REVIEW: Resident Evil 4 Remake improves on the excellence of the original 5u102e

The entire Resident Evil franchise is known by players all over the world, but it is undeniable that, for the Brazilian public, the fourth title is the best known, much for the popularity of the PlayStation 2 here in the country. 6f3z

As one of the people who grew up watching the title being played and have fond memories of both its aesthetic and sound design (“An Outsider!”), it is undeniable that I received the announcement of his remake with some concern – for me, the game from the beginning of the century was still perfect.

The reality, however, is that after playing the remake, I see how it could be improved, and that the original, if I miss it, is still available. Without further ado, I develop this opinion below, in the review from Showmetech's Resident Evil 4 Remake:

Improving a great game 1j6g63

Right off the bat, it's interesting to note how familiar the game is to anyone who played the original Resident Evil 4, unlike the remakes of the second and third games of the franchise – largely because the fourth title is kind of the basis for the entire modern franchise. Although some fundamental details of the introduction are, yes, modified, as well as the progression, which is now no longer in small sessions but in large chapters, the feeling is that you are experiencing an updated version of the 2005 game.

At the same time that familiarity exists, the setting has critical changes, which even making the game still be a more action title compared to previous copies of the series, now has a palpable horror coating. While in the original the Ganados' Spanish scream often elicited laughing reactions, in the remake, when listening to their voice, a feeling of tension takes over the player, mainly due to the more intense clashes.

The unprecedented intensity of combat, at first glance, seems out of keeping with the current pace of the game – after all, Leon can now move while shooting, in addition to also being able to run and rely on the infamous parry knife, iconically shown in one of the title's trailers against a chainsaw. But the Ganados, to better accommodate this new structure of the protagonist, gained more intelligence, performing previously impossible actions such as surrounding the character or even managing to follow different routes to prevent progress.

All this creates an excellent rhythm in which it is not enough just to shoot, but it is also necessary to know how to move around the scene and at least have an idea of ​​the dangers that a blow from behind can bring to the player. At first, it may seem a little strange, mainly due to muscle memory, but the reality is that shortly afterwards the situation becomes almost like a dance between the player and the Ganados, with each step of one dictating the other in an impressive harmony and that makes the gameplay extremely satisfying.

The environments, mostly more spacious and with more places than in the original, also cooperate for this pace, and even in the fright that finding a flood of opponents can generate, it is intuitive enough to allow players to experiment with hiding places and vantage points. In the end, the orchestra of shots becomes something colossal and exciting, and that thanks to the excellent mechanics of shots in the RE Engine, already known to the public thanks to the remake from RE 2 and 3, turns this new Resident Evil 4 costume into one of the most satisfying third-person shooters I've ever played.

cool ashley 206wj

As for the story, some small changes are noted, although the progression remains the same. Without going into spoilers, however, the main change is how the focus of the entire game, Ashley's rescue, and the mission to get her to safety, has improved thanks to changes in the behavior of the US president's daughter.

In the original Resident Evil 4, Ashley is considered by many players to be a nuisance and perhaps the most negative part of the game. Honestly, she never really bothered me, mainly because I considered that she was a 20-year-old girl potentially raised in privileged situations that would never have given her the minimum mental condition to deal with an invasion of beings infected by a bioparasite (by the way, let's face it, even those who grew up in military school would probably not be ready for such a thing).

Even with this justification, some sequences could indeed be frustrating due to the character's complete lack of cooperation – but it is with great joy that I say that this is in the past now, since, in the remake, Ashley is extremely cooperative within the limitations that a character with her contextualization has.

Ashley tries to stay out of Leon's line of fire, tries to help the character recover from damage and no longer dies with just one attack - now it takes two, and it's always possible to recover from the first one quickly. In addition, the instruction to bring her closer to the protagonist or order her to stay further away, works to help when grenades are needed, preventing her from being injured by the explosion.

When Ashley then enters the gameplay, the sensational rhythm of the fights described above is not lost, and in fact even gains a new piece. Knowing when it's best to keep the girl close or far from Leon becomes an important factor to consider, but it doesn't affect the encounters enough to say that they have changed or worsened – in fact, I would even say that they are elevated because of this small mechanic. 

Leon helps lighten the atmosphere c4j3g

Finally, I think it's important to point out that although the whole new atmosphere of the game cooperates to scare players a little more, and the whole title seems much more serious, the protagonist Leon remains the same joker as the original. It's impossible not to laugh at some of the hero's insights, which even in frightening situations and completely out of any normality that an agent of the US government would have to face on a daily basis, has simple jokes or sarcastic comments as a reaction. 

We control a man traumatized by events in Racoon City, and the way he has managed to react and deal with the events is to become acidic and extremely sarcastic. Good for us, who ended up having fear with possible scarier sequences, a screaming expectation about what the character's comment will be in these moments.

Resident Evil 4 Remake is exemplary 3l6u2s

Of the games I reviewed this year, most of them are or remakes ou remasters (Dead Space e Metroid Prime: Remastered), and they all stand out quite a bit as titles that were already great before, but take it even higher.

Even in this context, Resident Evil 4 stands out. Familiar enough not to alienate purist fans, but with heaps of changes and improvements that make it an even more excellent experience, the game certainly s the pantheon of remakes bordering on perfection, just like Pokémon HeartGold/SoulSilver and Resident Evil 2 and 3 themselves.

Both for fans of the original and for those who have never played the title, the recommendation is essential. We have at our disposal one of the great video games.

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Text proofread by: Pedro Bomfim (30 / 03 / 23)