Much like RE2 remake, my expectations towards this game ended up being completely different from what I experienced. I did not expect RE4R, a game which I felt was unnecessary seeing as the original still holds up fantastically well, to be my absolute favorite of all the RE games since 7. I expected my feelings towards the game to be indifferent, and what I got what an experience akin to playing the original for the first time all over again. While much of the game I found very familiar with many areas, sequence of events and dialogue being just like the original, there is so much new with this game, in many of the sequences, challenges, mechanics, etc. that it felt like a totally new game. Not only that, but having prior knowledge of the original heavily rewards you in the remake whether it be in the layout of certain areas being carbon replicas, or treasures being in the exact same spot, or bosses having the same weaknesses, even little easter eggs. While I long for some of the segments of the game that were removed, such as the giant Salazar statue's original role, the sniper ski-lift section, etc., enough new good things were added to make up for those missing. The most surprising thing for me was how insanely well-crafted almost every boss fight was. While a couple might have been a bit hard (Salazar is still one of my favorite fights in the game) or lackluster, the majority were very fun and unique, even moreso than in the original. The soundtrack was also surprisingly good for a RE game, which truth be told, the series is not exactly known for. This delves into spoiler territory, but I also very much like what they did with Luis's story in this game, having been completely overhauled, given depth, and made his eventual death making more emotional sense in relation to Leon. HOWEVER, they didn't give Mike a heavy New York accent this time, so I can't forgive that. All in all, a very big surprise for me, as I ultimately ended up loving this game far more than RE2R (of which I ended up having the indifferent opinion towards).

I was pleasantly surprised when playing this. I went into this game not caring a single bit about any of the characters, seeing as they were isolated from any of the other well-known established stars (and to be honest, it still confuses me why they did not just use a character(s) for this game they haven't in a while like Jill or even Jake or Sherry). What I ended up finding was a genuinely good survival-horror game with all the goofiness one would expect of a Capcom game and a return to the puzzle-solving RE is famous for. Something this game also managed to do very well for the first time in the series was make many of the jumpscares unexpected. In previous games, it was usually extremely obvious when something would jump out to try and grab you, but this time they actually try and get you to do a little squeal and pee your pants a little when a moldyguy jumps through a window. The puzzles in this game were really very creative and interesting to solve, such as one particular puzzle related to a videotape (my favorite in the game). The DLC stories were actually worth playing which surprised me again, though I can't say I was happy about having to play as Joe in one of them. My biggest issue with this game is probably the most common gripe about it, being the first-person view. I'm not opposed to playing a game in first-person, and in a lot of ways it helps the horror aspect be more in-your-face. But I just don't like it in Resident Evil.