No matter how many times I play it, there's something about Resident Evil 4's opening act that sets me on edge. It's no one specific thing — more a combination of atmosphere, pop-up murderers hiding in unexpected places, and the looming dread of Chainsaw Guy. I know how to deal with him, but he scares me anyway.
I've been playing Resident Evil 4 remake's Switch 2 port recently, and the only thing more jittery than my nerves is the game itself. It struggles in handheld mode, unlike all of Capcom's other Switch 2 ports this year, though the performance is much better docked. The Resident Evil 4 remake is as much a sequel to the Resident Evil 2 remake as it is a prequel to Resident Evil Requiem.
In hindsight that wasn't available before Requiem, I can see how Capcom tweaked the story to make Leon S(exy) Kennedy's post-Raccoon City trauma more prominent as a set-up for his mid-life crisis. The ex-cop, now a US secret agent, travels to the boondocks of Spain to rescue the president's daughter, who’s been kidnapped by a creepy bug-worshipping cult. The remake includes a handful of narrative tweaks and new scenes, most of which land well and smooth out the occasionally breakneck pacing of the original.
Some are a bit too on-the-nose, though. When Leon actor Nick Apostolides says "Here we go" at the start of the now-well-known village encounter (the one that culminates in a showdown against Chainsaw Guy), Capcom has him speaking for the player, not for Leon. Questionable additions aside, Resident Evil 4 remake still retains the original game's soul.
Action is as prominent as horror. Leon gets more weapons more quickly and has a swift roundhouse kick to deal with staggered enemies. Run past enemies to conserve ammo?
Mow them all down, and stomp their remains into the ground! Capcom designed Resident Evil 4's encounters so they're hectic and tense, even with all the kickassery at Leon's disposal. Running into a mob of bloodthirsty villagers is just as fraught with danger as encountering a single zombie in the gore-soaked hallways of the Raccoon City Police Department.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
