Every Important Detail We Caught In Resident Evil 4 Remake

Capcom has introduced a variety of changes to the Resident Evil series to make it more enjoyable for the new and old generations of fans. The Resident Evil 2 Remake featured a lot of differences from the original, and Resident Evil 4 Remake will likely follow the same approach.

However, it is safe to assume that the changes we see in Resident Evil 4 Remake won’t be as extensive as those we saw in the Resident Evil 2 Remake.

Capcom will likely take a similar yet cautious approach to the upcoming remake to ensure that it preserves the original game’s legacy while also making the game suitable to modern standards.

Resident Evil 4 Remake is set to release in March 2023. Join us as we take a look at all the major changes we’ll be seeing in the remake of one of the most popular installments from the Resident Evil franchise.

Ashley Graham

Ashley Graham, easily the most important character in the original game, will undergo a massive overhaul in the Resident Evil 4 Remake. And not just her appearance changed; her personality has also received some tweaks compared to the original.

The Ashley Graham we’ll see in the remake will look more mature and professional, as seen in the Netflix CGI series “Resident Evil Infinite Darkness.” Her new personality will feature a darker tone and be more serious than she was in the original.

In the original, Ashely appears to be much more easygoing and casual. However, that will not be the case with the remake, as she would appear to be more desperate this time around.

Ashley’s role in the gameplay has also received some changes as she would no longer just follow you around like a doll or stay in a single spot if you told her to.

She will remain more active in Resident Evil 4 Remake, take part in the exploration, and point out any objects and items you both come across. You’ll also be able to give her a wide array of commands during combat instead of just “follow” and “stay.”

Another important gameplay feature regarding Ashley is that you cannot tell her to hide in a dumpster or something, making her an active part of gameplay and combat.

Ashley will also no longer have a health bar of her own. Instead, she will enter a “downed state” for a while after she is attacked. Another hit during this “downed state” will kill her, making her more vulnerable. You’ll have to play around keeping her safe while also battling the hordes simultaneously.

According to the developers, the idea behind removing her health bar is to make her feel more like a natural companion instead of just a second health bar to babysit.

Tone

Resident Evil 4 Remake will feature a tonal shift, just like some of the previous remakes from the franchise. While the original Resident Evil 4 featured some casual humor at times and funny dialogues, you won’t be seeing a lot of it in the remake.

The remake will feature a much more serious and darker tone this time. You’ll actually feel like the character’s life is in danger.

The game’s overall environment is also much darker this time to represent the game’s grim tone. By “dark,” you’ll have to rely on Leon’s flashlight to navigate through some of the areas in Resident Evil 4 Remake.

The game’s script has also been changed a little, and the dynamic between the two leads has shifted slightly.

While Ashley makes some unexpected romantic advances towards Leon towards the end of the story, no such things will happen in the remake. Instead, the relationship between the two main leads will follow a platonic friendship route.

But the script is still filled with the same silliness as the original and features some light-hearted moments. For example, Leon will still be saying his iconic bingo line, as well as many other quips.

Despite the tonal shift and momentarily humor, the writing for Resident Evil 4 Remake has improved a lot upon the original.

A direct example of this improvement can be noticed in the iconic cabin fight in the remake. When Luis Sera first sees Ashley with Leon, he makes a rather inappropriate remark about her, which has been replaced with a much more appropriate dialogue that is more relevant and appropriate.

We’ll also see more of Luis Sera in the remake, as it has been confirmed that the upcoming remake will expand upon his story and might lead to an extended team-up compared to the original.

Combat

The combat in the game has also received a massive overhaul. Resident Evil 4 Remake will retain some of the core mechanics from the original, but they’ve made a few positive changes that will make the entire experience more worthwhile.

For example, the enemies in the game will be sturdier and more aggressive, but Leon will also have new tools in his arsenal to keep up with them. A new “parry” mechanic in the remake will allow Leon to use his knife to parry an attack and follow it up with further melee attacks.

In the original game, you could use your knife as much as you wanted, but the game didn’t make it a better option to use over your other tools. However, in the remake, the knife will be much more versatile, and you’ll be able to take down enemies with it instantly.

But, the issue is the knife will come with limited durability, unlike the original. However, you can carry multiple knives to make up for it. You’ll be able to use the knife for the new “parry” mechanic, which can be highly effective against enemies like the Chainsaw guy that can easily kill you with one well-placed hit.

Weapon switching has also been reworked for modern standards, as you can now switch the weapons on the go in the remake. Back then, you had to open up your inventory and equip a new firearm in the original game.

In the original Resident Evil 4, you had to stop yourself in the tracks to aim with your firearm. However, you can move while aiming in the remake, making the combat much easier and enjoyable. The increase in mobility is also an excellent way to balance out the newer, tougher, and more aggressive enemies you’ll be facing.

There have been several other minor changes, such as the laser sight, which won’t be available till late game, and flash grenades that will take longer to explode. But, as far as major combat changes go, we’ve covered pretty much everything.

Stealth

While we had already seen a glimpse of Resident Evil 4 Remake’s stealth elements, we got to take a better look at it at the recent State of Play showcase. The inclusion of stealth elements only gives the player more freedom to approach how they play and enjoy the game.

From what we’ve seen so far, it is safe to assume that stealth will only be an optional aspect of the game. However, it is also possible that some sections in the game encourage the use of stealth, especially when you’re alongside Ashley.

Additionally, you’ll also be able to stealth kill enemies with your knife, which only increases its versatility and gives the player another way to approach difficult situations where blasting through with your firearm isn’t working as nicely as it should.

Exploration

As we saw in the Game Informer preview, Resident Evil 4 Remake will emphasize exploration more than the original. You would also be able to revisit many sections in the game at a later point in the story.

The remake will also introduce many side quests that encourage exploration, making the remake actually feel like a survival horror experience paired with thrilling action.

New Faces

The recent reveal surprised everyone with the face of an enemy that was not part of the original game. The bull-headed creature carrying a sledgehammer appeared like a mini-boss in the reveal.

Assuming this new mini-boss is introduced quite early into the game, it is highly likely that we’ll face many new enemies with game progression.

We might also get to see some cut content in the remake that never made it to the original game. Overall, from what we’ve seen from the new trailer, it looks like there’s enough new content in the remake that will feel like an entirely new experience for series veterans.

No More QTEs

Quick Time Events, or QTEs, were an integral part of the original Resident Evil 4. However, the game’s producer, Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, told IGN in an interview that there aren’t as many QTEs in the remake as in the original.

According to the producer, we won’t be getting any QTEs during cutscenes. Instead, you’ll be prompted to press certain buttons during the actual gameplay.

It may not sound very pleasant to many people, considering those QTEs during cutscenes are one of the things that made the original game so memorable. However, we’ll have to wait and see how this new approach to QTEs goes in the remake once the game comes out.

Takeaway

There are still a lot of things we don’t know about the Resident Evil 4 Remake. But from what we’ve seen, it is quite clear that the devs are trying to include everything that was in the original game, along with lots of new content, to make the experience much more enjoyable for the modern audience.

We’ve only seen a glimpse of some of the starting sections of the story, but if that is any indication, the complete game will include lots of new things that we’ve never seen before in the original.

The overall tonal shift, gameplay improvements, and the new dynamic that raises the game’s difficulty are some of the things that point towards the devs trying to ensure the remake surpasses the original in each and every way.