Sony’s recent State of Play was a particularly strong one, with plenty of exciting trailers and news. The first trailer shown was for a remake of Resident Evil 4, with Capcom announcing the latest of their high-quality overhauls in the beloved horror franchise. Resident Evil 4 is widely considered among the best entries in the series, with the 2005 title reportedly selling over 11 million copies since its release.
According to a press release and information from the recent Capcom showcase, the remake will preserve the essence of the original, while simultaneously looking to modernize the experience in their excellent RE engine. This change will result in much improved graphical fidelity, while the game will also undergo some tweaks to its story. Here’s what we know so far.
What is Resident Evil 4 Remake?
The game is the latest remake following successful modernizations of earlier games in the series. The Resident Evil 2 remake released in 2019 was the most successful, and kickstarted a general appetite for similar treatments of older games in the iconic franchise.
Resident Evil 4 is one of the most influential survival horror games ever released, and is notable for introducing a third-person camera to the series, inspiring many other games of its time. It also cemented protagonist Leon S. Kennedy as a fan-favorite, while the village setting is also fondly remembered. Capcom have also seen success with the latest entry in the series, Resident Evil Village, which took some elements from the fourth instalment, much to the delight of fans.
The remake is being developed by various team members that worked on the Resident Evil 2 remake, a detail that bodes especially well for the success of this revamped fourth entry. Content for PS VR2 is also being developed, though we don’t have much information on this currently.
What’s the Story?
While it is difficult to determine the exact plot of the remake due to the story tweaks that will likely be made, the framework of the original release will remain. As confirmed by Capcom, protagonist and U.S. agent Leon S. Kennedy is sent on a mission to retrieve the President’s daughter, Ashley Graham, from a cult residing in Europe. The main antagonists, the Ganado, return in the remake and are redesigned.
Throughout the 2005 version of the game, Leon encounters various unique settings, including a castle and canyon, and an evil plot involving a mind-controlling parasite. To what extent these aspects of the original are in the remake remains to be seen, though. A former police officer involved in the events of Resident Evil 2, Leon also reunites with Ada Wong, a key character also from the second installment.
What’s the gameplay like?
So far we haven’t seen too much in the way of gameplay, but we did get a glimpse of what to expect from the announcement trailer in terms of graphics and updated character models, with new shots of Leon, Ada, and Luis.
There was also a small portion of gameplay shown at the Capcom showcase, confirming that the third person perspective is returning. In the footage, we see Leon walking through a linear section of woodland, with the commentary explaining that the sense of loneliness will be more pronounced than the original. We’ll update this section when more is revealed.
PS5 exclusive features
There is nothing confirmed on this front, but considering the news that the game will not be coming to PS4, it’s likely that Capcom will make use of the technology found only in the DualSense, as well as the PS5 generally. It may benefit from a quick load time too, thanks to the PS5’s speedy SSD.
Release date and platforms
The Resident Evil 4 remake will release on March 24, 2023, on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S. PS VR2 content is also in development, but it is currently unclear if this will release alongside the main game, or at a later date.
Remaking a horror classic
Resident Evil 4 is a beloved title, undoubtedly one of the most celebrated horror titles ever made, and a fan-favorite of the Resident Evil series. The remake will surely be one of the most anticipated releases of 2023, and may find itself among the best horror releases on PS5.
The current-gen exclusivity could indicate that the game may well be more impressive than the remakes for Resident Evil 2 and 3. The trailer and brief gameplay reveal shows glimpses of what we can expect from the RE engine, with the modernization of such an iconic title being an exciting prospect for fans and those that want to check out a classic.
