Resident Evil 4 Remake Vs Original [Comparison]

Capcom’s classic Resident Evil 4 Remake is just a few days away from release. It has filled fans with excitement as the franchise finally turns back the clock and brings back its classic stories into some modern-themed action gameplay. While Capcom is set on reviving one of the best survival horror games, it includes various changes. So, here’s the comparison of the Resident Evil 4 Remake vs the Original.

Comparison Between RE4 Remake And Original

Let’s quickly compare RE4 Remake and Original by going through multiple aspects of the game:

The Friendly Merchant

Remember the friendly Merchant of the original Resident Evil 4? Even though he didn’t play a big part in the story, he was still one of the game’s unforgettable characters. Leon used to go to him for his weapons, supplies, and upgrades.

In the remake, you’ll see some changes in the work of this Merchant. Although he’ll be the main man to supply you with the weapons, you can now purchase items from him through a new currency introduced by the franchise.

Now, you can trade jewels with the merchant for yellow herbs, treasures, maps, and classic weapon attachments. You’ll also see some more work done by the Merchant in the game rather than just providing weapon supplies. This new development was previously not present in the original version. 

Crafting 

In the original RE4, only the rudimentary form of crafting items existed in the form of “Combine Herb” options. Players had to rely on the Merchant to procure items for their survival. It was impossible to craft weapons on their own. 

This is why crafting items have been upgraded to a new level in the remake. Now, the merchant will not only be the sole provider of the weapon supplies, but you’ll also have the power craft items.

• In this version of Resident Evil 4, players can mix herbs for different effects.
• You can also craft handgun ammunition, bolts, and more from other materials.
• To craft items, you must search the game’s locations more comprehensively to get your hands on different materials.
• This will allow you to prepare your own supplies, giving you an added advantage to surviving this horror classic.

Leon’s Agility

A few changes have been made to the third-person shooter combat system of the original version. In the original version, Leon wasn’t very agile. He couldn’t bend down for cover or jump high over the enemies to escape them. He couldn’t also shoot down enemies while on the move. Moreover, he couldn’t use the openings between him and his enemies in a better way.

In the new version, Leon will be much more mobile and flexible in the game. This time, he’s more agile and nimble as he’ll have the power to keep moving and aim his weapons simultaneously at the enemies.

Also, Resident Evil 4 gameplay trailers show that Leon will now have the capability to vault over low cover (if needed quickly) and also leap from roofs to dodge the enemy. Moreover, the remake’s combat system allows Leon to use openings of the game better and construct a proper space between him and his Ganados pursuers, like in the original version.

Intelligent Enemies

In the older version, enemies didn’t seem to have too much up their sleeves. They didn’t have any new trick to beat Leon. Although they were intelligent, their moves didn’t surprise the player. Leon could almost predict their moves from the go and didn’t have to think out of the box to kill them. 

This time, RE4’s Ganados will be much more proactive and intelligent. Their moves and behaviors will reflect much more prudence and better decision-making.

• Although Ganados already seemed intelligent in the original, they have been infused with more intelligence this time.
• These infected villagers are faster and more aggressive, forcing Leon to think outside the box to overcome them.
• This time, foes can also use the surroundings to hold off Leon, making the encounters in the remake feel fresh and upgraded.

Stealth Mechanism

In Resident Evil 4, the stealth mechanism was weak. The player couldn’t crouch down or duck behind a wall. He couldn’t even kill an enemy from behind. Also, it was impossible to look away from the fight. However, everything has been changed as the game will feature a stealth mechanic. 

The trailer shows that Leon can crouch down and duck behind a wall. He can also sneak past the enemies from the other side to assassinate them. This might give him an advantage against powerful enemies like the Chainsaw Man. With the stealth mechanism, Leon can evade fights against Ganados at specific points and jump over them during the fight. 

Ashley Graham

Another significant change will be made to Ashley Graham. The President’s daughter was given a health bar in the original game, and if she had taken too much damage, the health bar could have decreased. This means she could have died, ending the game for the player.

• This time, Ashley will not own a health bar.
• If she’s beaten too much, she’ll fall into a downed state, which needs to be revived.
• She could ultimately die if she’s not revived.
• The developers have said they wanted to make this character look more natural and realistic to the fans as she could play a more active role in the game.
• You can’t leave her behind; she’ll constantly be with you.
• However, you can order her to be close to you or keep a distance if enemies are near. 

Side Quests

The Resident Evil 4 Remake has also added side quests for the players. There were no side quests in the original. Now, players can participate in side missions such as cracking and pursuing down a single enemy at once or decoding a mystery by discovering “blue flyers” throughout the game.

These side quests can help you find treasure maps and other rewards in the game. However, we are still waiting for the game to be released to know the exact number of side quests. Till then, you can also follow the game’s official Twitter for the latest updates and news surrounding these side missions.

Opening Display

Those who know what it was like in the original Resident Evil 4’s opening sequence would have witnessed a significant disparity in the remake’s trailer. In the original part, the opening scenes didn’t seem as intense as this time. It didn’t look dark or scarier. Moreover, Leon didn’t have to fight many enemies during the initial part.

It seems that this time around, everything has changed. During the First House walkthrough, Leon will have to deal with multiple rooms and enemies compared to the original part. He’ll also meet one of the two police officers who would then go with him to help him find Ashley Graham. Moreover, this time, the environment seems more unsettling, intense, and isolating than the original one. 

Weapons

Another significant change is that you can switch the weapons while on the run and during combat to avoid losing momentum. Previously, the player had to stop to access the weapon during the game. It was mainly due to the lack of modern equipment used in the game.

But this time, the franchise uses the RE Engine to give players weapons on the go. With this feature, you’ll get a better and smoother experience compared to the previous version of the game.

Capcom has also added specialized weapons in the game to slay the enemies. However, fans remain unaware of which weapons will unlock for the players.

Enemy Aggression

This time, the enemy will be much more aggressive than the original RE4. Enemies will not just grab, choke, throw an axe, or use a weapon to attack Leon like in Resident Evil 4. Now, enemies are much smarter as they can punch the player and leap at the player from a high distance. For example, the Ganados, at some point in the game, will hold Leon tightly so that Dr. Salvador can kill him. This is a great innovation as it will provide fans with more surprising scenarios.

The Combat Knife

In the original part, you had the privilege to use your go-to weapon, i.e., Combat Knife, at will to cut down your enemies and boxes alike. It didn’t have exceptional features apart from killing down the enemies. 

The situation is slightly different in the remake version, but in a good way. Your Combat Knife will have new features to slash your enemies. Apart from attacking the enemy, you can defend yourself with this little weapon you couldn’t do in the original Resident Evil 4. You can also block melee weapons from your foes, such as tossed weapons and chainsaw attacks. Surely, this makes it one of the best weapons in RE4.

The Durability Meter

The Combat Knife will also have a durability meter. The more power in this meter, the more lethal the knife will be. However, specific actions could make it lose durability. Some scenarios in which your knife could lose durability include blocking attacks and stabbing enemies to escape or being grabbed by them. The knife can also lose durability when you use it to stop enemies from getting up.

If the durability becomes less, the knife could break. In this case, you’ll speak to the Merchant and ask him to repair it. Meanwhile, you can use the kitchen knives until the merchant repairs the Combat Knife. Another added feature in the game is the use of multiple knives. Now, Leon can carry multiple knives in the game. 

Lighting And Ambiance

The makers have added new scenarios and locales to connect Resident Evil 4 Remake with classic survival horror origins, making the game more intense and highly scary. You’ll find these locales extremely dark. In some cases, you may have to take out a flashlight to explore certain places.

You’ll also witness some darkened woods and abandoned homes during your prolonged stay in the game. Also, the nighttime chapters give players a heavy action vibe as they embrace a darker and more sinister aesthetic environment. The overall ambiance feels gritter and grimmer than the original.

Attache Case

In Resident Evil 4, Leon had to recourse to Attache Case to manage his inventory.

The Attache Case allowed him to move items easily to create more space and buy upgrades from the Merchant. The Attache Case was Leon’s most faithful companion, as he carried the entire arsenal in it. In the Remake, you can customize the Attache case as you want, which wasn’t possible in the original. Now, you can purchase accessory styles and charms for your case, too. 

Theme

Resident Evil 3 faced a lot of flack for not adding some main themes from the original version. But, this time, Capcom took inspiration from the original gameplay in the remake and decided not to remove any major sections that transpired in Resident Evil 4.

Although the theme remains the same, you’ll see more rooms, new paths, and different scenarios to expand the players’ experience this time. For example, in the opening house, you’ll see more rooms, different paths, and a few grisly scenarios that players can explore. Also, the island section will have new things you can discover as you progress in the game. 

Quick Time Events

Capcom has decided to remove quick-time events from the game. Although QTEs mesmerized fans, allowing players to dodge one-hit kill traps and enter a new combat situation. But this time, you won’t witness any QTEs as the franchise has replaced them with new scenes and events, such as the fight against Krauser.

The Brute

The developers have decided to introduce a new enemy in the game: The Brute. He’s a big, healthy giant who wears a dangerous bull’s head while smashing his opponents with a mighty hammer. As far as the news goes, it won’t be the only new enemy in the game. Some old enemies might come back with a new look in the game.

Team-Ups

In the original version, Ashley didn’t support Leon much. He had to protect her and also kill enemies. Although Ashely helped Leon open new paths in the original gameplay by aiding progression, she mostly depended on Leon to help her.

In the remake version, Leon will face more obstacles, and Ashley will be the key to overcoming these obstacles as only she could crawl through different routes and unlock the door from the inside.

This is one of the reasons that Leon will need to keep Ashley close to her so that she can open up new routes. Besides, Ashley can also climb the ladder and crawl through the pipes to help Leon, fulfilling the developers’ promise to make Ashley a more natural character. 

My Thoughts On These New Features

I am a gamer who has spent countless hours in the original Resident Evil 4 on his Xbox 360 and more than 70 hours fully experiencing everything the remake offers. There is no doubt that the remake improves on many things, including QoL improvements, new enemies, a more ominous setting, and a parry system.

However, in my opinion, the remake is not perfect as the original still does a few things better, including some of the boss fights. Let’s not forget that Salazar’s castle section is almost entirely revamped in the remake and is rather short when compared to the original. 

But in the end, both the remake and the original have their ups and downs, and both will remain timeless classics for years to come.

There you go! These are some of the core differences that we have decided to mention in the detailed comparison between the Resident Evil 4 Remake vs. Original. There might be more differences between the two versions. However, Capcom has not yet revealed these differences.

The makers will release the game on the 24th of March. You can go and check out what happened in the game’s final boss fight in our article Resident Evil 4 Remake’s Final Boss Fight Leaked.

For More

• How RE4 Remake Improved From The Original game
• Is Resident Evil 4 Still A Perfect Shooter?
• Resident Evil 4 Remake System Requirements Revealed
• Can You Platinum Resident Evil 4 Remake?