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Resident Evil 4

Source: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

2023 is the year of the video game remake, and right now, nobody is making them better than Capcom.

Motive and Retro Studios delivered what most are saying, including Hip-Hop Wired damn near flawless remakes and a remaster with Dead Space and Metroid Prime this year.

Keeping that energy going, Capcom told those studios to hold its beer, delivering its remake of Resident Evil 4, which many considered a game-changer when it first launched on the Nintendo Gamecube in 2005.

Somehow, Capcom has once again reinvented the wheel with its new version of Resident Evil 4, which is now the definitive version of the classic game.

This Is Resident Evil 4 Meets Metal Gear Solid

Resident Evil 4

Source: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

Resident Evil 4 changed the RE franchise by introducing new elements, removing the slow tank-like controls, putting the camera over Leon’s shoulder, and turning it into more of an action game instead of a survival horror game.

Fans of the franchise’s immediate reaction to the original RE 4 was skepticism, but once they got their hands on the game, they quickly realized it was unique.

Fast-forward 18 years later, Capcom said, let’s revisit that game, but we’ll make it even better. The 2005 game still holds up now, so how could they improve on something that is still that damn good?

Resident Evil 4

Source: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

Like the games in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, there is no one way to play, and like in those games, we see Leon mature into the hero he needs to be as the story progresses.

Returning are elements like the game’s campy/action story that made the 2005’s Resident Evil 4 a classic, but developers switch things up a bit. Leon can now parry with his combat knife, adding a new element to the fast-paced combat. If you don’t want to go in guns blazing, you can even sneak around and quietly take out the townspeople infected with the Las Plagas parasite.

Like the games in the Metal Gear Solid franchise, there is no one way to play, and like in those games, we see Leon mature into the hero he needs to be as the story progresses.

Resident Evil 4

Source: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

Add the amazing graphics taken to another level by the fantastic RE Engine. You got yourself a game rebuilt from the ground up.

Yes, it still feels very familiar in some aspects, but like the remakes of Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, this is a brand-new experience.

Those new additions make this game’s replay value ridiculously high, leaving you itching to run it back because you know your skills are better for the second run.

RE 2’s Story Carries More Weight

Resident Evil 4

Source: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

There is more meat on the bones in his story.

Another big change players will notice will be in Leon. He’s no longer just a government agent sent on a mission to rescue the president’s missing daughter who drops a cheesy line occasionally. There is more meat on the bones in his story.

This is that same rookie cop who experienced the worst first day on the job ever in Resident Evil 2, who fell for an Umbrella Spy and is still trying to make sense of his life and is now thrust into the middle of another nightmare.

This is that same man, fresh off the incident. Still, he is a bit more hardened, and hell, who wouldn’t be after dealing with zombies, a giant biological weapon chasing you throughout a police station? Also, there is the part about getting out of town before a nuke incinerates it.

All that aside, he is not just a good-looking hero with a great head of hair who’s proficient with knives and guns. You care about this character more. Other characters like Ashley, and Luis, also are no longer just filler, thanks to their stories being fleshed out more and them giving more time.

Resident Evil 4

Source: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

Ashley is no longer the hindrance she once was when you wanted to command her to hide in a locker. She grows alongside Leon as they build their relationship and work together to survive the current nightmare they ate both stuck in.

Boss Battles

Resident Evil 4

Source: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

The Resident Evil franchise always delivers fantastic boss battles. The RE4 remake continues to show us why. Yes, they are pretty much the same as the original game with some tweaks, but some boss encounters have been significantly upgraded for the better.

I caught myself admiring all the beauty in the chaos, marveling at the disgusting monstrosities the bosses become as they mutate. I smiled while engaging in a ridiculous knife fight with Jack Krauser that gets taken to another level as you reach the game’s conclusion.

Taking on the Napoleon knockoff Ramon Salazar in his ultimate form makes up for the missing giant automaton, and the battle with his right hand is just as scary as ever.

Resident Evil 4

Source: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

The final battle with Lord Saddler is no pushover and is as fun as it is challenging, leading up to the predictable but always satisfying final blow.

Final Verdict

Resident Evil 4

Source: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

I didn’t expect a perfect reimagining of a game that was already genre-defining when it first came out. So it was to my delight to experience again what made me fall in love with RE4 but on another level.

When Capcom announced it was remaking Resident Evil 4, I wasn’t on the nervous side, being that the game studio had already delivered the fantastic Resident Evil 2 remake and, for the most part, a good Resident Evil 3 remake.

I didn’t expect a perfect reimagining of a game that was already genre-defining when it first came out. So it was to my delight to experience again what made me fall in love with RE4 but on another level.

The same story returns but is more fleshed out with new sections that only add to it. Characters have more depth and are not just vessels to deliver cheesy action film one-liners. The non-stop action is back and is on another level, thanks to Leon’s new combat mechanics. Those same wacky moments like the minecart chase return.

Resident Evil 4

Source: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

The game reminds you it has a horror element delivering well-timed jump scares and tense moments like controlling Ashley while avoiding suits of armor controlled by the Las Plagas parasite while carrying a lantern.

Resident Evil 4

Source: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

The improvements make it easy to forgive developers for cutting out some parts from the original game, like those numerous QTE moments giving you complete control of Leon and Ashley’s revamped adventure.

You rarely play a game, and when you reach its conclusion and say, “damn, that was perfect.” 2023’s Resident Evil 4 is one of those occasions, and so was the Dead Space remake. Both did something to change the genre they occupy, but there is just something a tad bit special about this game that gives it a STRONG chance for a video game remake to win Game of The Year.

It’s that damn good.

Even if the game doesn’t win GOTY, Capcom can feel good knowing it’s KING for remakes thanks to its stellar reimagined Resident Evil games.

Photo: Capcom / Resident Evil 4

*PS5 Review Key For Resident Evil 4 Provided By Capcom*

The post HHW Gaming Review: ‘Resident Evil 4’ Confirms Capcom Is King of Spinning The Video Game Remake Block appeared first on The Latest Hip-Hop News, Music and Media | Hip-Hop Wired.

HHW Gaming Review: ‘Resident Evil 4’ Confirms Capcom Is King of Spinning The Video Game Remake Block  was originally published on hiphopwired.com