Capcom is continuing its line of Resident Evil remakes, and next in line is Resident Evil 4 Remake. With its launch now right around the corner, here, we’ll be going over several key details that you should know about the survival horror-action game.
NO QTEs
The original RE4 may be a timeless masterpiece, but not all aspects of the experience have aged well. Some are very much products of their time- like the QTEs, for instance. Unsurprisingly, with the remake, Capcom has made the decision to cut out the quick time events altogether, which means certain parts of the game are going to play out very differently from what fans of the original will remember. Speaking of which…
KRAUSER
Leon’s knife fight with Jack Krauser in the later stages of the game is something that fans of the original game will remember very well (and those memories might be mixed with a healthy dose of trauma, especially if you played the game on Nightmare difficulty). In the original RE4, the boss fight was built entirely around QTEs, but with QTEs no longer being a factor in the remake, it’ll now revolve around a completely new mechanic- the knife parry.
KNIFE PARRY
Knives will once again play an important part in Resident Evil 4, as they have in plenty of RE games in the past, but they won’t just be melee weapons that you can whip out in combat. The remake is also introducing a completely new knife parry mechanic. As its name suggests, the mechanic will allow players to parry incoming attacks with a knife – from chainsaws and pitchforks to axes thrown from a distance and more – if you’re able to time it right. Doing so will also chip away at your knife’s durability.
STEALTH
Another big addition to Resident Evil 4’s gameplay in the remake is stealth. Capcom has confirmed that Leon will be able to crouch and move around quietly, which will enable him to dispatch enemies without having to engage them in combat, as long as they don’t spot him first. Similarly, the new bolt thrower weapon will also allow you to pick off foes from a distance with silent and ranged attacks. Of course, RE4 is still going to be focused on action first and foremost, so we’re not expecting stealth to be a massively integral part of the core loop.
THE MERCHANT
Resident Evil 4’s nameless and enigmatic Merchant is one without a doubt one of the game’s most iconic and memorable elements, and he is, of course going to return in the remake as well. Leon will run into him frequently throughout his nightmarish mission and will be buying and upgrading various weapons at his shop, in addition to selling treasure for some extra cash. Interestingly, based on what Capcom has shown of the game so far, it doesn’t look like the Merchant has a different voice actor in the remake, though Capcom hasn’t revealed who that is.
SIDE QUESTS
Another intriguing gameplay addition in Resident Evil 4 is side quests. It remains to be seen just how many of them will be included in the game, but it seems like there’s going to be plenty of variety where the objectives are concerned, from hunting down specific animals and objects (similar to Resident Evil Village) and bringing them to the Merchant to hunting down specific enemies and more.
EXPANDED EXPLORATION
Exploration generally tends to be an important part of Resident Evil experiences, and though it was something that the original RE4 de-emphasized as compared to its predecessors, it seems the remake will be expanding on it. While specific details on this haven’t been shared yet, Capcom has said players can look forward to several new paths and expanded areas that will provide more room for exploration.
NO CUT CONTENT
Both Resident Evil 2 and 3 cut down a fair bit of content and gameplay features with their remakes, and the latter in particular did it perhaps a little bit more than it should have, though Capcom has provided assurances that that won’t be the case in RE4. Even so, the areas will be redesigned to varying degrees, so it’s safe to say that they’re not going to be exact recreations by any means.
LENGTH
Resident Evil 4 still ranks as one of the longer mainline games in the series, but what should fans expect from the remake on this front? In a nutshell, about the same. While Capcom hasn’t provided an exact figure, the developers have said that the remake will be roughly as long as the original was (which makes sense, seeing as none of the major areas have been cut out), so we’re expecting it’ll be somewhere in the region of 12-15 hours for the critical path.
ASHLEY
Even the most diehard RE4 fans will tell you that Ashley Graham is an incredibly annoying character, in terms of both gameplay and story, though Capcom has assured that the remake is changing her up in several ways. Her characterization is going to be more grounded and her interactions with Leon will be less cheesy, while on a gameplay front, she will be a much more active participant where exploration is concerned. She can now also be commanded in a much more direct way, while it also seems like changes have been made so that constantly babysitting her when she’s with you won’t be as much of a hassle as it was in the original game.
THE BRUTE
There’s no shortage of formidable foes to fight in the original Resident Evil 4, but the remake is expanding that roster with new additions. One that has been revealed so far is the Brute, which is a new enemy type that players will run into on several occasions. As his name suggests, the Brute is, well, a brute of a man who not only wields a giant sledgehammer, but also wears a mask.
NEW GAME PLUS
Resident Evil as a series has always prided itself on its replayability, and unsurprisingly, Capcom is looking to keep that going with the upcoming remake. The developer has confirmed that the game will feature a New Game Plus mode at launch, though precise details on what it will entail are currently unclear. Obviously, one would imagine players will be able to start anew while carrying over all of their upgrades and progression from a finished save, but if the mode will also feature things such as special enemies or remixed item placement remains to be seen.
CONTROL SCHEMES
Resident Evil 4’s remake will also allow players to choose between multiple control schemes, as confirmed by the developers in an interview with Game Informer. How many control schemes will be available hasn’t yet been confirmed, but it has been revealed that one in particular will be similar to the original game’s controls (but not 100% similar).
PHOTO MODE
It’s always a massive bonus to have a Photo Mode in a game, especially when it looks as drop-dead gorgeous as Resident Evil 4 will, and Capcom has confirmed that that will indeed be the case. How extensive the options in the Photo Mode will be remains to be seen, but hopefully Capcom will be sharing more information on that front in the near future.
THE MERCENARIES
Fan-favourite mode The Mercenaries has had many excellent renditions throughout Resident Evil’s history, but most fans will tell you that none of them comes close to the brilliance of RE4’s Mercenaries mode. Though some feared that it wouldn’t be coming back in the RE4 remake (especially since it didn’t make the cut in the Resident Evil 3 remake), those concerns have been put to bed. The Mercenaries will indeed be included in Resident Evil 4– though not at launch. It will be added to the game as free post-launch DLC. Exactly how long after the game’s launch it will arrive hasn’t been revealed just yet.
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