RetroJoe: Resi4 remake is a welcomed addition to a legendary classic

My Review

Resident Evil 4 required a remake the same way the Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time requires a remake. That statement is to say – Not at all.

Leon S. Kennedy's first solo adventure changed what gamers could expect from a Resident Evil game. The over-the-shoulder camera angle became the default angle for how we play a Resident Evil game, as evidenced by its inclusion in RE5, RE6, RE2make, and RE3make. It added a new level of horror to an already horror-based franchise.

There are few occasions more terrifying in gaming than zombies shuffling their way toward you as you struggle in vain to reload your weapon or take them out before they enjoy a dinner of your neck.

In addition, Resident Evil 4 successfully established Capcom could move away from the incredibly tedious Resident Evil cannon to tell an original story. There are no C-, G-, T- or any other letter of the alphabet – viruses, heck, a certain large pharmaceutical corporation only received two mentions in the entire game. In short, RE4's story was self-contained.

Furthermore, the original RE4 game was one of the most exhilarating and satisfying shooters in the genre.

And yet ... And yet ... And yet ...

The Resident Evil 4 remake is a welcomed addition to the legendary classic.

Extremely welcomed.

I will go so far as to say that the Resi4 remake is now my definitive version of the game. The team at Capcom added several quality-of-life improvements in graphics, the story, the locations, crafting mechanics, character models, and new puzzles. About the only thing I disapprove of, was a change made to a missing piece of downloadable contact.

So, the story. Gamers still play Kennedy as he makes his trip to a Spanish forest in search of the United States president's daughter Ashley Graham. She's been kidnapped by a cult, who infected her with a parasite and they want to send her back to the US. Why do they want to send her back to the US? Good question. Anyway, Kennedy must fight his way through legions of villagers and a few big bosses on his way to rescue and extract Graham.

While the story hasn't changed much, the set pieces and events in the story received several updates. Gamers won't see many changes in the opening village. The locations only changed once I left the farm and approached a certain infamous house from the original. Multiple updates and a few new additions will likely delight fans of the series. A few of the additions left me scratching my head, but others I welcomed even as a staunch fan of the original game.

The chainsaw sisters are now a mandatory encounter - and a terrifying encounter at that. Your head could hit the floor faster than Ashley could yell "Leon," if you aren't careful. Also, just a hint, save the wolf caught in the bear trap, you will thank me later.

Scenery, buildings, and character models looked fantastic. I could visibly see different stages of the parasites' growth in several of the villagers and the later stages of the infection. My jaw hit the floor when a certain midget dressed like Napoleon took to his "magnificent architecture" Audience Chamber's elevated stage. In addition to the impressive main villain makeovers, another group of the most terrifying zombies in any Resident Evil game received a staggering makeover.

Oh, gamers also may not recognize a certain infamous room from the first game.

Combat remains largely untouched outside of a few tweaks. Besides Kennedy assembling an arsenal that would make Iron Man blush, he's added a few MMA moves. I, being a WWE fan, was especially delighted when Kennedy went Brook Lesnar on an unsuspecting zombie in the middle of combat. Oh, Kennedy can also now move and shoot at the same time. I found myself appreciative of this improvement in more than one way.

The Resident Evil 7 resource craft mechanic returned and was very welcome. The primary appeal that you could select which ammo type will receive the majority of your upgrade materials came in handy. Did I need more flashbangs to instantly kill hordes of exposed Las Plagas zombies? Yes? Then, I slapped together five gun powders and a large resource. Did I need rifle ammo to take out the terrifying Regeneradors? As long as I had the right stuff, I was good to go.

The game still delivered the terrifying feeling of the original game. Zombies can overwhelm you, quickly. You could run out of ammo, even faster. And, to top it all off, Ashley could die or be kidnapped and you will be sent back to the start of whatever area you were in.

Several new puzzles were added to the game. They felt borderline padding, but it was easy to imagine that these chunks may have been designed for the original game. But, they couldn't be added in the first game.

Speedrunners will enjoy the fact that the Hunningan's contact sections have been implemented straight into the main action. That's right, there are no more time-wasting cut scenes on the radio call between Leon and her.

Most of the rewards for game completion were still available.

If I have a complaint. It is about the merchant: They cut his classic line of "What are you buying?" Why the developers made this change is beyond me. I did enjoy his "Gun rhymes with fun for a reason, stranger" line, but I thoroughly missed the old "What are you buying," followed by the sound clip of him as he pulled his coat back, thus revealing his purchasable wares. 

Also, the Chicago Typewriter and Agent Ada - they're gone. Yes, two of the best parts of the original game were cut. In the Typewriter's place is a similar weapon, but the requirements are a little different and less exciting than Ada's mission in the original game. The step down is equivalent to Steph Curry going from the NBA to high school hoops.