Resident Evil 4

It’s officially the month of March, which means Capcom’s long awaited remake of their horror masterpiece Resident Evil 4 is releasing in just a few short weeks. While the whole world got a deeper look at the game with a brand new trailer during the previous PlayStation State of Play, Gaming Nexus also got an early sneak peek at some never-before-seen extended footage. The game looks absolutely stunning, just from the gameplay and visuals alone, and I have a gut feeling that the trailers don't do it enough justice. In this preview footage, we got some extra screen time with our favorite protagonist Leon S. Kennedy exploring the lake area of the village, storming the castle with the president’s daughter Ashley, and having a tense showdown with Jack Krauser.

It wouldn’t be a Resident Evil game if we didn’t have tense exploration and intuitive puzzle solving, in addition to the action and horror of course. Tight corridors are lit dimly by your flashlight, with a sense of immense fear of what might lurk around the corner. The Las Plagas parasite is definitely something to be frightened of, with Ganado transforming after certain parts of their bodies are exposed. As you explore, you may come across special notes, which serve as side quests, that reward you handsomely upon completion. Treasures can be combined to be sold at a higher price, so always examine the pieces carefully before pawning it off to the Merchant. You can also now customize your trusty carrying case that stores all your equipment, including adding cute little charms or changing the color of the case itself. A minor addition, but a neat one nonetheless.

Aside from the obvious graphical overhaul, the remake of Resident Evil 4 brings a slew of changes to the original classic. For starters, stealth is now an option, as Leon can now crouch to avoid deadly encounters with the Ganados. Combat itself has also been enhanced, allowing Leon to parry and dodge, which is a complete game changer to traditional survival horror combat. Head-on encounters feel a lot more natural and engaging, such as Leon following up with a roundhouse kick after disorienting enemies. Portions with Ashley are played out differently as well, considering she no longer has a health bar that needs to be monitored. Instead, she can now be put in a “downed” state that requires you to revive her, otherwise it’s a game over. You have the option to issue “tight” or “loose” controls which commands her to either stay close or far away from Leon, depending on the situation. In the castle portion of the preview, we see multiple scenarios that put Ashely in danger, like catapult and cannon bombardings, or Acolytes attempting to abduct her.

The visceral and exciting boss (or mini boss) encounters are definitely something that every Resident Evil fan looks forward to, especially the Garrador, augmented human hosts of the Plaga. The thing with these gigantic claw creatures is that they’re completely blind, so use that to your advantage when encountering them. As seen previously mentioned, Leon can parry enemy attacks, including ones from the Garrador! The last part of the preview was a snippet of the fight with Jack Krauser, which was actually just a quick time event in the original game, but is now a full fledged battle. The QTEs are still there, but you must also actively face him in an arena now with your knife. Pretty awesome addition. 

It’s safe to say that my anticipation for this remake increases everyday as we count down to its official release. Resident Evil 4 Remake is coming to PC via Steam, Xbox Series S|X, PlayStation 4, and PlayStation 5 on March 24, 2023. Pre-orders are available on all platforms for $59.99. The original Resident Evil 4, which came out on the GameCube in 2005 is also available on modern platforms for a retail price of $19.99. Now’s a great time to replay the classic before the full fledged remake comes out!