‘Resident Evil 4’ review: Capcom’s remake takes a half-step backward

The Resident Evil 4 remake starts out strong with updated aiming mechanics and a fresh infusion of processing power that make it the most exciting version Capcom has ever delivered. Leon Kennedy looks better than ever, even with his new chin implant. The game performs well in the first few hours as Leon navigates through a misty Spanish village infested by tentacle monsters. However, as the game progresses, it becomes clumsy with added enemies, cramped environments, and fewer ammo drops, resulting in sluggish animations and frustrating combat sequences.

Capcom’s approach to modernizing RE4 by enhancing enemies and environments leaves Leon feeling underpowered and unable to evade attacks effectively. The remake introduces new boss fights and abilities like parrying, but these features are inconsistent and do little to enhance the tension of combat scenes. The slow movement and lack of quick dodging options make combat challenging, and the overall experience feels unfinished compared to other Resident Evil remakes.

One reimagined boss fight against Méndez, the mutant priest, highlights the issues with the remake. The cramped environment filled with flames and the sluggish movements of Leon create a frustrating experience for players. Even on the standard difficulty setting, players may find themselves prompted to switch to the assisted mode for an easier time, but be aware that this change is permanent in RE4.

Overall, the Resident Evil 4 remake shows promise in its initial stages but falls short in delivering a polished and engaging experience throughout the game.
I spent some time playing Resident Evil 4 on the lowest difficulty setting and found it to be a completely different experience from the Standard version. Without tension or risk, the game felt lacking. Thankfully, on PlayStation 5, cloud saves are only synced when exiting a game, allowing me to revert to an old save file before switching settings. This allowed me to defeat Méndez on Standard difficulty and continue playing with a newfound fear of accidentally switching to Assisted mode.

The Decision Behind Difficulty Modes

Resident Evil games feature permanent mode-switching, a feature that can be confusing. Despite actively encouraging players to try Assisted mode, the game’s design choices remain puzzling. Capcom explained that the difficulty mode chosen affects in-game achievements and trophies, but this reasoning doesn’t fully address concerns about prioritizing trophy integrity over accessibility.

Controller Sound Settings on PS5

In addition to gameplay frustrations, I recommend all PS5 players to disable controller sounds in the audio settings for a better experience, not only in RE4 but in all games with this feature. The DualSense controller’s volume can be too loud, causing unnecessary distraction during gameplay.

Overall, the RE4 remake left me feeling nostalgic yet frustrated. While it introduces enemy variety and new environments, the gameplay lacks consistency. Combat strategies are established but hindered by mechanics that punish the player. In the end, the word that best describes the RE4 remake is “inconsistent.”