Resident Evil 4 Remake Review

Resident Evil 4 is the third game in the franchise to be graced with a remaking. When an iconic franchise receives a fresh lick of paint and an oil change, it’s often received with mixed feelings. While one half of our nostalgia-loving minds are excited to take a trip down Memory Lane and bask in the glorious pastures of our youth, the other half is quietly praying to the gods of gaming that a childhood treasure hasn’t been modernized to a point that obscures the very sense of recognition that we so crave.

With this in mind, we stepped into the swirling waters of trepidation to discover what fate has been holding in store for our beloved franchise.

Resident Evil 4 Remake Storyline

Stepping back into the combat boots of Leon S. Kennedy, you are sent to rural Spain on a top-secret mission to rescue the president’s daughter, Ashley Graham. Ashley has been kidnapped by a sinister cult that is under the effects of a mysterious mind-controlling parasite, and her fate is in your hands.

Like the majority of the Resident Evil 4 remake, the storyline has firmly followed the beaten tracks of the original game. Despite at first hoping for a few new additions to keep things fresh, we were pleasantly surprised at just how much of the game we had forgotten. Besides, did we really want a complete overhaul? No, not at all.

Pickups, Weapon Mods and Treasure

The Spanish village in the Resident Evil 4 remake hides a number of items to find that will help you in your quest to save the president’s daughter (step aside, Jack Bauer). Aside from the franchise-standard healing herbs, weapon mods, and ammo, you can now find treasures and precious stones. By adorning any treasures you find with the jewels you come across, you can substantially increase their worth when it comes to selling them to the very British vendor you meet at certain stages of the game.

This opens the game up a little as you decide whether or not to sell your findings at the first opportunity or to embellish them with gemstones for an increased price later in the story. Yes, this was also a part of the first game, and we’re delighted that the feature has carried over into the remake.

Blue Letters

At various stages in the game, you will find blue notices pinned to walls. These contain side-quests that usually mean finding and destroying glowing blue medals, or hunting creatures. These are rewarded with spinels, which can be redeemed for special prizes with the vendor.

What’s New in the Resident Evil 4 Remake

Thankfully, the core story has stayed the same, as have most of the features. However, there has been some changes along the line that stand out and make the Resident Evil 4 remake an even more pleasurable experience than the original.

The remake brings us an improved crafting menu, the ability to parry with your knife (which has saved our skins more than once), a typewriter that also serves as a storage case and Leon has finally learned how to crouch.

What stands out the most, however, is the fact that you can now move at the same time as shooting. We still remember the frustrations of having to stop and stand still before taking a shot and, indeed, all of the times we died doing so. Thankfully, the folks at Capcom have moved with the times and those frustrations can be left way behind as we stalk, walk, and shoot our way through a remarkable remake.

Resident Evil 4 Remake – Summary

We say with great relief that the Resident Evil 4 remake isn’t merely a hastily thrown-together rehashing of the original, designed to exhort fans of old and cash in. Instead, the game has been rebuilt from the ground up and changes have been made for user-friendliness and to improve the game’s overall feel and ambiance.

If you were a fan of the original titles, then it would be bordering criminal to not play this sensational modernization of a timeless classic. Likewise, if you have never played a Resident Evil game before, then there’s a lot of fun to be had with all of the recently released remakes.