The Resident Evil 4 remake is another great remake in 2023 and is an improvement to the original. The story is the same, but some scenes are changed and improved. The gameplay is similar to the RE2 and RE3 remakes but with the action of RE Village (8) and the original RE4 (2005).

The game adds new side quests, new weapons, new shooting ranges, stealth, new areas, better graphics, and modern controls. The game controls take time to get used to, but you will get used to them fairly quickly. There are different control schemes on the pause menu, but you can also make the controls similar to the original game. The knife now has new features as well. The knife has durability now, meaning you have to use your knife carefully. 

You could also increase the damage and durability of the merchant. The merchant is mostly the same, but you have to collect spinels to trade for special items. To get spinels you have to find them throughout the levels, complete quests, or by defeating certain enemies. There is more treasure to collect, and you can collect gems which allows you to insert them into different types of treasures, this increases the value of the item. You can now collect resources to craft ammo, similar to RE Village which could help you if you are low on ammo.

Stealth was added to the game which adds more options to deal with enemies. You can sneak up on an enemy and take them out with a knife to save ammo and time. You can now parry with the knife to avoid certain attacks, but it loses durability every time you parry. The shooting range has a different look and is difficult on console, but when you complete challenges with different weapons, you can get coins, which then can be used at a machine. When you use 3 coins you get a random charm to put on your briefcase. You can put up to 3 charms on the case, and these charms can give you bonuses in the game.

There are no quick-time events where you have to mash buttons like before, they are replaced by quick prompts, and you only have to press the button once.

There are new areas that weren’t present in the old game, these areas were added since the newer consoles don’t need loading screens. They also add to the experience since they are new areas. There are also original or reimagined areas where some people who played the old game are familiar. There are some new enemies that were added to make the game feel different and new.

The graphics have obviously improved with the RE Engine (Reach for the Moon) and the lighting has improved also, the game is darker with the tone of the environment and story. There are options to prefer resolution or frame rate if you want better graphics or smoother gameplay, raytracing, and 4k options are also available.

I would recommend buying this game if you have played the original or are new to the series. I think playing this game on the Ps5 is the best experience since you have haptic feedback and the speakers in the controller, but the game is enjoyable on other platforms. This remake is better than the Dead Space remake and could be possibly better than the original RE4 that came out in 2005. Let’s hope that Capcom will continue making new RE games or possibly some more remakes.