The reports were true: Capcom is, indeed, remaking Resident Evil 4. The company revealed the project during the June 2022 State of Play presentation, showing off a two-minute trailer full of familiar faces. While there are still plenty of details Capcom is keeping close to the chest, there’s quite a bit we know about the upcoming remake. But when will it launch and how will it play? And how will it stack up against the best games in the series?
Here’s everything we know about the Resident Evil 4 remake.
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Release date
The remake of Resident Evil 4 is gearing up to launch March 24, 2023. As you might recall, this timing closely mirrors the windows of the previous two Resident Evil remakes, both of which came out within the first quarter of their respective launch years. As always, game development is tricky, and due to the coronavirus, the remake could get delayed, but mainline Resident Evil games don’t have a history of being pushed back, at least in recent memory.
Developer
Capcom — specifically, Development Division 1 — is leading the charge on this project. This remake has reportedly been in the works since 2018, and was initially being developed by M-Two, a “Capcom-backed” studio that eventually was taken off the project. Resident Evil 4 remake was then brought in-house, likely to ensure the highest level of quality. This information wasn’t publicly announced, but numerous sources have reported on the development history of this game. After the lukewarm reception to the Resident Evil 3 remake — which was criticized for its short length and cutting content from the original — Capcom will no doubt want to come out of the gate swinging with Resident Evil 4. The publisher has also confirmed that “many team members” who worked on the Resident Evil 2 remake have returned to develop Resident Evil 4.
Platforms
Resident Evil 4 remake marks the first entry in the series coming exclusively to current-gen hardware: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam. Given how far we are into the current generation of hardware, it makes sense that Capcom will be dropping support for PS4 and Xbox One, which will both be nearly a decade old by the time Resident Evil 4 launches.
Trailer
During the June 2022 State of Play, Capcom revealed Resident Evil 4 remake with an eerie trailer, giving us a look at the iconic village and characters from the original. It didn’t necessarily focus on gameplay, but there were a few quick shots that appeared to hint at what the game will look like in action, teasing that all-too-familiar over-the-shoulder perspective we all know and love. The trailer offered enough details to drum up excitement without giving everything away.
Gameplay
The original Resident Evil 4 was somewhat of a turning point for the series, effectively straddling the line between action and horror. The remake will no doubt follow suit, but will feel like Resident Evil 2 (2019) and Resident Evil 3 (2020) from a mechanical and control perspective. Capcom aims to bring this remake in line with other modern horror titles, while capturing the essence of the original. It’s likely the “tank controls” from the original will be removed in favor of a more traditional scheme you’d find in games today.
It’s unclear how far this game will lean into action or if there will be quick-time events, but given that Capcom has confirmed the remake will be a “reimagining,” it’s possible many features of the original will be altered or removed entirely. It seems the attache case mechanic will be featured in the remake, which is one of the most memorable aspects of the original, serving as an inventory management minigame.
Resident Evil 4 throws you into large levels littered with items and currency to help Leon on his journey. Expect to upgrade your weapons, scrounge for supplies, solve puzzles, and battle enemies along the way.
Capcom also confirmed the remake will incorporate PSVR 2 functionality, but hasn’t shared details for that just yet.
Story
In terms of narrative, Resident Evil 4 remake will mirror the original, but won’t be a shot-for-shot recreation. As Capcom has confirmed, the remake will serve as a “reimagining,” though it’s unclear what changes will be made.
Here’s the full quote from Capcom:
“We aim to make the game feel familiar to fans of the series, while also providing a fresh feeling to it. This is being done by reimagining the storyline of the game while keeping the essence of its direction, modernizing the graphics, and updating the controls to a modern standard.”
To get you up to speed, Resident Evil 4 sends Leon Kennedy to an unnamed Spanish village in search of the president’s kidnapped daughter, Ashley. This game is unlike its predecessors in that it doesn’t feature zombies, but rather, villagers infected with a mind-controlling parasite.
In addition, the original Resident Evil 4 is known for being campy, almost falling into Evil Dead territory, with silly enemies and arguably bad writing, while still feeling scary at times. We’re hopeful this aspect is preserved in the remake.
Multiplayer
There was a popular co-op mod for Resident Evil 4 back in the day, but the official game never actually allowed for multiplayer. With that in mind, we’re doubtful the remake will add multiplayer since it wasn’t featured in the original. The series has been known to incorporate cooperative and even competitive play, but odds are, Capcom wants to spend its resources nailing the base version of the game.
DLC
When it comes to DLC, it’s possible Resident Evil 4 remake will have post-launch support, as many titles in the series have. However, the remakes don’t have much of a history of receiving major story expansions, so if DLC is in the works, it could be along the lines of extra weapons, or maybe a small-scale mode that adds to replay value. Resident Evil 7 actually got a hefty amount of DLC, but that was a mainline entry, so it’s tough to say if Resident Evil 4 will do the same.
Pre-order
It’s still too early to pre-order Resident Evil 4 remake, but you’ll likely be able to put money toward the game later in 2022. One thing that’s highly likely is the inclusion of different versions like a deluxe edition or collector’s edition that comes with a statue or other piece of memorabilia. We’ll update this article once pre-orders go live.
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