The rumors were true, and Resident Evil 4 remake is really happening. Capcom is continuing its hot streak of remaking classic Resident Evil games, and this next remake isn't just any game — it's of one of the most beloved Capcom games of all time.
With a remake this ambitious for a game this high-profile, it's safe to say that expectations are high, and that fans will have questions. Here's everything you need to know about the Resident Evil 4 remake.
Resident Evil 4 remake: What is it?
Resident Evil 4 remake is, as the name implies, a remake of the original Resident Evil 4, which first launched back on Jan. 11, 2005. While Resident Evil 4 was originally designed for the GameCube, it's been ported to practically every gaming platform under the sun.
The Resident Evil 4 remake is designed to modernize the game. Even if Resident Evil 4 is more playable than other games Capcom has remade, it's still aged in regard to the controls and visuals.
With its third-person shooting controls, Resident Evil 4 was critically acclaimed and is widely considered one of the most influential games of all time, helping to kickstart third-person shooters as a genre, as well as more directly inspiring the Dead Space franchise.
Capcom notes that Resident Evil 4 remake is being developed using the proprietary RE Engine, which has been used in most of Capcom's games over the last few years, including every Resident Evil game since Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. It's also being used in the upcoming Street Fighter 6.
With that said, this game seems to be the closest to the original out of the remakes so far, at least in regard to how it plays. While Capcom is using RE Engine to modernize the controls and visuals, the game appears to still be a third-person survival-horror shooter.
Capcom's Resident Evil titles over the last few years are some of the best horror games you can play, and it seems like the Resident Evil 4 remake could join that roster.
Resident Evil 4 remake: Trailers
The announcement trailer for the Resident Evil 4 remake was unveiled during Sony's June 2022 PlayStation State of Play showcase. You can take a look at the trailer below:
Resident Evil 4 remake: Story, gameplay, and differences
Past Resident Evil remakes, such as Resident Evil 2 and Resident Evil 3, haven't been completely one to one in regard to the story, and it appears the Resident Evil 4 remake will also have some differences. With that said, the story will keep the same premise.
Six years after the events of Resident Evil 2, Leon Kennedy is recruited to rescue Ashley Graham, the president's daughter. In the middle of his investigation, Leon makes his way into a remote European village. There, Leon is thrown into a dark fight for survival against horrific monsters and a sinister cult.
Capcom notes that the team is "reimagining the storyline of the game," so it's safe to say the game won't be the same beat for beat. That said, Capcom is also focused on "keeping the essence of its direction," so expect smaller deviations and surprises, not truly massive differences.
Reports prior to the game's reveal indicated that the Resident Evil 4 remake is set to take on a spookier tone, with some scenes now taking place at night, or using concepts that were dropped from the original game.
Is Resident Evil 4 remake PlayStation exclusive?
Despite being announced for the PS5 at Sony's June 2022 State of Play, Resident Evil 4 remake is not a PlayStation-exclusive game. It's also being developed for Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and PC.
This means that Resident Evil 4 remake won't be available on last-generation consoles like the Xbox One and PS4. This was almost the case for Resident Evil Village, but Capcom was able to get versions running on the older hardware in time for launch.
Because Resident Evil 4 remake is being developed exclusively for the latest consoles and PC, the game can fully take advantage of the advanced processing power and ultra-fast SSDs in these machines. That means shorter load times or potentially even no loading screens at all.
Resident Evil Village utilized some ray tracing to improve overall image quality, and it seems likely the same will happen for the Resident Evil 4 remake.
There is some PlayStation exclusivity around this game however. Capcom notes that some kind of content is being developed to support PS VR2, Sony's next virtual reality gaming headset. It's not currently clear whether this will be a specific mode, or if the entire game is playable in VR, like with Resident Evil 4 VR for the Quest 2.
Capcom is also working on a version of Resident Evil Village for PS VR2, which will allow players to experience the full game in VR.
Resident Evil 4 remake: Release date
The Resident Evil 4 remake was announced with a release date of March 24, 2023.
Amusingly, this makes Resident Evil 4 part of a potential hot streak of big-budget horror games. The Callisto Protocol from Krafton and Striking Distance Studios is slated to launch on Dec. 2, 2022, while the Dead Space remake is scheduled to arrive on Jan 27, 2023. That means players are getting three big third-person horror games in a span of a couple of months.
Additionally, Dead Space was directly inspired by the original Resident Evil 4, while The Callisto Protocol is being created by developers who worked on the original Dead Space, adding to the amusement of the situation.
Right now, we'll have to wait and see whether this release date holds, given the generally unsteady state of game development over the last couple of years.
With that in mind, it's worth noting that Resident Evil Village launched on May 7, 2021. With Resident Evil 4 remake slated to launch almost two years later, this is actually not the longest period of time between Resident Evil game launches since the release of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard on Jan. 24, 2017.
The Resident Evil 2 remake launched on Jan. 25, 2019, while the Resident Evil 3 remake was released on April 3, 2020.
