Reinventing horror with the Resident Evil 4 remake

Survival horror has received quite the shot in the arm as of late. The Callisto Protocol, Dead Space remake, and now the Resident Evil 4 remake are all coming out in a relatively quick succession of one. While remakes are a mixed bag, Dead Space has nailed the landing and many are wondering if Resident Evil 4 can do the same. The original is lauded as a classic and the Resident Evil 3 remake wasn't as warmly received as the Resident Evil 2 remake.

Will lightning strike again with the Resident Evil 4 remake?

Set to be released in roughly seven weeks, Capcom has been fairly tight-lipped with the title. That is, until an exclusive hands-on preview with Game Informer. The article details the harrowing experience of surviving Chapters 1 and 5 and gives insight into what's staying the same and what's changed.

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The general idea behind remaking Resident Evil 4 is to not mess with what worked. From the article's sound, the bulk of the game remains the same but is brought up to date with controls, less reliance on quick-time events, and overhauled visuals.

What changes are being made appear to be more natural evolutions, akin to how the Dead Space remake was handled. Leon can now pack eight weapons, knives have been overhauled to be more than a last-resort weapon, and Ashley's AI has been changed significantly. There will be no more stashing her in a safe room while Leon goes on a rampage.

This will certainly make things more difficult as Leon has to contend with smarter Ganados and entirely new ones. Thankfully, he'll have access to new weapons, including a crossbow that can be modified. Also changing is the Attache Case, which can be swapped out for different versions that offer passive bonuses. More side quests have been added alongside more paths around the game.

It certainly sounds like "more" was the theme of development, and the writer likened it to an alternate timeline where Resident Evil 4 came out in 2023 instead of 2005. It makes sense and this secondhand experience certainly makes us even more excited to try it when it releases on March 23, 2023.

For more Resident Evil goodies, check out Why Leon S. Kennedy is the hottest character in gaming on Pro Game Guides.