Resident Evil 4 Remake is Familiar, But Still a Completely New Horror Experience

By now, any fans of horror have played Resident Evil 4. The once-Gamecube exclusive blended the horror and action genres unlike any entries in the series and evolved the survival horror genre. Part of me felt that Leon Kennedy was the reason for this, given just how cool of a protagonist he is, but there was more to that. The game provided tension and memorable encounters that are still talked about today, I’m looking at you, chainsaw man.

Resident Evil 4 Remake continues Capcom’s venture of preserving these experiences for new generations of gamers and updating them for modern hardware. While the originals are readily available across various consoles, a proper remake of Resident Evil 4 is something all fans hoped for.

During a playthrough, I was able to experience the opening of the game, but I was ultimately left wanting to play more. Through new footage and a detailed explanation of events, I was able to get a preview of the game’s later chapters. Five minutes in, and I couldn’t really pinpoint where I was in the game outside of knowing it took place after Chapter 4. However, this left me excited to know Capcom is taking a few added liberties with this adventure that I know, like the back of my hand.

What we do know is that puzzles are a significant highlight with obstacles that block progression. Further, Ashley will once again unfollow close by Leon as he makes his way through dangerous areas. The castle is maze-like and intimidatingly large, with corridors that lead to branching paths and alternate areas. Leon is able to give Ashley commands when things get tough, and he’ll even make some pretty cheesy comments as he looks death in the eyes.

Blending melee action with your gunplay seems to be the bigger focus here. Saving ammo has been a staple in the series, and here Leon has a few different options for how to take out enemies. While using his knife, he can stab and follow up with a kick to put some distance between foes. If that wasn’t enough, Leon can suplex enemies, and it looks awesome. One of the best encounters in the game, Ramon, also returns, and he is as silly as before but also incredibly scary.

There are moments of tension building as well, with dark areas that Leon will have to explore and plenty of atmospheric sounds to keep you cautious. An enemy known as the Garrador also appears, who wields giant claws and will surely take out plenty of players upon their first meeting. However, there are ways to parry his attacks, but you’ll have to utilize Leon’s abilities. This is also seen in his fight against Jack Krauser, where players will need to use knives and QTEs that were found in the original game.

Resident Evil 4 is proving to be an excellent blend of action and survival horror once again. The updated areas and set pieces make this experience feel brand new, but it still retains the core story beats of the original. I’m really liking this approach to these remakes, given that Capcom has already released the original games for players to compare. Now, I’m looking forward to this new horror and everything that awaits me, even that scary dude with the claws for hands.

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Resident Evil 4 Remake will launch for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC on March 24, 2023.