Some of the best games of 2023 so far have been new versions of classic titles, and Resident Evil 4 remake is at the top of its class. Part of what makes this title so successful in the age of modern gaming is how writing stands the test of time. While some of this year's releases have faced criticism for their cheesy or annoying dialogue, including Forspoken and Atomic Heart, Resident Evil 4 successfully demonstrates how to make camp work in an otherwise tense, serious game.
Dialogue can make or break a game's immersion for many players, and with how much focus is given to the player character, they are especially subject to the strength of their dialogue. Well-written banter can help elevate a character's appeal, while poorly written dialogue can detract from their appeal and make them more annoying than endearing. Forspoken's Frey and Atomic Heart's P-3 both suffer from frequent, cringe-worthy dialogue that becomes distracting to the player. By contrast, Resident Evil 4's Leon Kennedy shows that one-liners and snarky remarks can actually enhance the writing of a character when used appropriately.
How Resident Evil 4 Nails Campy Dialogue
As a character who has been around for nearly 25 years, Leon Kennedy has become an icon of gaming. Best known for his protagonist roles throughout the Resident Evil series, Leon has grown from a rookie police officer into a skilled, action hero-like government agent over the course of the franchise. As such, his role in Resident Evil 4 lends itself to the one-liners and quips of a stereotypical action hero, and it's these cheesy lines of dialogue that have helped establish Leon as a legendary character.
What makes this type of dialogue work for Leon but not others is the frequency and placement of his quips. Rather than having constant banter with a character like Resident Evil 4's Hunnigan, Leon is silent throughout most gameplay sections. It's not until cutscenes arrive that he starts to break out the cheesy one-liners, like questioning if everyone is going to bingo after the chainsaw man section or saying that he'll show himself out before jumping through a window. The way these lines are sprinkled throughout the game leaves them feeling like a memorable part of an otherwise sinister world.
Games like Forspoken and Atomic Heart fail by overusing of this type of dialogue as constant banter between characters. It's easy for this writing style to become grating for the player, and Resident Evil 4 excels at choosing just the right moment to break the tension with a line from Leon. It could also be that Leon is given a pass for his status as an icon from a different era where action hero-style dialogue was more acceptable. Forspoken and Atomic Heart's character banter might be looked at more favorably with time if they reach a similar cult-classic status.
Despite its survival-horror roots, Resident Evil 4 was able to successfully develop an action-oriented identity for the franchise and its protagonist Leon, while still retaining the elements of horror that made the series such a hit. The blend of intense action sequences followed by an endearing one-liner from Leon helps set the game's writing apart from others whose reliance on campy banter ends up distracting from the gameplay. Future titles like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League should look toward Resident Evil 4 as an example of camp that enhances the experience rather than detracts from it.
Resident Evil 4 is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
