The only complaint is that Leon sometimes feels like he runs too slowly and sluggishly. The haptic feedback from the trigger buttons also adds a touch of immersion as you can feel your weapon’s drawback and recoil. Whenever Leon patches in a radio signal to speak with someone, you can hear it through the controller’s speakers. The PS5’s DualSense controller was implemented here nicely, too. It’s such a small change in gameplay detail that has massive ramifications on the game’s fast-paced shooting combat. In this remake, Leon has much more flexibility and is able to perform motions such as backing up while also aiming down and shooting. They feel much smoother than they ever did in the original “Resident Evil 4.” The original game played out in a stop-and-go motion, requiring Leon to stand still while he aimed his gun down at enemies.

The game is so well-paced that I didn’t realize I spent about an hour on each chapter.Īnother immediate difference I felt in the game was its controls. There are 16 total chapters and it certainly felt twice as long as the original. In this “Resident Evil 4” remake, the combat sequences are exhilarating but afterward allow for moments of brevity in between. The game strikes the perfect balance between horror and action, whereas I felt that 2021’s “Resident Evil Village” was a very uneven experience - the action-packed Castle Dimitrescu was followed up by horrifying House Beneviento, which resulted in a whiplash pacing. But the remake still retains some of the original’s levity by allowing Leon to melee wounded enemies with a roundhouse kick or suplex.

I became more methodical and careful about what might be hiding around the corner, rather than just going in guns blazing as I did in the original game. There are sections of the game in dark and enclosed areas with much dimmer lighting than in the original, invoking feelings of fear and dread. The remake seems to take some cues from the more survival horror leanings of the “Resident Evil 2” and “Resident Evil 3” remakes.

It’s reminiscent of games like “The Last of Us” and “A Plague Tale: Innocence,” where you’re on an escort mission with a companion. However, the remake has a much darker and more serious tone. It’s a very silly premise that works as a sort of B-movie aesthetic in the original game.

Video game reviews