At least ask a few members of the PC Gamer team, and Resident Evil 4 is one of the greatest video games of all time. RE4’s B-movie chatter and over-the-shoulder shooting made it the first Resident Evil to feel like a true action game, an approach that held up ten years later when we reviewed it in 2014. hordes of absolutely-not-zombies, creepy castles, and chainsaw surprises in kitchens, RE4 has its fair share of fears.
So why recreate one of the best games ever? After almost 20 years, Capcom is ready to make some changes. The developer seems to be leaning on the horror moments of Resident Evil 4 for the remake. We don’t have any gameplay footage yet, but the Resident Evil 4 remake was announced along with a teaser trailer during June’s PlayStation State of Play. It’s darker and Leon’s mood in what we see from the opening film makes me think it’s going to take itself a little more seriously.
What is the release date of Resident Evil 4 Remake?
The Resident Evil 4 Remake is scheduled to release on March 24, 2023.
It was rumored that Capcom had been working on this remake for a while, and they were confirmed at the start of Sony’s State of Play broadcast in June 2022. The first thing shown during the broadcast was the RE4 announcement trailer with the release date about a flamenco guitar, a slick reference to the nameless rural Spanish town in which the game is set.
These are the 2 minutes of RE4 Remake we’ve seen so far
We see a bit of Leon’s backstory in the opening trailer. The president claps him on the shoulder and we see him accept the mission with a little resignation. Hopefully that means we get some more nuance and depth to the stories here, as the foreboding Umbrella Corporation from the previous games was essentially killed off-screen before RE4. The official site for the game says it has a “reimagined storyline,” and if the other RE remakes are any indication, we could definitely see some changes.
Other things that have definitely changed are the looks of the characters. Leon and Ashley have updated outfits that are strikingly similar to those in beta versions of RE4. With multiple full rebuilds, two of which spawned their own games (Devil May Cry and Haunting Ground), the development path to completing Resident Evil 4 is legendary. This little hat tip for the hardcore fans gives me the warm and fuzzies, and makes me think this reinterpretation is in good hands.
Some other cool things I noticed in the trailer:
- There’s a bear trap in the foreground of the shot with Leon entering the village, which I think gives us a photo-realistic visit from everyone’s favorite dog, Hewie.
- We see Leon curled up in the small dinghy in which we fought Del Lago, with some greenish water below him. Ten dollars if you shoot the water… I’m sure nothing bad will happen.
- A quick frame also confirms the presence of Mendez, another early boss.
- Luis is back, wearing a sweet leather jacket that replaces his messy shirt from the original. He’s also holding the Red9 pistol!
- The inimitable Ada Wong also makes an appearance, wearing a shoulder holster over a red… sweater dress? Perhaps an update to her iconic look.
The trailer is just over two minutes long, but it’s packed with things to explore. (The best I can see is the layout of the village precisely same!). It’s also basically all we need to do until Capcom’s Resident Evil Showcase, which will take place in October this year.
What systems will Resident Evil 4 Remake be released on?
The game will be available for PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Surprisingly, despite releasing a VR version of the game last year, Capcom also announced that it was developing “PSVR2 content” for this remake. That seems to imply that the full game can’t be played in VR, but we’ll have to wait and see.
How will the Resident Evil 4 Remake be different?
It is difficult to give a complete answer here with what we know so far; even when RE4 Remake is out, players will likely find tons of minor differences. Keep an eye on this space for updates as more becomes clear. However, these are the things that come to mind when I imagine myself taking my first tentative footsteps back into the village.
- With the dark tone do we still get those solid gold Leon one-liners or did Capcom say ‘No thanks, bro!’?
- Will Ashley’s updated look mean we’ll no longer have to deal with horrible, skeezy references to upskirts? Please?
- Can I still flash bang crows? Do they still wear shinies?
- Now that RE4’s trader has inspired a million references and Easter eggs in other games, will he give back? Maybe he has a son named Xur or something.
- Can we move and shoot? The official site says the controls have been “refined to a modern standard,” so… hopefully?
- Roundhouse stairs and suplexes?
- What about executions for downed Ganados? At least 17 years later, we no longer have to spend time squatting and cutting with a knife. Did you also know that ganado is Spanish for cattle? Scary.
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