Summary
As theResident Evilfranchise has taken a huge turn back towards what fans have been familiar with in its early years, it has resulted in nothing but praise all around. Arguably, the most successful of all recent titles including remakes is theResident Evil 4 Remake, as it completely revitalizes the original 2005 experience. Taking what fans loved in the first instance, and reimagining this to fit a more modern setting, appears to have worked wonders.
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With the next mainline installment of the franchise,Resident Evil 9, Capcom will be doing itself a huge favor by keeping its ninth installment close toResident Evil 4in several of its aspects, especiallyif the main characters are set to make a return.
5Trendsetter Title
Many fans ofResident Evil 4will be aware of the monumental legacy the game has had on other titles. From the introduction of theover-the-shoulder camera perspectiveopposed to the franchise’s fixed camera angles to the jump in graphical fidelity at the time compared to its predecessors,Resident Evil 4provided one of gaming’s best experiences.
With both the original and remake now available as a template for Capcom to work from, this is the perfect format forResident Evil 9and should stand as a staple for the rest of any future releases in the franchise, with or without the main characters fans love.
4Best Balanced Horror & Action
When it comes down to many of the other entries in the franchise, fans will often find that they tend to lean too far intoaction or horror, leading to compliments or disappointment among different crowds. While both the originalResident Evil 4and its remake produce a great balance between the two tones, the 2023 version exceeds in this lane, providing a more serious and menacing feel for players.
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Despite the franchise’s primary roots in horror, the action has now become a pivotal feature of all entries, andResident Evil 9will benefit from staying within this same line, but adhering more towardResident Evil 4’s style. Although some titles may lean much further into one of the two tones as mentioned previously, the inclusion of the two has proven successful in recent times.
3Simple Storyline
One of the main aspects ofResident Evil 4in both versions that have contributed to its long-lasting success and popularity is the simplicity of its story. While there are other story arcs and characters that come into play during the journey, the focus is Leon S. Kennedy’s rescue mission, where the number one priority is rescuing thepresident’s daughter, Ashley Graham.
Although there is always room for expanded storylines and more lore, Capcom must ensure thatResident Evil 9keeps this formula, and does not become unrecognizable in the aspect of its story and characters, which was one of the criticisms fans held forVillage’sShadows of RoseDLC despite it all occurring within a dream.
2Main Character Focus
Resident Evil 6’s biggest issues not only lay in the region of an overabundance of action but also the inclusion of multiple campaigns. While previous entries such asResident Evil 2included two separate campaigns that were interwoven with access to Leon or Claire Redfield,Resident Evil 6took this up another notch by adding two more campaigns.
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As for most of the more renowned titles in the franchise, especiallyResident Evil 4, Capcom executed its elements of playable characters perfectly, with its Mercenaries mode allowing players to use characters aside from Leon. In the case ofResident Evil 9, Capcom should stick with one campaign alone with either one or two playable characters likeResident Evil 5, but ensure that this focuses on the characters and their role in the story as opposed to the overabundance inResident Evil 6.
1Multiple Regions
DespiteResident Evil 4only featuring three distinct regions in theVillage, Castle, and Islandthroughout the entirety of its runtime, Capcom has executed this so well that it allows gameplay to feel fresh and new within each playthrough. Not only did this help in the aspect of providing new scenery and a different atmosphere each time, but it also meant that enemies' appearances would be much different, or new enemies entirely would come into play.
This seems to be the best manner to create an overall pleasingResident Evilexperience, and given the templates ofResident Evil 4in both of its versions,Resident Evil 7 Biohazard, andResident Evil 8 Village, already present for Capcom to work from, it could all build toward creating the best experience yet withResident Evil 9. If developers can replicate or even come close to the scenery and environmental storytelling thatResident Evil 4provides, then it will lead to nothing but success.
Resident Evil 4 Remakeis now available on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
