I am going to be upfront with a very controversial opinion:

I do not think the original Resident Evil 4 is all that and a bag of chips.

    Let me break this down though… I attribute a big part of this to the fact that I did not play the game until about 5 years ago, so it did not create the same nostalgia effect that I have for the first three Resident Evil games.

Once I did get around to playing it though, I did find there were a couple of things that ruffled my feathers. First of all, it had a lifeless and almost depressing color scheme, which, come on people… there are more colors out there than just 50 shades of gray (Ehhh!) and 100 shades of brown!

The game also felt overly long for no reason and seemed unfocused. The real problem with this was that it felt like a platformer at times, and because of the color scheme, it all kind of blurred together for me.

My biggest gripe with the game though was that the only true connection it had to any of the first three installments was Leon S. Kennedy. While I do love me some Skennedy, I was a big fan of the story that was building throughout RE1-3; So the fact that this was an element that was missing from RE4 made it a stain on the franchise for me, and I avoided it like the Plagas. (See what I did there!)

    It’s not that RE4 is the worst RE game per se, because I will admit that it was a fun, action-packed game. It just didn’t have that “Resident Evil” vibe I freaking love.

That being said, going into the Resident Evil 4 Remake, I was hesitant but also very curious as to what it all would entail. For starters, I knew the graphics were going to be OFF THE CHAIN, so that was already something to look forward to.

More importantly, from the trailers and images, it looked like the developers were really making the effort to tie it in with the RE2 Remake by keeping the design of Leon intact. That’s a big win in my book. Side note, one of my biggest pet peeves is when a franchise is not consistent with something as simple, BUT EXTREMELY IMPORTANT, as character design. I am looking at you Capcom.

Enter the Resident Evil 4 Remake

    The title screen of the game set the tone that Capcom was presenting their pride and joy, and they were not effing playing this time. There was an eerie, yet almost familiar vibe to the game right off the bat, which I am sure made a lot of RE4 stans feel chills as they hit the start button. The gameplay was hella smooth right out of the gate, and there was this earthy richness when it came to the color palette – such a stark difference to the washed out and monotonous environment that was RE4.

Leon’s character, like I stated earlier, stayed very true to his latest design, which again – AMAZING! He still has that worn down and detached vibe you all came to love from the original game, but he is now less edgy and more personable, just like the Leon in RE2 – he’s just seen some sh*t now! There is now more of a backstory as to how and why he ends up in Spain, and back in the middle to some gruesome stuff. Hope he has some good insurance for the future therapy he will require!

Luis is one of the characters that got a massive upgrade in my opinion. He has this nonchalant demeanor to him, yet is still charming, and he has no business rocking that leather jacket the way he does TBH.  He’s still the ever-cunning Señor Ladies Man – very very sneaky – but also manages to come across as competent and intelligent, and overall, really likable in my book. We get also get some more backstory on him as well, which turns out to be another solid connection between this game and the previous installments. Win win!

My favorite upgrade was definitely Ashley Graham – the PrEsiDeNt’S dAuGhTeR! Sorry, could not help to say it in her annoying voice from the original. I simply could not stand her, and she was honestly my LEAST favorite part of the original RE4. I am sure it was meant as a challenge, but she felt more like a nuisance than anything. The remake has her character acting more confident as the game progresses, and is surprisingly more helpful this time around, making me really want to work hard so she is not taken. I got you this time girl!! (Sorry I killed you that one time though – TOTAL ACCIDENT!)

Another super unpopular take, but Ada Wong is one of my least favorite characters in ALL of the Resident Evil franchise, so the fact that she had less screen time in the game was a plus for me. I don’t hate her design in the RE4 Remake though, and I am glad that her flighty and conniving personality stayed consistent from the previous game. Good on you, developers. I also really love Leon’s interactions with her – YOU GO MY DUDE! Lay down boundaries and own yo’self!

Of course, I cannot forget to mention the Merchant! Such an iconic character, and for a very good reason too! What’s not to like about this cheery, chaotically neutral fella that happens to provide assistance throughout the game at the most opportune times, all while making a quick buck himself? Capitalism, Baby!!! He definitely becomes a sight for sore eyes as you progress through the game and need to stock up on supplies, weapons, and upgrade said weapons to utterly kick ass!

Chillin’ like a Villain

    The villains also feel more fleshed out, although I do have some qualms about certain characters. Starting off with Ramon Salazar, A.K.A Pulgarcito – To put it gently, Ramon’s design took me by surprise because it was not what I was expecting at all. Let’s be real though… he straight up looked like someone’s possessed grandma cosplaying as an old timey Royal. His voice also didn’t feel quite right to me, so all in all, I felt like his whole concept did not live up to what I was hoping for. That being said, I still like his overall place in the storyline and his psycho/royal backstory.

    Lord Saddler was another surprise. This rendition of him felt hollow, and it almost feels like they forgot who the main baddie was supposed to be… OOPSIES! I would have liked to have known more of his backstory, as well as even MORE of the backstory of the Los Iluminados cult. I was eating up all of the cult info and was really fascinated by this aspect of the game, so it felt like another missed opportunity.

To be honest, I found other “lesser” enemies much more threatening and terrifying than the Lord himself.

    For example, there is Dr. Salvador, A.K.A. Dr. Dick Asshole from Hell. I just NOPE right out when I hear the whirr of the chainsaw. Whoever created him, yo’ mom’s a ho! But seriously, even though he is not difficult to defeat, I am still tense AF the whole time, so much so that facing him should count as a cardio workout in my books.

Another dude that can go slash rocks is the Garrador. These mother-effers will Naruto run towards you at the slightest sound you make and come at you with Wolverine-like claws that will eff you up until next Sunday. And they are such lookers too, to boot. Let’s just say, I was hella scared and had to pass the controller when coming up against these gentlemen.

One other example of a “lovely” creation is the Regenerador. This “cute” entity WILL leave an imprint on your soul, so wear something holy for protection. I mean, just LOOK at it’s eyes! I too would want to cause doom and destruction if I felt that raw, evilness inside.

New take on the RE4 installement

    One of my favorite aspects of the whole game was how they redeemed the storyline, by adding more concrete connections to the original Resident Evil games. That just made the teenage fangirl inside me do a “FUCK YEAH!”. It just made sense, and made the game feel more like a part of the franchise, and not just a stand alone project.

Again, I cannot say enough about the graphics and the overall scenery and vibe of the game. I loved the way the map was set up, and the layout felt more fluid and almost like it was an open world – though it DEFINITELY wasn’t as I learned in certain points of the game. Womp, womp, womp.

I do feel the game has great replay value, as there is no way you can obtain every single item on your first run through, unless you are either spectacularly brilliant or a dirty liar. There are so many things to upgrade and try out as well. I started with Leon’s handgun, and then tried the Red9 at my boyfriend’s suggestion, which turned out to be a dang good decision once I got used to it and saw how heckin’ cool it really was! The next playthrough will include the Skull Shaker shotgun, and we are excited because it just looks so freaking awesome.

All in all, I was really shocked and pleasantly surprised at how much I truly enjoyed the Resident Evil 4 Remake, and honestly, it is truly worth the hype. Hey, it made this stubborn gal change her mind, so that really means something!

If you are on the fence, yet for some reason still decided to read spoilers… go check it out! ~