Resident Evil 4 Remake, the perfect balance between nostalgia and renewal

Rumors were getting louder and louder, but in June of last year confirmation came: Resident Evil 4 Remake it was a reality and its launch was closer than we all thought. March 24, 2023 was the date chosen and all players will be able to meet or give a first chance to one of the most emblematic titles in the history of video games.

My first contact with this game was before an exam. At that time a PlayStation 2 came to my house and it brought two games. one was the Resident Evil 4. Not only did I not study, but I also did not sleep, and it became the first game that consumed me to the point of not being able to think of anything else. The next day I failed for the first time. I never finished the race, but the RE4 did. Again and again.

From that moment, video games have continued to evolve and our relationship to mechanics and rhythms has also evolved. This passage of time has made returning to RE4 a more complex experience. Not in terms of difficulty, but because of the discomfort generated by encountering something that is destined for another time and another context. On behalf of GlobeLiveMedia, we had the opportunity to test in preview this remake which comes to show that novelty and respect for the original proposal are not exclusive.

“Since many fans love the game and it is still played today, we thought it would be a challenge to do a remake. We were very nervous with the development of this work because we knew we had to live up to expectations. We started by discussing which points were appreciated and memorable by everyone, and we determined which were the central elements of the game that we should keep in mind. We spent a lot of time rebuilding the balance of tension and catharsis of the original game, based on the modern operating system.” Yoshiaki Hirabayashigame producer, who exclusively answered a few questions about this new opus.

The first thing I want to say is that this search for balance is one of the great achievements of this game. RE 4 Remake understood the moment it arrives, took what it learned in its last episodes and offers a proposal that feels extremely familiar, but at the same time – when you become aware of the way it plays – also it is perceived as an experience consistent with what we expect in 2023. For those who have never played is the definitive way they should do it.

One of the aspects that has grown the most is combat. The quick access to weapons and grenades (with eight lockers available) is a great help to vary the attacks according to the needs of each enemy. We do not have a specific option to dodge attacks, but the crouch option can be used in favor, which avoids the opponent’s grab, for example.

Leon’s knife becomes one of the undisputed protagonists in this larger struggle. On the one hand, it is a fundamental piece to stop attacks, since it works as a blocking tool. In addition, it will have a limited durability, depending on the use we make of it, but it will be possible to repair it at the merchant. It will be possible to complete it with other knives that will be obtained as a reward, which will perform the same function and become more important when the main one is completely damaged.

Stealth is another of this weapon’s allies. Crouching, we can approach the enemies from behind and attack them with a knife. It’s not just a good way to avoid attracting attention. In addition, it allows us to save ammunition in the most difficult moments of the game, in which each bullet counts to be able to overcome a chapter.

“We rebuilt the level design and visuals from scratch, building on the original concepts in even the most memorable places. For those who played the original game, we hope you get both the “nostalgia” and a “new” feeling. And for those who never played the original, we hope you enjoy the ultimate survival horror experience as the latest title in the ‘Resident Evil’ series,” said Yoshiaki Hirabayashi.

A lot has been said about QTEs in the preview and it must be said that they are still present, but in a different way. There are clashes that still require attention to be able to dodge attacks and greatly reduce the damage received, or to finish off an enemy in a moment of weakness, but they have become an element with a more limited presence.

Everything works together to deliver an experience that feels dynamic all the time. Maybe it’s that we’ve become less patient gamers and Resident Evil 4 Remake maintainers have been able to read this, but there are fragments that slowed down the original game that are no longer present or have been repurposed For prioritize action and avoid frustration. I bring you hope that even those of us who were born aimless can finish this game without suffering too many deaths.

Ashley’s role remains complex. He is a character who carries a limitation in his possibilities of intervention in the game and this remake could not save the perception that he generates either., especially in times of greatest tension or when the number of enemies is overwhelming. Yes, again we’re going to be shouting at a screen asking it to run.

She no longer has a health bar, so we are not sacrificing healing items to save her. But receiving an attack at one of the times when it is reduced can cause us to lose this match and have to start again from the last saved point. The knife will also be a useful object when we seek to reduce an enemy who kidnaps her again.

“Ashley’s role in the remake isn’t all that different from the original. However, we made some changes to her interactions with Leon and gameplay to make Ashley feel more like a “person” than in the original. To make it more natural, she will have conversations with Leon during the game, she will not stand still in dangerous places and she will be able to move alone through high and low altitudes”, had anticipated the producer of this remake.

What is also true is that controlling Ashley we will experience one of the most tense moments in the game, a fragment in which stealth and orientation on the map will be two key tools to survive. All embellished with full sections that will be covered almost without lighting.

Precisely, This new installment has a lot of merit when it comes to generating much darker climates than its original offering and it still feels like a darker experience. One aspect that has contributed to this is its visual section, one of the highlights of this remake. The update work is remarkable and there is a lot of merit in the reconstruction of the main settings of this story, but also the protagonists and the variety of enemies.

It’s hard to say anything bad about a game determined to improve everything necessary, but without losing its essence and the elements that have consolidated a very strong identity. Resident Evil 4 Remake is the reimagining this game had to have. For fans, they managed to replicate the feeling of playing the exact same thing again, it’s like going back to a very familiar place. But enough changes have been allowed for everything to be both different and current. Newcomers can have one certainty and that is that this game has come looking for them.

Continue reading: