Resident Evil 4 (2023) is the remake to the classic and widely-regarded Resident Evil 4 predecessor. The original departed wildly from its urban, zombie-slaying roots by framing the story within another country (Spain), in a small village, and pitting you against infected humans that, for all intents and purposes, while zombie-like, could also use weapons and basic attack strategies. The game had a wild story containing a global domination plot, a monomaniacal religious zealot, a variety of monstrous enemies and oodles of action. All of that is present in the remake. It's ironic that the most well-regarded Resident Evil game should also be partially responsible for the action-oriented philosophy of the following 2 Resident Evil titles (5 & 6).

It's important to underscore that Resident Evil 4 (2023) is both a future classic and an excellent game in its own right, whether you compare it to the original or any of its gaming contemporaries. The game is comprised of atmosphere, tension, bouts of frenetic panic, intrigue all wrapped within a stunningly polished presentation. The game's graphics are simply excellent and, while the game lacks some of the photo-realistic visuals and textures of its predecessors (2, 3 and Village to be precise), it is still a beautiful game in its own right. The title also has a competently foreboding soundtrack and reasonable voice acting.

The combat and gameplay are sublime and represent years of careful and skilled control/combat iterations. Leon moves well and the combat feels great. Weapons are varied and all are reasonably useful, even if some are noticeably more powerful than others. Environmental variables abound, allowing for a variety of tactical choices. Ammo is often scarce, so melee is absolutely essential and the inclusion of the new parry system adds a layer of strategy to the combat proceedings. I do believe that the game would have benefited from the inclusion of a set evasion command, as the Quicktime-based evasion prompts lack the skill of more fluid responses.

The enemies are wide and varied, with a ton of humanoid zombies, monstrous sea creatures, giants (Gigante), artillery, dogs, insects, and a slew of other surprises which will remain a secret. Additionally, clever resource/inventory management is crucial to survival in higher levels. Boss fights are, for the most part, well-realized, and the game is riddled with secrets. In fact, while all RE games, to some degree, have secrets and unlockables, most are absolutely dwarfed by this game. Completing the entire game and finding most of the stashes of loot will easily take over 30 hours.

Replayability is also present in this game, with plenty hidden weapons, loot stashes and unlocks being available. A variety of character models and character sketches can similarly be unlocked. Some can even be used within the game during multiple playthoughs and the came will reward determined gamers with New Game+ additions. The title also comes bundled with the Mercenaries add-on, which will add a simple but compelling horde mode to the table. Ashley, the President's maiden-in-distress daughter, serves as an important motivational element and the numerous puzzles around the game are all intelligently presented.

Not everything about Resident Evil 4 comes up roses however. The game is not as lovingly optimized as previous titles and you'll need a graphics card with at least 16 GB of VRAM and ~AMD 6800-level performance to eke out 4K/60 Hz. Some of the combat may feel a bit overly-difficult, with several fights, like the initial fight in the village or one later with Luis, being extraordinarily difficult for literally no reason. Without evasion, some attacks connect cheaply and may result in area-replays. The game, while packed to the gills with content, feels padded at times and is probably at least 5 hours too long. Sure, the shooting galleries are fun and reclaiming Ashley after she's been captured are all compelling elements. However, this game has 10+ shooting galleries and Ashley's capture wears thin after its 5th occurrence.

Still, Resident Evil 4 clearly demonstrates that Capcom understands how to create a masterclass title. Resident Evil 3 was just a speed bump and this kind of title is quintessential RE. This game will be a real treat for new RE gamers and old veterans alike.

Highest possible recommendation.

9.5/10.

Resident Evil 4 (2023) is the remake to the classic and widely-regarded Resident Evil 4 predecessor. The original departed wildly from its urban, zombie-slaying roots by framing the story within another country (Spain), in a small village, and pitting you against infected humans that, for all intents and purposes, while zombie-like, could also use weapons and basic attack strategies. The game had a wild story containing a global domination plot, a monomaniacal religious zealot, a variety of monstrous enemies and oodles of action. All of that is present in the remake. It's ironic that the most well-regarded Resident Evil game should also be partially responsible for the action-oriented philosophy of the following 2 Resident Evil titles (5 & 6). It's important to underscore that Resident Evil 4 (2023) is both a future classic and an excellent game in its own right, whether you compare it to the original or any of its gaming contemporaries. The game is comprised of atmosphere, tension, bouts of frenetic panic, intrigue all wrapped within a stunningly polished presentation. The game's graphics are simply excellent and, while the game lacks some of the photo-realistic visuals and textures of its predecessors (2, 3 and Village to be precise), it is still a beautiful game in its own right. The title also has a competently foreboding soundtrack and reasonable voice acting. The combat and gameplay are sublime and represent years of careful and skilled control/combat iterations. Leon moves well and the combat feels great. Weapons are varied and all are reasonably useful, even if some are noticeably more powerful than others. Environmental variables abound, allowing for a variety of tactical choices. Ammo is often scarce, so melee is absolutely essential and the inclusion of the new parry system adds a layer of strategy to the combat proceedings. I do believe that the game would have benefited from the inclusion of a set evasion command, as the Quicktime-based evasion prompts lack the skill of more fluid responses. The enemies are wide and varied, with a ton of humanoid zombies, monstrous sea creatures, giants (Gigante), artillery, dogs, insects, and a slew of other surprises which will remain a secret. Additionally, clever resource/inventory management is crucial to survival in higher levels. Boss fights are, for the most part, well-realized, and the game is riddled with secrets. In fact, while all RE games, to some degree, have secrets and unlockables, most are absolutely dwarfed by this game. Completing the entire game and finding most of the stashes of loot will easily take over 30 hours. Replayability is also present in this game, with plenty hidden weapons, loot stashes and unlocks being available. A variety of character models and character sketches can similarly be unlocked. Some can even be used within the game during multiple playthoughs and the came will reward determined gamers with New Game+ additions. The title also comes bundled with the Mercenaries add-on, which will add a simple but compelling horde mode to the table. Ashley, the President's maiden-in-distress daughter, serves as an important motivational element and the numerous puzzles around the game are all intelligently presented. Not everything about Resident Evil 4 comes up roses however. The game is not as lovingly optimized as previous titles and you'll need a graphics card with at least 16 GB of VRAM and ~AMD 6800-level performance to eke out 4K/60 Hz. Some of the combat may feel a bit overly-difficult, with several fights, like the initial fight in the village or one later with Luis, being extraordinarily difficult for literally no reason. Without evasion, some attacks connect cheaply and may result in area-replays. The game, while packed to the gills with content, feels padded at times and is probably at least 5 hours too long. Sure, the shooting galleries are fun and reclaiming Ashley after she's been captured are all compelling elements. However, this game has 10+ shooting galleries and Ashley's capture wears thin after its 5th occurrence. Still, Resident Evil 4 clearly demonstrates that Capcom understands how to create a masterclass title. Resident Evil 3 was just a speed bump and this kind of title is quintessential RE. This game will be a real treat for new RE gamers and old veterans alike. Highest possible recommendation. 9.5/10.