In my honest opinion, before the modern remakes (Resident Evil 2: Remake is excellent), the Resident Evil series has had two big high points amongst some great titles, and other more pedestrian ones. The high points? Resident Evil 2 (PS1) and Resident Evil 4 (GC).
In terms of modern relevance, RE4 has been the most important title in the series. RE4 did not only shape the series’ entries after it, but 3rd person action gaming as well. Popular franchises like Gears of War and The Last of Us were all inspired by Resident Evil 4’s revolutionary take on 3rd person action games.
Resident Evil 4 Played Like a Modern Action Game Which Would Make its Rumored Remake an Interesting Proposition
Save for some more fluidity in Leon’s movements and the expected massive visual upgrade, I don’t know how much a Resident Evil 4 Remake would improve upon the original. The original RE4 has already been remastered multiple times, and it remains an incredibly solid playing experience. Furthermore, the current remakes play by the rules and gameplay style that Resident Evil 4 set 17 years ago.
The best 3rd person action-adventure games of the last decade do not deviate too far from RE4’s over the should camera view. Resident Evil 4 ditched the series’ ‘tank’ controls and delivered some of the most realistic visuals ever seen on any platform at the time of its original release in 2005.
I remember Resident Evil 4 well, as it was the best reason to own a GameCube before the arrival of The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. Coming from Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil: Code Veronica, Resident Evil 4 quickly became my favorite game in the series.
That said, the game does feel a bit “constrained” in terms of size and level design today. I must assume a remake would have larger levels with more complex design.
Resident Evil Creator and Director Believes That RE4’s Story Has Room for Improvement
Resident Evil, as a series, has always featured a decent storyline full of mystery and entertaining characters. I believe things went go off the rails starting with Resident Evil 5, however, I thought RE4’s storyline was surprisingly good, even if it took the series into a different direction.
According to VG247, series and Resident Evil 4’s creator/director, Shinji Mikami, believes that a proper remake of the 17-year-old game can make substantial improvements, “It would be great if Capcom could do a great job and make the story better, and put out a good product.” Mikami said when asked about the rumored remake.
When pushed further by the interviewer as to why Mikami would feel that a remake could improve upon his critically acclaimed masterpiece, the director stated that he penned RE4’s story in the short span of 3 weeks.
Clearly, Mikami feels that if would have been given more time he could have done better a job in terms of the game’s storytelling.
Is Resident Evil 4 Getting a Remake?
While Code Veronica is getting a “fan made” remake, it does seem that the rumors about Resident Evil 4 getting a proper remake are gaining traction. If the rumors prove true, the game is slated to be released this year.
Resident Evil 4 is generally regarded as the greatest game in the series. A remake would be popular despite the fact that the original has been ported to nearly every modern system.
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