Resident Evil 4 Remake Revives the Undead Classic — Everything to Know
It will feature a “reimagining” of the storyline while preserving the essence of the original.
After what has felt like years of rumors and speculation, Capcom finally announced the Resident Evil 4 remake during the June 2022 State of Play presentation. And what an announcement it was. It showed off the new game in action, with footage of familiar characters such as Leon Kennedy, Ashley Graham, Ada Wong, and even the deadly villagers, all in beautiful 4K. Though Capcom still has plenty of surprises up its sleeve ahead of the game’s launch in 2023, there is quite of bit of information about the stunning remake to dig through. Here is everything you need to know about the Resident Evil 4 remake.
When is the Resident Evil 4 Remake Release Date?
The wait is almost over to play RE4 like you’ve never seen it before.
The Resident Evil 4 remake is scheduled to launch on March 24, 2023. This falls in line with the previous remakes: Resident Evil 2, which launched in January 2019, and Resident Evil 3, which was released in March 2020.
Is There a Resident Evil 4 Remake Trailer?
Yes! There have been three trailers for the game since its announcement. The latest was shown during the February 2023 Sony State of Play and puts a focus on the action-packed gameplay of the remake including knife parrying and suplexes. Check it out!
What are the Resident Evil 4 Remake Platforms?
Resident Evil 4 remake will launch for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. However, Capcom later revealed that it will also come to PS4, though, it doesn’t appear like the game will launch for Xbox One. Players can upgrade from the PS4 version to PS5 for free.
It will be playable on PS VR2, as well.
Is there a Resident Evil 4 Remake Demo?
Capcom announced during the February 2023 Sony State of Play that Resident Evil 4 remake will indeed be receiving a demo, though it is currently not available. The only clue was that it would be “Coming Soon”. Considering the game is set to be released in one month, you won’t have to wait long for the demo.
What is Resident Evil 4?
Resident Evil 4 is one of the most influential games of the last decade, perhaps even of all time. When released in 2005, it created a control scheme and formula for third-person shooters that action games have followed ever since. Franchises like Uncharted have Resident Evil 4 to thank for trailblazing in the genre, so it's smart for Capcom to bring this classic up to modern standards.
Resident Evil 4 remake will feature an over-the-shoulder perspective, just like in the 2005 original.
You play as Resident Evil 2's protagonist, Leon Kennedy, who is now trying to rescue the President's kidnapped daughter from a cult in Spain. Leon's fight against the cult gets progressively more bombastic and eventually moves the story of the Resident Evil series forward by tying it into previous games. While we aren't spoiling it here, it's an enjoyable romp that is aware of its campiness and would be a joy to see remade.
It’s one of the most popular games in the series, reaching over 11 million copies sold as of September 2021. With this in mind, it’s a prime candidate for the remake treatment.
What are the Resident Evil 4 Remake Features?
Capcom’s main focus with the Resident Evil 4 remake is to tell the same story as the 2005 original, but with a modern spin, featuring stunning visuals, improved gameplay, and controls — hopefully with the same success as the RE2 remake. This game has been rebuilt from the ground up using Capcom’s proprietary RE engine, just as in recent Resident Evil games.
While the heart of the 2005 original will remain intact, Capcom says the remake’s storyline will be reimagined, likely including a handful of changes. The idea of making changes to such a beloved game might be controversial, but given its age, there are plenty of ways Capcom could make it even better without fundamentally altering what makes it great.
Game Informer did a massive cover story on the remake for its February 2023 issue that revealed plenty of new details on the project. Specific gameplay mechanics that have been tweaked and overhauled include minimizing the number of quick-time events as well as making stealth a more viable option for Leon in the world. You can also parry a chainsaw attack with your pistol.
Perhaps the biggest and most welcome change is coming to Ashley Graham. The escorting sections of Resident Evil 4 are some of the most divisive, with many deriding Ashley as a bothersome companion whose constant rescuing felt like a chore. The remake hopes to change this. Instead of giving Ashely commands to hide or wait, players will not be able to tell her to follow closely or hang back. She will no longer have a health bar of her own, instead needing you to revive her when she is critically harmed by enemies. The changes are an attempt to make the escort missions feel less troublesome.
The original RE4 launched with a minigame mode called The Mercenaries, which Capcom announced will be included in the remake as a free post-launch DLC. The two RE4 expansions Assignment: Ada and Separate Ways will also be incorporated, though it’s unclear if they’ll be added to the base game or as DLC.
Who is Developing the Resident Evil 4 Remake?
Video Games Chronicle revealed on April 12, 2020, that the remake did exist and was in development. The leak did not reveal much in terms of gameplay and story changes but confirmed it had the blessing of series creator Shinji Mikami. The report stated that the remake was in development by Capcom studio M-Two at the time.
Resident Evil 4 was reportedly being developed by M-Two, but has been shifted to Capcom Division 1.
While M-Two was created for this project and was taking the lead on it, a report from January 2021 indicated that development would undergo a reboot, in part due to the less-than-stellar response to the Resident Evil 3 remake.
According to Video Games Chronicle, Capcom was unhappy with M-Two's work on the game as it was too close to the original. Development was given over to Capcom Division 1, the team normally in charge of developing mainline Resident Evil and Devil May Cry games.
Then, in February 2022, Fanbyte reported that a remake for RE4 was still in the works, but that it had undergone changes from the original vision. Moreover, Fanbyte reports that the remake will no longer be a “strict scene-by-scene” retread of the original game. It will reportedly be “spookier,” with much of the game taking place at night.
Resident Evil 4 Remake Pre-order Details
The game is available to pre-order now, and doing so gives you access to the following items:
- Attaché Case: 'Gold'
- Charm: 'Handgun Ammo'
Digital Deluxe Edition: $70
Players can also purchase the Digital Deluxe Edition, which includes the following:
- Digital copy of Resident Evil 4
- Leon & Ashley Costumes: ‘Casual’
- Leon & Ashley Costumes: ‘Romantic’
- Leon Costume & Filter: ‘Hero’
- Leon Costume & Filter: ‘Villain’
- Deluxe Weapon: ‘Sentinel Nine’
- Deluxe Weapon: ‘Skull Shaker’
- Treasure Map: Expansion
- Leon Accessory: 'Sunglasses (Sporty)'
- 'Original Ver.' Soundtrack Swap
Collector’s Edition: $300
The Resident Evil 4 Collector's Edition comes with a wide variety of items, including a statue of Leon.
The Collector’s Edition will be available at various retailers. Here’s what’s included:
- Physical copy of Resident Evil 4 + Steelbook
- All contents of Digital Deluxe Edition
- Digital Soundtrack
- Figure: Leon S. Kennedy
- Artbook
- Special Map
- Collector's Box
Resident Evil 4 remake launches for PlayStation, Xbox, and PC on March 24, 2023.
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