Resident Evil 4: A masterclass in reimagining horror

When Capcom stated that they’re remaking Resident Evil 4, the fan base of their survival-horror franchise, got divided once again. Part of the reason is that Resident Evil 4 is still an standard playable game even though it was released almost 18 years ago.

Now the remake has been out and I’m not sure it’s the quality of the games that wonders me the most or the sense of nostalgia that got me from the first minutes till the end. Nevertheless, this game is a masterclass of remaking in every aspect.

Resident Evil 4 for the new generation

Story wise, Resident Evil 4 is not something like a Shakespeare piece of novel or something, but IT IS one of those more important games of the series. I don’t know when or how the video game sidekicks become the thing, but Resident Evil 4 is one of those games that its story is kind of different in how characters react to each other. So I think it’s one of those games that the interactions between characters can put a smile on your face.

Six years after Resident Evil 2 incidents, Leon S. Kennedy is not just that new cop in Raccoon City. He’s now on a mission to rescue Ashley, who is the president daughter. The game follows the story of these two running from a village in Spain, then a haunted old castle and finally, a mysterious lab on an island. I think the locations has been remade so perfectly compared to the original game and the replicability also kicks in when you try to replay the game for better scores on harder difficulty levels.

The game offers three difficulty levels which is Starter, Normal and Hardcore. So if you’re not sure about your skills particularly in the survival horror games, it must come in handy.

Attention to detail

Capcom used the latest modern technology to reimagine Resident Evil 4 in the best way possible. The RE Engine does its best job to create more detailed environment, improved lightning and particle effects. So this game is visually appealing enough to captivate the audience’s attention.

The game is not much long in length and can be beaten in less than 15 hours. However, replicability provides the opportunity for the streamer to explore different paths and option and makes the content fresh.

The one thing that Capcom really nails in this remake is the attention to detail that recreates the feel and sense of the original game. Although Resident Evil 4 is a whole new experience in the sense of design and horror, yet it is faithful to the original vision of the creators.

Masoud Teymouri