Continuing its momentum, Capcom once again provides us with an excellent remake of one of its best games of all time. Resident Evil 4 Remake is an undeniable achievement.
After Resident Evil 2 and 3, Capcom is once again picking up one of its greatest titles with the release of Resident Evil 4 Remake. The Japanese publisher is therefore continuing its great work of renovating its masterpieces, this time attacking the most popular of all its Resident Evil. Our editorial team was able to discover this restored version from top to bottom and across, and gives you its opinion on this little country trip to Spain, in the welcoming region home to the Los Illuminados. The game was completed on PC, in hardcore mode, for a play time of approximately 18 hours (by searching its every corner).
A familiar look
Leaves crunching under boots, creaking trees in the woods, shabby houses with annoyingly homicidal inhabitants, no doubt, here we are back in the Spanish countryside. The detailed makeover of Resident Evil 4 could have almost made us doubt, as the lighting effects, textures and landscapes of the RE Engine smell like new. But there is no mistaking it; the village, the smoke, the stake, everything is there. Capcom has taken one of the most iconic intros in video game history to perfection, pumping out a crescendo of horror throughout the game’s first act. Seems like it, since these first minutes set the tone for a remake that does not hesitate to modernize its game design, while respecting the cult passages of its original product. The landscapes are magnificent, the views impressive, the levels convoluted without being too much of a headache. In short, Capcom has managed, throughout this remake, to take the design of its levels up a notch while retaining their identity, making exploration much more free and enjoyable in areas now linked together by a form of small open-world. A feat to salute, although the Japanese publisher has already accustomed us to excellence in the past. On the scenario side, nothing to say, the original game is respected even in its slight lack of finesse.
Resident Evil 4 manages to keep its identity while doing something new, or rather better, in all areas. Everything that the game had brought when it was released in 2005, the camera and aiming behind the player’s shoulder, the contextual QTEs, is taken up to perfection by Capcom, which offers us a new nervous title, where the fights are dynamic, vicious enemies, and the constant sense of danger. One bad fall and you’re in the middle of hostile country people, zigzagging between ax blows and dynamite sticks, using the excellent level design of certain areas to create space for you, all while managing a limited amount, but sufficient, ammunition. In terms of gameplay, we can perhaps blame the return of certain rather archaic sequences, particularly against bosses. The fight against the lake monster, the one against Mendez, or the escape from the mine are sequences that all seem to lack a little something new, even though they punctuate in an original way a sometimes redundant but overall exploration playful.
The return of Resident Evil 4 to our screens will bring back good memories for the most veteran of gamers, memories of flip phones, Nintendo DS, CRT screens and Internet cafes. There’s no point ignoring the value of nostalgia in a release like this, that nostalgia that ripples the senses, gets the serotonin flowing, and can sometimes cloud judgment when looking at a gaming landmark like Resident Evil 4. But unfortunately, Capcom has done its job too well and knows its subject too well to leave even a shred of doubt about the relevance of this new release.
The game is magnificent, still just as scary, offering a challenge that one could sometimes almost hope would be more difficult (note that the game has a New Game system) and benefiting from quality of life changes that greatly improve the experience. Exploring the area may seem long at times, but in addition to giving you the means to find points of interest and hidden objects on your map, the game above all offers you a shop well enough stocked to make you want to explore. to pick up any lost pesetas. In short, Resident Evil 4 is made prettier, smarter, and just as intense as its predecessor. It’s a release not to be missed for fans of the license, who will find everything that contributed to its legend, and an ideal purchase for all those who wish to continue their discovery of the Resident Evil universe after the two first remakes.
