A brief teaser for Resident Evil 4 during Sony’s “State of Play” stream revealed a lot more info than you’d think. For months, discussion of the game was focused on whether or not the iconic villain Krauser would be present. Game Informer’s interviews revealed that quick-time events had been mostly cut out, so was Krauser gone too? Turns out, the beret-wearing military jock is still there and he’ll be a proper boss fight this time.
We also caught some glimpses of later parts of Resident Evil 4, including segments inside Salazar’s castle and even the game’s final act on the island. It turns out that this remake is a lot more faithful to the original than people assumed. That should be great for fans that simply want a graphical update versus something entirely different.
While we didn’t see footage of this mode, the incredible Mercenaries side game will be making its return here. The original Resident Evil 4 was praised for its update to Resident Evil 3’s “The Mad Jackal” mode and it wouldn’t feel right to exclude it in a remake. With the smooth movement and feel of the RE Engine, this could end up being the best version of the mode yet. The mode won’t be available at launch, but will be added as free DLC shortly after.
Some of the more interesting changes to the original game come in the form of an expanded arc for Ashley’s Las Plagas infection and Luis’ more present role. Luis was always something of an idiot in the original, so having Leon be snarky toward him is a great update to their dynamic. Ashley potentially becoming a boss fight, though, should really create a new dynamic.
Resident Evil 4 is scheduled for release on PC, PS4, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S on March 23, 2023.
