This review contains spoilers
Before this came out I didn't pay much attention to it. The RE series has always interested me because of it's significance to gaming as a whole, but I'd bounced off the original 2005 game when I gave it a shot on my switch.
Then I played the demo.
I went from indifferent to a launch weekend buyer. The demo sold me based on the exhilarating combat and more serious tone. I played it like 5 times in the week leading up to the release. I even went back and beat the original game after playing this.
Resident Evil 4's remade story has such an infectious energy that completely consumed me for multiple playthroughs. What I love most about this remake when comparing it to the original is how different it is in so many areas. The original's story is a cheesy B movie through and through, with Leon's iconic one liners and over-the-top villains. While many might find the more serious tone as a betrayal of the original's intent, I really enjoy the restraint the enforced with those elements here. Leon is still an action hero in this game, with his impractical mid combat flips and the one liners being updated, but his story is much more emotionally resonant in this game compared to the original. They incorporated the story of RE2 much more into this remake and Leon's survivors guilt surrounding the Raccoon City outbreak provides much better background and higher personal stakes for him in his quest to save Ashley. I really felt his desperation as the story went on as his and Ashley's infections worsen. Speaking of Ashley, she is also much improved in the remake. She is much more likeable this time. Her and Leon have a great dynamic and this made me care much more about protecting her in the gameplay sections. However, the most improved character is easily Luis. Luis in the original game is not much of a character. He has a few cutscenes, some fun lines, and then he gets offed and is never mentioned again. The remake greatly expands upon his story. He gets much more screen-time and a whole extra chapter where he's with you the whole time. His new backstory and the actor's performance made him my favourite character in the game. While some of the original's iconic lines and dialogue are lost with the new story, I think the more complex characters more than make up for that. The more nuanced characters and acting make for a better story in my opinion.
Gameplay is also fantastic. They managed to take the original flow of combat and make it much more aggressive while maintaining the tension from the original. Leon is more mobile now, getting rid of the tank controls for a more modern system. To compensate for this enemies also get a speed boost, often sprinting and attacking more aggressively. To keep combat manageable, Capcom added a whole new method of defense, allowing Leon to parry with his combat knife. I think this was honestly a stroke of genius. For gameplay, it adds a new element of inventory management and makes combat more exciting, while storywise it shows Leon's much improved skills since RE2 and functions as a constant reminder of the people he thinks he failed in Raccoon City. One of the best iterations of the industry's recent obsession with parry mechanics.
I want to make quick mention of the soundtrack. I really love a good orchestral soundtrack and this game's boss themes are amazing. Just excellent work from everyone involved. Also the shooting range theme being a remix of the opening drive music goes incredibly hard.
Overall this is an amazing video game. Would have easily been my game of the year if I didn't have terminal spider-man fanboy brain rot.
Then I played the demo.
I went from indifferent to a launch weekend buyer. The demo sold me based on the exhilarating combat and more serious tone. I played it like 5 times in the week leading up to the release. I even went back and beat the original game after playing this.
Resident Evil 4's remade story has such an infectious energy that completely consumed me for multiple playthroughs. What I love most about this remake when comparing it to the original is how different it is in so many areas. The original's story is a cheesy B movie through and through, with Leon's iconic one liners and over-the-top villains. While many might find the more serious tone as a betrayal of the original's intent, I really enjoy the restraint the enforced with those elements here. Leon is still an action hero in this game, with his impractical mid combat flips and the one liners being updated, but his story is much more emotionally resonant in this game compared to the original. They incorporated the story of RE2 much more into this remake and Leon's survivors guilt surrounding the Raccoon City outbreak provides much better background and higher personal stakes for him in his quest to save Ashley. I really felt his desperation as the story went on as his and Ashley's infections worsen. Speaking of Ashley, she is also much improved in the remake. She is much more likeable this time. Her and Leon have a great dynamic and this made me care much more about protecting her in the gameplay sections. However, the most improved character is easily Luis. Luis in the original game is not much of a character. He has a few cutscenes, some fun lines, and then he gets offed and is never mentioned again. The remake greatly expands upon his story. He gets much more screen-time and a whole extra chapter where he's with you the whole time. His new backstory and the actor's performance made him my favourite character in the game. While some of the original's iconic lines and dialogue are lost with the new story, I think the more complex characters more than make up for that. The more nuanced characters and acting make for a better story in my opinion.
Gameplay is also fantastic. They managed to take the original flow of combat and make it much more aggressive while maintaining the tension from the original. Leon is more mobile now, getting rid of the tank controls for a more modern system. To compensate for this enemies also get a speed boost, often sprinting and attacking more aggressively. To keep combat manageable, Capcom added a whole new method of defense, allowing Leon to parry with his combat knife. I think this was honestly a stroke of genius. For gameplay, it adds a new element of inventory management and makes combat more exciting, while storywise it shows Leon's much improved skills since RE2 and functions as a constant reminder of the people he thinks he failed in Raccoon City. One of the best iterations of the industry's recent obsession with parry mechanics.
I want to make quick mention of the soundtrack. I really love a good orchestral soundtrack and this game's boss themes are amazing. Just excellent work from everyone involved. Also the shooting range theme being a remix of the opening drive music goes incredibly hard.
Overall this is an amazing video game. Would have easily been my game of the year if I didn't have terminal spider-man fanboy brain rot.