The Review
Resident Evil 4 Remake released in March 2023 and immediately became one of the year's best games - no small feat given it was remaking a title many considered untouchable. Capcom retained the over-the-shoulder action and chapter structure while rebuilding almost everything else: tighter map design, a reworked merchant relationship, Ashley with actual agency, and a knife durability/parry system that adds meaningful defensive skill to every encounter.
The tone shift is the most discussed change: the remake is darker and less campy than the 2005 original, which some players love and others mourn. Leon's sardonic one-liners are present but dialed back; the Ganados are more visually grotesque and less cartoonish. The castle section - widely considered the original's best - is expanded and reworked with new puzzles and enemy types. Luis Sera gets a significantly expanded role that makes his arc more affecting.
The Separate Ways DLC, released in September 2023, added a full Ada Wong campaign that expanded on her story meaningfully and introduced new gameplay mechanics. The Mercenaries mode returned with a smaller roster than the original but tight, score-attack gameplay. This is how remakes should be done: respectful of the source, but not a slave to it.
