As the release of Resident Evil 4 Remake nears, we spoke with its producer, Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, about this episode.
The release of the highly anticipated Resident Evil 4 Remake is near. Everything indicates that it will be another successful return to the past. Resident Evil 4 is by far the best entry in the series, so it’s no surprise that fans can’t wait any longer. This time, instead of zombies, we will meet the bloodthirsty inhabitants of a town in Spain. Once again, however, we’ll have to fight for our lives, collect ammo and herbs, solve puzzles, and fight fierce boss battles.
On the occasion of the game’s launch, we spoke with Yoshiaki Hirabayashi, the producer of Resident Evil 4 Remake, and asked him a few questions about the next opus.
Resident Evil 4, published by Capcom
GlobeLiveMedia: se está rehaciendo Resident Evil 4 Biggest rebuilding effort you’ve ever had? What was the most difficult in the remake? The scope of changes in Resident Evil 2 and 3 was much greater, largely due to the decision to change the camera position. In Resident Evil 4, such a major revolution was not necessary. Since the remake is more faithful to the original game, did it make your job easier or harder for that reason?
Yoshiaki Hirabayashi: When redesigning Resident Evil 4, we didn’t need to make the same core gameplay changes that we did in the Resident Evil 2 and 3 remakes. This was the first time we had this kind of experience in a remake so it feels difficult. When starting the project, we started by reevaluating the gameplay experience of the original game and found several areas, such as controls and story, that we could focus on in the new version, so they became the center of attention our efforts. .
What are the key ingredients of a perfect remake in your opinion? What recent remakes do you consider close to ideal?
Yoshiaki Hirabayashi: I think a lot depends on the nature of the title you’re remaking, but all remakes should start from a place of respect and love for the original. If you make that your starting point, I think it will show in your work and players will feel it, no matter how much you change the game in the process.
Resident Evil 4, published by Capcom
The Resident Evil series is hugely successful, but the fourth installment is considered by many to be the best. Do you share this opinion and what do you think makes people remember the game so well? What was the pressure to remake such a legendary game?
Yoshiaki Hirabayashi: The original RE4 is particularly beloved in the series, and I think fans have their own reasons to love the game, whether it was because it was the first TPS-style game in the series, its varied gameplay content, or something else. I think the great gameplay variety is a big part of its reputation and that made me nervous when it came to working on the new release.
Were there elements that you really wanted to change, but were worried it would spoil the original experience?
Yoshiaki Hirabayashi: Our direction was to respectfully modernize the game without making huge changes just for its own good, so I don’t think we wanted so much to change anything that strayed too far from the original. I think taking the controls, action, story and setting design of the original while adding new elements will allow players of the remake to experience a new take on the original game that retains its original feel and pace. game, to make it cooler immediately. and familiar
What do you think is more difficult, creating a new game from scratch or remaking an original one? What are the main differences between these two processes?
Yoshiaki Hirabayashi: It is very difficult to make comparisons like this. No matter where you start, it’s always difficult to come up with ideas that you imagine players will enjoy, and the journey from early development to a finished game is always difficult.
What game mechanics Resident Evil 4 Do you feel like it has aged less well, and which one did you decide not to include in the remake for that reason? Looking back, do you think Chuck Norris-esque roundhouse kicks are a bit awkward?
Yoshiaki Hirabayashi: I still play the original a lot and really like it, but it’s almost 20 years old now, so I think there are elements that can be improved with a modern approach. That being said, I don’t think there are any very old parts that I would want to remove, but rather areas that I think would benefit from this type of refresh to feel more up-to-date. Probably the only things I could mention that have been completely removed are the cutscene QTEs, and the controls have also been significantly updated.
Resident Evil 4, published by Capcom
With the new episodes of the series, you have made the decision to go for a first-person perspective. Have you ever been tempted to add a first-person mode to any of the remakes you’ve developed? After all, mods for the PC version of Resident Evil 2 and 3 that add FPP mode are very popular.
Yoshiaki Hirabayashi: Our goal with this remake was to build on and update the feel of the original, so while we’re always open to exploring new possibilities, keeping the point of view over your shoulder was the best way to go. follow.
Will the addition of the ability to shoot while walking have a big impact on the game? In the original, the inability to walk was often said to determine the shape of combat and the draft of the game, things like enemy placement, pacing, shape of locations.
Yoshiaki Hirabayashi: Gamers will find the new system more flexible, no doubt, as it’s a gaming feel they’ve come to expect from modern games. To keep pace, we’ve adjusted related elements such as AI and enemy behavior, as well as stage layout. The modernized controls bring a new level of strategy to the game and I hope you enjoy taking on similarly empowered enemies with them.
Resident Evil 4, published by Capcom
You’ve worked on the show pretty much since its inception, you’ve seen all of its ups and downs. How has the survival horror genre changed over the years? How are you resident Evil change?
Yoshiaki Hirabayashi: From a purely personal perspective, I think Survival Horror produced a great experience through the combination of resource management and a cycle of stress and release. The visuals have become more polished and the style of the story differs from title to title, but I think those fundamentals have remained the same from the beginning of the genre until today.
In the new version, the knife has limited durability and gets damaged after each use. However, he isn’t particularly effective during combat, as his attacks deal minimal damage, just like in the original game. As for the weapon, I feel like it’s not as good at killing livestock, as enemies seem to need more headshots to take them down, like zombies in previous games. What was the reason for introducing these changes?
Yoshiaki Hirabayashi: In addition to its normal attack, a variety of additional actions have been added to the knife, such as parry, evade, and stealth. These new actions will give players a rich set of tools from which to strategize for their playstyle, but resource management is an integral part of survival horror, and using the limited resources available to overcome the situations is part of the game. it’s ammunition for weapons or other items.
The knife Leon equipped at the start of the game has a durability gauge, but you can repair it at the merchant and also pick up additional non-repairable knives along the way. These aspects have been carefully balanced so that as long as you don’t overuse the knife, you can still use it effectively.