Given the level of nostalgia and love many fans maintain for the original Resident Evil 4 (2005), it is no surprise to see many expecting the remake to stick to the original's main beats. While it most certainly does maintain and upscale many of the aspects of the original and what made it so successful for modern-day third-person games, the Resident Evil 4 Remakeimplements changes that take the experience to a greater and more satisfying level for players.
Despite worries that Capcom would struggle to capture the same magic that the original did especially with its massive impact on gaming, the remake has done it again and many of the bold changes made this time around are prominent towards the high levels of praise.
Warning: Some Spoilers Ahead
5 Luis & Leon's Dynamic
While the new scenes and interactions between the two characters can feel a little short-lived for veterans of the original, it was certainly pleasing to see and stands as a big departure from the original. Aside from the cabin fight and a few other cutscenes that showcase Luis attempting to help Leon and Ashley suppress the Las Plagas parasite within them, his screen time was cut short drastically in the original. On this occasion, Luis shines far brighter than before appearing more often and sharing more moments with Leon.
Considering the dangerous situation at hand, Leon maintains his curious nature especially after learning of Luis' background at Umbrella and gradually learns to trust him. Not only does this reinforce the change in the game's tone and its greater focus on characters and their development, but it allows the Resident Evil 4 Remake to take a big step away from the original's B-movie tone and less serious encounters.
4 Luis' Death
Considering the survival horror tone being at the forefront of the Resident Evil 4 Remake and the game's trailer subtly giving it away, it was not much of a surprise to see Luis die before the end of the game. While this is the case, the manner in which this occurs is no longer out of place and far more impactful than it was the first time around. As aforementioned, players get to spend more time with Luis Serra fighting off Ganados and two of the El Gigante enemies, and the feeling of chemistry building between him and Leon is very much present.
This makes the loss at the hands of Krauser unlike the original's Saddler more emotional and heartfelt, once players acknowledge that Luis wanted to redeem himself for participating in Umbrella's heinous creations. It adheres to the idea of creating a character-central narrative rather than one that is focused on cheesy voice lines or less serious encounters.
3 Ashley's AI
One of the most impactful changes to the cult classic is the behavior of Ashley Graham once players are introduced to the character and must protect her from violent enemies. With a new set of commands compared to the original, players can order Ashley to give them space to which she will follow Leon but not too closely, and another which will order her to stick as close as possible.
This has been crucial to the gameplay loop, not only because of the immersion in the aspect of Ashley not wanting to be left alone but also ensures that she is always in players' sight and can be rescued quickly once enemies attempt to capture her. While many had hoped for a variety of commands to be added similar to what is present in Resident Evil 5 between Chris and Sheva, the changes Capcom has made here are more than sufficient for the experience offering players a balance in the difficulty of protecting 'Baby Eagle'.
2 Infamous 'Water Room'
The original Resident Evil 4 (2005) featured one of the most unique stages in the survival horror genre in the aspect of the level of difficulty. Not only did players have to deal with the silent adaptive difficulty the game featured, but the overwhelming amount of enemies that were present led to a tough experience. In the remake, it seems as though Capcom has drastically toned down the intensity in this scenario as it does not pack the same punch it did beforehand with its difficulty.
While the adaptive difficulty elements could very much still be present in the remake, the base experience of this stage is a lot less punishing than what veterans of the original are accustomed to. Despite its drop in intensity, it is also very dependent on which level players decide to choose from the four difficulty options available.
1 Attache Case Options & Charms
Paying respect and homage to the original, the introduction of optional attache cases and charms to attain throughout the remake was a pleasing change for fans. A prominent part of Resident Evil 4 (2005) for many players was the excitement of sorting their inventory, and ensuring they had enough space to fit items they wanted to use.
Depending on the edition players decide to purchase for Resident Evil 4 Remake and attache cases found in-game through trading with the merchant, there are multiple options at hand. Not only are these beneficial given the bonuses that come along with using them, but the unlockable charms within the shooting range create a great experience for players who are fans of RPG elements, given the plethora of percentages and critical hit chances that come from these.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is now available on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.