Resident Evil 4 preview: if it delivers as promised, it will be Capcom’s best remake | we are xbox

Resident Evil 4 Remake arrives on March 24, 2023, being one of the most anticipated titles of the year and Capcom’s most ambitious remake to date. With Resident Evil 2 (2019), Capcom kicked off the remakes of its most successful saga, determined to bring them closer to new generation players with a facelift that came in handy. The remake saga continued with Resident Evil 3 (2020); game that experienced the same development as Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999), because it went from being a game beaten by critics to becoming, little by little, a bestseller and a cult remake, for many. Now it’s the turn of Resident Evil 4 Remake, which will undoubtedly surpass its predecessors.

Since the arrival of this new remake was made official, fans have been looking forward to it and everything indicates that it will be a sales success. And is not for less. Thanks to this preview of the game, we have been able to verify that Capcom has managed to maintain the essence, offering the most faithful remake of all those that it has sent us so far. But without forgetting to adapt it to the new generation of players.

Resident Evil 4 preview: the most faithful remake to date

Resident Evil 4, when Shinji Mikami changed the saga

Resident Evil 4 arrived in 2005, revolutionizing the iconic saga that, until then, had focused on pure survival horror. With Resident Evil (1996) Capcom created the foundations of a legendary saga, taking us to the Spencer Mansion and the origin of the Raccoon City disaster, which would end up exploding in Resident Evil 2 (1998) and Resident Evil 3: Nemesis (1999).

Later, the saga expanded horizons with Resident Evil Code: Veronica (2000); the game that, for Mikami, is the real Resident Evil 3. However, it was Resident Evil 4 that revolutionized the genre, moving to pure action, introducing the over-the-shoulder camera and new playable mechanics. Although many didn’t like the change too much, the results couldn’t have been better: the game won the annual GOTY and became, for many, the best game in the series. Will this remake repeat the feat?

“Hurry, hurry. The lambs run away. Pursue them, guide them towards forgiveness»

Six years after the biological catastrophe in Raccoon City, Agent Leon S. Kennedy, one of the survivors of the disaster, has been sent to rescue the president’s daughter, who has been kidnapped. Following his trail, he arrives at a remote European town, where its inhabitants suffer a terrible disease. Thus begins this story of a risky rescue and chilling terror where life and death, and fear and catharsis intersect ”, is the synopsis of Resident Evil 4 on Xbox Store.

The Resident Evil 4 preview has left us a very clear promise: to be the most faithful remake of the original game, of all those that have come out to date, and to become a game that connects with all kinds of players, whether they are fans of the saga or not The title comes with improved gameplay, which at times will remind us of the recent Resident Evil Village.

The preview of the title begins in the town area, where Leon has to face several Ganado, showing us the gameplay changes that have been made in relation to the 2004 title. The game presents mechanics and gameplay like those of the previous titles, although more fluid; Leon is a more agile protagonist than the previous ones and much more than he was in Resident Evil 2, showing us that he is no longer a rookie agent of the Raccoon City Police Department, but a Government agent.

Thus, we can see that Leon moves fluidly to attacks, giving a greater sense of speed and dynamism than previous remakes offered. Capcom has brought back the famous kick from Resident Evil 4 (2004) to knock out enemies, as well as the ability to dodge them using parryshowing us that, also on this occasion, the game has opted for a turn towards action.

The weapons that we can carry equipped are also expanded, going from the four of the previous games to eight. The Peddler is back, acting as The Duke selling us weapons and upgrades. We can buy weapons (yes, rocket launchers included), improve them, expand the spaces in the briefcase or buy objects that we need, such as ammunition or sprays. Some emblematic weapons such as the W-870 shotgun from Resident Evil 2 or the TMP are back.

As a novelty, this time the upgrade specifications Some of the weapons appear more detailed, as if it were a shooter, which will be much more useful when comparing the improvements and specifying which one is best for us. Of course, there will be no shortage of briefcase management and the obligation to improve it in order to get more weapons and improvements.

However, all is not lost for lovers of pure survival horror, because everything indicates that Capcom wants to maintain the mix of survival horror and action that it achieved so well with Resident Evil Village. so even though the gameplay is smoother than Resident Evil 2, that constant tension so typical of the saga is maintained, making us never feel safe and that Resident Evil 4 does not reach the limit of a pure action game. For this, the work that Capcom does with visual desEsports Extrasand sound is key. The contrasts and chiaroscuro that Capcom knows how to offer so well with the RE Engine, together with the continuous whispers of the Illuminated and Ganado, mean that we can never feel calm.

The changes in the enemies, a success

Alongside, the Resident Evil 4 preview takes us to the Castle of the Illuminated, which is based on the Dimitrescu Castle from Resident Evil Village (especially in the dungeons), but much more spectacular. This area is presented with a facelift that suits it tremendously well, but remains very faithful to the original version. And this can be both good and bad news, because fidelity implies that we will have to take care of ashley during this leg of the adventure; that doesn’t last long.

However, Capcom has taken note of what fans of the original game didn’t like and has rightly decided to change our playable relationship with Ashley. It is true that we will have to save her and that we will have to be aware of her health, but not at such an extreme level, and that it was even inopportune, of the original game. Here we have an Ashley who reacts, who knows how to overcome enemies and who seems to be a little more independent than the original. In addition, she will help us at certain times and she will have playable parts again, which we hope will meet expectations.

On the other hand, Capcom has not hesitated to keep the parts that gave the players the most headaches, such as the assault on the Castle dodging catapults, the confrontations of the Illuminated with a shield and, of course, the fearsome Garrador. It is true that we cannot say what this confrontation will be like, nor if there will be more than one, but what we have seen has left us with a very good taste in our mouths: this new Garrador is an uncontrolled beast, louder and more aggressive than the original. Luckily, Capcom will allow us to face him in a more open space than it was in the original game, being able to take more advantage of stealth and the noises of the chains, to distract him.

Together with this enemy, the Castle offers us the mutated Illuminati with The pestsalthough as a curiosity we can say that some have an aspect that is reminiscent of the Hunter Gamma from Resident Evil 3. Possibly because Capcom changed the lore of the games, uniting the enemies of Resident Evil 2 and 3 with Las Plagas from Resident Evil 4. Along with this, the terrible Leader of the Fanatics and other enemies also make a cameo, about which we will not say anything so as not to spoil the surprise for you.

Resident Evil 4 aims to be the best Capcom remake

In view of what is offered in this preview, if Capcom meets expectations, we will find its best remake to date. It is a graphic milestone with respect to the original game, which maintains the essence 100% but correcting what did not work at all. And opening the way to what we could find in the rumored Resident Evil Outbreak Remake or Resident Evil 5 Remake. Without a doubt, it is one of the games we are most looking forward to this year.