I’ll start off by saying that I did not play the original Resident Evil 4 that was released back in 2005, and is one of the many games I missed out on. But from what I have read up on the original and with the gameplay and walkthroughs that I have watched it seems like I missed a classic. But I seem to have made up for that by playing the new Resident Evil 4 Remake which released on March 23.
Resident Evil 4 Remake is in line with the new remakes of the old Resident Evil games from Capcom. This was preceded by the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and 3 which were released back in 2019 and 2020. These were both great remakes in their own right and even managed to inspire and garner a whole new generation of Resident Evil fans.
The new Resident Evil 4 Remake brings us back to Leon’s story and keeps true to the original game in most aspects and manages to enhance the experience of the whole game. We reviewed the game post the release and even saw the release of the new The Mercenaries DLC pack as well as the new microtransactions that bring some powerful weapons to the game.
If Visuals Were All That Mattered
I dived into the new Resident Evil 4 Remake without having any expectations at all on the PS5. But what hit me first were the visuals that quickly reminded me of the Resident Evil Village aesthetic to the game with a modern polish over it. The Ray Tracing mode on PS5 for the game does require Variable Refresh Rate for a smooth performance, and although my TV did not have VRR support, I tried it out and the visuals were just stunning to say the least. I tried this out when fighting the Lake Monster that seemed like a bad idea as FPS drops kind of ruined the fight, but the sheer visuals and reflections made the experience worth it.
Let’s be blatant, Resident Evil 4 Remake is a visually dark game, and some areas you just need to plod around since Leon feels like there is no need to turn on his torch, but me playing him sure feels the need for one. But that aside I am just happy that there is no light bleed from a solid cave wall which makes for a very jarring scene.
The level design and the elements like the breakable barrels as well as the enemies are designed accurately so much so that the eyeballs of the villagers follow Leon. And the enemies are well designed and definitely complement that of a game made for release in 2023. The giant Troll Bosses seem to take the cake and the enemies with the flailing heads are just pure nightmare, both literally and for killing them.
Leon Kicks Enemies Smoothly
The controls and action in Resident Evil 4 Remake is leagues better than that of Resident Evil 3 Remake where controlling Jill seemed quite stiff at times. Leon shoots, changes weapons, stabs, dodges and kicks enemies with swift movements. Even running away from enemies is more intuitive in the game than the previous ones. This makes taking on some of the more powerful bosses much easier.
Besides this Resident Evil 4 Remake offers a whole lot of different weapons to take down enemies with. And players will need as many weapons as they can afford to take down those bosses. Some weapons will definitely run out of ammo and you will need to be ready with more weapons. The game’s ingame currency is ptas and you will be able to earn more by selling some of the relics that you collect. These relics will be sold for a higher price if you embed them with precious gems that you find.
You need the currency to buy and upgrade weapons, which you definitely should not ignore. There are also different challenges available which reward the player with gems that can be used to buy special items and weapons.
The All too Familiar Story
The story of the Resident Evil 4 Remake remains true to the original game, and characters and elements can all be traced back. Multiple characters help Leon and it starts with Ashley who is the President’s daughter that Leon was sent to this village to find.
The game is quite a bit of a rollercoaster with Leon stumbling upon the village to fighting monster fish in the lake to Trolls and then exploring a Spanish castle that is opposite a fisherman’s village. Leon is infected while searching the village and has to contend with crazed villagers in wooden shacks to a whole set of houses built on cliffs that can only be traversed by rickety bridges.
The more powerful enemies infected by the Las Plagas parasite seems to wreak havoc on Leon and his health which requires some skillful play. The story of the game progresses consistently and each of the chapters keep the same pace without lagging off in any form or manner. Some of the content that was apparently in the original game was omitted while some new stuff was added, but I did not feel in any way that the story was lacking.
Should You Buy Resident Evil 4 Remake?
While this might come from someone who has not played the original game, the Resident Evil 4 Remake for me is a tight and solid 16-20 hours of horror action entertainment. Although I could have done with a bit more lighting that was there, but the enemies and and action made up for the whole thing. The whole inventory system needs some getting used to but with some management it should be right up anyone’s alley.
The game is priced at Rs 3,599 for the standard edition on Steam and Rs 3,999 on PS5. I would say that the game is worth the investment.
Disclaimer: MySmartPrice was provided with a complementary copy of the game on which the review is based.
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Resident Evil 4 Remake
3999
What Is Good?
- Good Combat
- Intuitive Enemies
- Faithful Storytelling
What Is Bad?
- Few Original Content Missing
