like actual partners because of how they react to various situations. They make small talk about their surroundings, recent events, other characters, and random things that give insight into their thoughts on the world around them. When the going gets tough, they really act as though their lives depend on it.
Ellie from the first The Last of Us is supposed to be Joel's ward. While this would normally make her a liability, Naughty Dog's writing and Ashley Johnson's performance resulted in her taking on a more active role during cutscenes and gameplay. Ellie fights infected and hunters alongside Joel, Tess, and others, while reacting to what is happening around her. Joel's initial decision to have Tommy bring her to the Fireflies could have been a simple hand-over, but Ellie's reactions to her surrogate father abandoning her made for one of the most emotional scenes in gaming history.
Ashley Is Still a Burden to Resident Evil 4 Remake's Leon
A lot of what Ashley does is more reactive than proactive. She isn't quite strong enough to fight back, always sticking by Leon's side and following his orders without question. While it could be argued that the Las Plagas' control over Ashley makes her so helpless, the fact that Leon is fighting the same parasite inside him puts this theory into question. Ashley just doesn't undergo much growth as a character, so when compared to Resident Evil 2 remake's Sherry Birkin - who was able to throw acid upon her captor, Chief Brian Irons - the president's daughter seems like a very obedient captive.
The Last of Us' Ellie and God of War: Ragnarok's Atreus make their presence felt whenever they are with the players. Ellie throws random junk to stun enemies, which evolves into shooting them with a pistol and stabbing them with her switchblade. Atreus uses his rapid-fire bow and magic abilities to help Kratos with crowd control. He then gets his own skill tree, which can be updated throughout the course of the game.
Ashley, on the other hand, only has a few uses in Resident Evil 4. Outside of combat, Ashley can be commanded to help Leon reach high places, go over obstacles, or hold down specific switches and levers. Once the fighting starts, however, all Ashley can do is stay by Leon or hide in lockers. While her occupation as a student means she isn't as well-versed in combat, her protector could use an extra gun to help fight off enemies.
Ashley is also very fragile. She can only really take two hits, with the initial hit incapacitating her and the second killing her. Should players fail to pick her up before the second hit, they will be greeted with a game over screen. She also does not have an upgradeable health bar like in the original game, which forced Capcom to increase the intervals between when she can be attacked or captured by enemies. While she does have a playable section in the remake, all Ashley can do is run and hide from enemies while shining a lantern at them.
Ashley Graham might be a pain in Leon's side from time to time, but that doesn't stop him from rescuing her. When she isn't with Leon, it gives players some alone time when they can explore the village, castle, and research island without having to worry. Resident Evil 4 may be one of the last games in the series that incorporates these escort mission mechanics, but Capcom should look toward improving its AI companions for future Resident Evil titles or remakes.
Resident Evil 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.