Capcom is resurrecting one of its greatest games and remaking Resident Evil 4 for modern platforms. The company first revealed the project during the June 2022 State of Play presentation, showing off a two-minute trailer full of familiar faces. While there are still plenty of details Capcom is keeping under wraps, there’s quite a bit we know about the upcoming remake. But when will it launch and how will it play? And how will it stack up against the best games in the series?
Rad on to learn everything we know about the Resident Evil 4 remake.
Release date
The remake of Resident Evil 4 will launch March 24, 2023.
Developer
Capcom — specifically, Development Division 1 — is leading the charge on this project. This remake has reportedly been in the works since 2018, and was initially being developed by M-Two, a “Capcom-backed” studio that eventually was taken off the project. Resident Evil 4 remake was then brought in-house, likely to ensure the highest level of quality. This information wasn’t publicly announced, but numerous sources have reported on the development history of this game. After the lukewarm reception to the Resident Evil 3 remake — which was criticized for its short length and cutting content from the original — Capcom will no doubt want to come out of the gate swinging with Resident Evil 4. The publisher has also confirmed that “many team members” who worked on the Resident Evil 2 remake have returned to develop Resident Evil 4.
Platforms
Resident Evil 4 remake marks the first entry in the series coming exclusively to current-gen hardware: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam. It will also be available on the last-gen PS4, which will both be nearly a decade old by the time Resident Evil 4 launches.
Trailer
During the June 2022 State of Play, Capcom revealed Resident Evil 4 remake with an eerie trailer, giving us a look at the iconic village and characters from the original. It didn’t necessarily focus on gameplay, but there were a few quick shots that appeared to hint at what the game will look like in action, teasing that all-too-familiar over-the-shoulder perspective we all know and love. The trailer offered enough details to drum up excitement without giving everything away.
A story trailer was released in October 2022 featuring characters from the game, including Ashley, Luis, Sadler, and more.
Gameplay
The original Resident Evil 4 was somewhat of a turning point for the series, effectively straddling the line between action and horror. The remake will no doubt follow suit, but will feel like Resident Evil 2 (2019) and Resident Evil 3 (2020) from a mechanical and control perspective. Capcom aims to bring this remake in line with other modern horror titles, while capturing the essence of the original. It’s likely the “tank controls” from the original will be removed in favor of a more traditional scheme you’d find in games today.
It’s unclear how far this game will lean into action or if there will be quick-time events, but given that Capcom has confirmed the remake will be a “reimagining,” it’s possible many features of the original will be altered or removed entirely. It seems the attache case mechanic will be featured in the remake, which is one of the most memorable aspects of the original, serving as an inventory management minigame.
Resident Evil 4 throws you into large levels littered with items and currency to help Leon on his journey. Expect to upgrade your weapons, scrounge for supplies, solve puzzles, and battle enemies along the way.
Capcom also confirmed the remake will incorporate PSVR 2 functionality, but hasn’t shared details for that just yet.
Story
In terms of narrative, Resident Evil 4 remake will mirror the original, but won’t be a shot-for-shot recreation. As Capcom has confirmed, the remake will serve as a “reimagining,” though it’s unclear what changes will be made.
Here’s the full quote from Capcom:
“We aim to make the game feel familiar to fans of the series, while also providing a fresh feeling to it. This is being done by reimagining the storyline of the game while keeping the essence of its direction, modernizing the graphics, and updating the controls to a modern standard.”
To get you up to speed, Resident Evil 4 sends Leon Kennedy to an unnamed Spanish village in search of the president’s kidnapped daughter, Ashley. This game is unlike its predecessors in that it doesn’t feature zombies, but rather, villagers infected with a mind-controlling parasite.
In addition, the original Resident Evil 4 is known for being campy, almost falling into Evil Dead territory, with silly enemies and arguably bad writing, while still feeling scary at times. We’re hopeful this aspect is preserved in the remake.
Multiplayer
There was a popular co-op mod for Resident Evil 4 back in the day, but the official game never actually allowed for multiplayer. With that in mind, we’re doubtful the remake will add multiplayer since it wasn’t featured in the original. The series has been known to incorporate cooperative and even competitive play, but odds are, Capcom wants to spend its resources nailing the base version of the game.
Preorder
The Resident Evil 4 remake is available to preorder on all platforms through the game’s official website. There are also instructions on this site on how to upgrade the game if you already own the version released for PS4. There are several different versions of the game up for preorder — each version’s preorder bonuses are listed below.
Ordering on the PS store
If you preorder any version of the game through the PS Store, you will receive an exclusive digital soundtrack for the game.
Standard Edition
- Attaché Case: Gold
- Charm: Handgun Ammo
Deluxe Edition
- Extra DLC Pack
- Attaché Case: Gold
- Attaché Case: Classic
- Charm: Handgun Ammo
- Charm: Green Herb
Collector’s Edition
- Resident Evil 4 + Steelbook
- Extra DLC Pack
- Digital soundtrack
- Figure: Leon S. Kennedy
- Artbook
- Special map
- Collector’s box
- Extra DLC Pack
- Attaché Case: Gold
- Attaché Case: Classic
- Charm: Handgun Ammo
- Charm: Green Herb
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