Resident Evil 4 review

Following the success of Resident Evil 7, Capcom made the decision to breathe new life into previous installments of the popular franchise. Looking through the lens of modernity, developers have been able to transform and reimagine iconic games to create some of the best classic survival horror games to date. On the one hand, the second and third parts really required significant changes. On the other hand, it's hard to see how you can improve what many considered the pinnacle of the series. Actually, here's a question for you: how far did Capcom go in creating a remake of Resident Evil 4, did it use past experience in developing remakes, or decided not to go far and tried to capture the magic of the original?

6 years after the terrible events in Raccoon City, you play as Leon Kennedy, who finds himself in the countryside, from where he must rescue the president's daughter. Soon you will learn that a new virus is spreading here, and civilians are under the control of a mysterious cult leader. After that, a mystical, brutal adventure begins with many unexpected twists and turns. Despite some awkward dialogue, the story keeps you on your toes, offering plenty of incredible, memorable moments.

The influence of Resident Evil 4 is felt in most of today's third-person games. At the time, the iconic shoulder-length perspective, the combination of hand-to-hand combat and ranged combat are the foundations of the genre these days. Instead of inventing something new, the remake modernizes a proven formula. Previously, while the character was getting a weapon, he could not move, but in the remake this defect is fixed, so you can try to hit the enemy in the head while running.

New features add variety to the combat system, adding several new ways to destroy demonic creatures. You can now sneak up on enemies and kill them from behind. Due to this, you “on the machine” examine the area more carefully, looking for shadows and objects that you can hide behind. This creates a series of tense moments. While the stealth mechanic is simple, it opens up a number of possibilities and allows you to plan your clearing areas more methodically.

Enemies are dangerous and attack in packs. When they pounce on you, you can use the new parry system. Timely pressing the specified button / key allows you to repel the attack, and then counterattack the enemy. This is especially useful when you are facing a large crowd of undead or fighting bosses. The limited nature of these encounters increases the intensity of the hand-to-hand combat and heightens the already tense atmosphere.

In the original episodes with Ashley could seem tedious. She often got into trouble, which meant that you constantly had to choose between protection and purpose. While all of this applies to the remake, improvements to the AI and command system make these moments more manageable. There are certain areas where Ashley can hide. You can ask her to stay close to Leon, which is useful when you need to get through an enemy group. Or you can ask Ashley to retreat so that Leon can shoot the enemies. The AI itself is more intelligent and will move into cover without being prompted.

Scenes from the original are deeply ingrained in the minds of fans, and the very notion of change could be unsettling. While some of the characters and their iconic scenes have been given a modern makeover, much of the beloved content looks the same as before. Boss battles are more detailed, spiced up with details that enhance every encounter. Certain episodes have been given new life while retaining the spirit of the original.

Capcom has torn apart the visual anatomy of the original and reconstructed it to create a delightful, creepy living horror that haunts you at every turn. From the environment breathes a bad feeling, which at some point reaches an almost suffocating degree. In addition to finding blue medallions, there are additional tasks that will reward you with certain bonuses. They are mostly quite simple, but their presence and the reward offered encourages further study.

On your travels, you will meet a merchant who will offer many items. New guns appear regularly, and each one feels and functions differently. Due to this, there is an incentive to collect valuables, sell them to a merchant and improve the arsenal. Because your inventory is limited, there is management involved so you have to decide which items to keep and which to throw away. However, changes have been made to this system as well, as now you can exchange certain collectibles for specific items and equip amulets that give buffs.

There is a gripping and ominous aura that pervades this iconic adventure through an eerie European village. While Resident Evil 4 remains true to the original, Capcom is making adjustments to a number of elements to improve the overall experience. They range from storytelling segments to game mechanics, and each innovation enhances the masterpiece, as if creating the final version of the game.