Action and thrill lovers, brace yourself! Resident Evil 4 Remake, the modernized version of the cult game, promises to be even more oppressive than the original. Evidenced by the new images unveiled by Capcom.
On October 20, 2022, during its Resident Evil Showcase, Capcom presented the highly anticipated Resident Evil 4 Remakea revisited version of the legendary Resident Evil 4. Released in 2005 on GameCube and then on other platforms – the very first Resident Evil appeared in 1996 on PlayStation – this game had revolutionized the codes of the survival-horror genre by laying the foundations of modern action games, with its camera on the shoulder, the action-horror mix, its explosive situations and its sense of staging. Readjusting this monument to current standards, satisfying both nostalgic players and newcomers, is therefore a major task! Capcom decided to do much more than just revise the graphics and the technical aspect – thanks to its famous engine RE Engine – and downright modified the staging and the level design of certain passages, giving a darker, more oppressive and more violent than in the original game. “We pay homage to the original game universe, while implementing new ideas and cutting-edge visuals to reinforce key game concepts”, explains Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, the producer of the remake. In any case, players have something to eat with a trailer, gameplay, a release date and collectors editions.
What’s new in Resident Evil 4 Remake?
A first trailer allows you to dive back into the history of Resident Evil 4 and see familiar faces – or not. The player therefore embodies Leon S. Kennedy again several years after the events that took place in Raccoon City – in Resident Evil 2. The policeman is sent to Spain to recover Ashley, the daughter of the President of the United States, kidnapped by the mysterious sect of the Illuminados. But very quickly, he finds himself plunged into a nightmare, attacked by very aggressive villagers affected by a new parasite. He will meet key characters from the license, such as Ada Wong, Osmund Saddler or Salazar.
The showcase was also an opportunity to unveil a gameplay sequence – which begins at 43min25 of the video below – which takes place at the very beginning of the adventure, upon arrival in the village. Leon ventures underground and discovers that his escort has been killed. On the village square, he is attacked by the inhabitants, who are clearly not in their normal state, and do not hesitate to pursue him inside the buildings. Already, the graphics are quite impressive and the gameplay is very nervous – always with the camera on the shoulder – which creates an oppressive atmosphere. Leon is agile and uses his environment much more. Dynamic QTEs fit well into action sequences, especially to get rid of a sticky enemy.
The Ganados – the enemies of the game – are much more aggressive than in the 2005 episode. a pitchfork or cut it in half using the timeless chainsaw. They are also more resistant since a shot in the head is not enough to kill them – but it is always possible to slow them down by shooting multiple times in an area of their body. The gameplay takes on new features, such as silently assassinating an enemy from behind, aiming and shooting while moving, or even deflecting attacks using your knife. The rendering is really very dynamic.
The management of resources and the improvement of equipment are an important part of the game. You must use the briefcase in an optimal way, as in the original game, in order to manage weapons and objects, to synthesize herbs, but also to manufacture ammunition and other objects. A merchant can customize his weapons to fit his way of playing, and exchange rare gems for special items.
When is the Resident Evil 4 Remake release date?
Resident Evil 4 is already available for pre-order – with a golden case and a lucky charm “Pistol Ammo” offered – and will be released on March 24, 2023 on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. It benefits from several editions. First, of course, there’s the standard edition, which simply includes the adventure, boxed or digital. The Digital Deluxe Edition gives access to a whole bunch of DLC, namely: 4 costumes for Leon and 2 for Ashley, 2 filters, accessory glasses, Sentinel Nine and Skull Shaker weapons, a treasure map giving access to rewards additional features, the possibility of choosing between the original soundtrack (OST) and its re-orchestrated version.
As for the Collector’s Edition of the game, it contains all the content of the Deluxe Edition plus a steelbook, the digital soundtrack, an artbook, a poster, a special box and a figurine of Leon S. Kennedy.
