Right from the start, the Resident Evil 4 remake grips you with a palpable sense of peril. The meticulously recreated “village” segment brims with enemies, demanding you to navigate relentless combat or face a gruesome death, just the way we like it. Much like its 2005 counterpart, it delivers a stunning introduction that sets the stage for the entire game. And, despite how familiar it may look to some, it will feel all the more, stressful dangerous, and threatening. Dodging a chainsaw-wielding lunatic, targeting enemies’ legs, parrying attacks, and darting through buildings as your ammo dwindles to nothing was as nerve-wracking as the first time we played it. The game’s ability to sustain this level of intense action until the very end showcases its masterful pacing. Resident Evil 4 feels genuinely terrifying once more, and that’s absolutely thrilling.
Significant effort has gone into refining the game’s narrative, even though the core storyline remains the same. You step into the shoes of Leon Kennedy, now a special agent tasked with rescuing the president’s kidnapped daughter, Ashley Graham, from a remote Spanish village. Chaos ensues as you confront villagers infected by the mind-controlling parasite, Las Plagas. Leon’s journey takes him through the village, a gothic castle ruled by a grotesque dictator, and a military complex. The game is rife with monsters, gore, and death and retains its charm with sharper writing and better character development. Ashley, in particular, has been transformed into a character with depth, intelligence, and appeal. The removal of inappropriate sexual comments from the original game is a significant improvement, as well as the uncomfortable up-skirt camera shots of young Ashley. Overall, the characters have been enhanced, making the protagonists more relatable, the antagonists more menacing, and the plot more coherent without losing the essence of what made the original story so enjoyable. However, Lily Gao’s voicework as Ada Wong is another story. More on that in a moment.
The gameplay improvements are top-notch – you can now move while aiming, parry attacks, and perform new melee moves – making the already robust mechanics of RE4 feel fresh and exhilarating. Despite the constant tension, each major combat sequence was incredibly enjoyable. Unlocking more powerful weapons made dispatching hordes of enemies an incredibly thrilling experience. The game’s grotesque gore system, with heads and limbs flying off and enemies being torn apart, is executed with impressive detail and we never could seem to get enough. In fact, any time the are was clear of enemies, we felt a slight disappointment that the carnage and mayhem was over, even if it accompanied a sigh of relief that we managed to get Leon through in one piece, so to speak.
Visually and design-wise, the Resident Evil 4 remake expertly balances nostalgia with innovation. As a long-time fan of the original, seeing beloved levels and combat arenas recreated on the PlayStation 5 was electrifying. However, each area also offers fresh takes on familiar settings, keeping the experience unpredictable and engaging. This blend of old and new kept me hooked, as familiar scenes were reimagined in exciting ways.
However, one of the few standout negatives in this superb and masterful remake is the voice acting from Lily Gao, who portrayed Ada Wong. Gao’s performance comes across as wooden, awkward, and practically lifeless, a stark contrast to the vibrant and intense atmosphere of the game. Her lackluster performance has been widely criticized online, with many fans comparing her unfavorably to Sally Cahill, the original RE4 voice actress for Ada Wong. Some dedicated fans have even gone so far as to swap out Gao’s voice tracks for Cahill’s, using mods to restore the original voice work they felt brought more life and authenticity to the character. You can see a side-by-side comparison below to see what we mean:
Despite this drawback, we could continue praising the Resident Evil 4 remake, but the bottom line is simple: if you loved Resident Evil 4 before, you will be thrilled this remake. It’s a tribute to a game that fans know intimately, a faithful recreation where necessary, but with expert updates and modern touches. It’s also a bold reimagining when needed, a delightful game that confidently revamps one of the greatest games of all time.
As phenomenal as the remake is, it may possibly never be quite as pivotal as the original Resident Evil 4 but it really just depends on what you prefer. That said, it’s entirely possible that nostalgia may cloud your judgement on this a little. So do your best to try and avoid that interfering with your perception and or feelings while going through the remake, because it truly is excellent. For us, both games have found a great place among some of our most favorite and beloved video games of all time.
The Resident Evil 4 remake delivers almost everything one could hope for. Importantly, it doesn’t overshadow its predecessor. Instead, it reinforces why the original Resident Evil 4 remains essential while introducing modern gameplay concepts, enhanced visuals, and increased tension under different circumstances. As a tribute to one of the greatest games ever made and a new landmark in gaming, this journey through the Spanish countryside while being chased by crazed villages and mutant bio-monsters is as good as it gets, elevating an already great game to new heights.
